The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-12

it's amazing petals and bloomed, regal and unique, while the world rang with his name. Suddenly the door-that sacred door which none of the servants dared ap- proaeh save on tiptoe-was torn open and De Wits servant rushed in and thrust a sheet of paper into his hand crying to him that 1t must be attended to at once. Then he turned, without Waiptng a mo- ment, and fled to join his master at the 1 rendezvous that had been appointed.
 Cornelius did not hear his words, for his mind was occupied with something far more important. The sudden entrance had startled him so that he had dropped his precious bulbs, and before the door had elashed behind the intruder again he was down on his knees picking them up.
 He had scarcely succeeded before the door was torn open again and a servant rushed in crying that the house was full of soldiers who had come to arrest him. ! Amazed as he was, his first thought was for his three bulbs Instinctvely he wrapped them up in piece of paper that he had in his hand The next moment a magistrate entered with armed men be- hind him.
 This man glanced at a memorandum in his hand, advanced to the drawer contain ing the package, drew it forth and broke the seal. Aha" cried he. We were not misinformed. l arrest you Tn the name Of the States You will be taken to The Hague at once.'
 Before midnight Dr. Cornelius van Baerle was in the same cell which his godfather had left only few hours be- fore to go to his death. No explanation had been given to him. He was quite ignorant of the massacre of the two brothers, as he was ignorant of the con- tents of the documents that had been found in his home, and perplexed as to how any one could have known where they were.
 Had he known of his neighbor Isaac Boxtel, and the telescope, he would not have wondered That envious person had followed political events more closely than Cornelius, and when he heard of the dis grace of the De Wits he perceived that the mysterious package might contain secrets tsat would ruin his rival were they found in his possession. He drew up an anonymous denunciation, which reach ed the magistrate of Dort on the very day of the massacre at The Hague
 With Van Baerle safely locked up, he calculated that he could enter his plant room and find the three bulbs of whose existence his telescope had informed him a few days before Accordingly that night while Cornelius van Baerle sat in h.s cell in The Hague, Mynheer BoXtel climed through window and ransacked the room, but quite in vain.
 Suddenly he stopped and struck his forehead furiously. Fool that I aml" he muttered choking with rage. He has them about him, of course! He has carried them to The Hague"
 At dawn the next morning Cornelius, looking over the square. saw the scaf- ofld with two bodies hanging from it. Beneath them swung the placard, which ne managed to decipher with the keen eyes of youth. Hardly had he read it before he began to beat upon the door with such violence that Gryphus, the i.tiler. came up cursing furiously. When he discovered what had aroused his prisoner he laughed with keen enjoy ment of the joke and gloated over the horror of his captive as he told hirl all with minute detail. Then he slammed the cell door behind him and departed chucking, leaving Van Baerle in a state of stupor.
 When he recovered in measure he prayed for the souls of the two broth CTS and then for himself. He drew from his breast the three bulbs and hid them behind a block of stone in the darkest corner of the cell
 Here in this dungeon the ere was not grain of earth, not a ray of sun. His discovery thus was to end in utter failure At the thought he fell into q gloom which the fear of his own coming fate had not been able to pro- Guce. From this despondency he was startled by the opening of the cell door and a heavy fall that followed inn mediately, succeeded by cry of pain.
 Gryphus, entering with the prison CTS food, had fallen and broken his arm. Cornelius started toward him. when another person appeared-a beau tiful young girl with a face framed in heavy braids of bright golden hair. The jailer addressed her as Rosa, and Cor relius perceived that she was his daughter.
 T am a doctor, though not by pro- fession," said Cornelius, "and if Mis- tress Rosa will bring two long pieces of wood and some linen I shall set your arm.'
 Quickly she sped away and returned, and pr Van Baerle set about his task with great dexterity. The fracture, how ever, was a bad one and the rough old jailer tainted. Cornelius asked Rosa to get vinegar to bathe his temples, but in- stead of departing she stepped close to him and said: They are bent on finding you guilty and destroying you as they have destroyed the De Wits. Now is your chancel Fleew
 Cornelius gazed |. Rosa with mixed gratitude and admiration. Thank you," said he. You are a dear, good child. But l am innocent and shall await my fate like an innocent man."
 Rosa had not been mistaken in her warning G lthn A houls ie was being tried for treason on tiIe ground of the documents found in hls house which con- eeTned negotiations with tile French gov ernment Ills uefense WIS that he knew nothing Of the contents of the sealed Dackaee