"And you will make no further accusations against Captain Burton?"
"No. It would appear that he is innocent."
"And you will not annoy his wife?"
"Since she is his wife, I will promise that also."
"In that case I need detain you no longer, Mr. van Zwieten."
"One moment. My papers; what about them? Am I not to have them?"
The audacity of this demand took away the little woman's breath. "No! Certainly not," she replied sharply. "I should lose my hold over you if I gave them up. Besides, you have given quite enough information to your friend Dr. Leyds. You shall not give any more if I can help it."
"Then what security have I that you will let me go free?"
"You have my word. And, after all, there are no guarantees on either side. What security have I for your silence save the holding of these papers? I know very well that as soon as you think you are safe you will do what injury you can to Captain Burton. But I can thwart you there too, Mr. van Zwieten. Your wish is to go to the British camp as a war correspondent. You would betray all our plans to the enemy. Well, sir, I forbid you to stay with my countrymen. If I hear--as I assuredly will hear that you are in our camp, I will at once disclose the contents of the box, and instructions shall be sent to the front for your arrest. I can checkmate you on every point."
"What about Captain Burton's life? You can't protect that. If you drive me to join the Boers, I can easily have him shot."