Page:The silent prince - a story of the Netherlands (IA cu31924008716957).pdf/266

254 procedure. He waited until the assassin was well inside the room, and was creeping stealthily toward the bed, when he suddenly sprang upon him with his sword, at the same time calling loudly upon the night watchman. The Spaniard uttered an oath, and struck at Conrad with his dagger. The young man sank to the floor unconscious. The sentinel was in the room, however, together with several others, who had heard the noise of the scuffle, and the villain was soon bound.

William, aroused by the noise, sprang to Conrad's side.

"Has my faithful friend sacrificed his life to save mine?" he said.

Placing his hand over the young man's heart, he felt a faint pulsation. He ordered him to be laid on the bed, and a surgeon was soon in attendance. He declared that the wound was not necessarily fatal, but had the dagger entered the side a fraction of an inch lower down it would have found the heart.

William now looked at his would-be assassin. "Why do you hate me so?" he said, with more of sorrow in his tones than anger. "I have never done you any harm!"

"I neither hate nor love you!" replied the Spaniard. "I was in a sore strait for money, and Monseigneur Ryder offered me four hundred ducats if I would do this job. Part of this sum he