The First Sir Percy

from Kleve. De Berg proposes to attack Arnheim. He wishes to know what forces are inside the city and how they are disposed, and if the Stadtholder hath an army wherewith to come to their relief or to offer us battle, with any chance of success."

"You can tell De Berg to send you or another back to me here when the crescent moon is forty-eight hours older. I shall have all the information then that he wants."

"That will be good news for him and for Isembourg. There has been too much time wasted as it is."

"Time has not been wasted. The frosts have in the meanwhile made the Veluwe a perfect track for men and cannon."

"For Nassau's men and Nassau's cannon, as well as for our own," Heemskerk rejoined dryly.

"A week hence, if all's well, Maurice of Nassau will be too sick to lead his armies across the Veluwe or elsewhere," said Stoutenburg quietly, and looked up with such a strange, fanatical glitter in his deep-sunk eyes that the younger man gave an involuntary gasp of horror.