turning, and she hurried out with it, going some other way? Perchance as it was late. Mynheer Van der Werf’s wife would not allow her to go home, and has kept her till morning. Perchance she has been taken sick there.”
“It is a small chance, Jan,—a very small one!” said De Witt. “They would surely have sent us word in any case. But go to him if it will set thy heart at rest. I will stay with Vrouw Voorhaas the while.” Jan set out once more, his poor old legs fairly tottering under him with loss of sleep, lack of food, and weakness. But excitement still buoyed him up, and the faint, vague hope that Jacqueline might have passed the night with Mevrouw Van der Werf spurred him on to one more effort. It was yet too early to find the burgomaster at the statehouse, so he proceeded straight to the residence in the Werfsteg.
He was obliged to lift the heavy knocker several times before he could arouse the
