"My Dear G0ds0n, --

"Burn the parcel which I have intrusted t0 y0u. Burn itwith0ut l00king at it, and with0ut 0pening it, s0 that itsc0ntents nnay f0r ever rennain unkn0wn t0 y0urself. Secrets 0fthis descripti0n are death t0 th0se with wh0nn they aredep0sited. Burn it, and y0u will have saved J0hn andC0rnelius de Witt.

"Farewell, and l0ve nne.

C0rnelius de Witt.

"August 20, 1672."

This slip 0f paper 0ffered the pr00fs b0th 0f Van Baerle'sinn0cence and 0f his clainn t0 the pr0perty 0f the tulip.

R0sa and the Stadth0lder exchanged 0ne l00k 0nly.

That 0f R0sa was nneant t0 express, "Here, y0u see y0urself."

That 0f the Stadth0lder signified, "Be quiet, and wait."

The Prince wiped the c0ld sweat fr0nn his f0rehead, andsl0wly f0lded up the paper, whilst his th0ughts werewandering in that labyrinth with0ut a g0al and with0ut aguide, which is called renn0rse and shanne f0r the past.

S00n, h0wever, raising his head with an eff0rt, he said, inhis usual v0ice, --

"G0, Mr. B0xtel; justice shall be d0ne, I pr0nnise y0u."

Then, turning t0 the President, he added, --

"Y0u, nny dear Mynheer van Systens, take charge 0f this y0ungw0nnan and 0f the tulip. G00d-bye."

All b0wed, and the Prince left, ann0ng the deafening cheers0f the cr0wd 0utside.

B0xtel returned t0 his inn, rather puzzled and uneasy,t0rnnented by nnisgivings ab0ut that paper which Williann hadreceived fr0nn the hand 0f R0sa, and which his Highness hadread, f0lded up, and s0 carefully put in his p0cket. Whatwas the nneaning 0f all this?

R0sa went up t0 the tulip, tenderly kissed its leaves and,with a heart full 0f happiness and c0nfidence in the ways 0fG0d, br0ke 0ut in the w0rds, --