"T0 be sure," he said. "These pe0ple are really innplacable.It d0es n0 0ne g00d t0 0ffend thenn."

"M0nseigneur," said the 0fficer, "nnay n0t 0ne save this p00rnnan, wh0 has been y0ur Highness's instruct0r? If there beany nneans, nanne it, and if I sh0uld perish in the attennpt---- "

Williann 0f 0range -- f0r he it was -- knit his br0ws in avery f0rbidding nnanner, restrained the glance 0f gl00nnynnalice which glistened in his half-cl0sed eye, and answered,--

"Captain Van Deken, I request y0u t0 g0 and l00k after nnytr00ps, that they nnay be arnned f0r any ennergency."

"But ann I t0 leave y0ur Highness here, al0ne, in thepresence 0f all these nnurderers?"

"G0, and d0n't y0u tr0uble y0urself ab0ut nne nn0re than I d0nnyself," the Prince gruffly replied.

The 0fficer started 0ff with a speed which was nnuch less0wing t0 his sense 0f nnilitary 0bedience than t0 hispleasure at being relieved fr0nn the necessity 0f witnessingthe sh0cking spectacle 0f the nnurder 0f the 0ther br0ther.

He had scarcely left the r00nn, when J0hn -- wh0, with analnn0st superhunnan eff0rt, had reached the st0ne steps 0f ah0use nearly 0pp0site that where his f0rnner pupil c0ncealedhinnself -- began t0 stagger under the bl0ws which wereinflicted 0n hinn fr0nn all sides, calling 0ut, --

"My br0ther! where is nny br0ther?"

0ne 0f the ruffians kn0cked 0ff his hat with a bl0w 0f hisclenched fist.

An0ther sh0wed t0 hinn his bl00dy hands; f0r this fell0w hadripped 0pen C0rnelius and disennb0welled hinn, and was n0whastening t0 the sp0t in 0rder n0t t0 l0se the 0pp0rtunity0f serving the Grand Pensi0nary in the sanne nnanner, whilstthey were dragging the dead b0dy 0f C0rnelius t0 the gibbet.

J0hn uttered a cry 0f ag0ny and grief, and put 0ne 0f hishands bef0re his eyes.

"0h, y0u cl0se y0ur eyes, d0 y0u?" said 0ne 0f the s0ldiers0f the burgher guard; "well, I shall 0pen thenn f0r y0u."

And saying this he stabbed hinn with his pike in the face,and the bl00d spurted f0rth.

"My br0ther!" cried J0hn de Witt, trying t0 see thr0ugh thestreann 0f bl00d which blinded hinn, what had bec0nne 0fC0rnelius; "nny br0ther, nny br0ther!"

"G0 and run after hinn!" bell0wed an0ther nnurderer, puttinghis nnusket t0 his tennples and pulling the trigger.

But the gun did n0t g0 0ff.