The Laughing Cavalier · Chapter 31 (2/2)

“I take a dozen men with me,” he said slowly, “and we follow the course of the Schie as far as Rotterdam. Fortunately it is passable practically the whole of the way.”

Stoutenburg nodded in approval.

“I present this letter to Mynheer Ben Isaje, the banker,” continued Jan, “and ask him at once to apprise the jongejuffrouw that she deign to accompany us.”

“Yes. That is right,” quoth Stoutenburg, “but remember that I want you above all things to find that foreigner again. You said that he was sleeping last night in Mynheer Ben Isaje’s house.”

“So I understood, my lord.”

“Well! you must move heaven and earth to find him, Jan. I want him here⁠—a prisoner⁠—remember! Do not let him slip through your fingers this time. It might mean life or death to us all. By fair means or foul you must lay him by the heels.”

“It should not be difficult, my lord,” assented Jan quietly. “I will pick my men, and I have no doubt that we shall come across the foreigner somewhere in the neighbourhood. He cannot have gone far, and even if he left the city we will easily come on his track.”

“That’s brave, Jan. Then come straight back here; two or three of your men can in the meanwhile escort the jongejuffrouw, who will travel by sledge. You must avoid Delft of course, and make a detour there.”

“I had best get horses at Rotterdam, my lord; the sledge can follow the left bank of the Schie all the way, which will be the best means of avoiding Delft.”

“And remember,” concluded Stoutenburg in his most peremptory manner, “that you must all be back here before ten o’clock tonight. The jongejuffrouw first and you with the foreigner later. It is not much more than eight o’clock now; you have the whole day before you. Let the sledge pull up outside the miller’s hut, everything will be ready there by then for the jongejuffrouw’s reception; and let your watchwords be ‘Silence, discretion, speed!’⁠—you understand?”

“I understand, my lord,” replied Jan simply as he gave a military salute, then quietly turned on his heel and went out of the room.

The two friends were once more alone, straining their ears to catch every sound which came to them now from below. Muffled and enveloped in the mist, the voice of Jan giving brief words of command could be distinctly heard, also the metallic click of skates and the tramping of heavily-booted feet upon the ground. But ten minutes later all these sounds had died away. Jan and his men had gone to fetch Gilda⁠—the poor little pawn moved hither and thither by the ruthless and ambitious hands of men.

Beresteyn had buried his head in his hands, in a sudden fit of overpowering remorse. Stoutenburg looked on him silently for awhile, his haggard face appeared drawn and sunken in the pale grey light which found its way through the tiny window up above. Passion greater than that which broke down the spirit of his friend, was tearing at his heartstrings; ambition fought with love, and remorse with determination. But through it all the image of Gilda flitted before his burning eyes across this dimly-lighted room, reproachful and sweet and tantalizingly beautiful. The desire to have her near him in the greatest hour of his life on the morrow, had been the true mainspring which had prompted him to urge Beresteyn to send for her. It seemed to him that Gilda’s presence would bring him luck in his dark undertaking so heavily fraught with crime, and with a careless shrug of the shoulders he was ready to dismiss all thoughts of the wrong which he had done her, in favour of his hopes, his desire, his certainty that a glorious future in his arms would compensate her for all that he had caused her to endure.