“‘And can you live comfortably on it, Captain?’
“‘Very; and, besides, I have my pension. Living is very cheap in that part of the country; if the Freule can make up her mind to go with me, we should have a very pleasant life of it together. Though it is no castle, the best room in the house is set apart for your service.’
“‘I thank you most cordially, my good Captain; I was most anxious to know whether you were provided for. But we must separate, my dear Rolf.’
“‘And where will you go, what will you do?’
“‘I cannot tell you that; but one thing is certain, you cannot go with me.’”
The Captain plied himself well with sherry to keep up his spirits, and concluded by saying—
“And so we parted, Jonker. But I thought to myself, I’ll pass through the Hague; and here I heard of your illness, and said to myself, ‘Probably the Jonker is ignorant of all that has occurred.’”
“Do you know what you must do, Rolf? Go back to the Werve at once. I shall give you a letter for the lawyers to stop all proceedings, and you will take command of the fortress until I come. Retain Fritz in the service, and try to find the packet. I shall be with you to-morrow or the day after, if my doctor will give me permission to leave my room.”
“Oh, the packet will be at Overberg’s with the rest of the General’s papers.”
“Then try to find out where Miss Francis is, and induce her to return to the Werve; but don’t tell her I am coming there.”