active, one Moggy
Salisbury--her husband not a month back, was the boatswain of the
cutter, but by some interest or another, he has obtained his discharge."

"My Lord of Portland, take a memorandum to inquire who it was applied
for the discharge of that man. Mr Vanslyperken you may retire--we will
call you in by-and-bye--you will be secret as to what has passed."

"I have one more duty to perform," replied Vanslyperken, taking some
rouleaus of gold out of his pocket; "this is the money received from the
traitors--it is not for a king's officer to have it in his possession."

"You are right, Mr Vanslyperken, but the gold of traitors is forfeited
to the crown, and it is now mine, you will accept it as a present from
your king."

Mr Vanslyperken took the gold from the table, made a bow, and retired
from the royal presence.

The reader will acknowledge that it was impossible to play his cards
better than Mr Vanslyperken had done in this interview, and that he
deserved great credit for his astute conduct. With such diplomatic
talents, he would have made a great prime minister.

"The council was ordered at twelve o'clock, my lords. These letters must
be produced. That they are genuine appears to me beyond a doubt."

"That they are faithful copies, I doubt not," replied Lord Albemarle,
"but--"

"But what, my Lord Albemarle?"

"I very much suspect the fidelity of the copier--there is something more
that has not been told, depend upon it."

"Why do you think so, my lord?"

"Because, your Majesty, allowing that a man would act the part that Mr
Vanslyperken says that he has done to discover the conspiracy, still,
would he not naturally, to avoid any risk to himself, have furnished
government with the first correspondence, and obtained their sanction
for prosecuting his plans? This officer has been employed for the last
two years or more in carrying the despatches to the Hague, and it must
at once strike your Majesty, that a person who can, with such dexterity,
open the letters of others can also open those of his own government."

"That is true, my lord," replied his Majesty, musing.

"Your Majesty is well aware that suspicions were entertained of the
fidelity of the syndic, suspicions which the evidence of this officer
have verified. But why were these suspicions raised? Because he knew of
the government secrets, and it was supposed he obtained them from some
one who is in our trust, but inimical to us and unworthy