THE

 SWORD MAKER

 BY

 ROBERT BARR

 AUTHOR OF

 "TEKLA" "CARDILLAC" "THE VICTORS" "IN THE MIDST OF ALARMS" ETC. 

 NEW YORK

 FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY

 PUBLISHERS

 FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY

 June, 1910

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

 I. AN OFFER TO OPEN THE RIVER II. THE BARGAIN IS STRUCK III. DISSENSION IN THE IRONWORKERS' GUILD IV. THE DISTURBING JOURNEY OF FATHER AMBROSE V. THE COUNTESS VON SAYN AND THE ARCHBISHOP OF COLOGNE VI. TO BE KEPT SECRET FROM THE COUNTESS VII. MUTINY IN THE WILDERNESS VIII. THE MISSING LEADER AND THE MISSING GOLD IX. A SOLEMN PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE X. A CALAMITOUS CONFERENCE XI. GOLD GALORE THAT TAKES TO ITSELF WINGS XII. THE LAUGHING RED MARGRAVE OF FURSTENBERG XIII. "A SENTENCE; COME, PREPARE!" XIV. THE PRISONER OF EHRENFELS XV. JOURNEYS END IN LOVERS' MEETING XVI. MY LADY SCATTERS THE FREEBOOTERS AND CAPTURES THEIR CHIEF XVII. "FOR THE EMPRESS, AND NOT FOR THE EMPIRE" XVIII. THE SWORD MAKER AT BAY XIX. THE BETROTHAL IN THE GARDEN XX. THE MYSTERY OF THE FOREST XXI. A SECRET MARRIAGE XXII. LONG LIVE THEIR MAJESTIES

THE SWORD MAKER

I

AN OFFER TO OPEN THE RIVER

Considering the state of the imperial city of Frankfort, one would notexpect to find such a gathering as was assembled in the Kaiser cellar ofthe Rheingold drinking tavern. Outside in the streets all was turbulenceand disorder; a frenzy on the part of the populace taxing to the utmostthe efforts of the city authorities to keep it within bounds, andprevent the development of a riot that might result in the partialdestruction at least of this once prosperous city. And indeed, theinhabitants of Frankfort could plead some excuse for theirboisterousness. Temporarily, at any rate, all business was at astandstill. The skillful mechanics of the town had long been out ofwork, and now to the ranks of the unemployed were added, from time totime, clerks and such-like clerical people, expert accountants, persuasive salesmen, and small shopkeepers, for no one now possessed themoney to buy more than the bare necessities of life. Yet the warehousesof Frankfort were full to overflowing, with every kind of store thatmight have supplied the needs of the people, and to the unlearned man itseemed unjust that he and his family should starve while granaries werepacked with the agricultural produce of the South, and huge warehouseswere glutted with enough cloth from Frankfort and the surroundingdistricts to clothe ten times the number of tatterdemalions who clamoredthrough the streets. 

The wrath of the people was concentrated against one man, and he thehighest in the land; to blame, of course, in a secondary degree, but notthe one primarily at fault for this deplorable state of things. TheEmperor, always indolent from the time he came to the throne, had grownold and crabbed and fat, caring for nothing but his flagon of wine thatstood continually at his elbow. Laxity of rule in the beginning allowedhis nobles to get the upper hand, and now it would require a civil warto bring them into subjection again. They, sitting snug in theirstrongholds, with plenty of wine in their cellars and corn in theirbins, cared nothing for the troubles of the city. Indeed, those whoinhabited either bank of the Rhine, watching from their elevated castlesthe main avenue of traffic between Frankfort and Cologne, her chiefmarket, had throughout that long reign severely taxed the merchantsconveying goods downstream. During the last five years, their exactionsbecame so piratical that finally they killed the goose that laid thegolden eggs, so now the Rhine was without a boat, and Frankfort withouta buyer. 

For too long Frankfort had looked to the Emperor, whose business it wasto keep order in his domain, and when at last the merchants, combiningto help themselves, made an effort towards freedom, it was too late. Theresult of their combination was a flotilla of nearly a hundred boats, which, gathering at Frankfort and Mayence, proceeded together down theriver, convoyed by a fleet containing armed men, and thus they thoughtto win through to Cologne, and so dispose of their goods. But the robberBarons combined also, hung chains across the river at the Lorely rocks, its narrowest part, and realizing that this fleet could defeat anysingle one of them, they for once acted in concert, falling upon theboats when their running against the chains threw them into confusion. 

The nobles and their brigands were seasoned fighters all, while thearmed men secured by the merchants were mere hirelings, who fled inpanic; and those not cut to pieces by their savage adversaries becamethemselves marauders on a small scale, scattered throughout the land, for there was little use of tramping back to the capital, where alreadya large portion of the population suffered the direst straits. 

Not a single bale of goods reached Cologne, for the robbers dividedeverything amongst themselves, with some pretty quarrels, and then theysank the boats in the deepest part of the river as a warning, lest themerchants of Frankfort and Mayence should imagine the Rhine belonged tothem. Meantime, all petitions to the Emperor being in vain, themerchants gave up the fight. They were a commercial, not a warlikepeople. They discharged their servants and underlings, and starvationslowly settled down upon the distressed city. 

After the maritime disaster on the Rhine, some of the merchants made afutile attempt to amend matters, for which their leaders paid dearly. They appealed to the seven Electors, finding their petitions to theEmperor were in vain, asking these seven noblemen, including the threewarlike Archbishops of Cologne, Treves, and Mayence, to depose theEmperor, which they had power to do, and elect his son in his stead. Butthey overlooked the fact that a majority of the Electors themselves, andprobably the Archbishops also, benefited directly or indirectly by thepiracies on the Rhine. The answer to this request was the prompt hangingof three leading merchants, the imprisonment of a score of others, and awarning to the rest that the shoemaker should stick to his last, leavinghigh politics to those born to rule. This misguided effort caused thethree Archbishops to arrest Prince Roland, the Emperor's only son, andincarcerate him in Ehrenfels, a strong castle on the Rhine belonging tothe Archbishop of Mayence, who was thus made custodian of the young man, and responsible to his brother prelates of Cologne and Treves for thesafe-keeping of the Prince. The Archbishops, as has been said, were toowell satisfied with the weak administration then established atFrankfort to wish a change, so the lad was removed from the capital, that the citizens of Frankfort might be under no temptation to place himat their head, and endeavor to overturn the existing order of things. 

This being the state of affairs in Frankfort, with every one gloomy, anda majority starving, it was little wonder that the main cellar of theRheingold tavern should be empty, although when times were good it wasdifficult to find a seat there after the sun went down. But in thesmaller Kaiser cellar, along each side of the single long table, satyoung men numbering a score, who ate black bread and drank Rhine wine, to the roaring of song and the telling of story. They formed a closecoterie, admitting no stranger to their circle if one dissenting voicewas raised against his acceptance, yet in spite of this exclusivenessthere was not a drop of noble blood in the company. They belonged, however, to the aristocracy of craftsmen; metal-workers for the mostpart, ingenious artificers in iron, beaters of copper, fashioners ofgold and silver. Glorious blacksmiths, they called themselves; but now, like every one else, with nothing to do. In spite of their cityup-bringing all were stalwart, well-set-up young men; and, indeed, theswinging of hammers is good exercise for the muscles of the arm, and inthose turbulent days a youth who could not take care of himself with hisstick or his fists was like to fare ill if he ventured forth afternightfall. 

This, indeed, had been the chief reason for the forming of their guild, and if one of their number was set upon, the secret call of theorganization shouted aloud brought instant help were any of the memberswithin hearing. Belonging neither to the military nor the aristocracy, they were not allowed to wear swords, and to obtain this privilege wasone of the objects of their organization. Indeed, each member of theguild secretly possessed a weapon of the best, although he risked hisneck if ever he carried it abroad with him. Among their number werethree of the most expert sword makers in all Germany. 

These three sword makers had been instrumental in introducing to theirorder the man who was now its leader. This youth came to one of themwith ideas concerning the proper construction of a sword, and thebalancing of it, so that it hung easily in the hand as though part ofthe fore-arm. Usually, the expert has small patience with the theoriesof an amateur; but this young fellow, whose ambition it was to invent asword, possessed such intimate knowledge of the weapon as it was used, not only in Germany, but also in France and Italy, that the sword makerintroduced him to fellow-craftsmen at other shops, and they taught himhow to construct a sword. These instructors, learning that although, asRoland laughingly said, he was not allowed to wear a sword, he couldwield it with a precision little short of marvelous, the guild gavepermission for this stranger to be a guest at one of their weeklymeetings at the Kaiser cellar, where he exhibited his wonderful skill. 

Not one of them, nor, indeed, all of them together, stood any chancewhen confronting him. They clamored to be taught, offering good moneyfor the lessons, believing that if they acquired but a tithe of hisexcellence with the blade they might venture to wear it at night, andlet their skill save them from capture. But the young fellow refusedtheir money, and somewhat haughtily declined the rôle of fencing-master, whereupon they unanimously elected him a member of the coterie, waivingfor this one occasion the rule which forbade the choice of any but ametal-worker. When the stranger accepted the election, he was informedthat it was the duty of each member to come to the aid of his brethrenwhen required, and they therefore requested him to teach themswordsmanship. Roland, laughing, seeing how he had been trapped, as itwere, with his own consent, acceded to the universal wish, and before ayear had passed his twenty comrades were probably the leading swordsmenin the city of Frankfort. 

Shortly after the disaster to the merchants' fleet at the Lorely, Rolanddisappeared without a word of farewell to those who had come to think somuch of him. He had been extremely reticent regarding his profession, ifhe had one, and no one knew where he lodged. It was feared that theauthorities had arrested him with the sword in his possession, for hegrew more reckless than any of the others in carrying the weapon. Onenight, however, he reappeared, and took his seat at the head of thetable as if nothing had happened. Evidently he had traveled far and onfoot, for his clothes were dusty and the worse for wear. He refused togive any account of himself, but admitted that he was hungry, thirsty, and in need of money. 

His hunger and thirst were speedily satisfied, but the money scarcitywas not so easily remedied. All the score were out of employment, withthe exception of the three sword makers, whose trade the uncertainty ofthe times augmented rather than diminished. To cheer up Roland, who wasa young fellow of unquenchable geniality, they elected him to the emptyhonor of being their leader, Kurzbold's term of office having ended. 

The guild met every night now, instead of once a week, and it may beshrewdly suspected that the collation of black bread and sausage formedthe sole meal of the day for many of them. Nevertheless, their hilaritywas undiminished, and the rafters rang with song and laugh, and echoedalso maledictions upon a supine Government, and on the rapacious Rhinelords. But the bestowal of even black bread and the least expensive ofwine could not continue indefinitely. They owed a bill to the landlordupon which that worthy, patient as he had proved himself, always hopingfor better times, wished for at least something on account. All hisother customers had deserted him, and if they drank at all, chose someplace where the wine was thin and cheap. The landlord held out bravelyfor three months after Roland was elected president, then, bemoaning hisfate, informed the guild that he would be compelled to close theRheingold tavern. 

"Give me a week!" cried Roland, rising in his place at the head of thetable, "and I will make an effort to get enough gold to settle the billat least, with perhaps something over for each of our pockets. "

This promise brought forth applause and a rattle of flagons on thetable, so palpably empty that the ever-hopeful landlord proceededforthwith to fill them. 

"There is one proviso, " said Roland, as they drank his health in thewine his offer produced. "To get this money I must do something inreturn. I have a plan in mind which it would be premature to disclose. If it succeeds, none of us will ever need to bend back over a workman'sbench again, or hammer metal except for our own pleasure. But actingalone I am powerless, so I must receive your promise that you will standby any pledge I make on your behalf, and follow me into whatever dangerI choose to lead you. "

There was a great uproar at this, and a boisterous consent. 

"This day week, then, " said Roland, as he strapped sword to side, threwcloak over shoulders, so that it completely concealed the forbiddenweapon, waved a hand to his cheering comrades, and went out into thenight. 

Once ascended the cellar steps, the young man stood in the narrow streetas though hesitating what to do. Faintly there came to him the sound ofsinging from the cellar he had quitted, and he smiled slightly as helistened to the rousing chorus he knew so well. From the direction ofthe Palace a more sinister echo floated on the night air; theunmistakable howl of anger, pain, and terror; the noise that a pursuedand stricken mob makes when driven by soldiers. The populace hadevidently been engaged in its futile and dangerous task ofdemonstrating, and proclaiming its hunger, and the authorities werescattering it; keeping it ever on the move. 

It was still early; not yet ten o'clock, and a full moon shone over thecity, unlighted otherwise. Drawing his cloak closer about him, Rolandwalked rapidly in an opposite direction to that from which the tumult ofthe rabble came, until he arrived at the wide Fahrgasse, a streetrunning north and south, its southern end terminating at the old bridge. Along this thoroughfare lived the wealthiest merchants of Frankfort. 

Roland turned, and proceeded slowly towards the river, criticallyexamining the tall, picturesque buildings on either hand, cogitating thequestion which of them would best answer his purpose. They all seemeduninviting enough, for their windows were dark, most of them tightlyshuttered; and, indeed, the thoroughfare looked like a street of thedead, the deserted appearance enhanced, rather than relieved, by thewhite moonlight lying on its cobble-stones. 

Nearing the bridge, he discovered one stout door ajar, and behind itshone the yellow glow of a lamp. He paused, and examined critically thefaçade of the house, which, with its quiet, dignified architecturalbeauty, seemed the abode of wealth. Although the shutters were closed, his intent inspection showed him thin shafts of light from the chinks, and he surmised that an assemblage of some sort was in progress, probably a secret convention, the members of which entered unannounced, and left the door ajar ready for the next comer. 

For a moment he thought of venturing in, but remembering his missionrequired the convincing of one man rather than the persuasion of agroup, he forbore, but noted in his mind the position and designation ofthe house, resolving to select this building as the theater of his firsteffort, and return to it next morning. It would serve his purpose aswell as another. 

Roland's attention was then suddenly directed to his own position, standing in the bright moonlight, for there swung round from the riverroad, into the Fahrgasse, a small and silent company, who marched as oneman. The moon was shining almost directly up the street, but the housesto the west stood in its radiance, while those in the east were still inshadow. Roland pressed himself back against the darkened wall to hisleft, near the partially opened door; between it and the river. Thesilent procession advanced to the door ajar, and there paused, formingtheir ranks into two lines, thus making a passage for a tall, fine-looking, bearded man, who walked to the threshold, then turned andraised his bonnet in salute. 

"My friends, " he said, "this is kind of you, and although I have beensilent, I ask you to believe that deeply I appreciate your welcomeescort. And now, enter with me, and we will drink a stoup of winetogether, to the somber toast, 'God save our stricken city!'"

"No, no, Herr Goebel. To-night is sacred. We have seen you safely toyour waiting family, and at that reunion there should be no intruders. But to-morrow night, if you will have us, we will drink to the city, andto your own good health, Herr Goebel. "

This sentiment was applauded by all, and the merchant, seeing that theywould not accept his present invitation, bowed in acquiescence, and badethem good-by. When the door closed the delegation separated into units, and each went his own way. Roland, stepping out of the shadow, accostedthe rearmost man. 

"Pardon me, mein Herr, " he said, "but may I ask what ceremony is this inwhich you have been taking part?"

The person accosted looked with some alarm at his questioner, but themoonlight revealed a face singularly gentle and winning; a face that inspite of its youth inspired instinctive confidence. The tone, too, wasvery persuasive, and seemed devoid even of the offense of curiosity. 

"'Tis no ceremony, " said the delegate, "but merely the return home ofour friend, Herr Goebel. "

"Has he, then, been on a journey?"

"Sir, you are very young, and probably unacquainted with Frankfort. "

"I have lived here all my life, " said Roland. "I am a native ofFrankfort. "

"In that case, " replied the other, "you show yourself amazingly ignorantof its concerns; otherwise you would know that Herr Goebel is one of theleading merchants of the city, a man honorable, enlightened, andenergetic--an example to us all, and one esteemed alike by noble orpeasant. We honor ourselves in honoring him. "

"Herr Goebel should be proud of such commendation, mein Herr, coming Ijudge, from one to whom the words you use might also be applied. "

The merchant bowed gravely at this compliment, but made no remark uponit. 

"Pardon my further curiosity, " continued the young man, "but from whencedoes Herr Goebel return?"

"He comes from prison, " said the other. "He made the mistake of thinkingthat our young Prince would prove a better ruler than his father, ourEmperor, and but that the Archbishops feared a riot if they went toextremes, Herr Goebel ran great danger of losing his life rather thanhis liberty. "

"What you say, mein Herr, interests me very much, and I thank you foryour courtesy. My excuse for questioning you is this. I am moved by adesire to enter the employ of such a man as Herr Goebel, and I purposecalling upon him to-morrow, if you think he would be good enough toreceive me. "

"He will doubtless receive you, " replied the other, "but I am quitecertain your mission will fail. At the present moment none of us areengaging clerks, however competent. Ignorant though you are of civicaffairs, you must be aware that all business is at a standstill inFrankfort. Although Herr Goebel has said nothing about it, I learn froman unquestionable source that he himself is keeping from starvation allhis former employees, so I am sure he would not take on, for a stranger, any further obligation. "

"Sir, I am well acquainted with the position of affairs, and it is tosuggest a remedy that I desire speech with Herr Goebel. I do not possessthe privilege of acquaintance with any merchant in this city, so oneobject of my accosting you was to learn, if possible, how I might securesome note of introduction to the merchant that would ensure hisreceiving me, and obtain for me a hearing when once I had been admittedto his house. "

If Roland expected the stranger to volunteer such a note, he quiteunderestimated the caution of a Frankfort merchant. 

"As I said before, you will meet with no difficulty so far as entranceto the house is concerned. May I take it that you yourself understandthe art of writing?"

"Oh yes, " replied Roland. 

"Then indite your own letter of introduction. Say that you have evolveda plan for the redemption of Frankfort, and Herr Goebel will receive youwithout demur. He will listen patiently, and give a definite decisionregarding the feasibility of your project. And now, good sir, my waylies to the left. I wish you success, and bid you good-night. "

The stranger left Roland standing at the intersection of two streets, one of which led to the Saalhof. They had been approaching theRomerberg, or market-place, the center of Frankfort, when the merchantso suddenly ended the conversation and turned aside. Roland rememberedthat no Jew was allowed to set foot in the Romerberg, and now surmisedthe nationality of his late companion. The youth proceeded alone throughthe Romerberg, and down directly to the river, reaching the spot wherethe huge Saalhof faced its flood. Roland saw that triple guardssurrounded the Emperor's Palace. The mob had been cleared away, but noone was allowed to linger in its precincts, and the youth was grufflyordered to take himself elsewhere, which he promptly did, walking up theSaalgasse, and past the Cathedral, until he came once more into theFahrgasse, down which he proceeded, pausing for another glance atGoebel's house, until he came to the bridge, where he stood with armsresting on the parapet, thoughtfully shaping in his mind what he wouldsay to Herr Goebel in the morning. 

Along the opposite side of the river lay a compact mass of barges; ugly, somber, black in the moonlight, silent witnesses to the ruin ofFrankfort. The young man gazed at this melancholy accumulation ofuseless floating stock, and breathed the deeper when he reflected thatwhoever could set these boats in motion again would prove himself, temporarily at least, the savior of the city. 

When the bells began to toll eleven, Roland roused himself, walkedacross the bridge to Sachsenhausen, and so to his squalid lodging, consoling himself with the remembrance that the great King Charlemagnehad made this his own place of residence. Here, before retiring to bed, he wrote the letter which he was to send in next day to Herr Goebel, composing it with some care, so that it aroused curiosity withoutsatisfying it. 

It was half-past ten next morning when Roland presented himself at thedoor of the leading merchant in the Fahrgasse, and sent in to thatworthy his judiciously worded epistle. He was kept waiting in the halllonger than he expected, but at last the venerable porter appeared, andsaid Herr Goebel would be pleased to receive him. He was conducted upthe stair to the first floor, and into a front room which seemed to bepartly library and partly business office. Here seated at a stout table, he recognized the grave burgher whose home-coming he had witnessed thenight before. 

The keen eyes of the merchant seemed to penetrate to his inmost thought, and it struck Roland that there came into them an expression ofdisappointment, for he probably did not expect so youthful a visitor. 

"Will you be seated, mein Herr, " said his host; and Roland, with aninclination of the head, accepted the invitation. "My time is verycompletely occupied to-day, " continued the elder man, "for althoughthere is little business afoot in Frankfort, my own affairs have beenrather neglected of late, and I am endeavoring to overtake the arrears. "

"I know that, " said Roland. "I stood by your doorcheek last night whenyou returned home. "

"Did you so? May I ask why?"

"There was no particular reason. It happened that I walked down theFahrgasse, endeavoring to make up my mind upon whom I should callto-day. "

"And why have I received the preference?"

"Perhaps, sir, it would be more accurate to say your house received thepreference, if it is such. I was struck by its appearance of solidityand wealth, and, differing from all others in the door being ajar, Ilingered before it last night with some inclination to enter. Then theprocession which accompanied you came along. I heard your address toyour friends, and wondered what the formality was about. After the doorwas closed I accosted one of those who escorted you, and learned yourname, business, and reputation. "

"You must be a stranger in Frankfort when you needed to make suchinquiry. "

"Those are almost the same words that my acquaintance of last nightused, and he seemed astonished when I replied that I was born inFrankfort, and had lived here all my life. "

"Ah, I suppose no man is so well known as he thinks he is, but I ventureto assert that you are not engaged in business here. "

"Sir, you are in the right. I fear I have hitherto led a somewhatuseless existence. "

"On money earned by some one else, perhaps. "

"Again you hit the nail on the head, Herr Goebel. I lodge on the otherside of the river, and coming to and fro each day, the sight of allthose useless barges depresses me, and I have formulated a plan forputting them in motion again. "

"I fear, sir, that wiser heads than yours have been meditating upon thatproject without avail. "

"I should have been more gratified, Herr Goebel, if you had said 'olderheads. '"

The suspicion of a smile hovered for a brief instant round the shrewd, firm lips of the merchant. 

"Young sir, your gentle reproof is deserved. I know nothing of yourwisdom, and so should have referred to the age, and not to the equipmentof your head. It occurs to me, as I study you more closely, that I havemet you before. Your face seems familiar. "

"'Tis but a chance resemblance, I suspect. Until very recently I havebeen absorbed in my studies, and rarely left my father's house. "

"I am doubtless mistaken. But to return to our theme. As you areignorant of my name and standing in this city, you are probably unawareof the efforts already made to remove the deadlock on the Rhine. "

"In that, Herr Goebel, you are at fault. I know an expedition of follywas promoted at enormous expense, and that the empty barges, numberingsomething like fivescore, now rest in the deepest part of the Rhine. "

"Why do you call it an expedition of folly?"

"Surely the result shows it to be such. "

"A plan may meet with disaster, even where every precaution has beentaken. We did the best we could, and if the men we had paid for theprotection of the flotilla had not, with base cowardice, deserted theirposts, these barges would have reached Cologne. "

"Never! The defenders you chose were riff-raff, picked up in the guttersof Frankfort, and you actually supposed such cattle, undisciplined anduntrained, would stand up against the fearless fighters of the Barons, swashbucklers, hardened to the use of sword and pike. What else was tobe expected? The goods were not theirs, but yours. They had receivedtheir pay, and so speedily took themselves out of danger. "

"You forget, sir, or you do not know, that several hundred of them werecut to pieces. "

"I know that, also, but the knowledge does not in the least nullify mycontention. I am merely endeavoring to show you that the heads you spokeof a moment ago were only older, but not necessarily wiser than mine. Itwould be impossible for me to devise an expedition so preposterous. "

"What should we have done?"

"For one thing, you should have gone yourselves, and defended your ownbales. "

The merchant showed visible signs of a slowly rising anger, and had theyoung man's head contained the wisdom he appeared to claim for it, hewould have known that his remarks were entirely lacking in tact, andthat he was making no progress, but rather the reverse. "You speak likea heedless, untutored youth. How could we defend our bales, when nomerchant is allowed to wear a sword?"

Roland rose and put his hands to the throat of his cloak. 

"I am not allowed to wear a sword;" and saying this, he dramaticallyflung wide his cloak, displaying the prohibited weapon hanging from hisbelt. The merchant sat back in his chair, visibly impressed. 

"You seem to repose great confidence in me, " he said. "What if I were toinform the authorities?"

The youth smiled. 

"You forget, Herr Goebel, that I learned much about you from your friendlast night. I feel quite safe in your house. "

He flung his cloak once more over the weapon, and sat down again. 

"What is your occupation, sir?" asked the merchant. 

"I am a teacher of swordsmanship. I practice the art of afencing-master. "

"Your clients are aristocrats, then?"

"Not so. The class with which I am now engaged contains twenty skilledartisans of about my own age. "

"If they do not belong to the aristocracy, your instruction must besurreptitious, because it is against the law. "

"It is both surreptitious and against the law, but in spite of thesedisadvantages, my twenty pupils are the best swordsmen in Frankfort, andI would willingly pit them against any twenty nobles with whom I amacquainted. "

"So!" cried the merchant. "You are acquainted with twenty nobles, areyou?"

"Well, you see, " explained the young man, flushing slightly, "thesemetal-workers whom I drill, being out of employment, cannot afford topay for their lessons, and naturally, as you indicated, a fencing-mastermust look to the nobles for his bread. I used the word acquaintancehastily. I am acquainted with the nobles in the same way that a clerk inthe woolen trade might say he was acquainted with a score of merchants, to none of whom he had ever spoken. "

"I see. Am I to take it that your project for opening the Rhine dependsfor its success on those twenty metal-workers, who quite lawlessly knowhow to handle their swords?"

"Yes. "

"Tell me what your plan is. "

"I do not care to disclose my plan, even to you. "

"I thought you came here hoping I should further your project, andperhaps finance it. Am I wrong in such a surmise?"

"Sir, you are not. The very first proviso is that you pay to me acrossthis table a thousand thalers in gold. "

The smile came again to the lips of the merchant. 

"Anything else?" he asked. 

"Yes. You will select one of your largest barges, and fill it withwhatever class of goods you deal in. "

"Don't you know what class of goods I deal in?"

"No! I do not. "

Goebel's smile broadened. That a youth so ignorant of everythingpertaining to the commerce of Frankfort, should come in thus boldly anddemand a thousand thalers in gold from a man whose occupation he did notknow, seemed to the merchant one of the greatest pieces of impudence hehad encountered in his long experience of men. 

"After all, my merchandise, " he said, "matters little one way or anotherwhen I am engaged with such a customer as you. What next?"

"You will next place a price upon the shipload; a price such as youwould accept if the boat reached Cologne intact. I agree to pay you thatmoney, together with the thousand thalers, when I return to Frankfort. "

"And when will that be, young sir?"

"You are better able to estimate the length of time than I. I do notknow, for instance, how long it takes a barge to voyage from Frankfortto Cologne. "

"Given fair weather, which we may expect in July, and premising thatthere are no interruptions, let us say a week. "

"Would a man journeying on horseback from Cologne to Frankfort reachhere sooner than the boat?"

"The barge having to make headway against a strong current, I should saythe horseman would accomplish the trip in a third of the time. "

"Very well. To allow for all contingencies, I promise to pay the moneyone month from the day we leave the wharf at Frankfort. "

"That would be eminently satisfactory. "

"I forgot to mention that I expect you, knowing more about navigationthan I, to supply a trustworthy captain and an efficient crew for themanning of the barge. I should like men who understand the currents ofthe river, and who, if questioned by the Barons, would not be likely totell more than they were asked. "

"I can easily provide such a set of sailors. "

"Very well, Herr Goebel. Those are my requirements. Will you agree tosupply them?"

"With great pleasure, my young and enthusiastic friend, provided thatyou comply with one of the most common of our commercial rules. "

"And what is that, mein Herr?"

"Before you depart you will leave with me ample security that if I neversee you again, the value of the goods, plus the thousand thalers, willbe repaid to me when the month is past. "

"Ah, " said the young man, "you impose an impossible condition. "

"Give me a bond, then, signed by three responsible merchants. "

"Sir, as I am acquainted with no merchant in this city except yourself, how could I hope to obtain the signature of even one responsible man?"

"How, then, do you expect to obtain my consent to a project which I knowcannot succeed, while I bear all the risk?"

"Pardon me, Herr Goebel. I and my comrades risk our lives. You riskmerely your money and your goods. "

"You intend, then, to fight your way down the Rhine?"

"Surely. How else?"

"Supported by only twenty followers?"

"Yes. "

"And you hope to succeed where a thousand of our men failed?"

"Yes; they were hirelings, as I told you. With my twenty I could putthem all to flight. Aside from this, I should like to point out to youthat the merchants of Frankfort formed their combination at publicmeetings, called together by the burgomaster. There was no secrecy abouttheir deliberations. Every robber Baron along the Rhine knew what youwere going to attempt, and was prepared for your coming. I intend thatyour barge shall leave Frankfort at midnight. My company will proceedacross country, and join her at some agreed spot, probably belowBingen. "

"I see. Well, my young friend, you have placed before me a veryinteresting proposal, but I am a business man, and not an adventurer. Unless you can furnish me with security, I decline to advance a singlethaler, not to mention a thousand. "

The young man rose to his feet, and the merchant, with a sigh, seemedglad that the conference was ended. 

"Herr Goebel, you deeply disappoint me. "

"I am sorry for that, and regret the forfeiting of your good opinion, but despite that disadvantage I must persist in my obstinacy. "

"I do not wonder that this fair city lies desolate if her prosperitydepends upon her merchants, and if you are chief among them; yet Icannot forget that you risked life and liberty on my behalf, though nowyou will not venture a miserable thousand thalers on my word of honor. "

"On _your_ behalf? What do you mean?"

"I mean, Herr Goebel, that I am Prince Roland, only son of the Emperor, and that you placed your neck in jeopardy to elevate me to the throne. "

II

THE BARGAIN IS STRUCK

Every epoch seems to have possessed a two-word phrase that contained, asit were, the condensed wisdom of the age, and was universally believedby the people. For instance, the aphorism "Know thyself" rose topopularity when cultured minds turned towards science. In the period towhich this recital belongs the adage "Blood tells" enjoyed universalacceptance. It was, in fact, that erroneous statement "The King can dono wrong" done up into tabloid form. From it, too, sprang thatdouble-worded maxim of the days of chivalry, "_Noblesse oblige_. "

In our own time, the two-worded phrase is "Money talks, " and if diligentinquirers probe deeply into the matter, they will find that theaspirations of the people always correspond with reasonable accuracy tothe meaning of the phrase then in use. Nothing could be more excellent, for instance, than the proverb "Money talks" as representing twocommercial countries like America and England. In that short sentence ispacked the essence of many other wise and drastic sayings, as, forinstance, "The devil take the hindmost;" for, of course, if money talks, then the man without it must remain silent, and his place is at the tailof the procession, where the devil prowls about like a Cossack at therear of Napoleon's army. 

Confronting each other in that ancient house on the Fahrgasse, wewitness, then, the personification of the two phrases, ancient andmodern: blood represented by the standing lad, and money by the seatedmerchant. 

"I am Prince Roland, only son of the Emperor, " the young man had said, and he saw at once by the expression on the face of his host that, couldhe be convinced of the truth of the assertion, the thousand thalers thatthe Prince had demanded would be his on the instant. 

For a full minute Roland thought he had succeeded, but as the surprisedied out of the merchant's countenance, there replaced it that mask ofcaution which had had so much to do with the building of his fortune. During their conference Herr Goebel cudgeled his brain, trying toremember where he had seen this young man before, but memory had roamedamong clerks, salesmen, and industrious people of that sort where, somehow, this young fellow did not fit in. When Roland suddenly sprungon him the incredible statement that he was a member of the Imperialfamily, the merchant's recollection then turned towards pageants he hadseen, in one of which this young stranger might very well have borne apart. Blood was beginning to tell. 

But now experience came to the merchant's aid. Only in romances didprinces of the blood royal wander about like troubadours. Even a memberof the lesser nobility did not call unheralded at the house of amerchant. The aristocracy always wanted money, it is true, "but whatthey thought they might require, they went and took, " as witness thepiratical Barons of the Rhine, whose exactions brought misery on thegreat city of Frankfort. 

Then all at once came the clinching remembrance that when the Electorswere appealed to on behalf of the young Prince, the three Archbishopshad promptly seized his Royal Highness, and, in spite of the pleadingsof the Empress (the Emperor was drunk and indifferent) placed him in thecustody of the Archbishop nearest to Frankfort, the warrior prelate ofMayence, who imprisoned him in the strong fortress of Ehrenfels, fromwhich, well guarded and isolated as it was upon a crag over-hanging theRhine, no man could escape. 

"Will you kindly be seated again, sir, " requested the merchant, and ifhe had spoken a short time before, he would have put the phrase "yourRoyal Highness" in the place of the word "sir. "

Roland, after a moment's hesitation, sat down. He saw that his coup hadfailed, because he was unable to back it up by proofs. His dramaticaction had been like a brilliant cavalry charge, for a momentsuccessful, but coming to naught because there was no solid infantry toturn the temporary confusion of the enemy into complete rout. Realizingthat the battle must be fought over again, the Prince sat back with asigh of disappointment, a shade of discontent on his handsome face. 

"I find myself in rather a quandary, " proceeded the merchant. "If indeedyou are the Emperor's son, it is not for such as I to cross-examineyou. "

"Ask me any questions you like, sir. I shall answer them promptlyenough. "

"If I beg you to supply proof of the statement you make, you would belikely to reply that as you dared not enter your father's Palace, youare unable to furnish me with corroboration. "

"Sir, you put the case in better language than I could employ. In morehalting terms that is what I should have said. "

"When were you last in the Palace?"

"About the same time, sir, that you took up your residence in prison. "

"Ah, yes; that naturally would be your answer. Now, my young friend, youhave shown me that you know nothing of mercantile practice; therefore itmay perhaps interest you if I explain some of our methods. "

"Herr Goebel, you may save your breath. Such a recital must not onlyfail to interest me, but will bore me extremely. I care nothing for yourmercantile procedure, and, to be quite plain with you, I despise yourtrade, and find some difficulty in repressing my contempt for those whopractice it. "

"If an emissary of mine, " returned Goebel, unperturbed, "approached aclient or customer for the purpose of obtaining a favor, and used aslittle tact as you do, I should dismiss him. "

"I'm not asking any favors from you. "

"You wish me to hand over to you a thousand thalers, otherwise why cameyou here?"

"I desire to bestow upon you the greatest of boons, namely to open upthe Rhine, and bring back prosperity to Frankfort, which you brainless, cowardly merchants have allowed to slip through your fingers, blamingnow the Barons, now the Emperor, now the Electors; censuring everybody, in fact, except the real culprits . .. Yourselves. You speak of the moneyas a favor, but it is merely an advance for a few weeks, and will bereturned to you; yet because I desire to confer this inestimable giftupon you and your city, you expect me to cringe to you, and flatter you, as if I were a member of your own sycophantic league. I refuse to doanything of the kind, and yet, by God, I'll have the money!"

The merchant, for the first time during their conference, laughedheartily. The young man's face was aflame with anger, yet the truculentwords he used did more to convince Herr Goebel that he belonged to thearistocracy than if he had spoken with the most exemplary humility. Goebel felt convinced he was not the Prince, but some young noble, who, intimate with the Royal Family, and knowing the Emperor's son to be outof the way, thought it safe to assume his name, the better to carryforward his purpose, whatever that purpose might actually be. That itwas to open the Rhine he did not for a moment credit, and that he wouldever see his cash again, if once he parted with it, he could notbelieve. 

"At the risk of tiring you, I shall nevertheless proceed with what I wasabout to say. We merchants, for our own protection, contribute to a fundwhich might be entitled one for secret service. This fund enables us toprocure private information that may be of value in our business. Amongother things we need to know are accurate details pertaining to theintentions and doings of our rulers, for whatever our own short-comingsmay be, the actions of those above us affect business one way or theother. May I read you a short report that came in while I was serving myterm of imprisonment?"

"Oh, read what you like, " said Roland indifferently, throwing back hishead, and partially closing his eyes, with an air of _ennui_. 

The merchant drew towards him a file of papers, and going through themcarefully, selected a document, and drew it forth, then, clearing histhroat, he read aloud--

"'At an hour after midnight, on St. Stanislas' Day, three nobles, onerepresenting the Archbishop of Mayence, the second the Archbishop ofTreves, and the third the Archbishop of Cologne, armed with authorityfrom these three Electors and Princes of the Church, entered the Saalhoffrom the side facing the river, and arrested in his bed the young PrinceRoland. They assured the Empress, who protested, that the Prince wouldbe well cared for, and that, as an insurrection was feared in Frankfort, it was considered safer that the person whom they intended to elevate tothe throne on the event of the Emperor's death, should be out of harm'sway, being placed under the direct care of the Archbishop of Mayence. They informed the Empress that the Archbishops would not remove thePrince from the Palace in opposition to the wishes of either the Emperoror herself, but if this permission was not given, a meeting of theElectors would at once be called, and some one else selected to succeedthe present ruler. 

"'This consideration exerted a great influence upon the Empress, whocounseled her son to acquiesce. The young man was led to a boat then inwaiting by the river steps of the Palace, and so conveyed down the Mainto the Rhine, which was reached just after daybreak. Without landing, and keeping as much as possible to the middle of the river, the partyproceeded down the Rhine, past Bingen, to the foot of the crag on whichstands the castle of Ehrenfels. The Prince was taken up to the Castle, where he now remains. 

"'The Archbishops from their revenues allot to him seven hundred thalersa month, in addition to his maintenance. It is impossible for him toescape from this stronghold unaided, and as the Emperor takes nointerest in the matter, and the Empress has given her consent, he islike to be an inmate of Ehrenfels during the pleasure of theArchbishops, who doubtless will not elect him to the throne insuccession unless he proves compliant to their wishes. The Prince beinga young man of no particular force of character'" (the merchant pausedin his reading, and looked across at his _vis-à-vis_ with a smile, butthe latter appeared to be asleep), "'he will probably succumb to theArchbishops, therefore merchants are advised to base no hopes upon animprovement in affairs, even though the son should succeed the father. Despite the precautions taken, the arrest and imprisonment of thePrince, and even the place of his detention, became rather generallyknown in Frankfort, but the news is in the form of rumor only, andexcites little interest throughout the city. '

"There, Sir Roland, what do you say to that?"

"Oh, nothing much, " replied Roland. "The account might have stated thatin the boat were five rowers, who worked lustily until we reached theRhine, when, the wind being favorable, a sail was hoisted, and with thecurrent assisting the wind, we made excellent time to Ehrenfels. Iobserve, further, that your secret service keeps you very well informed, and therefore withdraw a tithe of the harsh things I said regarding thestupidity of the merchants. "

"Many thanks for the concession, " said Goebel, replacing the documentwith its fellows. "Now, as a plain and practical man, what strikes me isthis: you need only return to Ehrenfels for two months, and as there islittle use for money in that fortress, your maintenance beingguaranteed, and seven hundred thalers allowed, you can come away withfour hundred thalers more than the sum you demand from me, and thus putyour project into force without being under obligations to any despisedmerchant. "

"True, Herr Goebel, but can you predict what will happen in Frankfortbefore two months are past? You learn from that document that the shrewdArchbishops anticipate an insurrection, and doubtless they command theforce at hand ready to crush it, but during this conflict, which youseem to regard so lightly, does it ever occur to you that the merchants'palaces along the Fahrgasse may be sacked and burnt?"

"That, of course, is possible, " commented the merchant. 

"Nay, it is absolutely certain. Civil war means ruin, to innocent andguilty alike. "

"You are in the right. Now, will you tell me how you escaped fromEhrenfels?"

"Yes; if you agree to my terms without further haggling. "

"I shall agree to your terms if I believe your story. "

"It seems impossible, sir, to pin you down to any definite bargain. Isthis the way you conduct your business?"

"Yes; unless I am well assured of the good faith of my customer. Ioffered you ordinary business terms when I asked for security, or forthe signature of three responsible merchants to your bond. It is becauseI am a merchant, and not a speculator, that I haggle, as you term it. "

"Very well, then, I will tell you how I got away, but I begin my recitalrather hopelessly, for you always leave yourself a loophole of escape. If you believe my story, you say! Yes: could I weave a romance abouttearing my sheets into ropes; of lowering myself in the dark from thebattlements to the ground; of an alarm given; of torches flashing; ofdiving into the Rhine, and swimming under the water until I nearlystrangled; of floating down over the rapids, with arrows whizzing roundme in the night; of climbing dripping to the farther shore, far fromsight of Ehrenfels, then, doubtless, you would believe. But my escapewas prosaically commonplace, depending on the cupidity of one man. Thematerial for it was placed in my hands by the Archbishops themselves. Your account states that the Castle is well guarded. So it is, but whenthe Archbishop needs an augmentation of his force, he withdraws his menfrom Ehrenfels to Mayence, as my prison is the nearest of hispossessions to his capital city, and thus at times it happens that theCastle is bereft of all save the custodian and his family. His eldestson happens to be of my own age, and not unlike me in appearance. Noneof the guards saw me, except the custodian, and you must remember he wasa very complacent jailer, for the reason that he knew well every risingsun might bring with it tidings that I was his Emperor, so he cultivatedmy acquaintance, to learn in his own thrifty, peasant way what manner ofruler I might become, and I, having no one else to talk to, made much ofhis company. 

"Frequently he impressed upon me that his task of jailer was mostirksome to him, but poverty compelling, what could he do? He swore hewould accomplish whatever was in his power to mitigate my captivity, andthis indeed did; so at last when the Castle was empty I made him aproposal. Now remember, Sir Merchant, that what I tell you is inconfidence, and should you break faith with me, I will have you hangedif I become Emperor, or slit your throat with my own sword if I don't. "

"Go on. I shall tell no one. "

"I said to my jailer: 'There are not half a dozen people in this worldwho know me by sight, and among that half-dozen no Elector is included. Outside the Palace at Frankfort I am acquainted with a sword maker ortwo, and about a score of good fellows who are friends of theirs, but tothem I am merely a fencing-master. Now, seven hundred thalers a monthpass through your honest hands to mine, and will continue to do so. Yourson seems to be even more silent than yourself, and he is a young fellowwhom I suspect knows the difference between a thaler and a button on hisown coat. If you do what I wish, there will be some slight risk, butthink of the reward immediate and in future! At once you come into anincome of seven hundred thalers a month. If I am elected Emperor, Ishall ennoble you, and present you with the best post in the land. Ifyou don't do what I wish, I shall cause your head cut off as the firstact of my first day of power. '"

"You did not threaten to slit his throat with your own sword, failingyour elevation?" asked the merchant, with a smile. 

"No. He was quite safe from my vengeance unless I came to the throne. "

"In that case I should say the custodian need not fear the future. Butplease go on with your account. "

"I proposed that his son and I should exchange costumes; in short, theyoung man was to take my place, occupying the suite of rooms assigned tome in the Castle. I told his father there was not the slightest fear ofdiscovery, for if the Archbishop of Mayence sent some one to see thatthe Prince was safe, or even came himself, all the young man need do wasto follow my example and keep silent, for I had said nothing from thetime I was roused in my room in the Saalhof until I was lodged inEhrenfels. I promised, if set at liberty, to keep within touch ofFrankfort, where, at the first rumor of any crisis, I could returninstantly to Ehrenfels. 

"The custodian is a slow-minded man, although not so laggard in comingto an agreement as yourself. He took a week to turn the matter over inhis mind, and then made the plunge. He is now jailer to his own son, andthat young peasant lives in a style he never dreamed of before. TheArchbishops are satisfied, because they believe I cannot escape from thestronghold--like yourself, holding but a poor opinion of my abilities;and their devout Lordships know that outside the fortress no person, noteven my mother, wishes me forth. I took in my wallet five hundredthalers, and fared like the peasant I seemed to be, down the Rhine, nowon one side, now on the other, until I came to the ancient town ofCastra Bonnensia of the Romans, which name the inhabitants now shortento Bonn. There I found the Archbishop in residence, and not at Cologne, as I had supposed. The town being thronged with soldiers and inquisitivepeople of Cologne's court, I returned up the Rhine again, remembering Ihad gone rather far afield, and although you may not believe it, Icalled upon my old friend the custodian of Ehrenfels, and enjoyed anexcellent meal with him, consuming some of the seductive wine that isgrown on the same side of the river about a league above Ehrenfels. "

"I dare say, " said the merchant, "that I can give the reason for thisapparently reckless visit of yours to Ehrenfels. You were in want ofmoney, the five hundred thalers being spent. "

"Sir, you are exactly in the right, and I got it, too, without nearly somuch talk as I have been compelled to waste on the present occasion. "

"What was your object in going down the river instead of turning toFrankfort?"

"I had become interested in my prison, and had studied methods by whichit could be successfully attacked. I knew that my father allowed theBarons of the Rhine to override him, and I wondered if his wisdom wasgreater than I thought. Probably, said I to myself, he knew theircastles to be impregnable, but, with the curiosity of youth, I desiredto form an opinion of my own. I therefore lodged as a wayfarer at everycastle to I could gain admittance, making friends with some underling, and getting a bed on occasion in the stables, although often I lodgedwithin the castle itself. Thus I came to the belief, which I bring toyou, that assisted by twenty fearless men I can capture any castle onthe Rhine with the exception of three. And now, Herr Goebel, I have saidall I intend to say. Do you discredit my story?"

The merchant gazed across at him quizzically for some time withoutmaking any reply, then he said:

"Do you think I believe you?"

"Frankly, I do not. "

"If I am unable to give you the gold, I can at least furnish some goodadvice. Set up as a poet, good Master Roland, and weave for ourdelectation stories of the Rhine. I think your imagination, ifcultivated, would give you a very high place among the romancers of ourtime. "

With a patience that Herr Goebel had not expected, Roland replied:

"It grieves me to return empty-handed to my twenty friends, who lastnight bade me a very confident adieu. "

"Yes, they will be disappointed, and I shrewdly suspect that my thousandthalers would not go towards the prosecuting of the expedition you haveoutlined, but rather in feasting and in wine. "

"Again, sir, you are right. It is unfortunate that I am so oftencompelled to corroborate your statements, when all the acumen with whichyou credit my mind is turned towards the task of proving you apurse-proud fool, puffed up in your own conceit, and as short-sighted asan owl in the summer sunlight. However, let us stick to our text. Ifwhat I said had been true, although of course you know it isn't, youhave nevertheless enough common sense to be aware that I would certainlyshow a pardonable reluctance about visiting my father's Palace. It isthronged with spies of the Archbishop, and although, as I have said, Iam not very well known, there is a chance that one or another mightrecognize me, and then, almost instantly, a man on a swift horse wouldbe on his way to Mayence. If I knew that I had been discovered, I shouldmake at once for Ehrenfels, arriving there before an investigation washeld. But my twenty comrades would wait for me in vain. Nevertheless, Ishall venture into the Saalhof this very afternoon, and bring to you aletter written by my mother certifying that I am her son. Would thatconvince you?"

"Yes; were I sure the signature was genuine. "

"Ah, there you go again! Always a loophole!"

The young man spoke in accents of such genuine despair that his host wastouched despite his incredulity. 

"Look you here, " he said, bending across the table. "There is, ofcourse, one chance in ten thousand that you are what you say. I havenever seen the signature of the Empress, and such a missive could easilybe forged by a scholar, which I take you to be. If, then, you wish toconvince me, I'll put before you a test which will be greatly to youradvantage, and which I will accept without the loophole. "

"In Heaven's name, let's hear what it is. "

"There is something that you cannot forge: the Great Seal of the Realm, attached to all documents signed by the Emperor. "

"I have had no dealings with my father for years, " cried the young man. "I have not even seen him these many months past. I can obtain thesignature of my mother to anything I like to write, but not that of myfather. "

"Patience, patience, " said the merchant, holding up his hand. "'Tis wellknown that the Empress can bend the Emperor to her will when she choosesto exert it. You see, in spite of all, I am quite taking it for grantedthat you are the Prince, otherwise 'twere useless to waste time in thistalk. You display all the confidence of youth in speaking of theexploits you propose, and, indeed, it is cheering for a middle-agedperson like myself to meet one so confident of anything in thesepessimistic days. But have you considered what will happen if somethinggoes wrong during one of your raids?"

"Nothing can go wrong. I feel no fear on that score. "

"I thought as much. Very well, I will tell you what could go wrong. SomeBaron may entrap you and your score, and forthwith hang you all from hisbattlements. Now, it is but common sense to prevent such a termination, if it be possible. Therefore seek out the Empress. Tell her that you andyour twenty companions are about to embark on an enterprise greatlybeneficial to the land. Say that you go incognito, and that, even shouldyou fail, 'twill bring no discredit to your Royal House. But point outthe danger of which I forewarn you. Ask her to get the signature of theEmperor attached to a safe-conduct, together with the device of theGreat Seal; then if the Baron who captures you cannot read, he willstill know the potency of the picture, and as there is no loophole to myacceptance of this proof, I will, for your convenience, and for my ownprotection, write the safe-conduct on as sound a bit of parchment asever was signed in a palace. "

Saying this, Herr Goebel rose, and went to his desk in a corner of theroom, where he indited the memorial he had outlined, and, aftersprinkling it with sand, presented it to Roland, who read:

"These presents warn him to whom they are presented that Roland thebearer is my son, and that what he has done has been done with mysanction, therefore he and his twenty comrades are to be held scathless, pending an appeal to me in my capital city of Frankfort. 

"Whomsoever disobeys this instrument forfeits his own life, and that ofhis family and followers, while his possessions will be confiscated bythe State. "

Roland frowned. 

"Doesn't it please you?" asked Goebel, his suspicions returning. 

"Well, it seems to me rather a plebeian action, to attack a man'scastle, and then, if captured, crawl behind a drastic threat like this. "

The merchant shrugged his shoulders. 

"That's a sentimental objection, but of course you need not use thedocument unless you wish, though I think if you see twenty-one loopedropes dangling in the air your hesitation will vanish. Oh, not on yourown account, " cried Goebel, as a sign of dissent from his visitor, "butbecause of those twenty fine young fellows who doubtless wait to drinkwine with you. "

"That is true, " said Roland, with a sigh, folding up the stiffparchment, opening his cloak, and thrusting it under his belt, standingup as he did this. 

"Bring me that parchment, bearing the Emperor's signature and the GreatSeal, and you will find the golden coins awaiting you. "

"Very well. At what time this evening would it please you to admit me?"

"Friends of mine are coming to-night, but they are not likely to stoplong; merely a few handshakes, and a few cups of wine. I shall be readyfor you when the Cathedral clock strikes ten. "

With this the long conference ended, and the aged servitor in the hallshowed Roland into the Fahrgasse. 

As the young man proceeded down the Weckmarkt into the Saalgasse, hemuttered to himself:

"The penurious old scoundrel! God keep me in future from dealing withsuch! To the very last he suspects me of being a forger, and has writtenthis with his own hand, doubtless filling it with secret marks. Still, perhaps it is as well to possess such a safeguard. This is my loopholeout of the coming enterprise, I fear we are all cowards, noble andmerchant alike. "

He walked slowly past the city front of the Palace, cogitating somemeans of entering without revealing his identity, but soon found thateven this casual scrutiny made him an object of suspicion. He could notrisk being accosted, for, if taken to the guard-room andquestioned--searched, perhaps, and the sword found on him--acomplication would arise adding materially to the difficulties alreadyin his way. Quickening his pace, he passed through the Fahrthor, and soto the river-bank, where he saw that the side of the Saalhof frontingthe Main was guarded merely by one or two sentries, for the mob couldnot gather on the surface of the waters, as it gathered on thecobble-stones of the Saalgasse and the Fahrthor. 

Retracing his steps, the Prince walked rapidly until he came to thebridge, advancing to the iron Cross which commemorates the fowlsacrifice to the devil, as the first living creature venturing upon thatancient structure. Here he leaned against the parapet, gazed at theriver façade of the Palace, and studied his problem. There were threesets of steps from the terrace to the water, a broad flight in thecenter for use upon state occasions, and a narrow flight at either end;the western staircase being that in ordinary use, and the eastern stepstrodden by the servants carrying buckets of water from the river to thekitchen. 

"The nearer steps, " he said to himself, "offer the most feasibleopportunity. I'll try them. "

He counted his money, for here was probably a case for bribery. He foundtwenty-four gold pieces, and some loose silver. Returning the coins tohis pouch, he walked to the land, and proceeded up the river until hereached a wharf where small skiffs were to let. One of these he engaged, and refusing the services of a waterman, stepped in, and drifted downthe stream. He detached sword and scabbard from his belt, removed thecloak and wrapped the weapon in it, placing the folded garment out ofsight under the covering at the prow. With his paddle he kept the boatclose to the right bank, discovering an excellent place of concealmentunder the arch supporting the steps, through which the water flowed. Hewaited by the steps for a few moments until a scullion in long gabardinecame down and dipped his bucket in the swift current. 

"Here, my fine fellow, " accosted Roland, "do you wish to earn a pair ofgold pieces?" and he showed the yellow coins in the palm of his hand. 

The menial's eyes glistened, and he cast a rapid glance over hisshoulder. 

"Yes, " he replied breathlessly. 

"Then leave your bucket where it is, and step into this wherry. "

The underling, again with a cautious look around, did as he was ordered. 

"Now throw off that outer garment, and give it to me. "

Roland put it on over his own clothes, and flung his bonnet beside thecloak and sword, for the servant was bareheaded. 

"Get under that archway, and keep out of sight until you hear mewhistle. "

Taking the bucket, Roland mounted the steps, and strode out of thebrilliant sunlight into the comparative gloom of the corridor that ledto the kitchen. He had been two hours with the merchant, and it was nowthe time of midday eating. Every one was hurrying to and fro, with notime to heed anything that did not pertain to the business in hand, soplacing the bucket in a darkened embrasure, the intruder flung off thegabardine beside it, and searching, found a back stair which heascended. 

Once in the upper regions, he knew his way about, and proceeded directlyto his mother's room, being sure at this hour to find her within. On hisunannounced entrance the Empress gave utterance to an exclamation thatindicated dismay rather than pleasure, but she hurried forward to meetand embrace him. 

"Oh, Roland!" she cried, "what do you here? How came you to the Palace?"

"By way of the river. My boat is under the arch of the servants'stairway, and I have not a moment to lose. "

"How did you escape from Ehrenfels, and why have you come here? Surelyyou know the Palace will be the first place searched for you?"

"There will be no search, mother. Take my word for it that no one isaware of my absence from Ehrenfels but the custodian, and for the bestof reasons he dare not say a word. Do not be alarmed, I beg of you. I amfree by his permission, and shall return to the Castle before he needsme. Indeed, mother, so far from jeopardizing my own safety, I am here topreserve it. "

He drew from under his belt Herr Goebel's parchment, and handed it toher. 

"In case it should occur to the good Archbishop, or any other noble, tohang me, I thought it best to get such a declaration signed by theEmperor, and decorated with the Great Seal of the Empire. Then, if anyattempt is made on my life, as well as on my liberty, I may produce thisImperial decree, and bring my case to Frankfort. "

"Surely, surely, " exclaimed the agitated lady, her hands trembling asshe held the document and tried to read it; "I can obtain your father'ssignature, but the Great Seal must be attached by the Chamberlain. "

"Very good, mother. The Chamberlain will do as his Majesty orders. Theseal is even more important than the signature, if it comes to that, andI am sure the Chamberlain will make no objection when the instrument isfor the protection of your son's life. It is not necessary to say that Iam here, or have anything to do with the matter. But lose not a moment, and give orders that no one shall enter this room. "

The empress hastened away with the parchment, while the young man walkedimpatiently up and down the room. It seemed hours before she returned, but at last she came back with the document duly executed. Roland thrustit under his belt again, and reassuring his mother, who was now weepingon his shoulder, he tried to tear himself away. The Empress detained himuntil, with fumbling hands, she unlocked a drawer in a cabinet, and tookfrom it a bag that gave forth a chink of metal as she pressed it on herson. 

"I must not take it, " he said. "I am quite well provided. The generousArchbishops allow me seven hundred thalers a month, which is paid withexemplary regularity. "

"There are only five hundred thalers here, " replied the Empress. "I wishthere were more, but you must accept it, for I should feel easier in mymind to know that you possess even that much. Do they misuse you atEhrenfels, my son?"

"Oh, no, no, no! I live like a burgomaster. You need feel no fear on myaccount, mother. Ehrenfels is a delightful spot, with old Bingen justacross the water. I like it much better than I did Frankfort, with itshowling mobs, and shall be very glad to get quit again of the city. "

Then, with a hurried farewell, he left the weeping woman, and descendingthe back stair, secured the abandoned gabardine, put it on, and so cameto the water's edge, entering into possession of his boat again. Returning the craft to its owner, he resumed sword and cloak once more, and found his way to a tavern, where he ordered a satisfactory meal. 

In the evening he arrived at the Rheingold, and meeting the landlord inthe large, empty, public cellar, asked that worthy if his friends hadassembled yet, and was told they were all within the Kaiser cellar. 

"Good!" he cried. "I said I would be gone a week, but here I am within aday. If that's not justifying a man's word, I should like to know whatis. And now, landlord, set forth the best meal you can provide, with adouble quantity of wine. "

"For yourself, sir?"

"For all, landlord. What else? The lads have had no supper, I'llwarrant. "

"A little black bread has gone the rounds. "

"All the more reason that we should have a huge pasty, steaming hot, ortwo or three of them if necessary. And your best wine, landlord. Thatfrom the Rheingau. "

But the landlord demurred. 

"A meal for yourself, sir, as leader, I could venture upon, but feedinga score of hungry men is a different matter. Remember, sir, I have notseen the color of their silver for many a long day, and, since theseevil times have set in, I am a poor man. "

"Sordid silver? Out upon silver! unless it is some silvery fish from theriver, fresh and firm; and that's a good idea. We will begin with fishwhile you prepare the meat. 'Tis gold I deal with to-night, and most ofit is for your pouch. Run your hand in here and enjoy the thrill, " andRoland held open the mouth of the bag which contained his treasure. 

"Ah!" cried the inn-keeper, his face aglow. "No such meal is spreadto-night in Frankfort as will be set before you. "

There was a great shout as Roland entered the Kaiser cellar, and ahurrah of welcome. 

"Ha, renegade!" cried one. "Have you shirked your task so soon?"

"Coward, coward, poltroon!" was the cry. "I see by his face he hasfailed. Never mind them, Roland. Your chair at the head of the tablealways awaits you. There is a piece of black bread left, and though thewine is thin, it quenches thirst. "

Roland flung off his cloak, hung it and the sword on a peg, and took hisseat at the head of the table. Pushing away the flagons that stood nearhim, he drew the leathern bag from his belt, and poured the shiningyellow coins on the table, at the sight of which there arose such a yellthat the stout beams above them seemed to quake. 

"Apologize!" demanded Roland, when the clamor quieted down. "The man whorefuses to apologize, and that abjectly, must take down his sword fromthe peg and settle with me!"

A shout of apology was the response. 

"We grovel at your feet, High Mightiness!" cried the man who had calledhim poltroon. 

"I have taken the liberty of ordering a fish and meat supper, with adouble quantity of Rudesheimer wine. Again I offer to fight any man whoresents this encroachment on my part. "

"I could spit you with a hand tied behind my back, " cried one, "but I amof a forgiving nature, and will wait instead for the spitted fowl. "

"Most of this money, " continued Roland quietly, "goes, I suspect, to thelandlord, as a slight recognition of past kindness, but I am promised afurther supply this evening, which will be divided equally amongourselves. I ask you, therefore, to be sparing of the wine. " Here he wascompelled to pause for some moments, and listen to groans, hoots, howls, and the rapping of empty flagons on the stout table. 

The commotion was interrupted by the entrance of the landlord, whobrought with him the promised Rhine wine; for, hearing the noise, hesupposed it represented impatience of the company at the delay, amistake which no one thought it worth while to rectify. He promised thatthe fish would follow in a very few minutes, and went out to see thathis word was kept. 

"Why should we be sparing of the wine?" asked a capable drinker, who haddrained his flagon before asking the question. "With all that money onthe table it seems to me a scandalous proviso. "

"'Tis not a command at all, " replied Roland, "but merely a suggestion. Ispoke in the interests of fair-play. An appointment was made by me forten o'clock this evening, and I wish to keep it and remain uninfluencedby wine. "

"What's her name, Roland?" inquired the wine-bibber. 

"I was about to divulge that secret when you interrupted me. The name isHerr Goebel. "

"What! the cloth merchant on the Fahrgasse?"

"Is it cloth he deals in? I didn't know the particulars of hisoccupation beyond the facts that he is a merchant, and lives in theFahrgasse. This morning I enjoyed the privilege of presenting to HerrGoebel a mutually beneficial plan which would give us all something todo. "

"Oh, is Goebel to be our employer? I'm a sword forger, and work for nopuny cloth merchant, " said Kurzbold. 

"This appointment, " continued Roland, unheeding, "is set for teno'clock, and I expect to return here before half-past, therefore--"

"Therefore we're not to drink all the wine. "

"Exactly. "

Their leader sat down as the landlord, followed by an assistant, entered, carrying the paraphernalia for the substantial repast, andproceeded to set the table. 

When the hilarious meal was finished, the company sat for anotherhalf-hour over its wine, then Roland rose, buckled on his sword, andflung his cloak over his shoulders. 

"Roland, I hope you have not sold your soul for this gold?"

"No; but I have pledged your bodies, and my own as well. Greusel, willyou act as secretary and treasurer? Scrutinize the landlord's bill witha generous eye, and pay him the amount we owe. If anything is left, wewill divide it equally, " and with that he waved his hand to them, departing amidst a round of cheers, for the active youths were tired ofidleness. 

Punctuality is the politeness of kings, and as the bells of Frankfortwere ringing ten o'clock, Roland knocked at the door of the merchant'shouse in the Fahrgasse. It was promptly opened by the ancient porter, who, after securing it again, conducted the young man up the solidstairway to the office-room on the first floor. 

Ushered in, the Prince found the merchant seated in his usual chair, asif he had never moved from the spot where Roland had left him at noonthat day. Half a dozen candles shed their soft radiance over the table, and on one corner of it, close by Herr Goebel's right elbow, the visitorsaw a well-filled doeskin bag which he fancied might contain thethousand thalers. 

"Good even to you, Herr Goebel, " said the young man, doffing his bonnet. "I hope I have not trodden too closely on the heels of my appointment, thus withdrawing you prematurely from the festivities, which I trust youenjoyed all the more that you breathed the air of liberty again. "

"The occasion, sir, was solemn rather than festive, for although I wasglad to see my old friends again, and I believe they were glad to seeme, the condition of the city is such, and growing rapidly worse, thatmerchants cannot rejoice when they are gathered together. "

"Ah, well, Herr Goebel, we will soon mend all that. How long will itrequire to load your boat and choose your crew?"

"Everything can be ready by the evening of the day after to-morrow. "

"You will select one of your largest barges. Remember, it must housetwenty-one men besides the crew and the goods. "

"Yes; I shall see that complete arrangements are made for your comfort. "

"Thank you. But do not provide too much luxury. It might arousesuspicion from the Barons who search the boat. "

"But the Barons will see you and your men in the boat. "

"I think not. At least, we don't intend to be seen. I will call upon youagain to-morrow at ten o'clock. Will you kindly order your captain to behere to meet me? I wish you to give him instructions in my presence thathe is to do whatever I ask of him. We will join the boat on the Rhinebetween Ehrenfels and Assmannshausen. Instruct him to wait for us midwaybetween the two places, on the right bank. And now the money, if youplease. "

"The money is here, " said the merchant, sitting up a little more stifflyin his chair as he patted the well-stuffed bag. "The money is here ifyou have brought the instrument that authorizes you to take it. "

"I have brought it with me, mein herr. "

"Then show it to me, " demanded the merchant, adjusting his horn glasseswith the air of one who will not allow himself to be hoodwinked. 

"With the greatest pleasure, " returned the young man, standing beforehim. He unfastened his cloak, and allowed it to fall at his feet, thenwhisked out his sword, and presented the point of it to the merchant'sthroat. 

Goebel, who had been fumbling with his glasses, suddenly became aware ofhis danger, and shrank back so far as his chair allowed, but the pointof the sword followed him. 

"What do you mean by that?" he gasped. 

"I mean to show you that in this game iron is superior to gold. Yourcard is on the table, represented by that bag. Mine is still in my hand, and unplayed, but it takes the trick, I think. I hope you see theuselessness of resistance. You cannot even cry out, for at the firstattempt a thrust of this blade cuts the very roots of utterance. It willbe quite easy for me to escape, because I shall go quietly out with thebag under my cloak, telling the porter that you do not wish to bedisturbed. "

"It is the Prince of Thieves you are, then, " said Herr Goebel. 

"So it would appear. With your right hand pass that bag of gold acrossthe table, and beg of me to accept it. "

The merchant promptly did what he was told to do. 

The young man put his sword back in its place, laughing joyously, butthere was no answering smile on the face of Herr Goebel. As he had said, the condition of things in Frankfort, especially in that room, failed tomake for merriment. Roland, without being invited, drew up a chair, andsat down at the opposite side of the table. 

"Please do not attempt to dash for the door, " he warned, "because I canquite easily intercept you, as I am nearer to it than you are, and moreactive. Call philosophy to your aid, and take whatever happens calmly. Iassure you, 'tis the best way, and the only way. "

He untied the cord, and poured the bulk of the gold out upon the table. The merchant watched him with amazement. For all the robber knew, thedoor might be opened at any moment, but he went on with numbering thecoins as nonchalantly as if seated in the treasury of the Corn Exchange. When he had counted half the sum the bag contained, he poured the loosemoney by handfuls into the wallet that had held his mother'scontribution, and pushed towards the merchant the bag, in which remainedfive hundred thalers. 

"You are to know, " he said with a smile, abandoning his bent-forwardposture, "that when I visited my mother this afternoon, she quiteunexpectedly gave me five hundred thalers, so I shall accept from youonly half the sum I demanded this morning. "

"Your mother!" cried the merchant. "Who is your mother?"

"The Empress, as I told you. Oh, at last I understand your uneasiness. You wished to see that document! Why didn't you ask for it? I asked forthe money plainly enough. Well, here it is. Examine Seal andsign-manual. "

The merchant minutely scrutinized the Great Seal and the signature aboveit. 

"I don't know what to think, " stammered Herr Goebel at last, gazingacross the table with bewildered face. 

"Think of your good fortune. A moment ago you imagined a thousandthalers were lost. Now it is but five hundred thalers invested, and youare a partner with the Royal House of the Empire. "

III

DISSENSION IN THE IRONWORKERS' GUILD

Up to the time of his midnight awakening, Prince Roland had led acare-free, uneventful life. Although he received the general educationsupposed to be suitable for a youth of his station, he interestedhimself keenly in only two studies, but as one of these challenged theother, as it were, the result was entirely to the good. He was a veryquiet boy, much under the influence of his mother, seeing little ornothing of his easy-going, inebriated father. It was his mother whoturned her son's attention towards the literature of his country, and hebecame an omnivorous reader of the old monkish manuscripts with whichthe Palace was well supplied. Especially had his mind been attracted bythe stories and legends of the Rhine. The mixture of history, fiction, and superstition which he found in these vellum pages, so daintilylimned, and so artistically embellished with initial letters in gold andcrimson and blue, fascinated him, and filled him with that desire to seethose grim strongholds on the mountain-sides by the river, which lateron resulted in his journey from Ehrenfels to Bonn, when his ingenuity, and the cupidity of his custodian, freed him from the very slightthraldom in which he was held by the Archbishop of Mayence. 

If his attention had been entirely absorbed by the reading of thesetomes, he might have become a mere dreamy bookworm, his intellectsaturated with the sentimental and romantic mysticism permeating Germanyeven unto this day, and, as he cared nothing for the sports of boyhood, body might have suffered as brain developed. 

But, luckily, he had been placed under the instruction of Rinaldo, thegreatest master of the sword that the world had up to that periodproduced. Rinaldo was an Italian from Milan, whom gold tempted acrossthe Alps for the purpose of instructing the Emperor's son in Frankfort. He was a man of grace and politeness, and young Roland took to him fromthe first, exhibiting such aptitude in the art of fencing that theItalian was not only proud of one who did such credit to his tuition, but came to love the youth as if he were his own son. 

For the sword-making of Germany the Italian expressed the utmostcontempt. The coarse weapons produced by the ironworkers of Frankfortneeded strength rather than skill in their manipulation. Between theItalian method and the German was all the contrast that exists betweenthe catching of salmon with a delicate line and a gossamer fly, orclubbing the fish to death as did the boatmen at that fishery called theWaag down the Rhine by St. Goar. 

Roland listened intently and without defense to the diatribe against hiscountry's weapons and the clumsy method of using them, but although hesaid nothing, he formed opinions of his own, believing there was somemerit in strength which the Italian ignored; so, studying the subject, he himself invented a sword which, while lacking the stoutness of theGerman weapon, retained some of its stability, and was almost as easilyhandled as the Italian rapier, without the disadvantage of its extremefrailty. 

Thus it came about that young Roland stole away from the Palace and madethe acquaintance of the sword makers. The practice of fencing exercisesevery muscle in the body, and Roland's constant bouts with Rinaldo didmore than make him a master of the weapon, with equal facility in hisright arm or his left; it produced an athlete of the first quality;agile and strong, developing his physical powers universally, and not inany one direction. 

Meanwhile Roland remained deplorably ignorant regarding affairs ofState, this being a subject of which his mother knew nothing. TheEmperor, who should have been his son's natural teacher, gave his wholeattention to the wine-flagon, letting affairs drift towards disaster, allowing the power that deserted his trembling fingers to be grasped bystronger but unauthorized hands. Roland's surreptitious excursions intothe city to confer with the sword makers taught him little of politics, for his conversations with these mechanics were devoted entirely tometal-working. He was hustled now and again by the turbulent mob, ingoing to and fro, but he did not know why it clamored, and, indeed, tooklittle interest in the matter, conscious only that he came more and moreto hate the city and loathe its inhabitants. When he could have his ownway, he said to himself, he would retire to some country castle whichhis father owned, and there devote himself to such employment as fell inwith his wishes. 

But he was to receive a sharp lesson that no man, however highly placed, is independent of his fellows. He was unaware of the commotion thatarose round his own name, and of the grim hanging of the leaders whochose him as their supreme head. When, bewildered and sleepy, he wasaroused at midnight, and saw three armed men standing by his bedside, hereceived a shock that did more to awaken him than the grip of alienhands on his shoulders. During that night ride in the boat he saidnothing but thought much. He had heard his mother plead for him withoutfor a moment delaying his departure. She, evidently, was powerless. There was then in the land a force superior to that of the Throne. Something that had been said quieted his mother's fears, for at last sheallowed him to go without further protest, but weeping a little, andembracing him much. There was no roughness or rudeness on the part ofthose who conveyed him down the river Main, and finally along the Rhineto Ehrenfels, but rather the utmost courtesy and deference, yet Rolandremained silent throughout the long journey, agitated by this new, invisible, irresistible sovereignty animated with the will and power todo what it liked with him. 

At the Castle of Ehrenfels he found awaiting him no rigorousimprisonment. He was treated as a welcome guest of an invisible host. Itwas his conversations with the garrulous custodian, who was a shrewdobserver of the passing show, that gradually awakened the young Princeto some familiarity with the affairs of the country. He learned now inwhat a deplorable state the capital stood, through the ever-increasingexactions of the robber Barons along the Rhine. He asked his instructorwhy the merchants did not send their goods by some other route, whichwas a very natural query, but was told there existed no other route. Agreat forest extended for the most part between Frankfort and Cologne, and through the wilderness were no roads, for even those constructed bythe Romans had been allowed to fall into decay; overgrown with trees, Nature thus destroying the neglected handiwork of man; the forestreclaiming its own. 

"Indeed, " continued the custodian, "for the last ten years things havebeen going to the devil, for the lack of a strong hand in the capital. Astrong hand is needed by nobles and outlaws alike. We want a newFrederick Barbarossa; the hangman's rope and the torch judiciouslyapplied might be the saving of the country. "

Ehrenfels, belonging to the Archbishop, was not a nest of piracy, and soits guardian could talk in this manner if he chose, but had he utteredthese sentiments farther down the Rhine, he would himself haveexperienced the utility of the hangman's rope. Roland, knowing by thistime who had taken him into custody, said:

"Why do not the three Archbishops put a stop to it? They possess thepower. "

The old jailer shrugged his shoulders. 

"My chief, the great prelate of Mayence, would do it speedily enough ifhe stood alone, but the Archbishops of Treves have ever been robbersthemselves, and Cologne is little better, therefore they neutralize oneanother. No two of them will allow the other to act, fearing he may gainin power, and thus upset the balance of responsibility, which I assureyour Highness is very nicely adjusted. Each of the three claimallegiance from this Baron or the other, and although the Archbishopsthemselves may not lay toll directly on the Rhine, their ardentpartisans do, which produces a deadlock. "

Thus Roland received an education not to be had in palaces, and, sayinglittle beyond asking an occasional question, he thought much, and cameto certain conclusions. He arrived at an ambition to open the lordlyRhine and spent his time gathering knowledge and forming plans. 

Twelve hours after receiving the five hundred thalers from the merchant, he again presented himself at the now familiar door in the Fahrgasse. Inthe room on the first floor he found with Herr Goebel a thick-set, heavily-bearded, weather-beaten man, who stood bonnet in hand while themerchant gave him final instructions. 

"Good-morning, Sir Roland, " cried Herr Goebel cheerfully. He exhibitedno resentment for his treatment of the night before, and apparentlydaylight brought with it renewed confidence that the young man mightsucceed in his mission. There was now no hesitation in the merchant'smanner; alert and decided, all mistrust seemed to have vanished. "Thisis Captain Blumenfels, whom I put in charge of the barge, and who hasgathered together a crew on which he can depend although, of course, youmust not expect them to fight. "

"No, " said Roland, "I shall attend to that portion of the enterprise. "

"Now, Captain Blumenfels, " continued Herr Goebel, "this young man iscommander. You are to obey him in every particular, just as you wouldobey me. "

The captain bowed without speaking. 

"I shall not detain you any longer, captain, as you will be anxious tosee the bales disposed of to your liking on the barge. "

The captain thereupon took himself off, and Roland came to theconclusion that he liked this rough-and-ready mariner with so little tosay for himself; a silent man of action, evidently. 

Herr Goebel turned his attention to Roland. 

"I have ordered bales of cloth to the value of a trifle more than fourthousand thalers to be placed in the barge, " he said. "The bales arenumbered, and I have given the captain an inventory showing the price ofeach. I suppose you despise our vulgar traffic, and, indeed, I had nothought of asking so highly placed a person as yourself to sell mygoods, therefore Blumenfels will superintend the marketing when youreach Cologne--that is, if you ever get so far. "

"Your pardon, Herr Goebel, but I have my own plans regarding thedisposal of your goods. I intend to be quit of them long before I seeCologne. Indeed, should I prosper, I hope your boat will set its nosesouthward for the return journey some distance this side of Coblentz. "

The merchant gazed up at him in astonishment. 

"Your design is impossible. There is no sale for cloth nearer thanCoblentz. Your remarks prove you unacquainted with the river. "

"I have walked every foot of both sides of the river between Ehrenfelsand Bonn. There are many wealthy castles on this side of Coblentz. "

"True, my good sir, true; but how became they wealthy? Simply by robbingthe merchants. Are you not aware that each of these castles is inhabitedby a titled brigand? You surely do not expect to sell my cloth to theBarons?"

"Why not? Remember how long it is since a cloth-barge went down theRhine. Think for a moment of the arduous life which these Barons lead, hunting the boar, the bear, and the deer, tearing recklessly throughthicket and over forest-covered ground. Why, our noble friends must bein rags by this time, or clad in the skins of the beasts they kill! Theywill be delighted to see and handle a piece of well-woven cloth oncemore. "

For a full minute the merchant gaped aghast at this senseless talk soseriously put forward; then a smile came to his lips. 

"Prince Roland, I begin to understand you. Your words are on a par withthe practical joke you played upon me so successfully last night. Ofcourse, you know as well as I that the Barons will buy nothing. Theywill take such goods as they want if you but give them opportunity. Whatyou say is merely your way of intimating it is none of my affair how thegoods are disposed of, so long as you hand over to me four thousandthalers. " 

"Four thousand five hundred, if you please. "

"I shall be quite content with the four thousand, regarding the extrafive hundred as paid for services rendered. Now, can I do anythingfurther to aid you?"

"Yes. I wish you to send a man on horseback to Lorch, there to await thebarge. Choose a man as silent as your captain; one whom you trustimplicitly, for I hope to send back with him four thousand five hundredthalers, and also some additional gold, which I beg of you to keepsafely for me until I return. "

"Prince Roland, there can be no gold for me at Lorch. "

"Dispatch a trustworthy man in case I receive the money. You will beanxious to know how we prosper, and I can at least forward a budget ofnews. "

"But should there be gold, he cannot return safely with it toFrankfort. "

"Oh, yes, if he keeps to the eastern bank of the Rhine. There is nocastle between Lorch and Frankfort except Ehrenfels, and that, being theproperty of the Archbishop, may be passed safely. "

"Very well. The man shall await you at Lorch. Inquire for Herr Kruger atMergler's Inn. "

That night, in the Kaiser cellar, another excellent supper was spreadbefore the members of the metal-workers' league. It was quite ashilarious as the banquet of the night before; perhaps more so, becausenow, for the first time in months, the athletic young men were well fed, with money in their pouches. Each was clad in a new suit of clothes. Nothing like uniformity in costume had been attempted, there being butone day in which to replenish the wardrobes, which involved theacquiring of garments already made. However no trouble was experiencedabout this, for each branch of the metal-workers had its own recognizedoutfit, which was kept on hand in all sizes by various dealers cateringto the wants of artisans, from apprentices to masters of their trade. The costumes were admirably adapted to the use for which they wereintended. There was nothing superfluous in their make-up, and, beingloosely cut, they allowed ample play to stalwart limbs. For dealing withmetal the wearers required a cloth tightly woven, of a texture as nearlyas possible resembling leather, and better accouterment for arough-and-tumble, freebooter's excursion could not have been found, short of coats of mail, or, failing that, of leather itself. 

Roland appeared in the trousers and doublet of a sword maker, and hiscomrades cheered loudly when he threw off his cloak and displayed forthe first time that he was actually one of themselves. Hithertosomething in the fashioning of his wearing apparel had in a mannerdifferentiated him from the rest of the company, but now nothing in hisdress indicated that he was leader of the coterie, and this pleased theindependent metal-workers. 

The previous night, after the landlord's bill was generously liquidated, each man had received upwards of thirty thalers. Roland then related tothem his adventure with the merchant, and the result of his sword-playin the vicinity of Herr Goebel's throat. Two accomplishments hepossessed endeared Roland to his comrades: first, the ability to sing agood song; and second, his talent for telling an interesting story, whether it was a personal adventure, a legend of the Rhine, or some taleof the gnomes which, as every one knows, haunt the gloomy forests in themountain regions. His account of the evening spent with Herr Goebelaroused much laughter and applause, which greatly augmented when thematerial advantages of the interview were distributed among the guild. 

This evening he purposed making a still more important disclosure; thuswhen the meal was finished, and the landlord, after replenishing theflagons, had retired, the new sword maker rose in his place at the headof the table. 

"I crave your strict attention for a few minutes. Although I refused toconfide my plans to Herr Goebel, I consider it my duty to inform youminutely of what is before us, and if I speak with some solemnity, it isbecause I realize we may never again meet around this table. We departfrom Frankfort to-morrow upon a hazardous expedition, and some of us maynot return. "

"Oh, I say, Roland, " protested Conrad Kurzbold, "don't mar a jovialevening with a note of tragedy. It's bad art, you know. "

Kurzbold was one of the three actual sword makers, and had beenpresident of the guild until he gave place to Roland. He was the oldestof the company; an ambitious man, a glib talker, with great influenceamong his fellows, and a natural leader of them. What he said generallyrepresented the opinion of the gathering. 

"For once, Kurzbold, I must ask you to excuse me, " persisted Roland. "Itis necessary that on this, the last, opportunity I should place beforeyou exactly what I intend to do. I am very anxious not to minimize thedanger. I wish no man to follow me blindfold, thus I speak early in theevening, that you may not be influenced by the enthusiasm of wine incoming to a decision. I desire each man here to estimate the risk, andchoose, before we separate to-night, whether or not he will accompanythe expedition. 

"Here is the compact made with Herr Goebel: I promised that, with thehelp of my comrades, I would endeavor to open the Rhine to mercantiletraffic. On the strength of such promise he gave me the money. "

At this announcement rose a wild round of applause, and with the thunderof flagons on the table, and the shouting of each member, no singlevoice could make itself heard above the tumult. These lads had noconception of the perils they were to face, and Roland alone remainedimperturbable, becoming more and more serious as the uproar went on. When at last quiet was restored, he continued, with a gravity instriking contrast to the hilarity of his audience:

"Herr Goebel is filling his largest barge with bales of cloth, and hehas engaged an efficient crew, and a capable captain who will assumecharge of the navigation. The barge will proceed to-morrow night downthe Main, leaving Frankfort as unostentatiously as possible, while wemarch across the country to Assmannshausen, and there join this craft. It is essential that no hint of our intention shall spread abroad ingossipy Frankfort, therefore, depending on Captain Blumenfels to get hisboat clear of the city without observation, and before the moon rises, Iask you to leave to-morrow separately by different gates, meeting me atHochst, something more than two leagues down the river. I dare say youall know the Elector's palace, whose beautiful tower is a landmark forthe country round. "

"I protest against such a rendezvous, " objected Kurzbold. "Make it thetavern of the Nassauer Hof, Roland. We shall all be thirsty after a walkof two leagues. "

"Not at that time in the morning, I hope, " said Roland, "for I shallawait you in the shadow of the tower at nine o'clock. Let every mandrink his fill to-night, for I intend to lead a sober company fromHochst to-morrow. "

"Oh, you're optimistic, Roland, " cried John Gensbein. "Give us tilltwelve o'clock to cool our heads. "

"Drink all you wish this evening, " repeated Roland, "but to-morrow webegin our work, with a long day's march ahead of us, so nine is none tooearly for a start from Hochst. "

"Sufficient to the day is the wine thereof, " said Conrad Kurzbold, rising to his feet. "Wine, blessed liquor as it is, possessesnevertheless one defect, which blot on its escutcheon is that it cannotcarry over till next day, except in so far as a headache is concerned, and a certain dryness of the mouth. It is futile to bid us lay in asupply to-night that will be of any use to-morrow morning. For my part, I give you warning, Roland, that I shall make directly for the NassauerHof, or for the Schone Aussicht, where they keep most excellentvintages. "

To this declaration Roland made no reply, but continued his explanatoryremarks. 

"We shall join the barge, as I have said, above Assmannshausen, probablyat night, and then cross directly over the river. The first castle withwhich I intend to deal is that celebrated robber's roost, Rheinstein, standing two hundred and sixty feet above the water. Disembarking abouta league up the river from Rheinstein, before daybreak we will all lieconcealed in the forest within sight of the Castle gates. When the sunis well risen, Captain Blumenfels will navigate his boat down the river, and as it approaches Rheinstein we shall probably enjoy the privilege ofseeing the gates open wide, as the company from the Castle descendprecipitously to the water. While they rifle the barge we shall riflethe Castle, overpowering whoever we may find there, and taking in returnfor the cloth they steal such gold or silver as the treasury affords. Wewill then imprison all within the Castle, so that a premature alarm maynot be given. If we are hurried, we may lock them in cellars, or placethem in dungeons, then leave the Castle with our booty, but I do notpurpose descending to the river until we have traversed a league or moreof the mountain forest, where we may remain concealed until the bargeappears, and so take ship again. 

"The next castle is Falkenberg, the third Sonneck, both on the same sideof the river as Rheinstein, and within a short distance from thestronghold, but the plan with each being the same as that alreadyoutlined, it is not necessary for me to repeat it. "

"An excellent arrangement!" cried several; but John Gensbein spoke up incriticism. 

"Is there to be no fighting?" he asked. "I expected you to say thatafter we had secured the gold we would fall on the robbers to the rear, and smite them hip and thigh. "

"There is likely to be all the fighting you can wish for, " repliedRoland, "for at some point our scheme may go awry. It is not myintention to attack, but I expect you to fight like heroes in our owndefense. "

"I agree with Herr Roland, " put in Conrad Kurzbold, rising to his feet. "If we purpose to win our way down to Cologne, it is unnecessary tosearch for trouble, because we shall find enough of it awaiting us atone point or another. But Roland stopped his account at what seems to methe most interesting juncture. What is the destination of the gold weloot from the castles?"

"The first call upon our accumulation will be the payment of fourthousand five hundred thalers to Herr Goebel. "

"Oh, damn the merchant!" cried Conrad. "We are risking our lives, and Idon't see why he should reach out his claws. He will profit enoughthrough our exertions if we open the Rhine. "

"True; but that was the bargain I made with him. We risk our lives, asyou say, but he risks his goods, besides providing barge, captain, andcrew. He also furnished us with the five hundred thalers now in ourpockets. We must deal honestly with the man who has supported us in thebeginning. "

"Oh, very well, " growled Kurzbold, "have it your own way; but in myopinion the merchants should combine and raise a fund with which toreward us for our exertions if we succeed. Still, I shall not press mycontention in the face of an overwhelming sentiment against me. However, I should like to speak to our leader on one matter which it seemedungracious to mention last night. The merchant offered him a thousandthalers in gold, and he, with a generosity which I must point out to himwas exercised at our expense, returned half that money to Herr Goebel. Iconfess that all I received has been spent; my hand is lonesome when itenters my pouch. I should be glad of that portion which might have beenmine (and when I speak for myself, I speak for all) were it not for themisplaced prodigality of our leader who, possessing the money, was sothoughtless of our fellowship that he actually handed over five hundredthalers to a man who had not the slightest claim upon it. "

"Herr Kurzbold, " said Roland, with some severity, "many penniless nightspassed over our heads in this room. If you know so much better than Ihow to procure money, why did you not do so? I should not venture tocriticise a man who, without any effort on my part, placed thirtythalers at my disposal. "

There was a great clamor at this, every one except Kurzbold, who stoodstubbornly in his place, and Gensbein, who sat next to him, becomingvociferous in defense of their leader. 

"It is uncomrade-like, " cried Ebearhard above the din, "to spend themoney and then growl. "

"I speak in the interests of us all, " shouted Kurzbold. "In theinterests of our leader, no less than ourselves, " but the others howledhim down. 

Roland, holding up his right hand, seemed to request silence andobtained it. 

"I am rather glad, " he said, "that this discussion has arisen, becausethere is still time to amend our programme. Herr Goebel's barge will notbe loaded until to-morrow night, so the order may even yet becountermanded. The five hundred thalers which belonged to me I saynothing about, but the five hundred advanced by Herr Goebel must bereturned to him unless we are in perfect unanimity. "

At this suggestion Kurzbold sat down with some suddenness. 

"I told you, when I left this room, promising to find the money within aweek, that one condition was the backing of my fellows. You empowered meto pledge the efforts of our club as though it contained but one man. Ifthat promise is not to be kept in spirit as well as in letter, I shallretire from the position I now hold, and you may elect in my steadConrad Kurzbold, John Gensbein, or any one else that pleases you. Butfirst I must be in a position to give back intact Herr Goebel's money;then, as I have divulged to you my plans, Conrad Kurzbold may approachhim, and make better terms than I was able to arrange. "

There were cries of "Nonsense! Nonsense!" "Don't take a littleopposition in that spirit, Roland. " "We are all free-speaking comrades, you know. " "You are our leader, and must remain so. "

Kurzbold rose to his feet for the third time. 

"Literally and figuratively, my friend Roland has me on the hip, for myhip-pocket contains no money, and it is impossible for me to refund. Iimagine, if the truth were told, we are all more or less in the samecondition, for we have had equipment to buy, and what-not. "

"Also Hochheimer, " said one, at which there was a laugh, as Kurzbold wasnoted for his love of good wine. Up to this point Roland had carried theassemblage with him, but now he made an injudicious remark thatinstantly changed the spirit of the room. 

"I am astonished, " he said, "that any objection should be made to thefair treatment of Herr Goebel, for you are all of the merchant class, and should therefore hold by one of your own order. "

He could proceed no farther. Standing there, pale and determined, he wassimply stormed down. His ignorance of affairs, of which on severaloccasions the merchant himself had complained, led him quiteunconsciously to touch the pride of his hearers. It was John Gensbeinwho angrily gave expression to the sentiment of the meeting. 

"To what class do _you_ belong, I should like to know? Do you claimaffinity with the merchant class? If you do, you are no leader of ours. I inform you, sir, that we are skilled artisans, with the craft to turnout creditable work, while the merchants are merely the vendors of ourproducts. Which, therefore, takes the higher place in a community, andwhich deserves it better: he who with artistic instinct unites theefforts of brain and hand to produce wares that are at once beautifuland useful, or he who merely chaffers over his counter to get as muchlucre as he can for the creations that come from our benches?"

To Roland's aristocratic mind, every man who lacked noble blood in hisveins stood on the same level, and it astonished him that any mereplebeian should claim precedence over another. He himself feltimmeasurably superior to those present, sensible of a fathomless gulfbetween him and them, which he, in his condescension, might cross assuited his whim, but over which none might follow him back again; andthis, he was well aware, they would be the first to admit did they butknow his actual rank. 

For a moment he was tempted to acknowledge his identity, and crush themby throwing the crown at their heads, but some hitherto undiscoveredstubbornness in his nature asserted itself, arousing a determination tostand or fall by whatever strength of character he might possess. 

"I withdraw that remark, " he said, as soon as he could obtain a hearing. "I not only withdraw it, but I apologize to you for my folly in makingit. It was merely thoughtlessness on my part, and, resting on yourgenerosity, I should like you to consider the words unsaid. "

Once more eighteen of the twenty swung round to his side. Roland nowturned his attention to Conrad Kurzbold, ignoring John Gensbein, who hadsat down flushed after his declamation, bewildered by the mutability ofthe many as Coriolanus had been before him. 

"Herr Kurzbold, " began Roland sternly, "have you any further criticismto offer?"

"No; but I stand by what I have already said. "

"Well, I thank you for your honest expression of that determination, andI announce that you cannot accompany this expedition. "

Again Roland instantaneously lost the confidence of his auditors, andthey were not slow in making him of the fact. 

"This is simply tyranny, " said Ebearhard. "If a man may not open hismouth without running danger of expulsion, then all comradeship is at anend, and I take it that good comradeship is the pivot on which thisorganization turns. I do not remember that we ever placed it in thepower of our president merely by his own word to cast out one of us fromthe fellowship. I may add, Roland, that you seem to harbor strange ideasconcerning rank and power. I have been a member of this guild muchlonger than you, and perhaps understand better its purpose. Our leaderis not elected to govern a band of serfs. Indeed, and I say it subjectto correction from my friends, the very opposite is the case. Our leaderis our servant, and must conduct himself as we order. It is not for himto lay down the law to us, but whatever laws exist for our governance, and I thank Heaven there are few of them, must be settled in conclave bya majority of the league. "

"Right! Right!" was the unanimous cry, and when Ebearhard sat down allwere seated except Roland, who stood at the end of the table with paleface and compressed lips. 

"We are, " he said, "about to set out against the Barons of the Rhine, entrenched in their strong castles. Hitherto these men have beencompletely successful, defying alike the Government and the people. Itwas my hope that we might reverse this condition of things. Now, BrotherEbearhard, name me a single Baron along the whole length of the Rhinewho would permit one of his men-at-arms to bandy words with him on anysubject whatever. "

"I should hope, " replied Ebearhard, "that we do not model our conductafter that of a robber. "

"The robbers, I beg to point out to you, Ebearhard, are successful. Itis success we are after, also a portion of that gold of which HerrKurzbold has pathetically proclaimed his need. "

"Do you consider us your men-at-arms, then, in the same sense that aRhine Baron would employ the term?"

"Certainly. "

"You claim the liberty of expelling any one you choose?"

"Yes; I claim the liberty to hang any of you if I find it necessary. "

"Oh, the devil!" cried Ebearhard, sitting down as if this went beyondhim. He gazed up and down the table as much as to say, "I leave this inyour hands, gentlemen. "

The meeting gave immediate expression of its agreement with Ebearhard. 

"Gentlemen, " said Roland, "I insist that Conrad Kurzbold apologizes tome for the expressions he has used, and promises not again to offend inlike manner. "

"I'll do nothing of the sort, " asserted Kurzbold, with equal firmness. 

"In that case, " exclaimed Roland, "I shall retire, and I ask you to putme in a position to repay Herr Goebel the money I extracted from him. Iresign the very thankless office of so-called leadership. "

At this several wallets came out upon the table, but their contentsclinked rather weakly. The majority of the guild sat silent and soberedby the crisis that had so unexpectedly come upon them. Joseph Greusel, seeing that no one else made a move, uprose, and spoke slowly. He was aman who never had much to say for himself; a listener rather than atalker, in whom Roland reposed great confidence, believing him to be onewho would not flinch if trial came, and he had determined to makeGreusel his lieutenant if the expedition was not wrecked before it setout. 

"My friends, " said Greusel gloomily, "we have arrived at a deadlock, andI should not venture to speak but that I see no one else ready to make asuggestion. I cannot claim to be non-partisan in the matter. This crisishas been unnecessarily brought about by what I state firmly is a mostungenerous attack on the part of Conrad Kurzbold. "

There were murmurs of dissent, but Greusel proceeded stolidly, taking nonotice. 

"It is not disputed that Kurzbold accepted the money from Roland lastnight, spent it to-day, and now comes penniless amongst us, quite unableto refund the amount when his unjust remarks produce their naturaleffect. He is like a man who makes a wager knowing he hasn't the moneyto pay should he lose. If Roland retires from this guild, I retire also, ashamed to keep company with men who uphold a trick worthy of a ruinedgambler. "

"My dear Joseph, " cried Ebearhard, springing up with a laugh, "you weremisnamed in your infancy. You should have been called Herod, practicallyjustifying a slaughter of us innocents. "

"I stand by Benjamin, " growled Gruesel, "the youngest and most capableof our circle; the one who produced the money while all the rest of ustalked. "

"You never talked till now, Joseph, " said Ebearhard, still trying toease the situation with a laugh, "and what you say is not onlydeplorably severe, but uttered, as I will show you, upon entirelymistaken grounds. We did not, and do not, support Conrad Kurzbold inwhat he said at first. Now you rate us as if we were no better thanthieves. Dishonest gamblers, you call us, and Lord knows what else, andthen you threaten withdrawal. I submit that your diatribe is quiteundeserved. We all condemn Kurzbold for censuring Roland's generosity tothe merchant, unanimously upholding Roland in that action, and have saidso plainly enough. What we object to is this: Roland arrogates tohimself power which he does not possess, of peremptorily expelling anymember whose remarks displease him. Surely you cannot support him inthat any more than we. "

"Let us take one thing at a time, " resumed Greusel, "not forgetting fromwhom came the original provocation. I must know where we stand. Itherefore move a vote of censure on Conrad Kurzbold for his unmeritedattack upon our president anent his dealings with Herr Goebel. "

"I second that with great pleasure, " said Ebearhard. 

"Now, as we cannot ask our leader to put that motion, I shall take theliberty of submitting it myself, " continued Greusel. "All in favor ofthe vote of censure which you have heard, make it manifest by standingup. "

Every one arose except Roland, Gensbein, and Kurzbold. 

"There, we have removed that obstacle to a clear understanding of thecase, and before I formally deliver this vote of censure to HerrKurzbold, I request him to reconsider his position, and of his ownmotion to make such delivery unnecessary. 

"If it is the case that Roland assumes authority to expel whom hepleases from this guild, I shall not support him. "

"It _is_ the case! It _is_ the case!" shouted several. 

"Pardon me, comrades; I have the floor, " continued Greusel. "I am notattempting oratory, but trying to disentangle a skein in which we haveinvolved ourselves. I wish to receive neither applause nor hissing untilI have finished the business. You say it is the case. I say it is not. Roland gave Herr Kurzbold the alternative either of apologizing or ofpaying over the money, so that it might be returned to the merchant. AsI understand the matter, our president does not insist on Kurzboldleaving the guild, but merely announces his own withdrawal from it. Youhave allowed Kurzbold to put you in the position of being compelled tochoose between himself and Roland. If you are logical men you cannotpass a vote of censure on Kurzbold, and then choose him instead ofRoland. I therefore move a vote of confidence in our chief, the man whohas produced the money, a thousand thalers in all, half of which was hisown, and has divided it equally amongst us, when the landlord's bill waspaid, withholding not a single thaler, nor arrogating--I think that wasyour word, friend Ebearhard--to himself a stiver more of the money thaneach of the others received. While Kurzbold has prated of comradeship, Roland has given us an excellent example of it, and I think he deservesour warmest thanks and our cordial support. I therefore submit to youthe following motion: This meeting tenders to the president its warmestthanks for his recent efforts on behalf of the guild, and begs to assurehim of its most strenuous assistance in carrying out the project he hasput before it to-night. "

"Joseph, " said Ebearhard, rising, with his usual laugh, "you are a veryclever man, although you usually persist in hiding your light under abushel. I desire to associate myself with the expressions you have used, and therefore second your motion. "

"I now put the resolution which you have all heard, " said Greusel, "andI ask those in favor of it to stand. "

Every one stood up promptly enough except the two recalcitrants, and ofthose two John Gensbein showed signs of hesitation and uneasiness. Hehalf rose, sat down again; then, apparently at the urging of the mannext him, stood up, a picture of irresolution. Kurzbold, finding himselfnow alone, laughed, and got upon his feet, thus making the voteunanimous. As the company seated itself, Greusel turned to thepresident. 

"Sir, it is said that all's well that ends well. It gives me pleasure totender you the unanimous vote of thanks and confidence of theiron-workers' guild, and before calling upon you to make any reply, ifsuch should be your intention, I will ask Conrad Kurzbold to say a fewwords, which I am sure we shall all be delighted to hear. "

Kurzbold rose bravely enough, in spite of the fact that Joseph Greusel'sdiplomacy had made a complete separation between him and all the others. 

"I should like to say, " he began, with an air of casual indifference, "that my first mention of the money was wholly in jest. Our friendRoland took my remarks seriously, which, of course, I should not haveresented, and there is little use in recapitulating what followed. As, however, my utterances gave offense which was not intended by me, I haveno hesitation in apologizing for them, and withdrawing the ill-advisedsentences. No one here feels a greater appreciation of what ourpresident has done than I, and I hope he will accept my apology in thesame spirit in which it is tendered. "

"Now, Master of the Guild, " said Greusel, and Roland took the floor oncemore. 

"I have nothing to say but 'Thank you. ' The antagonists whom we hope tomeet are men brave, determined, and ruthless. If any one in this companyholds rancor against me, I ask him to turn it towards the Barons, andpunish me after the expedition is accomplished. Let us tolerate nodisagreements in face of the foe. "

The young man took his cloak and sword from the peg on which they hung, passed down along the table, and thrust across his hand to Kurzbold, whoshook it warmly. Arriving at the door, Roland turned round. 

"I wish to see Captain Blumenfels, and give him final instructionsregarding our rendezvous on the Rhine, so good-night. I hope to meet youall under the shadow of the Elector's tower in Hochst to-morrow morningat nine, " and with that the president departed, being too inexperiencedto know that soft words do not always turn away wrath, and that mutinyis seldom quelled with a handshake. 

IV

THE DISTURBING JOURNEY OF FATHER AMBROSE

The setting summer sun shone full on the western side of Sayn Castle, sending the shadow of that tenth-century edifice far along thegreensward of the upper valley. Upon a balcony, perched like a swallow'snest against the eastern end of Sayn Castle, a lovely girl of eighteenleaned, meditating, with arms resting on the balustrade, the harshnessof whose stone surface was nullified by the soft texture of agaudily-covered robe flung over it. This ample cloth, brought from theEast by a Crusading ancestor of the girl, made a gay patch of scarletand gold against the somber side of the Castle. 

The youthful Countess Hildegunde von Sayn watched the slow oncoming of amonk, evidently tired, who toiled along the hillside deep in the shadowof the Castle, as if its cool shade was grateful to him. Belonging, ashe did, to the very practical Order of the Benedictines, whose beliefwas in work sanctioned by prayer, the Reverend Father did not denyhimself this temporary refuge from the hot rays of the sun, which hadpoured down upon him all day. 

Looking up as he approached the stronghold, and seeing the girl, littledreaming of the frivolous mission she would propose, he waved his handto her, and she responded gracefully with a similar gesture. 

Indeed, however strongly the monk might disapprove, there was much to besaid in favor of the resolution to which the young lady had come. Shewas well educated, probably the richest heiress in Germany, andcarefully as the pious Sisters of Nonnenwerth Convent may have concealedthe fact from her, she was extremely beautiful, and knew it, andalthough the valley of the Saynbach was a very haven of peace andprosperity, the girl became just a trifle lonely, and yearned to knowsomething of life and the Court in Frankfort, to which her high rankcertainly entitled her. 

It is true that very disquieting rumors had reached her concerning thecondition of things in the capital city; nevertheless she determined tolearn from an authoritative source whether or not it was safe to take upa temporary residence in Frankfort, and for this purpose the reluctantFather Ambrose would journey southward. 

Father Ambrose was more than sixty years old, and if he had belonged tothe world, instead of to religion, would have been entitled to the nameHenry von Sayn. His presence in the Benedictine Order was proof of thefact that money will not accomplish everything. His famous, or perhapswe should say infamous, ancestor, Count Henry III. Of Sayn, who died in1246, was a robber and a murderer, justly esteemed the terror of theRhine. Concealed as it was in the Sayn valley, half a league from thegreat river, the situation of his stronghold favored his depredations. He filled his warehousing rooms with merchandise from barges going downthe river, and with gold seized from unhappy merchants on their way up. He thought no more of cutting a throat than of cutting a purse, and itwas only when he became amazingly wealthy that the increase of yearsbrought trouble to a conscience which all men thought had ceased toexist. Thereupon, for the welfare of his soul, he built the Abbey ofSayn, and provided for the monks therein. Yet, when he came to die, heentertained fearsome, but admittedly well-founded doubts regarding hisfuture state, so he proceeded to sanctify a treasure no longer of anyuse to him, by bequeathing it to the Church, driving, however, a bargainby which he received assurance that his body should rest quietly in thetomb he had prepared for himself within the Abbey walls. 

He was buried with impressive ceremony, and the monks he had endowed dideverything to carry out their share of the pact. The tomb was staunchlybuilt with stones so heavy that no ordinary ghost could have emergedtherefrom, but to be doubly sure a gigantic log was placed on top of it, strongly clamped down with concealed bands of iron, and, so that thislog might not reveal its purpose, the monks cunningly carved it intosome semblance of Henry himself, until it seemed a recumbent statue ofthe late villainous Count. 

But despite such thoughtfulness their plan failed, for when next theyvisited the tomb the statue lay prone, face downwards, as if someirresistible, unseen power had flung it to the stone flags of the floor. Replacing the statue, and watching by the tomb, was found to be oflittle use. The watchers invariably fell asleep, and the great woodenfigure, which during their last waking moments lay gazing towards theroof, was now on its face on the monastery floor, peering down in theopposite direction, and this somehow was regarded by the brethren as afact of ominous significance. 

The new Count von Sayn, heir to the title and estate of the late HenryIII. Was a gloomy, pious man, very different indeed from his turbulentpredecessor. Naturally he was much perturbed by the conduct of thewooden statue. At first he affected disbelief in the phenomena despitethe assurances of the monks, and later on the simple brethren deeplyregretted they had made any mention of the manifestations. The new Counthimself took up the task of watching, and paced all night before thetomb of the third Henry. He was not a man to fall asleep while engagedon such a somber mission, and the outcome of his vigil was so amazingthat in the morning he gathered the brethren together in the great hallof the Abbey, that he might relate to them his experience. 

The wooden statue had turned over, and fallen to the floor, as was itshabit, but on this occasion it groaned as it fell. This mournful soundstruck terror into the heart of the lonely watcher, who now, heconfessed, regretted he had not accepted the offer of the monks to sharehis midnight surveillance. The courage of the House of Sayn is, however, a well-known quality, and, notwithstanding his piety, the new holder ofthe title was possessed of it, for although admitting a momentaryimpulse towards flight, and the calling for assistance which the monkswould readily have given, he stood his ground, and in trembling voiceasked what he could do to forward the contentment of his deceasedrelative. 

The statue replied, still face downward on the stone floor, that nevercould the late wicked Count rest in peace unless the heir to his titlesand lands should take upon himself the sins Henry had committed duringhis life, while a younger member of the family should become a monk ofthe Benedictine Order, and daily intercede for the welfare of his soul. 

"With extreme reluctance, " continued the devout nobleman, "I gave myassent to this unwelcome proposal, providing only that it should receivethe sanction of the Abbot and brethren of the Monastery of Sayn, hopingby a life of continuous rectitude to annul, in some measure at least, the evil works of Henry III. ; and that holy sanction I now request, trusting if given it may remove any doubts regarding the righteousnessof my promise. "

Here the Count bowed low to the enthroned Abbot and, with lessreverence, to the assembled brethren. The Abbot rose to his feet, and ina few well-chosen words complimented the nobleman on the sacrifice hemade, predicting that it would redound greatly to his spiritual welfare. Speaking for himself, he had no hesitation in giving the requiredsanction, but as the Count made it a proviso that the brethren shouldconcur, he now requested their acquiescence. 

This was accorded in silent unanimity, whereupon Count von Sayn, deeplysighing as one accepting a burden almost too heavy to bear, spoke with atremor of grief in his voice. 

"It is not for me, " he said, "to question your wisdom, nor shrink frommy allotted task. After all, I am but human, and up to this decisivemoment had hoped, alas! in vain, that some one more worthy than I mightbe chosen in my place. The most grievous part of the undertaking, so faras I am concerned, was outlined in the last words spoken by the woodenstatue. The evil deeds my ancestor has committed will in time beobliterated by the prayers of the younger member of my family whobecomes a monk, but the accumulated gold carries with it a continualcurse, which can be wiped off each coin only by that coin benefiting themerchants who have been robbed. The contamination of this metal, therefore, I must bear, for it adds to the agony of my ancestor that, little realizing what he was doing, he bequeathed this poisonous drossto the Abbey he founded. I am required to lend it in Frankfort, uponundoubted security and suitable usury, that it may stimulate andfertilize the commerce of the land, much as the contents of a compostheap, disagreeable in the senses, and defiling to him who handles it, when spread upon the fields results in the production of flower, fruit, and food, giving fragrance, delight, and sustenance to the human frame. "

The count, bowing for the third time to the conclave, passed from itspresence with mournful step and sorrowful countenance; whereupon thebrethren, seeing themselves thus denuded of wealth they had hoped toenjoy, gave utterance to a groan doubtless much greater in volume thanthat emitted by the carven statue, which wooden figure may be seento-day in the museum of the modern Castle of Sayn by any one who caresto spend the fifty pfennigs charged for admission. 

All that has been related happened generations before the time when theCountess Hildegunde reigned as head of the House of Sayn, but FatherAmbrose formed a link with the past in that he was the present scion ofSayn who, as a Benedictine, daily offered prayer for the repose of thewicked Henry III. The gold which Henry's immediate successor so craftilydeflected from the monks seemed to be blessed rather than cursed, forunder the care of that subtle manager it multiplied greatly inFrankfort, and scandal-mongers asserted that besides receiving the usuryexacted, the pietistic Count tapped the treasure-casks of upward-sailingRhine merchants quite as successfully, if more quietly, than the profaneHenry had done. Thus the House of Sayn was one of the richest inGermany. 

The aged monk and the youthful Countess were distant relatives, but heregarded her as a daughter, and her affection was given to him as to afather, in other than the spiritual sense. 

In his youth Ambrose the Benedictine, because of his eloquence indiscourse, and also on account of his aristocratic rank, officiated atthe court in Frankfort. Later, he became spiritual and temporal adviserto that great prelate, the Archbishop of Cologne, and the Archbishop, being guardian of the Countess von Sayn, sent Father Ambrose to thecastle of his ancestor to look after the affairs of Sayn, both religiousand material. Under his gentle rule the great wealth of his Houseincreased, although he, the cause of prosperity, had no share in theriches he produced, for, as has been written of the Benedictines:

"It was as teachers of . .. Scientific agriculture, as drainers of fensand morasses, as clearers of forests, as makers of roads, as tillers ofthe reclaimed soil, as architects of durable and even stately buildings, as exhibiting a visible type of orderly government, as establishing thesuperiority of peace over war as the normal condition of life, asstudents in the library which the rule set up in every monastery, as themasters in schools open not merely to their own postulants but to thechildren of secular families also, that they won their high place inhistory as benefactors of mankind. "

 * * * * *

"Oh, Father Ambrose, " cried the girl, when at last he entered herpresence, "I watched your approach from afar off. You walked withhalting step, and shoulders increasingly bowed. You are wearing yourselfout in my service, and that I cannot permit. You return this evening atired man. "

"Not physically tired, " replied the monk, with a smile. "My head isbowed with meditation and prayer, rather than with fatigue. Indeed, itis others who do the harassing manual labor, while I simply direct andinstruct. Sometimes I think I am an encumberer in the vineyard, lazilyusing brain instead of hand. "

"Nonsense!" cried the girl, "the vineyard would be but a barrenplantation without you; and speaking of it reminds me that I have pouredout, with my own hand, a tankard of the choicest, oldest wine in ourcellars, which I allow no one but yourself to taste. Sit down, I beg ofyou, and drink. "

The wise old man smiled, wondering what innocent trap was being set forhim. He raised the tankard to his lips, but merely indulged in one sipof the delectable beverage. Then he seated himself, and looked at thegirl, still smiling. She went on speaking rapidly, a delicate flushwarming her fair cheeks. 

"Father, you are the most patient and indefatigable of agriculturists, sparing neither yourself nor others, but there is danger that you growbucolic through overlong absence from the great affairs of this world. "

"What can be greater, my child, than increasing the productiveness ofthe land; than training men to supply all their needs from the fruitfulearth?"

"True, true, " admitted the girl, her eyes sparkling with eagerness, "butto persist overlong even in well-doing becomes ultimately tedious. Ifthe laborer is worthy of his hire, so, too, is the master. You shouldtake a change, and as I know your fondness for travel, I have planned ajourney for you. "

The old man permitted himself another sip of the wine. 

"Where?" he asked. 

"Oh, an easy journey; no farther than the royal city of Frankfort, thereto wander among the scenes of your youth, and become interested for atime in the activities of your fellow-men. You have so long consortedwith those inferior to you in intellect and learning that a meeting withyour equals--though I doubt if there are any such even inFrankfort--must prove as refreshing to your mind as that old wine wouldto your body, did you but obey me and drink it. "

Father Ambrose slowly shook his head. 

"From what I hear of Frankfort, " he said, "it is anything but aninspiring town. In my day it was indeed a place of cheer, learning, andprosperity, but now it is a city of desolation. "

"The rumors we hear, Father, may be exaggerated; and even if the cityitself be doleful, which I doubt, there is sure to be light and gayetyin the precincts of the Court and in the homes of the nobility. "

"What have I to do with Court or palaces? My duty lies here. "

"It may be, " cried the girl archly, "that some part of your duty liesthere. If Frankfort is indeed in bad case, your sage advice might be ofthe greatest benefit. Prosperity seems to follow your footsteps, and, besides, you were once a chaplain in the Court, and surely you have notlost all interest in your former charge?"

Again that quiet, engaging smile lit up the monk's emaciated features, and then he asked a question with that honest directness which sometimesembarrassed those he addressed:

"Daughter Hildegunde, what is it you want?"

"Well, " said the girl, sitting very upright in her chair, "I confess toloneliness. The sameness of life in this castle oppresses me, and in itscontinuous dullness I grow old before my time. I wish to enjoy a monthor two in Frankfort, and, as doubtless you have guessed, I send youforth as my ambassador to spy out the land. "

"In such case, daughter, you should present your petition to that Princeof the Church, the Archbishop of Cologne, who is your guardian. "

"No, no, no, no!" cried the girl emphatically; "you are putting thegrapes into the barrel instead of into the vat. Before I trouble theworthy Archbishop with my request, I must learn whether it ispracticable or not. If the city is indeed in a state of turbulence, ofcourse I shall not think of going thither. It is this I wish todiscover, but if you are afraid. " She shrugged her shoulders and spreadout her hands. 

And now the old monk came as near to laughing as he ever did. 

"Clever, Hildegunde, but unnecessary. You cannot spur me to action byslighting the well-known valor of our race. I will go where and when youcommand me, and report to you faithfully what I see and hear. Should thetime seem favorable for you to visit Frankfort, and if your guardianconsents, I shall raise not even one objection. "

"Oh, dear Father, I do not lay this as a command upon you. "

"No; a request is quite sufficient. To-morrow morning I shall set out. "

"Along the Rhine?" queried the girl, so eagerly that the old man's eyestwinkled at the celerity with which she accepted his proposition. 

"I think it safer, " he said, "to journey inland over the hills. Therobbers on the Rhine have been so long bereft of the natural prey thatone or other of them may forget I am Father Ambrose, a poor monk, remembering me only as Henry of the rich House of Sayn, and thereforehold me for ransom. I would not willingly be a cause of strife, so Ishall go by way of Limburg on the Lahn, and there visit my old friendthe Bishop, and enjoy once more a sight of the ancient Cathedral on thecliff by the river. "

When the young Countess awoke next morning, and reviewed in her mind thechief event of the preceding day, remembering the reluctance of FatherAmbrose to undertake the quest she had outlined without the consent ofhis overlord the Archbishop, a feeling of compunction swept over her. She berated her own selfishness, resolving to send her petition to herguardian, the Archbishop, and abide by his decision. 

When breakfast was finished, she asked her lady-in-waiting to requestthe presence of Father Ambrose, but instead of the monk came disturbingnews. 

"The seneschal says that Father Ambrose left the Castle at daybreak thismorning, taking with him frugal rations for a three days' journey. "

"In which direction did he go?" asked the lady of Sayn. 

"He went on horseback up the valley, after making inquiries about theroute to Limburg on the Lahn. "

"Ah!" said the Countess. "He spoke yesterday of taking such a journey, but I did not think he would leave so early. "

This was the beginning of great anxiety for the young lady of theCastle. She knew at once that pursuit was useless, for daybreak comesearly in summer, and already the good Father had been five hours on hisway--a way that he was certain to lose many times before he reached thecapital city. An ordinary messenger might have been overtaken, but themeditative Father would go whither his horse carried him, and when heawoke from his thoughts and his prayers, would make inquiries, and soproceed. A day or two later came a message that he had achieved thehospitality of Limburg's bishop, but after that arrived no further word. 

Nearly two weeks had elapsed when, from the opposite direction, Hildegunde received a communication which added to her already painfulapprehension. It was a letter from her guardian in Cologne, givingwarning that within a week he would call at her Castle of Sayn. 

"Matters of great import to you and me, " concluded the Archbishop, "aretoward. You will be called upon to meet formally my two colleagues ofMayence and Treves, at the latter's strong Castle of Stolzenfels, aboveCoblentz. From the moment we enter that palace-fortress, I shall, temporarily, at least, cease to be your guardian, and become merely oneof your three overlords. But however frowningly I may sit in the throneof an Elector, believe me I shall always be your friend. Tell FatherAmbrose I wish to consult with him the moment I arrive at your castle, and that he must not absent himself therefrom on any pretext until hehas seen me. "

Here was trouble indeed, with Father Ambrose as completely disappearedas if the dragons of the Taunus had swallowed him. Never before on hisjourneys had he failed to communicate with her, even when his travelswere taken on account of the Archbishop, and not, as in this case, onher own. She experienced the darkest forebodings from this incrediblesilence. Imagine, then, her relief, when exactly two weeks from the dayhe had left Schloss Sayn, she saw him coming down the valley. As whenshe last beheld him, he traveled on foot, leading his horse, that hadgone lame. 

Throwing etiquette to the wind, she flew down the stairway, and ran tomeet her thrice-welcome friend. 

She realized with grief that he was haggard, and the smile he called upto greet her was wan and pitiful. 

"Oh, Father, Father!" she cried, "what has happened to you? I have beennearly distraught with doubt and fear, hearing nothing of you since yourmessage from Limburg. "

"I was made a prisoner, " said the old man quietly, "and allowed tocommunicate with no one outside my cell. 'Tis a long and sad story, and, worse than all one that bodes ill for the Empire. I should have arrivedearlier in the day, but my poor, patient beast has fallen lame. "

"Yes!" said the girl indignantly, "and you spare him instead ofyourself!"

The monk laid his left hand affectionately on her shoulder. 

"You would have done the same, my dear, " he said, and she looked up athim with a sweet smile. They were kin, and if she censured any qualityin him, the comment carried something of self-reproach. 

A servitor took away the lame horse; another waited on Father Ambrose inhis small room, which was simple as that of a monastery cell, and asmeagerly furnished. After a slight refection, Father Ambrose receivedperemptory command to rest for three full hours, the lady of the Castlesaying it was impossible for her to receive him until that time hadelapsed. The order was welcome to the tired monk, although he knew howimpatient Hildegunde must be to unpack his budget of news, and he fellasleep even as he gave instructions that he should be awakened at nine. 

Descending at that time, the supper hour of the Castle, he found adainty meal awaiting him, flanked by a flagon of that rare wine which hesipped so sparingly. 

"I lodged with my brethren in their small and quiet monastery on theopposite side of the Main from Frankfort, in that suburb of theworkingmen which is called Sachsenhausen. Even if my eyes had not seenthe desolation of the city, with the summer grass growing in many of itsstreets, the description given of its condition by my brethren wouldhave been saddening enough to hear. All authority seems at an end. Thenobles have fled to their country estates, for defense in the city isimpossible should once a universal riot break out, and thinking men lookfor an insurrection when continued hunger has worn down the patience ofthe people. Up to the present sporadic outbreaks have been cruellysuppressed, starving men falling mutilated before the sword-cuts of thesoldiers; but now disaffection has penetrated the ranks of the Armyitself, through short rations and deferred pay, and when the peoplelearn that the military are more like to join them than oppose, destruction will fall upon Frankfort. The Emperor sits alone in drunkenstupor, and it is said cannot last much longer, he who has lasted toolong already; while the Empress is as much a recluse as a nun in aconvent. "

"But the young Prince?" interrupted the Countess. "What of him? Is thereno hope if he comes to the throne?"

"Ah!" cried the monk, with a long-drawn sigh, dolefully shaking hishead. 

"But, Father Ambrose, you knew him as a lad, almost as a young man. Ihave heard you speak highly of his promise. "

"He denied me; denied his own identity; threatened my life with hissword, and finally flung me into the most loathsome dungeon in allFrankfort!"

The girl uttered an ejaculation of dismay. If so harsh an estimate ofthe heir-presumptive came from so mild and gentle a critic as FatherAmbrose, then surely was this young man lower in the grade of humanitythan even his bestial father. 

"And yet, " said the girl to herself, "what else was to be expected? Goon, " she murmured; "tell me from the beginning. "

"One evening, crossing the old bridge from Frankfort to Sachsenhausen, Isaw approach me a swaggering figure that seemed familiar, and as he drewnearer I recognized Prince Roland, son of the Emperor, despite the factthat he held his cloak over the lower part of his face, as if, in thegathering dusk, to avoid recognition. 

"'Your Highness!' I cried in surprise. On the instant his sword was out, and as the cloak fell from his face, displaying lips which took on asinister firmness, I saw that I was not mistaken in so accosting him. Hethrew a quick glance from side to side, but the bridge, like the silentstreets, was deserted. We stood alone, beside the iron Cross, and thereunder the Figure of Christ he denied me, with the sharp point of hissword against my breast. 

"'Why do you dare address me by such a title?'

"'You are Prince Roland, son of the Emperor. '

"The sword-point pressed more sharply. 

"'You lie!' he cried, 'and if you reiterate that falsehood, you will paythe penalty instantly with your life, despite your monkish cowl. I amnobody. I have no father. '

"'May I ask, then, sir, who you are?'

"'You may ask, but there is no reason for me to answer. Nevertheless, tosatisfy your impertinent curiosity, I inform you that I am anironworker, a maker of swords, and if you desire a taste of myhandiwork, you have but to persist in your questioning. I lodge in thelaboring quarter of Sachsenhausen, and am now on my way into Frankfort, which surely I have the right to enter free from any inquiryunauthorized by the law. '

"'In that case I beg your pardon, ' said I. 'The likeness is verystriking. I had once the honor to be chaplain at Court, where frequentlyI saw the young Prince in company with that noble lady, noble in everysense of the word, his mother, the Empress. '

"I watched the young man narrowly as I said this, and despite hisself-control, he winced perceptibly, and I thought I saw a gleam ofrecognition in his eyes. He thrust the sword back into its scabbard, andsaid with a light laugh:

"''Tis I that should beg your pardon for my haste and roughness. Iassure you I honor the cloth you wear, and would not willingly offer itviolence. We are all liable to make mistakes at times. I freely forgiveyours and trust you will extend a like leniency to mine. '

"With that he doffed his hat, and left me standing there. "

"Surely, " said the Countess, deeply interested in the recital, "so faras speech was concerned he made amends?"

"Yes, my daughter; such speech never came from the lips of anironworker. "

"You are convinced he was the Prince?"

"Never for one instant did I doubt it. "

"Be that as it may, Father Ambrose, why should not the young man walkthe streets of his own capital city, and even explore the laborers'quarter of Sachsenhausen, if he finds it interesting to do so? Is it nothis right to wear a sword, and go where he lists; and is it such a veryheinous thing that, being accosted by a stranger, he should refuse tomake the admission demanded? You took him, as one might say, unaware. "

The monk bowed his head, but did not waste time in offering any defenseof his action. 

"I followed him, " he went on, "through the narrow and tortuous streetsof Frankfort, an easy adventure, because darkness had set in, but evenin daylight my course would have been safe enough, for never once did helook over his shoulder, or betray any of that suspicion characteristicof our laboring classes. "

"I think that tells in his favor, " persisted the girl. 

"He came to the steps of the Rheingold, a disreputable drinking cellar, and disappeared from my sight down its steps. A great shout greeted him, and the rattle of tankards on a table, as he joined what was evidentlyhis coterie. Standing outside, I heard song and ribaldry within. Theheir-presumptive to the throne of the Empire was too obviously a drunkenbrawler; a friend and comrade of the lowest scum in Frankfort. 

"After a short time he emerged alone, and once more I followed him. Hewent with the directness of a purposeful man to the Fahrgasse, thestreet of the rich merchants, knocked at a door, and was admitted. Alongthe first-floor front were three lighted windows, and I saw his formpass the first two of these, but from my station in the street could notwitness what was going on within. Looking about me, I found to my righta narrow alley, occupied by an outside stairway. This I mounted, andfrom its topmost step I beheld the interior of the large room on theopposite side of the way. 

"It appeared to me that Prince Roland had been expected, for the elderlyman seated at the table, his calm face toward me, showed no surprise atthe Prince's entrance. His Highness sat with his back towards me, andfor a time it seemed that nothing was going forward but an amiableconversation. Suddenly the Prince rose, threw off his cloak, whisked outhis sword, and presented its point at the throat of the merchant. 

"It was clear, from the expression of dismay on the merchant's face, that this move on the part of his guest was entirely unexpected, but itsobject was speedily manifested. The old man, with trembling hand, pushedacross the table to his assailant a well-filled bag, which the Prince atonce untied. Pouring out a heap of yellow gold, he began with greatdeliberation to count the money, which, when you consider his precarioussituation, showed the young man to be old in crime. Some portion of thegold he returned to the merchant; the rest he dropped into an empty bag, which he tied to his belt. 

"I did not wait to see anything more, but came down to the foot of thestairs, that I might learn if Roland took his money to his dissolutecomrades. He came out, and once more I followed him, and once more heled me to the Rheingold cellar. On this occasion, however, I took stepby step with him until we entered the large wineroom at the foot of thestairs, he less than an arm's length in front of me, still under theillusion that he was alone. Prince though he was, I determined toexpostulate with him, and if possible persuade a restitution of thegold. 

"'Your Highness!' I began, touching him lightly on the shoulder. 

"Instantly he turned upon me with a savage oath, grasped me by thethroat, and forced me backward against the cellar wall. 

"'You spying sneak!' he cried. 'In spite of my warning you have beenhounding my footsteps!'

"The moment I attempted to reply, he throttled me so as to choke everyeffort at utterance. There now approached us, with alarm in hiswine-colored face, a gross, corpulent man, whom the Prince addressed asproprietor of the place, which doubtless he was. 

"'Landlord, ' said Roland very quietly, 'this unfortunate monk is weak inthe head, and although he means no harm with his meddling, he may wellcause disaster to my comrades and myself. Earlier in the evening heaccosted on the bridge, but I spared him, hoping never to see hismonkish costume again. You may judge the state of his mind when I tellyou he accuses me of being the Emperor's son, and Heaven only knows whathe would estimate to be the quality of my comrades were he to see them. '

"Two or three times I attempted to speak, but the closing of his fingersupon my throat prevented me, and even when they were slightly relaxed Iwas scarcely able to breathe. "

The Countess listened with the closest attention, fixing upon thenarrator her splendid eyes, and in them, despite their feminine beautyand softness, seemed to smoulder a deep fire of resentment at thetreatment accorded her kinsman, a luminant of danger transmitted to herdown the ages from ancestors equally ready to fight for the Sepulcher inPalestine or for the gold on the borders of the Rhine. In the pause, during which the monk wiped from his wrinkled brow the moisture broughtthere by remembrance of the indignity he had undergone, kindliness inthe eyes of the Countess overcame their menace, and she said gently:

"I am quite confident, Father, that such a ruffian could not be PrinceRoland. He was indeed the rude mechanic he proclaimed himself. No man ofnoble blood would have acted thus. "

"Listen, my child, listen, " resumed Father Ambrose. "Turning to thelandlord, the Prince asked:

"'Is there a safe and vacant room in your establishment where I couldbestow this meddlesome priest for a few days?'

"'There is a wine vault underneath this drinking cellar, ' responded thelandlord. 

"'Does anyone enter that vault except yourself?'

"'No one, '

"'Will you undertake charge of the priest, seeing that he communicateswith none outside?'

"'Of a surety, Captain, '

"'Good. I will pay you well, and that in advance. '"

"This ruffian was never the Prince, " interrupted the Countess firmly. 

"I beg you to listen, Hildegunde, and my next sentence will convinceyou. The Prince continued:

"'Not only prevent his communication with others, but do not listen tohim yourself. He will endeavor to persuade you that his name is FatherAmbrose, and that he is a monk in good standing with the BenedictineOrder. If he finds you care little for that, he may indeed pretend he isof noble origin himself; that he is Henry von Sayn, and thus endeavor towork on whatever sympathy you may feel for the aristocrats. But I assureyou he is no more a Sayn than I am Prince Roland. '

"'Indeed, Captain, ' replied the host, 'I have as little liking for anaristocrat as for a monk, so you may depend that I will keep him safeenough until you order his release. '

"Now, my dear Hildegunde, you see there was no mistake on my part. Thisyoung man asserted he knew nothing of me, and indeed, I believed he hadforgotten the time of my chaplaincy at the Court, often as he listenedto my discourses, yet all the time he knew me, and now, with aneffrontery that seems incredible, he showed no hesitation in proving meright when I accosted him as son of the Emperor. I must in justice, however, admit that he instructed the landlord when he paid him, totreat me with gentleness, and to see that I had plenty to eat and drink. When three days had expired, I was to be allowed my liberty. 

"'He can do no harm then, ' concluded the Prince, in his talk with thelandlord, 'for by that time I shall have succeeded or failed. '

"I was led down a narrow, broken stairway by the proprietor, and thrustinto a dark and damp cellar, partially filled with casks of wine, andthere I remained until set at liberty a few days ago. 

"I returned at once to the Benedictine Monastery where I had lodged, expecting to find my brethren filled with anxiety concerning me, butsuch was not the case. Any one man is little missed in this world, andmy comrades supposed that I was invited to the Court, and had forgottenthem as I saw they had forgotten me, so I said nothing of my adventure, but mounted my waiting horse and journeyed back to the Castle of Sayn. "

For a long time there was silence between the two, then the youngerspoke. 

"Do you intend to take any action regarding your unauthorizedimprisonment?"

"Oh, no, " replied the forgiving monk. 

"Is it certain that this dissolute young man will be chosen Emperor?"

"There is a likelihood, but not a certainty. "

"Would not the election of such a person to the highest position in theState prove even a greater misfortune to the land than the continuanceof the present regime, for this young man adds to his father's vice ofdrunkenness the evil qualities, of dishonesty, cruelty, ribaldry, and alack of respect for the privileges both of Church and nobility?"

"Such indeed is my opinion, daughter. "

"Then is it not your duty at once to acquaint the three Archbishops withwhat you have already told me, so that the disaster of his election maybe avoided?"

"It is a matter to which I gave deep thought during my journey thither, and I also invoked the aid of Heaven in guiding me to a justconclusion. "

"And that conclusion, Father?"

"Is to say nothing whatever about my experiences in Frankfort. "

"Why?"

"Because it is not given to a humble man like myself, occupying aposition of no authority, to fathom what may be in the minds of thosegreat Princes of the Church, the Archbishops. In effect they rule thecountry, and it is possible that they prefer to place on the throne adrunken nonentity who will offer no impediment to their ambitions, rather than to elect a moral young man who might in time prove toostrong for them. "

"I am sure no such motive would actuate the Archbishop of Cologne. "

"His Lordship of Cologne, my child, dare not break with their Lordshipsof Treves and Mayence, so you may be sure that if these two wish toelect Prince Roland Emperor, nothing I could say to the Archbishop ofCologne would prevent that choice. "

"Oh, I had forgotten, in the excitement of listening to your adventures, but talking of the Archbishop reminds me his Highness of Cologne willvisit us to-morrow, and he especially wishes to see you. You may imaginemy anxiety when I received his message a few days ago, knowing nothingof your whereabouts. "

"Wishes to see me?" ejaculated Father Ambrose, wrinkling a perplexedbrow. "I wonder what for. Can he have any knowledge of my visit toFrankfort?"

"How could he?"

"The Archbishops possess sources of enlightenment that we wot not of. Ifhe charges me with being absent from my post, I must admit the fact. "

"Of course. Let me confess to him as soon as he arrives; your journeywas entirely due to my persistence. I alone am to blame. "

The old man slowly shook his head. 

"I am at least equally culpable, " he said. "I shall answer truthfullyany question asked me, but I hope I am not in the wrong if I volunteerno information. "

The girl rose. 

"You could do no wrong, Father, even if you tried; and now good-night. Sleep soundly and fear nothing. On the rare occasions when the goodArchbishop was angry with me, I have always managed to placate him, andI shall not fail in this instance. "

Father Ambrose bade her good-night, and left the room with the languidair of one thoroughly tired. As the young Countess stood there watchinghis retreat and disappearance, her dainty little fist clenched, and hereyebrows came together, bringing to her handsome face the determinedexpression which marked the countenances of some of her Crusaderancestors whose portraits decorated the walls. 

"If ever I get that ruffian Prince Roland into my power, " she said toherself, "I will make him regret his treatment of so tolerant andforbearing a man as Father Ambrose. "

V

THE COUNTESS VON SAYN AND THE ARCHBISHOP OF COLOGNE

It was high noon when that great Prince of the Church, the Archbishop ofCologne, arrived at Castle Sayn, with a very inconsiderable following, which seemed to indicate that he traveled on no affair of State, for onsuch occasions he led a small army. The lovely young Countess awaitedhim at the top of the Castle steps, and he greeted her with the courtesyof a polished man of the world, rather than with the more austereconsideration of a great Churchman. Indeed, it seemed to the quickapprehension of the girl that as he raised her fair hand to his lips hisobeisance was lower, more deferential, than their differing stations inlife justified. 

He shook hands with Father Ambrose in the manner of old friend accostingold friend, and nothing in his salutation indicated displeasure of anysort in the background. 

Perhaps, then, that sense of uneasiness felt by both the aged FatherAmbrose and the youthful Countess Hildegunde in the Archbishop'spresence came from their consciousness of conspiracy, resulting in theill-fated journey to Frankfort. Nevertheless, all that afternoon the twowere oppressed by the shadow of some impending danger, and the goodspirits of the Archbishop seemed to them assumed for the occasion, andindeed in this they were not far wrong. His Lordship of Cologne waskeenly apprehensive regarding an important conference set down for thenext day, and the exuberance of an essentially serious man in such acrisis is prone to be overdone. 

Father Ambrose, who, in the midst of luxury and plenty, lived with theabstemiousness of an anchorite, and always partook of his scantrefreshment alone in his cell, was invited by the Archbishop to a seatat the table in the dining-hall. 

"So long as you cast no look of reproach upon me for my enjoyment ofSayn's most excellent cuisine, and my appreciation of its unequaledcellar, I shall not comment on your dinner of parched peas and yourunexhilarating tankard of water. Besides, I wish to consult with Ambrosethe librarian of Sayn, touching the archives of this house, rather thanwith Ambrose the superintendent of farms, or Father Ambrose the monk. "

During the midday meal the Archbishop led, and at times monopolized, theconversation. 

"While you were under the tutelage of the good Sisters at NonnenwerthConvent, Hildegunde, the Abbess frequently spoke of your proficiency inhistorical studies. Did you ever turn your attention to the annals ofyour own House?"

"No, Guardian. From what I heard casually of my ancestors a record oftheir doings would be scarcely the sort of reading recommended to ayoung girl. "

"Ah, very true, very true, " agreed the Archbishop. "Some of the Countsof Sayn led turbulent lives, and except with a battle-ax it wasdifficult to persuade them not to meddle with the goods and chattels oftheir neighbors. A strenuous line they proved in those olden days; butmany noble women have adorned the Castle of Sayn whose lives shine outlike an inspiration against the dark background of medieval tumult. Didyou ever hear of your forebear, the gracious Countess Matilda von Sayn, who lived some hundreds of years ago? Indeed, the letters I have beenreading, written in her quaint handwriting, are dated about the middleof the thirteenth century. I cannot learn whether she was older oryounger than the Archbishop of Cologne of that period, and thus I wishto enlist the interest of Father Ambrose in searching the archives ofSayn for anything pertaining to her. The Countess sent many epistles tothe Archbishop which he carefully preserved, while documents of muchmore importance to the Archbishopric were allowed to go astray. 

"Her letters breathe a deep devotion to the Church, and a warmkindliness to its chief ornament of that day, the then Archbishop ofCologne. She was evidently his most cherished adviser, and in points ofdifficulty her counsel exhibits all the clarity of a man's brain, towhich is added a tenderness and a sense of justice entirely womanly. Icould not help fancying that this great prelate's success in hisArchbishopric was largely due to the disinterested advice of this noblewoman. It is clearly to be seen that the Countess was the benignantpower behind the throne, and she watched his continued advancement witha love resembling that lavished on a favorite son. Her writings now andthen betray an affection of a quality so motherly that I came to believeshe was much older than the great Churchman, but then there is the factthat she long outlived him, so it is possible she may have been theyounger. "

"Why, my Lord, are you about to weave us a romance?"

The Archbishop smiled, and for a moment placed his hand upon hers, whichrested on the table beside him. 

"A romance, perhaps, between myself and the Countess of long ago, for asI read these letters I used much of their contents for my own guidance, and found her precepts as wise to-day as they were in 1250, and to me. .. To me, " the Archbishop sighed, "she seems to live again. Yes, Iconfess my ardent regard for her, and if you call that romance, it issurely of a very innocent nature. "

"But the other Archbishop? Your predecessor, the friend of Matilda; whatof him?"

"There, Hildegunde, I have much less evidence to go upon, for hisletters, if they exist, are concealed somewhere in the archives of SaynCastle. "

"To-morrow, " cried the girl, "I shall robe myself in the oldest garmentsI possess, and will rummage those dusty archives until I find theletters of him who was Archbishop in 1250. "

"I have bestowed that task upon one less impulsive. Father Ambrose isthe searcher, and he and I will put our wise old heads together inconsultation over them before entrusting them to the perusal of thatimpetuous young noblewoman, the present Countess von Sayn. "

The impetuous person referred to brought down her hand with a peremptoryimpact upon the table, and exclaimed emphatically:

"My Lord Archbishop, I shall read those letters to-morrow. "

Once more the Archbishop placed his hand on hers, this time, however, clasping it firmly in his own. There was no smile on his face as he saidgravely:

"My lady, to-morrow you will face three living Archbishops, moredifficult, perhaps, to deal with than one who is dust. "

"Three!" she cried, startled, a gleam of apprehension troubling her fineeyes. "My Lords of Mayence, Treves, and yourself? Are they coming here?"

"The conclave of the Archbishops will be held at Castle Stolzenfels, theRhine residence of my brother of Treves. "

"Why is this Court convened?"

"That will be explained to you, Hildegunde, by his Highness of Mayence. I did not intend to speak to you about this until later, so I willmerely say that there is nothing to fear. I, being your guardian, amsent to escort you to Stolzenfels, and as we ride there together I wishto place before you some suggestions which you may find useful when themeeting takes place. "

"I shall faithfully follow any advice you give me, my Lord. "

"I am sure of it, Hildegunde, and you will remember that I speak asguardian, not as Councilor of State. My observations will be requestsand not commands. You see, we have reversed the positions of mypredecessor and the Countess Matilda. It was always she who tenderedadvice, which he invariably accepted. Now I must take the rôle ofadvice-giver; thus you and I transpose the parts of the formerArchbishop of Cologne, and the former Countess of Sayn, who, I am sorryto note, have been completely banished from your thoughts by mypremature announcement regarding the three living Archbishops. "

"Oh, not at all, not at all! I am still thinking of those two. Have youtold me all you know about them?"

"Far from it. Although I was handicapped in my reconstitution of theirfriendship by lack of the Archbishop's letters, he had nevertheless madea note here and there upon the communications he received from theCountess. Throughout the letters certain paragraphs are marked with across, as if for reperusal, these paragraphs being invariably mostdelicately and charmingly written. But now I come to the last veryimportant document, the only one of which a copy has been kept, writtenin the Archbishop's own hand. 

"In the year 1250, the Countess von Sayn had ceded to him the Rhine townof Linz. Linz seems to have been a rebellious and troublesome fief, which the Sayns held by force of arms. When it came into the possessionof the Archbishop, the foolish inhabitants, remembering that Cologne wasa long distance down the river compared with the up-river journey toSayn, broke out into open revolt. The Archbishop sent up his army, andmost effectually crushed this outbreak, severely punishing the rebels. He returned from this subdued town to his own city of Cologne, andwhether from the exposure of the brief campaign, or some other cause, hewas taken ill and shortly after died. 

"The new Archbishop was installed, and nearly two years passed, so faras I can learn, before the Countess Matilda made claim that the town ofLinz should come again within her jurisdiction, saying that thisrestitution had been promised by the late Archbishop. His successor, however, disputed this claim. He possessed, he said, the deed of giftmaking over the town of Linz to his predecessor, and this document wasdefinite enough. If then, it was the intention of the late Archbishop toreturn Linz to the House of Sayn, the Countess doubtless held somedocument to that effect, and in this case he would like to know itspurport. 

"The Countess replied that an understanding had existed between the lateArchbishop and herself regarding the subjugation of the town of Linz andits return to her after the rebellion was quelled. But for the untimelydeath of the late Archbishop she did not doubt that his part of thecontract would have been kept long since. Nevertheless, she did possessa document, in the late Archbishop's own hand, setting out the terms oftheir agreement, and of this manuscript she sent a copy. 

"The crafty Archbishop, without casting doubt on the authenticity of thecopy, said that of course it would be illegal for him to act upon it. Hemust have the original document. Matilda replied, very shrewdly, that onher part she could not allow the original document to quit her custody, as upon it rested her rights to the town of Linz. She would, however, exhibit this document to any ecclesiastical committee her correspondentmight appoint, and the members of the committee so chosen should be menwell acquainted with the late Archbishop's writing and signature. Inreply the Archbishop regretted that he could not accept her suggestion. The people of Cologne, believing that their overlord had rightfullyacquired Linz, cheerfully consented to make good their title by battle, thus having, as it were, bought the town with their blood, and indeed, adeplorable sacrifice of life, it would become a dangerous venture togive up the town unless indisputable documentary evidence might beexhibited to them showing that such a bargain was made by the deceasedprelate. 

"But before proceeding farther in this matter, he asked the Countess ifshe were prepared to swear that the copy forwarded to him was a full andfaithful rendition of the original. Did it contain every word the lateArchbishop had written in that letter?

"To this the Countess made no reply, and allowed to lapse any title shemight have to the town of Linz. "

"I think, " cried the girl indignantly, "that my ancestress was in theright, refusing further communication with this ignoble Churchman whodared to impugn her good faith. "

The Archbishop smiled at her vehemence. 

"I shall make no attempt to defend my astute predecessor. Amoney-lender's soul tenanted his austere body, but what would you say ifhis implication of the Countess Matilda's good faith was justified?"

"You mean that the copy which she sent of the Archbishop's letter wasfraudulent? I cannot believe it. "

"Not fraudulent. So far as it went her copy was word perfect. Sheneglected to add, however, a final sentence, and rather than make itpublic forfeited her rightful claim to great possessions. Of theArchbishop's communications to her there remains in our archives a copyof this last epistle written in his own hand. I cannot imagine why headded the final clauses to what was in essence an important businesscommunication. The premonition he admits may have set his thoughts uponthings not of this world, but undoubtedly he believed that he would livelong enough to conquer the rebels of Linz, and restore to the Countessher property. This is what he wrote, and she refused to publish:

"'Matilda, I feel that my days are numbered, and that their number isscant. To all the world my life seems to have been successful beyond thewishes of mortal man, but to me it is a dismal failure, in that I diebachelor Archbishop of Cologne, and you are the spinster Countess vonSayn. '"

VI

TO BE KEPT SECRET FROM THE COUNTESS

There are few favored spots occupied by blue water and greensward overwhich a greater splendor is cast by the rising sun on a midsummermorning than that portion of the Rhine near Coblentz, and as our littleprocession emerged from the valley of the Saynbach every member of itwas struck with the beauty of the flat country across the Rhine, ripening toward a yellow harvest, flooded by the golden glory of therising sun. 

Their route led to the left by the foot of the eastern hills, and notyet along the margin of the great river. Gradually, however, as theyjourneyed in a southerly direction, the highlands deflected themwestward until at last there was but scant room for the road betweenrock and water. Always they were in the shade, a comforting feature of amidsummer journey, an advantage, however, soon to be lost when theycrossed the Rhine by the ferry to Coblentz. The distance from SaynCastle to Schloss Stolzenfels was a little less than four leagues, sotheir early start permitted a leisurely journey. 

The Archbishop and the Countess rode side by side. Following them atsome distance came Father Ambrose, deep in his meditations, and payinglittle attention to the horse he rode, which indeed, faithful animal, knew more about the way than did his rider. Still farther to the rearrode half a dozen mounted lancemen, two and two, the scant escort of onewho commanded many thousands of armed men. 

"How lovely and how peaceful is the scene, " said the Countess. "Howbeautiful are the fields of waving grain; their color of dawn softenedby the deep green of interspersed vineyards, and the water without aripple, like a slumbering lake rather than a strong river. It seems asthough anger, contention, and struggle could not exist in a realm soheavenly. "

"'Seems' is the word to use, " commented the Archbishop gravely, "but theunbroken placidity of the river you so much admire is a peace of defeat. I had much rather see its flood disturbed by moving barges and theturmoil of commerce. It is a peace that means starvation and death toour capital city, and, indeed, in a lesser degree, to my own town ofCologne, and to Coblentz, whose gates we are approaching. "

"But surely, " persisted the girl, "the outlook is improving, when youand I travel unmolested with a mere handful of men to guard us. Time waswhen a great and wealthy Archbishop might not stir abroad with less thana thousand men in his train. "

The Archbishop smiled. 

"I suppose matters mend, " he said, "as we progress in civilized usage. The number of my escort, however, is not limited by my own modesty, butstipulated by the Court of Archbishops. Mayence travels down the Rhineand Treves down the Moselle, each with a similar following at hisheels. "

"You are pessimistic this lovely morning, my Lord, and will not evenadmit that the world is beautiful. "

"It all depends on the point of view, Hildegunde. I regard it from aposition toward the end of life, and you from the charming station ofyouth: the far-apart outlook of an old man and a young girl. "

"Nonsense, Guardian, you are anything but old. Nevertheless I am muchdisappointed with your attitude this morning. I fully expected to becomplimented by you. "

"Doesn't my whole attitude breathe of compliment?"

"Ah, but I expected a particular compliment to-day!"

"What have I overlooked?"

"You overlooked the fact that yesterday you aroused my most intensecuriosity regarding the journey we are now taking together, and theconference which is to follow. Despite deep anxiety to learn what isbefore me I have not asked you a single question, nor even hinted at thesubject until this moment. Now, I think I should be rewarded for myreticence. "

"Ah, Countess, you are an exception among women, and I merely withheldthe well-earned praise until such time as I could broach the subjectoccupying my mind ever since we left the Castle. With the awkwardness ofa man I did not know how to begin until you so kindly indicated theway. "

"Perhaps, after all, I make a false claim, because I have guessed yoursecret, and therefore my deep solicitude is assumed. "

"Guessed it?" queried the Archbishop, a shade of anxiety crossing hisface. 

"Yes. Your story of the former Archbishop and the Countess Matilda gaveme a clue. You have discovered a document proving my right to the townof Linz on the Rhine. "

The Archbishop bowed his head, but said nothing. 

"Your sense of justice urges you to make amends, but such a long timehas elapsed that my claim is doubtless outlawed, and you do not quiteknow how restoration may be effected. You have, I take it, consultedwith one or other of your colleagues, Mayence or Treves, or perhaps withboth. They have made objection to your proposed generosity, and putforward the argument that you are but temporary trustee of the CologneArchbishopric; that you must guard the rights of your successor; andthis truism could not help but appeal to that quality of equity whichdistinguishes you, so a conference of the prelates has been called, anda majority of that Court will decide whether or not the town of Linzshall be tendered to me. Perhaps a suggestion will be made that I allowthings to remain as they are, in which case I shall at once refuse toaccept the town of Linz. Now, Guardian, how near have I come to solvingthe mystery?"

They rode along in silence together, the Archbishop pondering on theproblem of her further enlightenment. At last he said:

"Cologne is ruled by its Archbishop, wisely or the reverse as the casemay be. The Archbishop, much as he reveres the opinion of hisdistinguished colleagues, would never put them to the inconvenience ofgiving a decision on any matter not concerning them. Linz's fate wassettled when the handwriting of my predecessor, prelate of 1250 A. D. , convinced me that this Rhine town belonged to the House of Sayn. Restitution has already been accomplished in due legal form, and whennext the Countess Hildegunde rides through Linz, she rides through herown town. "

"I shall never, never accept it, Guardian. "

"It is yours now, Countess. If you do not wish to hold the town, use itas a gift to the fortunate man you marry. And now, Hildegunde, thislong-postponed advice I wish to press upon your attention, must begiven, for we are nearing the ferry to Coblentz, and between that townand Stolzenfels we may have company. Of the three Archbishops you willmeet to-day, there is only one of whom you need take account. "

"Oh, I know that, " cried the girl, "his Lordship of Cologne!"

The Archbishop smiled, but went on seriously:

"Where two or three men are gathered together, one is sure to be leader. In our case the chief of the trio supposed to be equal is his Highnessof Mayence. Treves and I pretend not to be under his thumb, but we are:that is to say, Treves holds I am under his thumb, and I hold Treves isunder his thumb, and so when one or the other of us join the Archbishopof Mayence, there is a majority of the Court, and the third member ishelpless. "

"But why don't you and Treves join together?"

"Because each thinks the other a coward, and doubtless both are right. The point of the matter is that Mayence is the iron man of thecombination; therefore I beg you beware of him, and I also entreat youto agree with the proposal he will make. It will be of tremendousadvantage to you. "

"In that case, my Lord, how could I refuse?"

"I hope, my child, you will not, but if you should make objection, do sowith all the tact at your disposal. In fact, refrain wholly fromobjection if you can, and plead for time to consider, so that you and Imay consult together, thus affording me opportunity of bringingarguments to bear that may influence your decision. "

"My dear Guardian, you alarm me by the awesome way in which you speak. What fateful choice hangs over my head?"

"I have no wish to frighten you, my daughter, and, indeed, I anticipatelittle chance of disagreement at the conference. I merely desire thatyou shall understand something of Mayence. He is a man whom oppositionmay drive to extremity, and being accustomed to crush those who disagreewith him, rather than conquer by more diplomatic methods, I am anxiousyou should not be led into any semblance of dissent from his wishes. Byagreement between Mayence, Treves, and myself, I am not allowed toenlighten you regarding the question at issue. I perhaps strain thatagreement a little when I endeavor to put you on your guard. If, at anypoint in the discussion, you wish a few moments to reflect, glanceacross the table at me, and I shall immediately intervene with someinterruption which must be debated by the three members of the Court. Ofcourse, I shall do everything in my power to protect you should our grimfriend Mayence lose his temper, as may happen if you thwart him. "

"Why am I likely to thwart him?"

"Why indeed? I see no reason. I am merely an old person perhapsover-cautious. Hence this warding off of a crisis which I hope willnever arise. "

"Guardian, I have one question to ask, and that will settle the matterhere on the border of the Rhine, before we reach Stolzenfels. Do youthoroughly approve, with your heart, mind, and conscience, of theproposition to be made to me?"

"I do, " replied the Archbishop, in a tone of conviction that none couldgainsay. "Heart and soul, agree. "

"Then, Guardian, your crisis that never came vanishes. I shall tell hisLordship of Mayence, in my sweetest voice and most ingratiating manner, that I will do whatever he requests. "

Here the conversation ceased, for the solitude now gave way to a sceneof activity, as they came to the landing alongside which lay thefloating bridge, a huge barge, capable of carrying their whole companyat one voyage. Several hundred persons, on horseback or on foot, gathered along the river-bank, raised a cheer as the Archbishopappeared. The Countess thought they waited to greet him, but they weremerely travelers or market people who found their journey interrupted atthis point. An emissary of the Archbishop had commanded the ferry-boatto remain at its eastern landing until his Lordship came aboard. Whenthe distinguished party embarked, the crew instantly cast off theirmoorings, and the tethered barge, impelled by the swift current, gentlyswung across to the opposite shore. 

A great concourse of people greeted their arrival at Coblentz, and ifvociferous shouts and hurrahs are signs of popularity, the Archbishophad reason to congratulate himself upon his reception. The prelate bowedand smiled, but did not pause at Coblentz, and, to the evidentdisappointment of the multitude, continued his way up the Rhine. Whenthe little cavalcade drew away from the mob, the Countess spoke:

"I had no thought, " she said, "that Coblentz contained so manyinhabitants. "

"Neither does it, " replied the Archbishop. 

"Then is this simply an influx of people from the country, and is theconclave of the Archbishops of such importance that it draws so manysightseers?"

"The Court held by the Archbishops on this occasion is very important. Isuspect, however, that those are no sightseers, for the general publicis quite unaware that we meet to-day. They who cheered so lustily justnow are, I think, men of Treves. "

"Do you mean soldiers?"

"Aye. Soldiers in the dress of ordinary townsmen, but I dare say theyall know where to find their weapons should a war-cry arise. "

"Do you imply that the Archbishop of Treves has broken his compact? Iunderstood that your escort was limited to the few men following you. "

His Lordship laughed. 

"The Archbishop of Treves, " he said, "is not a great strategist, yet Isurmise he is ready in case of trouble to seize the city of Coblentz. "

"What trouble could arise?"

"The present moment is somewhat critical, for the Emperor lies dying inFrankfort. We three Electors hope to avoid all commotion by having ourplans prepared and acting upon them promptly. But the hours between thedeath of an Emperor and the appointment of his successor are fatefulwith uncertainty. I suppose the good Sisters at Nonnenwerth taught youabout the Election of an Emperor?"

"Indeed, Guardian, I am sorry to confess that if they did I haveforgotten all about it. "

"There are seven Electors; four high nobles of the Empire and threeArchbishops, Lords Temporal and Lords Spiritual. The present CountPalatine of the Rhine is, like my friend Treves, completely under thedominion of the Archbishop of Mayence, so the three Lords Spiritual, with the aid of the Count Palatine, form a majority of the ElectoralCourt. "

"I understand. And now I surmise that you assemble at Stolzenfels tochoose our future Emperor. "

"No; he has already been chosen, but his name will not be announced toany person save one before the Emperor dies. "

"Doubtless that one is the Count Palatine. "

"No, Countess, he remains ignorant; and I give you warning, Madam, I amnot to be cross-questioned by indirection. You should be merciful: I ambut clay in your hands, yet there is certain information I am forbiddento impart, so I will merely say that if the Archbishop happens to be ingood-humor this afternoon, he is very likely to tell you who will be thefuture Emperor. "

The girl gave an exclamation of surprise. 

"To tell me? Why should he do so?"

"I said I was not to be cross-examined any further. I tremble now withapprehension lest I have let slip something I should not, therefore wewill change the subject to one of paramount importance; namely, ourmidday meal. I intended to stop at Coblentz for that repast, but theArchbishop of Treves, whose guests we are, was good enough to accept amenu I suggested, therefore we will sit at table with him. "

"You suggested a menu?"

"Yes; I hope you will approve of it. There is some excellent Rhinesalmon, with a sauce most popular in Treves, a sauce that has beencelebrated for centuries. Next some tender venison from the forestbehind Stolzenfels, which is noted for its deer. There are, beside, cakes and various breads, also vegetables, and all are to be washed downby delicate Oberweseler wine. How does my speis-card please you, Countess?"

"I am committing it to memory, Guardian, so that I shall know what toprepare for you when next you visit my Castle of Sayn. "

"Oh, this repast is not in my honor, but in yours. I feared you mightobject to the simplicity of it. It is upon record that this meal wasmuch enjoyed by a young lady some centuries ago, at this very Castle ofStolzenfels, shortly after it was completed. Indeed, I think it likelyshe was the noble castle's first guest. Stolzenfels was built by Arnoldvon Isenberg, the greatest Archbishop that ever ruled over Treves, if Imay except Archbishop Baldwin, the fighter. Isenberg determined to havea stronghold on the Rhine midway between Mayence and Cologne, and hemade it a palace as well as a fortress, taking his time about it--in allseventeen years. He began its erection in 1242, and so was building atthe time your ancestress Matilda ceded Linz to the Archbishop ofCologne, therefore I imagine Cologne probably wished to have astronghold within striking distance of Treves' new castle. 

"One of the first to visit Stolzenfels was a charming young English girlnamed Isabella, who was no other than the youngest daughter of John, King of England. Doubtless she came here with an imposing suite ofattendants, and I surmise that the great prelate's castle saw impressivepageants and festivities, for the chronicler, after setting down themenu whose excellence I hope to test to-day, adds:

"'They ate well, and drank better, and the Royal maiden danced a greatdeal. '

"Her brother then occupied the English throne. He was Henry III. , and ofcourse much attention was paid over here to his dancing sister. "

"Why, Guardian, what you say gives a new interest to old Stolzenfels. Ihave never been within the Castle, but now I shall view it with delight, wondering through which of the rooms the English Princess danced. Whydid Isabella come from England all the way to the Rhine?"

"She came to meet the three Archbishops. "

"Really? For what purpose?"

"That they might in ecclesiastical form, and upon the highestecclesiastical authority, announce her betrothal. "

"Announce in Stolzenfels the betrothal of an English Princess, thedaughter of one king and sister of another! Did she, then, marry aGerman?"

"Yes; she married the Emperor, Frederick II. ; Frederick ofHohenstaufen. "

Slowly the girl turned her head, and looked steadfastly at theArchbishop, who was gazing earnestly up the road as if to catch aglimpse of the Castle which had been the scene of the events he related. Her face became pale, and a questioning wonder rose in her eyes. Whatdid the Archbishop really mean by this latest historical recital? True, he was a man who had given much study to ancient lore; rather fond ofexhibiting his proficiency therein when he secured patient listeners. Could there be any secret meaning in his story of the English Princesswho danced? Was there any hidden analogy between the journey of theEnglish Isabella, and the short trip taken that day by Hildegunde ofSayn? She was about to speak when the Archbishop made a slight signalwith his right hand, and a horseman who had followed them all the wayfrom Coblentz now spurred up alongside of his Lordship, who said sharplyto the newcomer:

"How many of Treves' men are in Coblentz?"

"Eight hundred and fifty, my Lord. "

"Enough to capture the town?"

"Coblentz is already in their possession, my Lord. "

"They seem to be unarmed. "

"Their weapons are stored under guard in the Church of St. Castor, andcan be in the hands of the soldiers within a few minutes after a signalis rung by the St. Castor's bells. "

"Are there any troops in Coblentz from Mayence?"

"No, my Lord. "

"How many of my men have been placed behind the Castle of Stolzenfels?"

"Three thousand are concealed in the forest near the hilltop. "

"How many men has my Lord of Mayence within call?"

"Apparently only the scant half-dozen that reached Stolzenfels with himyesterday. "

"Are you sure of that?"

"Scouts have been sent all through the forest to the south, and havebrought us no word of an advancing company. Other scouts have gone upthe river as far as Bingen, but everything is quiet, and it would havebeen impossible for his Lordship to march a considerable number of menfrom any quarter towards Stolzenfels without one or other of our hundredspies learning of the movement. "

"Then doubtless Mayence depends on his henchman Treves. "

"It would seem so, my Lord. "

"Thank you; that will do. "

The rider saluted, turned his horse towards the north, and gallopedaway, and a few moments later the little procession came within sight ofStolzenfels, standing grandly on its conical hill beside the Rhine, against a background of green formed by the mountainous forests to therear. 

This conversation, which she could not help but hear, had drivenentirely from the mind of Hildegunde the pretty story of the EnglishPrincess. 

"Why, Guardian!" she said, "we seem to be in the midst of impendingcivil war. "

The Archbishop smiled. 

"We are in the midst of an assured peace, " he replied. 

"What! with Coblentz practically seized, and three thousand of your menlurking in the woods above us?"

"Yes. I told you that Treves was no strategist. I suppose he and Mayenceimagine that by seizing the town of Coblentz they cut off my retreat toCologne. They know it would be useless in a crisis for me to journey upthe river, as I should then be getting farther and farther from my baseof supplies both in men and provisions, therefore the Archbishop ofMayence has neglected to garrison that quarter. "

"But, Guardian, you are surely entrapped, with Coblentz thus held?"

"Not so, my child, while I command three thousand men to their eighthundred. "

"But that means a battle!"

"A battle that will never take place, Hildegunde, because I shall seizesomething much more valuable than any town, namely, the persons of thetwo Archbishops. With their Lordships of Treves and Mayence in mycustody, cut off from communication with their own troops, I have slightfear of a leaderless army. The very magnitude of the force at my commandis an assurance of peace. "

They now arrived at the branching hill-road leading up to the gates ofStolzenfels just above them, and conversation ceased, but the Countesswas fated to remember before the afternoon grew old the final wordsCologne spoke so confidently. 

VII

MUTINY IN THE WILDERNESS

It was a lovely morning in July when Prince Roland walked into theshadow of the handsome tower which to-day is all that survives of theElector's palace at Hochst, on the river Main. He found Greusel thereawaiting him, but none of the others. When the two had greeted oneanother, the Prince said:

"Joseph, I determined several days ago to appoint you my lieutenant onthis expedition. "

"If you take my advice, Roland, you will do nothing of the kind. "

"Why?"

"Because it may be looked upon as favoritism, and so promote jealouslyin the ranks, which is a thing to avoid. "

"Whom would you suggest for the place?"

"Conrad Kurzbold. "

"What! and run the risk of divided authority? I am determined to becommander, you know. "

"Kurzbold, even if made lieutenant, would be as much under your ordersas the rest of us. He is an energetic man, and you may thus direct hisenergy along the right path. From being a critic, he will become one ofthe criticised, giving him something to think about. Then yourappointment of him would show that you bear no ill-feeling for what hesaid last night. "

"You appear to think, Greusel, that it is the duty of a commander tocurry favor with his following. "

"No; but I regard tact as a useful quality. You see, you are not in theposition of a general with an army. The members of the guild can deposeyou whenever they like and elect a successor, or they may desert you ina body, and you have no redress. Your methods should not be drastic, butrather those of a man who seeks election to some high office. "

"I fear I am not constituted for such a rôle, Greusel. "

"If you are to succeed in the task you have undertaken, Roland, you mustadapt yourself to your situation as it actually is, and not as you wouldwish to have it. I stood by you yesterday evening, and succeeded ininfluencing the others to do the same, yet there is no denying that youspoke to those men in a most overbearing manner. Why, you could not havebeen more downright had you been an officer of the Emperor himself. Whatpassed through my mind as I listened was, 'Where did this youth get hisswagger?' You ordered Kurzbold out of the ranks, you know. "

"Then why favor my action?"

"Because I was reluctant to see a promising marauding adventure wreckedat the very outset for lack of a few soothing words. "

Roland laughed heartily. The morning was inspiring, and he was in goodfettle. 

"Your words to Kurzbold were anything but soothing. "

"Oh, I was compelled to crush him. He was the cause of the disturbance, and therefore I had no mercy so far as the affair impinged upon him. Butthe others, with the exception of Gensbein perhaps, are good, honest, sweet-tempered fellows, whom I did not wish to see misled. I think youmust put out of your mind all thought of punishment, no matter what theoffense against your authority may be. "

"Then how would you deal with insubordination when it arises?"

"I should trust to the good sense of the remaining members of yourcompany to make it uncomfortable for the offender. "

"But suppose they don't?"

Greusel shrugged his shoulders. 

"In that case you are helpless, I fear. At any rate, talking of hanging, or the infliction of any other punishment, is quite futile so long asyou do not possess the power to carry out your sentence. To return to mysimile of the general: a general can order any private in his army to behanged, and the man is taken out and hanged accordingly, but if one ofthe guild is to be executed, he must be condemned by an overwhelmingvote of his fellows, because even if a bare majority sentenced onebelonging to the minority it would mean civil war among us. Suppose, forexample, it was proposed to hang you, and eleven voted for the executionand nine against it. Do you think we nine would submit to the verdict ofthe eleven? Not so. I am myself the most peaceful of men, but the momentit came to that point, I should run my sword through the proposer of theexecution before he had time to draw his weapon. In other words, I'dmurder him to lessen the odds, and then we'd fight it out like men. "

"Why didn't you say all this last night, Greusel?"

"Last night my whole attention was concentrated on inducing Kurzbold toforget that you had threatened the company with a hangman's rope. Had heremembered that, I could never have carried the vote of confidence. Butyou surely saw that the other men were most anxious to support you ifyour case was placed fairly before them, a matter which, for somereason, you thought it beneath your dignity to attempt. "

"My dear Joseph, your wholesale censure this morning does much tonullify the vote I received last night. "

"My dear Roland, I am not censuring you at all; I am merely endeavoringto place facts before you so that you will recognize them. "

"Quite so, but what I complain of is that these facts were not exhibitedin time for me to shoulder or shirk the responsibility. I do not believethat military operations can be successfully carried on by a littlefamily party, the head of which must coddle the others in the group, andbeg pardon before he says 'Devil take you!' I would not have acceptedthe leadership last night had I known the conditions. "

"Well, it is not yet too late to recede. The barge does not leaveFrankfort until this evening, and it is but two leagues back to thatcity. Within half an hour at the farthest, every man of us will beassembled here. Now is the time to have it out with them, becauseto-morrow morning the opportunity to withdraw will be gone. "

"It is too late even now, Greusel. If last night the guild could notmake up the money we owe to Goebel, what hope is there that a singlecoin remains in their pockets this morning? Do I understand, then, thatyou refuse to act as my lieutenant?"

"No; but I warn you it will be a step in the wrong direction. You arequite sure of me; and as merely a man-at-arms, as you called us lastnight, I shall be in a better position to speak in your favor than if Iwere indebted to you for promotion from the ranks. "

"I see. Therefore you counsel me to nominate Kurzbold?"

"I do. "

"Why not Gensbein, who was nearly as mutinous as Kurzbold?"

"Well, Gensbein, if you prefer him. "

"He showed a well-balanced mind last night, being part of the time onone side and part on the other. "

"My dear commander, we were all against you last night, when you spokeof hanging, and even when you only went as far as expulsion. "

"Yes, I suppose you were, and the circumstances being such as you state, doubtless you were justified. I am to command, then, a regiment that mayobey or not, according to the whim of the moment; a cheering prospect, and one I had not anticipated. When I received the promise of twenty menthat they would carry out faithfully whatever I undertook on theirbehalf, I expected them to stand by it. "

"I think you are unjust, Roland. No one has refused, and probably no onewill. If any one disobeys a command, then you can act as seems best toyou, but I wish you fully to realize the weakness of your status shouldit come to drastic punishment. "

"Quite so, quite so, " said Roland curtly. He clasped his hands behindhis back, and without further words paced up and down along the bank ofthe river, head bowed in thought. 

Ebearhard was the next arrival, and he greeted Greusel cordially, thenone after another various members of the company came upon the scene. Tothe new-comers Roland made no salutation, but continued his meditatingwalk. 

At last the bell in the tower pealed forth nine slow, sonorous strokes, and Roland raised his head, ceasing his perambulations. Greusel lookedanxiously at him as he came forward to the group, but his countenancegave no indication whether or not he had determined to abandon theexpedition. 

"Are we all here?" asked Roland. 

"No, " was the reply; "Kurzbold, Eiselbert, Rasselstein, and Gensbeinhave not arrived yet. "

"Then we will wait for them a few moments longer, " said the commander, with no trace of resentment at their unpunctuality, and from thisGreusel assumed that he not only intended to go on, but had taken toheart the warning given him. Ebearhard and a comrade walked up the roadrapidly toward Frankfort, hoping for some sign of the laggards, andRoland resumed his stroll beside the river. At last Ebearhard and hiscompanion returned, and the former approached Roland. 

"I see nothing of those four, " he said. "What do you propose to do?"

Roland smiled. 

"I think sixteen good men, all of a mind, will accomplish quite as muchas twenty who are divided in purpose. I propose, therefore, to go on, unless you consider the missing four necessary, in which case we can donothing but wait. "

"I am in favor of going forward, " said Ebearhard; then turning to therest, who had gathered themselves around their captain, he appealed tothem. All approved of immediate action. 

"Do you intend to follow the river road, Captain?" asked Ebearhard. 

"Yes, for two or three leagues, but after that we strike across thecountry. "

"Very well. We can proceed leisurely along the road, and our friends mayovertake us if they have any desire to do so. "

"Right!" said Roland. "Then let us set out. "

The seventeen walked without any company formation through the village, then, approaching a wayside tavern, they were hailed by a loud shoutfrom the drinkers in front of it. Kurzbold was the spokesman for theparty of four, which he, with his comrades, made up. 

"Come here and drink success to glory, " he shouted. "Where have you ladsbeen all the morning?"

"The rendezvous, " said Roland sternly, "was at the Elector's tower. "

"My rendezvous wasn't. I have been here for more than an hour, " saidKurzbold. "I told you last night that when I arrived at Hochst I shouldbe thirsty, and would try to mitigate the disadvantage at a tavern. "

"Yes, " said Ebearhard, with a laugh, "we can all see you have succeededin removing the disadvantage. "

"Oh, you mean I'm drunk, do you? I'll fight any man who says I'm drunk. It was a tremendous thirst caused by the dryness of my throat from lastnight, and the dust on the Frankfort road this morning. It takes a greatdeal of wine to overcome two thirsts. Come along, lads, and drink to thesuccess of the journey. No hard feeling. Landlord, set out the wine herefor seventeen people, and don't forget us four in addition. "

The whole company strolled in under the trees that fronted the tavern, except Roland, who stood aloof. 

"Here's a salute to you, Captain, " cried Kurzbold. "I drink wine withyou. "

"Not till we return from a successful expedition, " said Roland. 

"Oh, nonsense!" hiccoughed Kurzbold. "Don't think that your officeplaces you so high above us that it is _infra dig_. To drink with yourcomrades. "

To this diatribe Roland made no reply, and the sixteen, seeing theattitude of their leader, hesitated to raise flagon to lip. Thediplomatic Ebearhard seized a measure of wine and approached Roland. 

"Drink with us, Commander, " he said aloud; and then in a whisper, "Greusel and I think you should. "

"Thank you, comrade, " said Roland, taking the flagon from him. "And now, brethren, I give you a toast. "

"Good, good, good!" cried Kurzbold, with drunken hilarity. "Here's tothe success of the expedition. That's the toast, I make no doubt, eh, Captain?"

"The sentiment is included in the toast I shall offer you. Drink to thehealth of Joseph Greusel, whom I have this morning appointed mylieutenant. If we all conduct ourselves as honorably and capably as he, our project is bound to prosper. "

Greusel, who was seated at a table, allowed his head to sink into hishands. Here was his advice scouted, and a direct challenge flung in theface of the company. He believed now that, after all, Roland hadresolved to return to Frankfort, money or no money. If he intended toproceed to the Rhine, then even worse might happen, for it was plain hewas bent on rule or ruin. Instantly the challenge was accepted. Kurzboldstood up, swaying uncertainly, compelled to maintain his uprightposition by grasping the top of the table at which he had been seated. 

"Stop there, stop there!" he cried. "No man drinks to that toast justyet. Patience, patience! all things in their order. If we claim thepower to elect our captain, by the cock-crowned Cross of the old bridgewe have a right to name the lieutenant! This is a question for thecompanionship to decide, and a usurpation on the part of Roland. "

"Sit down, you fool!" shouted Ebearhard savagely. "You're drunk. TheCaptain couldn't have made a better selection. What say you, comrades?"

A universal shout of "Aye!" greeted the question, and even Kurzbold'sthree comrades joined in it. 

"And now, gentlemen, no more talk. Here's to the health of the newlieutenant, Joseph Greusel. "

The toast was drunk enthusiastically, all standing, with the exceptionof Kurzbold, who came down in his seat with a thud. 

"All right!" he cried, waving his hand. "All right; all right! That'swhat I said. Greusel's good man, and now he's elected by thecompanionship, he's all right. I drink to him. Drink to anybody, Iwill!"

In groping round for the flagon, he upset it, and then roared loudly forthe landlord to supply him again. 

"Now, comrades, " said Roland sharply, "fall in! We've a long march aheadof us. Come, Greusel, we must lead the van, for I wish to instruct youin your duties. "

It was rather a straggling procession that set out from Hochst. 

"Perhaps, " began Roland, as he strode along beside Greusel, "I shouldmake some excuse for not following the advice you so strenuously urgedupon me this morning regarding the appointment of a lieutenant. Thetruth is I wished to teach you a lesson, and could not resist thetemptation of proving that a crisis firmly and promptly met disappears, whereas if you compromise with it there is a danger of beingoverwhelmed. "

"I admit. Commander, that you were successful just now, and the reasonis that most of our brigade are sane and sober this morning. But waituntil to-night, when the wine passes round several times, and if you tryconclusions with them then you are likely to fail. "

"But the wine won't pass round to-night. "

"How can you prevent it?"

"Wait, and you will see, " said Roland, with a laugh. 

By this time they arrived at a fork in the road, one section goingsouthwest and the other straight west. The left branch was infinitelythe better thoroughfare, for the most part following the Main until itreached the Rhine. Roland, however, chose the right-hand road. 

"I thought you were going along by the river, " said his lieutenant. 

"I have changed my mind, " replied Roland, without further explanation. 

At first Kurzbold determined to set the pace. He would show the companyhe was not drunk, and tax them to follow him, but, his stout legsproving unable to carry out this excellent resolution, he gradually fellto the rear. As the sun rose higher, and grew hotter, the pace began totell on him, and he accepted without protest the support of two comradeswho had been drinking with him at Hochst. He retrograded into acondition of pessimistic dejection as the enthusiasm of the wineevaporated. A little later he wished to lie down by the roadside andallow a cruel and unappreciative world to pass on its own way, but hiscomrades encouraged him to further efforts, and in some manner theysucceeded in dragging him along at the tail of the procession. 

As they approached the village of Zeilsheim, Roland requested hislieutenant to inform the marchers that there would be no halt until_mittagessen_. 

Zeilsheim is rather more than a league from Hochst, and Kurzbold allowedhimself to wake up sufficiently to maintain that the distance earnedanother drink, but his supporters dragged him on with difficulty pastthose houses which displayed a bush over the door. At the larger town ofHofheim, five leagues from Frankfort, the same command was passed downthe ranks, and at this there was some grumbling, for the day had becomevery hot, and the way was exceedingly trying, up hill and down dale. 

Well set up as these city lads were, walking had never been theiraccustomed exercise. The interesting Taunus mountains, which to-dayconstitute an exercise ground full of delights to the pedestrian, forming, as they do, practically a suburb of Frankfort, were at thattime an unexplored wilderness, whose forests were infested by rovingbrigands, where no man ventured except at the risk of an untimely grave. The mediæval townsman rarely trusted himself very far outside the citygates, and our enterprising marauders, whom to outward view seemedstalwart enough to stand great fatigue, proved so soft under the hot sunalong the shadeless road that by the time they reached Breckenheim, barely six leagues from Frankfort, there was a mopping of brows and ageneral feeling that the limit of endurance had been reached. 

At Breckenheim Roland called a halt for midday refreshment, and he wascompelled to wait nearly half an hour until the last straggler of hiswoebegone crew limped from the road on to the greensward in front of the_Weinstaube_ which had been selected for a feeding-place. Black breadand a coarse kind of country cheese were the only provisions obtainable, but of these eatables there was an ample supply, and, better than all tothe jaded wayfarers, wine in abundance, of good quality, too, forBreckenheim stands little more than a league to the north of thecelebrated Hochheim. 

The wanderers came in by ones and twos, and sank down upon the benchesbefore the tavern, or sprawled at full length on the short grass, whereKurzbold and his three friends dropped promptly off into sleep. A moredejected and amenable gang even Roland could not have wished to command. Every ounce of fight, or even discussion, was gone from them. They carednot where they were, or what any one said to them. Their sole desire wasto be let alone, and they took not the slightest interest even in thepreparing of their frugal meal. A mug of wine served to each mitigatedthe general depression, although Kurzbold showed how far gone he was byswearing dismally when roused even to drink the wine. He said he wasresolved to lead a temperate life in future, but nevertheless managed todispose of his allowance in one long, parched draught. 

Greusel approached his chief. 

"There will be some difficulty, " he said, "when this meal has to be paidfor. I find that the men are all practically penniless. "

"Tell them they need anticipate no trouble about that, " replied Roland. "I have settled the bill, and will see that they do not starve or die ofthirst before we reach the Rhine. "

"It is proposed, " continued Greusel, "that each man should give all themoney he possesses into a general fund to be dealt with by a committeethe men will appoint. What do you say to this?"

"There is nothing to say. I notice that the proposal was not made untilthe proposers' pouches were empty. "

"They know that some of us have money, " Greusel went on, "myself, forinstance, and they wish us to share as good comrades should--at least, that is their phrase. "

"An admirable phrase, yet I don't agree with it. How much money haveyou, Greusel?"

"The thirty thalers are practically intact, and Ebearhard has about thesame. "

"Well, fifty thalers lie safe in my pouch, but not a coin goes into thetreasury of any committee the men may appoint. If they choose acommittee, let them finance it themselves. "

"There will be some dissatisfaction at that decision, Commander. "

"I dare say. Still, as you know, I am always ready to do anythingconducive to good feeling, so you may inform them that you and Ebearhardand myself, that is, three of us, will contribute to the committee'sfunds an amount equal to that subscribed by the other eighteen. Suchlavishness on our part ought to satisfy them. "

"It won't, Commander, because there's not a single kreuzer among theeighteen. "

"So be it. That's as far as I am willing to go. Appeal to theirreasoning powers, Greusel. If each of the eighteen contributes onethaler, we three will contribute six thalers apiece. Ask them whetherthey do not think we are generous when we do six times more than any oneof them towards providing capital for a committee. "

"'Tis not willingness they lack, Commander, but ability. "

"They are not logical, Joseph. They prate of comradeship, and when itcomes to an exercise of power they demand equality. How, then, can they, with any sense of fairness, prove ungrateful to us when we offer to bearsix times the burden they are asked to shoulder?"

The lieutenant said no more, but departed to announce the decision tothe men, and either the commander's reasoning overcame all opposition, or else the company was too tired to engage in a controversy. 

When the black bread and cheese were served, with a further supply ofwine, all sat up and ate heartily. The banquet ended, Greusel made anannouncement to the men. There would now be an hour's rest, he said, before taking to the road again. The meal and the wine had been paid forby the commander, so no one need worry on that account, but if any manwished more wine he must pay the shot himself. However, before theafternoon's march was begun flagons of wine would be served at thecommander's expense. This information was received in silence, and themen stretched themselves out on the grass to make the most of their hourof rest. Roland strolled off alone to view the village. The lieutenantand Ebearhard sat together at a table, conversing in low tones. 

"Well, " said Ebearhard, "what do you think of it all?"

"I don't know what to think, " replied Greusel. "If the Barons of theRhine could see us, and knew that we intended to attack them, I imaginethere would be a great roar of laughter. "

Ebearhard emulated the Barons, and laughed. He was a cheerful person. 

"I don't doubt it, " he said; "and talking of prospects, what's youropinion of the Commander?"

"I am quite adrift on that score also. This morning I endeavored to givehim some good advice. I asked him not to appoint me lieutenant, but tochoose Kurzbold or Gensbein from among the malcontents, for I thought ifresponsibility were placed on their shoulders we should be favored withless criticism. "

"A very good idea it seems to me, " remarked Ebearhard. 

"Well, you saw how promptly he ignored it, yet after all there may bemore wisdom in that head of his than I suspected. Look you how he hasmade a buffer of me. He gives no commands to the men himself, but merelyorders me to pass along the word for this or that. He appears determinedto have his own way, and yet not to bring about a personal conflictbetween himself and his following. "

"Do you suppose that to be cowardice on his part?"

"No; he is not a coward. He doubtless intends that I shall stand thebrunt of any ill-temper on the part of the men. Should disobediencearise, it will be my orders that are disobeyed, not his. If the matteris of no importance one way or the other, I take it he will say nothing, but I surmise that when it comes to the vital point, he will brush measide as though I were a feather, and himself confront the menregardless of consequences. This morning I thought they would win insuch a case, but, by the iron Cross, I am not so confident now. Rememberhow he sprung my appointment on the crowd, counting, I am sure, on yourhelp. He said to me, when we were alone by the tower, that you were themost fair-minded man among the lot, and he evidently played on that, giving them not a moment to think, and you backed him up. He carried hispoint, and since then has not said a word to them, all orders goingthrough me, but I know he intended, as he told you, to take the riverroad, instead of which he has led us over this hilly district untilevery man is ready to drop. He is himself very sparing of wine, and isin fit condition. I understand he has tramped both banks of the Rhine, from Ehrenfels to Bonn, so this walk is nothing to him. At the end of ithe was off for a stroll, and here are these men lying above the sod likethe dead underneath it. "

"I cannot make him out, " mused Ebearhard. "What has been his training?He appears to be well educated, and yet in some common matters isignorant as a child, as, for instance, not knowing the difference instatus between a skilled artisan and a chaffering merchant! What canhave been his up-bringing? He is obviously not of the merchant class, yethe persuades the chief of our merchants, and the most conservative, toengage in this wild goose chase, and actually venture money and goods insupporting him. This expedition will cost Herr Goebel at least fivethousand thalers, all because of the blandishments of a youth who walkedin from the street, unintroduced. Then he is not an artisan of any sort, for when he joined us his hands were quite useless, except upon thesword-hilt. "

"He said he was a fencing-master, " explained Greusel. 

"I know he did, and yet when he was offered a fee to instruct us hewouldn't look at it. The first duty of a fencing-master, like the restof us, is to make money. Roland quite evidently scorns it, and at thelast instructs us for nothing. Fencing-masters don't promote freebootingexpeditions, and, besides, a fencing-master is always urbane and polite, cringing to every one. I have watched Roland closely at times, trying tostudy him, and in doing so have caught momentary glimpses of suchcontempt for us, that, by the good Lord above us, it made me shrivel up. You know, Greusel, that youth has more of the qualities usuallyattributed to a noble than those which go to the make-up of anytradesman. "

"He is a puzzle to me, " admitted Greusel, "and if this excursion doesnot break up at the outset, I am not sure that it will be a success. "

Noticing a look of alarm in Ebearhard's eyes, Greusel cast a glance overhis shoulder, and saw Roland standing behind him. The young man saidquietly:

"It hasn't broken up at the outset, for we are already more than fiveleagues from Frankfort. Our foray must be a success while I have twosuch wise advisers as I find sitting here. "

Neither of the men replied. Both were wondering how much their leaderhad overheard. He took his place on the bench beside Ebearhard, and saidto him:

"I wish you to act as my second lieutenant. If anything happens to me, Greusel takes my place and you take his. This, by the way, is anappointment, rather than an election. It is not to be put before theguild. You simply act as second lieutenant, and that is all there isabout it. "

"Very good, Commander, " said Ebearhard. 

"Greusel, how much money have you?"

"Thirty thalers. "

"Economical man! Will you lend me the sum until we reachAssmannshausen?"

"Certainly. " Greusel pulled forth his wallet, poured out the gold, andRoland took charge of it. 

"And you, Ebearhard? How are you off for funds?"

"I possess twenty-five thalers. "

"May I borrow from you as well?"

"Oh, yes. "

"I was thinking, " continued the young man, as he put away the gold, "that this committee idea of the men has merits of its own; therefore Ihave formed myself into a committee, appointed, not elected, and willmake the disbursements. How much money does our company possess?"

"Not a stiver, so far as I can learn. "

"Ah, in that case there is little use in my attempting a collection. Now, as I was saying, Greusel, if anything happens to me, you carry onthe enterprise along the lines I have laid down. The first thing, ofcourse, is to reach Assmannshausen. "

"Nothing can happen to you before we arrive there, " hazarded Greusel. 

"I'm not so sure. The sun is very powerful to-day, and should it beat medown, let me lie where I fall, and allow nothing to interrupt the march. Once at Assmannshausen, you two must keep a sharp lookout up the river. When you see the barge, gather your men and lead them up to it. It is toawait us about half a league above Assmannshausen. "

The three conversed until the hour was consumed, then Roland, throwinghis cloak over his arm, rose, and said to his lieutenant:

"Just rouse the men, if you please; and you, Ebearhard, tell thelandlord to give each a flagon of wine. We take the road to Wiesbaden. Ishall walk slowly on ahead, so that you and the company may overtakeme. "

With this the young leader sauntered indifferently away, leaving to hissubordinates the ungracious task of setting tired men to their workagain. Greusel looked glum, but Ebearhard laughed. 

Some distance to the east of Wiesbaden the leader deflected his companyfrom the road, and thus they passed Wiesbaden to the left, arriving atthe village of Sonnenberg. The straggling company made a halt for ashort time, while provisions were purchased, every man carrying his ownshare, which was scantly sufficient for supper and breakfast, and aquantity of wine was acquired to gratify each throat with about a literand a half; plenty for a reasonable thirst, but not enough for acarouse. 

The company grumbled at being compelled to quit Sonnenberg. They hadhoped to spend the night at Wiesbaden, and vociferously proclaimedthemselves satisfied with the amount of country already traversed. Theirleader said nothing, but left Greusel and Ebearhard to deal with them. He paid for the provisions and the wine, and then, with his cloakloosely over his arm, struck out for the west, as if the declining sunwere his goal. The rest followed him slowly, in deep depression ofspirits. They were in a wild country, unknown to any of them. The hillshad become higher and steeper, and there was not even a beaten path tofollow; but Roland, who apparently knew his way, trudged steadily on inadvance even of his lieutenants. A bank of dark clouds had risen in theeast, the heat of the day being followed by a thunderstorm that growledmenacingly above the Taunus mountains, evidently accompanying a torrentof rain, although none fell in the line of march. 

The sun had set when the leader brought his company down into the valleyof the Walluf, about two and a half leagues from Sonnenberg. Here themen found themselves in a wilderness through which ran a brawlingstream. Roland announced to them that this would be their camping placefor the night. At once there was an uproar of dissent. How were they tocamp out without tents? A heavy rain was impending. Listen to thethunder, and taking warning from the swollen torrent. 

"Wrap your cloaks around you, " said Roland, "and sleep under the trees. I have often done it myself, and will repeat the experience to-night. Ifyou are not yet tired enough to ensure sound slumber, I shall bedelighted to lead you on for another few leagues. "

The men held a low-voiced, sullen consultation, gathered in a circle. They speedily decided upon returning to Sonnenberg, which it was theunanimous opinion of the company they should never have left. Townsmenall, who had not in their lives spent a night without a roof over theirheads, such accommodation as their leader proposed they should endureseemed like being cast away on a desert island. The mystery of theforest affrighted them. For all they could tell the woods were full ofwild animals, and they knew that somewhere near lurked outlaws no lesssavage. The eighteen, ignoring Greusel and Ebearhard, who stood on oneside, watching their deliberations with anxious faces, moved in a bodyupon their leader, who sat on the bank of the torrent, his feet danglingdown towards the foaming water. 

"We have resolved to return to Sonnenberg, " said the leader of theconclave. 

"An excellent resolution, " agreed Roland cheerfully. "It is a pleasantvillage, and I have passed through it several times. By the way, Wiesbaden, which is much larger, possesses the advantage to tired men ofbeing half a league nearer. "

The spokesman seemed taken aback by Roland's nonchalant attitude. 

"We do not know the road to Wiesbaden, and, indeed, are in some doubtwhether or no we can find our way to Sonnenberg with darkness comingon. "

"Then if I were you, I shouldn't attempt it. Why not eat your supper, and drink your wine in this sheltering grove?"

"By that time it will be as dark as Erebus, " protested the spokesman. 

"Then remain here, as I suggested, for the night. "

"No; we are determined to reach Sonnenberg. A storm impends. "

"In that case, gentlemen, don't let me detain you. The gloom thickens asyou spend your time in talk. "

"Oh, that's all very well, but when we reach Sonnenberg we shall needmoney. "

"So you will. "

"And we intend to secure it. "

"Quite right. "

"We demand from you three thalers for each man. "

"Oh, you want the money from me?"

"Yes, we do. "

"That would absorb all the funds I possess. "

"No matter. We mean to have it. "

"You propose to take it from me by force?"

"Yes. "

"Ah, well, such being the case, perhaps it would be better for me toyield willingly?"

"I think so. "

"I quite agree with you. There are eighteen of you, all armed withswords, while I control but one blade. "

Saying this he unfastened his cloak, which he had put on in thegathering chill of the evening, and untying from his belt a well-filledwallet, held it up to their gaze. 

"As this bag undisputedly belongs to me, I have a right to dispose of itas I choose. I therefore give it to the brook, whose outcry is asinsistent as yours, and much more musical. "

"Stop, Roland, stop!" shouted Ebearhard, but the warning came too late. The young man flung the bag into the torrent, where it disappeared in asmother of foam. He rose to his feet and drew his sword. 

"If you wish a fight now, it will be for the love of it, no filthy lucrebeing at stake. "

"By Plutus, you are an accursed fool!" cried the spokesman, making nofurther show of aggression now that nothing but steel was to be gainedby a contest. 

"A fool; yes!" said Roland. "And therefore the better qualified to leadall such. Now go to Sonnenberg, or go to Hades!"

The men did neither. They sat down under the trees, ate their supper, and drank their wine. 

"Will you dine with me?" said Roland, approaching his two gloomylieutenants, who stood silent at some distance from the circle formed bythe others. 

"Yes, " said Greusel sullenly, "but I would have dined with greaterpleasure had you not proven the spokesman's words true. "

"You mean about my being a fool? Oh, you yourself practically called methat this morning. Come, let us sit down farther along the stream, wherethey cannot overhear what we say. "

This being done, Roland continued cheerfully:

"I may explain to you that a week ago I had only a wallet of my own, butbefore leaving on this journey I called upon my mother, and shepresented me with another bag. I foresaw during _mittagessen_ that ademand would be made upon us for money, therefore I borrowed all thatyou two possessed. Walking on ahead, I prepared for what I knew mustcome, filling the empty wallet with very small stones picked up alongthe road. That wallet went into the stream. It is surprising how pronehuman nature is to jump at conclusions. Why should any of you think thatI am simpleton enough to throw away good money? Dear, dear, what a worldthis is, to be sure!"

Half an hour later all were lying down enveloped in their cloaks, sleeping soundly because of their fatigue, despite being out of doors. Next morning there was consternation in the camp, real or pretended. Roland was nowhere to be found, nor did further search reveal hiswhereabouts. 

VIII

THE MISSING LEADER AND THE MISSING GOLD

Probably because of the new responsibility resting upon him, JosephGreusel was the first to awaken next morning. He let his long cloak fallfrom his shoulders as he sat up, and gazed about him with astonishment. It seemed as if some powerful wizard of the hills had spirited him awayduring the night. He had gone to sleep in a place of terror. The thunderrolled threateningly among the peaks of Taunus, and the reflection ofthe lightning flash, almost incessant in its recurrence, had lit up thegrove with an unholy yellow glare. The never-ceasing roar of the foamingtorrent, which in the darkness gleamed with ghostly pallor, had somehowgot on his nerves. Under the momentary illumination of the lightning, the waves appeared to leap up at him like a pack of hungry wolves, flecked with froth, and the noise strove to emulate the distant thunder. The grove itself was ominous in its gloom, and sinister shapes seemed tobe moving about among the trees. 

How different was the aspect now! The sun was still beneath the easternhorizon. The cloudless sky gave promise of another warm day, and theair, of crystalline clearness, was inspiring to breathe. To Greusel'smind, tinged with religious feeling, the situation in which he foundhimself seemed like a section of the Garden of Eden. The stream, whichthe night before had been to his superstitious mind a thing of terror, was this morning a placid, smiling, rippling brook that a man mightwithout effort leap across. 

He rubbed his eyes in amazement, thinking the mists of sleep must beresponsible for this magic transformation, until he remembered thedistant thunderstorm of the night before among the eastern mountains, and surmised that a heavy rainfall had deluged these speedily drainedpeaks and valleys. 

"What a blessed thing, " he said to himself fervently, "is theever-recurring morning. How it clears away the errors and the passionsof darkness! It is as if God desired to give man repeated opportunitiesof reform, and of encouragement. How sane everything seems now, ascompared with the turbulence of the sulphurous night. "

As he rose he became aware of an unaccustomed weight by his side, andputting down his hand was astonished to encounter a bag evidently filledwith coin. It had been tied by its deerskin thong to his belt, just aswas his own empty wallet. He sat down again, drew it round to the frontof him, and unfastened it. Pouring out the gold, he found that thewallet contained a hundred and fifteen thalers, mostly in gold, with theaddition of a few silver coins. At once it occurred to him that thesewere Roland's sixty thalers, his own thirty, and Ebearhard'stwenty-five. For some reason, probably fearing the men would suspect theruse practiced on them the night before, Roland had made him treasurerof the company. But why should he have done it surreptitiously?

Readjusting the leathern sack, he again rose to his feet, but now casthis cloak about him, thus concealing the purse. Ebearhard lay soundasleep near him. Farther away the eighteen remaining members of thecompany were huddled closely together, as if they had gone to rest in aroom too small for them, although the whole country was theirs fromwhich to choose sleeping quarters. 

Remembering how the brook had decreased in size, and was now runningclear and pellucid, he feared that the bag of stones Roland had sodramatically flung into it might be plainly visible. He determined torouse his commander, and seek the bag for some distance downstream; forhe knew that when the men awakened, all night-fear would have departedfrom them, and seeing the shrinkage of the brook they might themselvesinstitute a search. 

On looking round for Roland he saw no sign of him, but this causedlittle disquietude, for he supposed that the leader had risen stillearlier than himself, wishing to stroll through the forest, or up anddown the rivulet. 

Greusel, with the purpose of finding the bag, and in the hope, also, ofencountering his chief, walked down the valley by the margin of thewaterway. Peering constantly into the limpid waters, he discovered notrace of what he sought. Down and down the valley, which was wooded allthe way, he walked, and sometimes he was compelled to forsake his liquidguide, and clamber through thickets to reach its border again. 

At last he arrived at a little waterfall, and here occurred a break inthe woods, causing him to stand entranced by the view which presenteditself. Down the declivity the forest lasted for some distance, then itgave place to ever-descending vineyards, with here and there a houseshowing among the vines. At the foot of this hill ran a broad blueribbon, which he knew to be the Rhine, although he had never seen itbefore. Over it floated a silvery gauze of rapidly disappearing mist. The western shore appeared to be flat, and farther along the horizon wasformed by hills, not so lofty as that on which he stood, but beautifulagainst the blue sky, made to seem nearer than they were by the firstrays of the rising sun, which tipped the summits with crimson. 

Greusel drew a long breath of deep satisfaction. He had never beforerealized that the world was so enchanting and so peaceful. It seemedimpossible that men privileged to live in such a land could find nobetter occupation than cutting one another's throats. 

The gentle plash of the waterfall at his right hand accentuated thestillness. From his height he glanced down into the broad, pellucidpool, into whose depths the water fell, and there, perfectly visible, lay the bag of bogus treasure. Cautiously he worked his way down to thegravelly border of the little lake, flung off his clothes, and plungedhead-first into this Diana's pool. It was a delicious experience, and heswam round and round the circular basin, clambered up on the gravel andallowed the stream to fall over his glistening shoulders, reveling inNature's shower-bath. Satisfied at length, he indulged in anotherrainbow plunge, grasped the bag, and rose again to the surface. Comingashore, he unloosened the swollen thongs, poured out the stones alongthe strand, then, after a moment's thought, he wrung the water out ofthe bag itself, and tied it to his belt, for there was no predictingwhere the men would wander when once they awoke, and if he threw it awayamong the bushes, it might be found, breeding first wonder how it camethere, and then suspicion of the trick. 

Greusel walked back to camp by the other bank of the stream. Althoughthe early rays of the sun percolated through the upper branches of thetrees above them, the eighteen prone men slept as if they were butseven. He sprang over the brook, touched the recumbent Ebearhard withhis foot, and so awoke him. This excellent man yawned, and stretched outhis arms above his head. 

"You're an early bird, Greusel, " he said. "Have you got the worm?"

"Yes, I have, " replied the latter. "I found it in the basin of awaterfall nearly a league from here, " and with that he drew aside hiscloak, showing the still wet but empty bag. 

For a few moments Ebearhard did not understand. He rose and shookhimself, glancing about him. 

"Great Jove!" he cried, "this surely isn't the stream by which we laydown last night? Do you mean to tell me that thread of water struckterror into my heart only a few hours ago? I never slept out of doorsbefore in all my life, and could not have imagined it would produce suchan effect. I see what you mean now. You have found the bag which Rolandthrew into the foaming torrent. "

"Yes; I was as much astonished at the transformation as you when Iawoke, and then it occurred to me that when our friends saw thereduction of the rivulet, they would forthwith begin a treasure-hunt, soI determined to obliterate the evidence. "

"Was the bag really full of stones?"

"Oh, yes. "

"Well, that is a lesson to me. I believe after all that Roland ishelplessly truthful, but last night I thought he befooled us. I wascertain it was the bag of coin he had thrown away, and becoming ashamedof himself, had lied to us. "

"How could you imagine that? He showed us both the bag of money. "

"He produced a bag full of something, but I, being the doubting Thomasof the group, was not convinced it contained money. "

"Ah, that reminds me, Ebearhard; here is the bag we saw last night. Idiscovered it attached to my belt this morning. "

"He attached it to the wrong belt, then, for you believed him. He shouldhave tied it to mine. What reason does he give for presenting it toyou?"

"Ah, now you touch a point of anxiety in my own mind. I have seennothing of Roland this morning. I surmised that he had arisen before me, and expected to meet him somewhere down the stream, but have not doneso. "

"He may have gone farther afield. As you found the bag, he of course, missed it, and probably continued his search. "

"I doubt that, because I came upon a point of view reaching to the Rhineand the hills beyond. I could trace the stream for a considerabledistance, and watched it for a long time, but there appeared to benothing alive in the forest. "

"You don't suppose he has gone back to Frankfort, do you?"

"I am at loss what to think. "

"If he has abandoned this gang of malcontents, I should be the last toblame him. The way these pigs acted yesterday was disgraceful, ending uptheir day with rank mutiny and threats of violence. By the iron Cross, Greusel, he has forsaken this misbegotten lot, and it serves themperfectly right, prating about comradeship and carrying themselves likecut-throats. This is Roland's method of returning our money, for Isuppose that bag contains your thirty thalers and my twenty-five. "

"Yes, and his own sixty as well. Poor disappointed devil, generous tothe last. It was he who obtained all the money at the beginning, thenthese drunken swine spend it on wine, and prove so generous and bravethat eighteen of them muster courage enough to face one man, and he theman who had bestowed the gold upon them. "

"Greusel, the whole situation fills me with disgust. I propose we leavethe lot sleeping there, go to Wiesbaden for breakfast, and then trudgeback to Frankfort. It would serve the brutes right. "

"No, " said Greusel quietly; "I shall carry out Roland's instructions. "

"I thought you hadn't seen him this morning?"

"Not a trace of him. You heard his orders at Breckenheim. "

"I don't remember. What were they?"

"That if anything happened to him, I was to drive the herd toAssmannshausen. I quite agree with you, Ebearhard, that he is justifiedin deserting this menagerie, but, on the other hand, you and I havestood faithfully by him, and it doesn't seem to me right that he shouldleave us without a word. I don't believe he has done so, and I expectany moment to see him return. "

"You're wrong, Greusel. He's gone. That purse is sufficient explanation, and as you recall to my mind his instructions, I believe something ofthis must have suggested itself to him even that early in the day. Hehas divested himself of every particle of money in his possession, turning it over to you, but instead of returning to Frankfort he hasmade his way over the hills to Assmannshausen, and will await us there. "

"What would be the object of that?"

"One reason may be that he will learn whether or not you have enoughcontrol over these people to bring them to the Rhine. He will satisfyhimself that your discipline is such as to improve their manners. It maybe in his mind to resign, and make you leader, if you prove yourselfable to control them. "

"Suppose I fail in that?"

"Well, then--this is all fancy, remember--I imagine he may look roundAssmannshausen to find another company who will at least obey him. "

"What you say sounds very reasonable. Still, I do not see why he shouldhave left two friends like us without a word. "

"A word, my dear Greusel, would have led to another, and another, andanother. One of the first questions asked him would be 'But what areEbearhard and I to do?' That's exactly what he doesn't wish to answer. He desires to know what you will do of your own accord. He is likelyrather hopeless about this mob, but is giving you an opportunity, andthen another chance. Why, his design is clear as that rivulet there, andas easily seen through. You will either bring those men across thehills, or you won't. If you and I are compelled to clamber over toAssmannshausen alone, Roland will probably be more pleased to see usthan if we brought this rogues' contingent straggling at our heels. Hewill appoint you chief officer of his new company, and me the second. Ifyou doubt my conclusions, I'll wager twenty-five thalers against yourthirty that I am in the right. "

"I never gamble, Ebearhard, especially when certain to lose. You are ashrewder man than I, by a long bowshot. "

In a work of fiction it would of course be concealed till the propertime came that all of these men were completely wrong in theirprognostications regarding the fate of Roland, but this being history itmay be stated that the young man had not the least desire to testGreusel's ability, nor would his lieutenants find him awaiting them whenthey reached Assmannshausen. 

"Hello! Rouse up there! What have we for breakfast? Has all the winebeen drunk? I hope not. My mouth's like a brick furnace!"

It was the brave Kurzbold who spoke, as he playfully kicked, not toogently, those of his comrades who lay nearest him. He was answered bygroans and imprecations, as one by one the sleeping beauties arousedthemselves, and wondered where the deuce they were. 

"Who has stolen the river?" cried Gensbein. 

"Oh, stealing the river doesn't matter, " said a third. "It's onlyrunning water. Who drank all the wine? That's a more serious question. "

"Well, whoever's taken away the river, I can swear without searching mypouch has made no theft from me, for I spent my last stiver yesterday. "

"Don't boast, " growled Kurzbold. "You're not alone in your poverty. We're all in the same case. Curse that fool of a Roland for throwingaway good money just when it's most needed. "

"Good money is always most needed, " exclaimed the philosophic Gensbein. 

He rose and shook himself, then looked down at the beautiful butunimportant rivulet. 

"I say, lads, were we as drunk as all that last night? Was there animpassable torrent here or not?"

"How could we be drunk, you fool, on little more than a liter of wineeach, " cried Kurzbold. 

"Please be more civil in your talk, " returned his friend. "You weredrunk all day. The liter and a half was a mere nightcap. If you arecertain there was a torrent, then I must have been in the same conditionas yourself. "

The spokesman of the previous night, who had been chided for notspringing on Roland before he succeeded in doing away with the treasure, here uttered a shout. 

"This water, " he said, "is clear as air. You can see every pebble at thebottom. Get to work, you sleepyheads, and search down the stream. We'llrecover that bag yet, and then it's back to Sonnenberg for breakfast. Whoever finds it, finds it for the guild; a fair and equal divisionamongst us. That is, amongst the eighteen of us. I propose that Roland, Greusel, and Ebearhard do not share. They were all in the plot to robus. "

"Agreed!" cried the others, and the treasure-hunt impetuously began. 

Greusel and Ebearhard watched them disappear through the forest down thestream. 

"Greusel, " said Ebearhard, "what a deplorable passion is the franticquest for money in these days, especially money that we have not earned. Our excited treasure-hunters do not realize that at such a moment in theearly morning the only subject worth consideration is breakfast. Beingunsparing and prodigal last night, it would take a small miracle of thefishes to suffice them to-day. There is barely enough for two hungrymen, and as we are rid of these chaps for half an hour at least, Ipropose we sit down to our first meal. "

Greusel made no comment upon this remark, but the advice commendeditself to him, for he followed it. 

Some time after they had finished breakfast, the unsuccessful companyreturned by twos and threes. Apparently they had not wandered so far asthe waterfall, for no one said anything of the amazing view of theRhine. Indeed, it was plain that they considered themselves involved ina boundless wilderness, and were too perplexed to suggest a way out. After a storm of malediction over the breakfastless state of things, anda good deal of quarreling among themselves anent who had been mostgreedy the night before, they now turned their attention to the silentmen who were watching them. 

"Where's Roland?" they demanded. 

"I don't know, " replied Greusel. 

"Didn't he tell you where he was going?"

"We have not seen him this morning, " explained Ebearhard gently. "Heseems to have disappeared in the night. Perhaps he fell into the stream. Perhaps, on the other hand, he has deliberately deserted us. He gave usno hint of his intentions last night, and we are as ignorant asyourselves regarding his whereabouts. "

"This is outrageous!" cried Kurzbold. "It is the duty of a leader toprovide for his following. "

"Yes; if the following follows. "

"We have followed, " said Kurzbold indignantly, "and have been led intothis desert, not in the least knowing where in Heaven's name we are. Andnow to be left like this, breakfastless, thirsty--" Here Kurzbold'slanguage failed him, and he drew the back of his hand across parchedlips. 

"When you remember, gentlemen, " continued Ebearhard, in accents ofhoney, "that your last dealings with your leader took place witheighteen swords drawn; when you recollect that you expressed yourdetermination to rob him, and when you call to mind that you braveeighteen threatened him with personal violence if he resisted thisbrigandage on your part, I cannot understand why you should be surprisedat his withdrawal from your fellowship. "

"Oh, you always were a glib talker, but the question now is what are weto do?"

"Yes, and that is a question for you to decide, " said Ebearhard. "Whenyou mutinied last night, you practically deposed Roland from theleadership. To my mind, he had no further obligations towards you, so, having roughly taken the power into your own hands, it is for you todeal with it as you think best. I should never so far forget myself asto venture even a suggestion. "

"As I hinted to you, " said Kurzbold, "you are talking too much. You aremerely one of ourselves, although you have kept yourself separate fromus. Greusel has been appointed lieutenant by our unanimous vote, and ifhis chief proves a poltroon, he is the man to act. Therefore, JosephGreusel, I ask on behalf of the company what you intend to do?"

"Before I can answer that question, " replied Greusel, "I must knowwhether or not you will act as you did yesterday?"

"What do you mean by that?" Several, speaking together, put thequestion. 

"I wish to know whether you will follow cheerfully and without demurwhere I lead? I refuse to act as guide if I run the risk of findingeighteen sword-points at my throat when I have done my best. "

"Oh, you talk like a fool, " commented Kurzbold. "We followed Rolandfaithfully enough until he brought us into this impasse. You makeentirely too much of last night's episode. None of us intended to hurthim, as you are very well aware, and besides, we don't want a leader whois frightened, and runs away at the first sign of danger. "

"Make up your minds what you propose to do, " said Greusel stubbornly, "and give me your decision; then you will receive mine. "

Greusel saw that although Kurzbold talked like the bully he was, theothers were rather subdued, and no voice but his was raised in defenseof their previous conduct. 

"There is one thing you must tell us before we can come to a decision, "went on Kurzbold. "How much money have you and Ebearhard?"

"At midday yesterday I had thirty thalers, and Ebearhard hadtwenty-five. While you were all sleeping on the grass, after our meal atBreckenheim, Roland asked us for the money. "

"You surely were not such idiots as to give it to him?"

"He was our commander, and we both considered it right to do what heasked of us. "

"He said, " put in Ebearhard, "that your suggestion about a financecommittee was a good one, and that he had determined to be thatcommittee. He asked us if any of you had money, but I told him I thoughtit was all spent, which probably accounts for his restricting theapplication to us two. "

"Then we are here in an unknown wilderness, twenty men, hungry, andwithout a florin amongst us, " wailed Kurzbold, and the comments of thosebehind him were painful to hear. 

"I am glad that at last you thoroughly appreciate our situation, and Ihope that in addition you realize it has been brought about not throughany fault of Roland's, who gave in to your whims and childishness untilyou came to the point of murder and robbery. Therefore blame yourselvesand not him. You now know as much of our position as I do, so make upyour minds about the next step, and inform me what conclusion you cometo. "

"You're a mighty courageous leader, " cried Kurzbold scornfully, and withthis the hungry ones retired some distance into the grove, from whenceechoes of an angry debate came to the two men who sat by the margin ofthe stream. After a time they strode forward again. Once more Kurzboldwas the spokesman. 

"We have determined to return to Frankfort. "

"Very good. "

"I suppose you remember enough of the way to lead us at least as far asWiesbaden. Beyond that point we can look to ourselves. "

"I should be delighted, " said Greusel, "to be your guide, butunfortunately I am traveling in the other direction with Ebearhard. "

"Why, in the name of starvation?" roared Kurzbold. "You know no more ofthe country ahead of us than we do. By going back we can get somethingto eat, and a drink, at one of the farmhouses we passed this side ofSonnenberg. "

"How?" inquired Greusel. 

"Why, if they ask for payment we will give them iron instead of silver. No man need starve with a sword by his side. "

"Granted that this is feasible, and that the farmers yield instead ofraising the country-side against you, when you reach Frankfort what areyou going to do? Eat and drink with the landlord of the Rheingold untilhe becomes bankrupt? You must remember that it was Roland who liquidatedour last debt there, without asking or receiving a word of thanks, andhe did that not a moment too soon, for the landlord was at the end ofhis resources and would have closed his tavern within another week. "

Kurzbold stormed at this harping on the subject of Roland and hisgenerosity, but those with him were hungry, and they now remembered, toolate, that what Greusel said was strictly true. If Roland had put in anappearance then, he would have found a most docile company to lead. Theywere actually murmuring against Kurzbold, and blaming him and his clanfor the disaster that had overtaken them. 

"Why will you not come back with us?" pleaded the penitents, withsurprising mildness. 

"Because the future in Frankfort strikes me as hopeless. Not one amongstus has the brains of Roland, whom we have thrown out. Besides, it isnine and a half long leagues to Frankfort, and only three and a halfleagues to Assmannshausen. I expect to find Roland there, and although Iknow nothing of his intentions, I imagine he has gone to enlist acompany of a score or thereabouts that will obey his commands. There issome hope by going forward to Assmannshausen; there is absolutely nonein retreating to Frankfort. Then, as I said, Assmannshausen is littlemore than three leagues away; a fact worth consideration by hungry men. On the Rhine we are in the rich wine country, where there is plenty toeat and drink, probably for the asking, whereas if we turn our facestowards the east we are marching upon starvation. "

The buzz of comment aroused by this speech proved to the two men thatKurzbold stood once more alone. Greusel, without seeming to care whichway the cat jumped, had induced that unreasoning animal to leap as heliked. His air of supreme indifference aroused Ebearhard's admiration, especially when he remembered that under his cloak there rested ahundred and fifteen thalers in gold and silver. 

"But you know nothing of the way, " protested Kurzbold. "None of us areacquainted with the country to the west. "

"We don't need to be acquainted with it, " said Greusel. "We steerwestward by glancing at the sun now and then, and cannot go astray, because we must come to the Rhine; then it's either up or down theriver, as the case may be, to reach Assmannshausen. "

"To the Rhine! To the Rhine!" was now the universal cry. 

"Before we begin our journey, " said Greusel, as if he accepted theleadership with reluctance, "I must have your promise that you will obeyme without question. I am not so patient a man as Roland, but on my partI guarantee you an excellent meal and good wine as soon as we reachAssmannshausen. "

"How can you promise that, " growled Kurzbold, "when you have given awayyour money?"

"Because, as I told you, I expect to meet Roland there. "

"But he threw away his bag. "

"Yes; I told him it was a foolish thing to do, and perhaps that is whyhe left without saying a word, even to me. He is an ingenious man. Assmannshausen is familiar to him, and I dare say he would not havediscarded his money without knowing where to get more. "

"To the Rhine! To the Rhine! To the Rhine!" cried the impatient host, gathering up their cloaks, and tightening their belts, as the savagedoes when he is hungry. 

"To the Rhine, then, " said Greusel, springing across the little streamin company with Ebearhard. 

"You did that very well, Greusel, " complimented the latter. 

"I would rather have gone alone with you, " replied the new leader, "forI have condemned myself to wear this heavy cloak, which is all very wellto sleep in, but burdensome under a hot sun. "

"The sun won't be so oppressive, " predicted his friend, "while we keepto the forest. "

"That is very true, but remember we are somewhere in the Rheingau, andthat we must come out into the vineyards by and by. "

"Don't grumble, Greusel, but hold up your head as a great diplomatist. Roland himself could not have managed these chaps so well, you flauntinghypocrite, the only capitalist amongst us, yet talking as if you were amonk sworn to eternal poverty. "

Greusel changed the subject. 

"Do you notice, " he said, "that we are following some sort of path, which we must have trodden last evening, without seeing it in the dusk. "

"I imagine, " said Ebearhard, "that Roland knew very well where he wasgoing. He strode along ahead of us as if sure of his ground. I don'tdoubt but this will lead us to Assmannshausen. "

Which, it may be remarked, it did not. The path was little more than atrail, which a sharp-eyed man might follow, and it led up-hill and downdale direct to the Archbishop's Castle of Ehrenfels. 

The forest lasted for a distance that the men in front estimated to beabout two leagues, then they emerged into open country, and saw thewelcome vines growing. Climbing out of the valley, they observed to theright, near the top of a hill, a small hamlet, which had the effect ofinstantaneously raising the spirits of the woebegone company. 

"Hooray for breakfast!" they shouted, and had it not been for their ownfatigue, and the steepness of the hill, they would have broken into arun. 

"Halt!" cried Greusel sternly, standing before and above them. At oncethey obeyed the word of command, which caused Ebearhard to smile. 

"You will climb to the top of this hill, " said Greusel, "and there restunder command of my lieutenant, Ebearhard. As we now emerge intocivilization, I warn you that if we are to obtain breakfast it must beby persuasion, and not by force. Therefore, while you wait on thehilltop, I shall go alone into the houses on the right, and see what canbe done towards providing a meal for eighteen men. Ebearhard and I willfast until we reach Assmannshausen. On the other hand, you should beprepared for disappointment; loaves of bread are not to be picked up onthe point of a sword. If I return and order you to march on unfed, youmust do so as cheerfully as you can. "

This ultimatum called forth not a word of opposition, and Ebearhard ledthe van while Greusel deflected up the hill to his right, the sooner toreach the village. 

He learned that the name of the place was Anton-Kap; that the route hehad been following would take him to Ehrenfels, and that he must adopt areasonably rough mountain-road to the right in order to reachAssmannshausen. 

By somewhat straining the resources of the place, which proved topossess no inn, he collected bread enough for the eighteen, and therewas no dearth of wine, although it proved a coarse drink that reflectedlittle credit on the reputation of the Rheingau. He paid for this mealin advance, saying that they were all in a hurry to reachAssmannshausen, and wished to leave as soon as the frugal breakfast wasconsumed. 

Mounting a small elevation to the west of the village, he signaled tothe patient men to come on, which they lost no time in doing. The breadwas eaten and the wine drunk without a word being said by any one. Andnow they took their way down the hill again, crossed the littleGeisenheim stream, and up once more, traversing a high table-land givingthem a view of the Rhine, finally descending through another valley, which led them into Assmannshausen, celebrated for its red wine, a colorthey had not yet met with. 

Assmannshausen proved to be a city as compared with the hamlets they hadpassed, yet was small enough to make a thorough search of the place amatter that consumed neither much effort nor time. Greusel led his mento a _Weinstaube_ a short distance out of the village, and, to theirdelight, succeeded in establishing a credit for them to the extent ofone liter of wine each, with a substantial meal of meat, eggs, andwhat-not. Greusel and Ebearhard left them there in the height of greatenjoyment, all the more delightful after the hunger and fatigue they hadencountered, for the three and a half leagues had proved almost withouta single stretch of level land. The two officers inquired for Roland, without success, at the various houses of entertainment whichAssmannshausen boasted, then canvassed every home in the village, but noone had seen anything of the man they described. 

Coming out to the river front, deeply discouraged, the two gazed acrossthe empty water, from which all enlivening traffic had departed. It wasnow evident to both that Roland had not entered Assmannshausen, for inso small and gossipy a hamlet no stranger could even have passed throughwithout being observed. 

"Well, Joseph, " asked Ebearhard, "what do you intend to do?"

"There is nothing to do but to wait until our money is gone. It isabsolutely certain that Roland is not here. Can it be possible thatafter all he returned?"

"How could he have done so? We know him to have been without money;therefore why to Frankfort, even if such a trip were possible for apenniless man?"

"I am sorry now, " said Greusel despondently, "that I did not follow asuggestion that occurred to me, which was to take the men direct downthe valley where we encamped, to the banks of the Rhine, and there makeinquiries. "

"You think he went that way?"

"I did, until you persuaded me out of it. "

"Again I ask what could be his object?"

"It seems to me that this mutiny made a greater impression on his mindthan I had supposed. After all, he is not one of us, and never has been. You yourself pointed that out when we were talking of him atBreckenheim. If you caught glances of contempt for us while we were allone jolly family in the Kaiser cellar, what must be his loathing for theguild after such a day as yesterday?"

"That's true. You must travel with a man before you learn his realcharacter. "

"Meaning Roland?"

"Meaning this crew, guzzling up at the tavern. Meaning you, meaning me;yes, and meaning Roland also. I never knew until yesterday and to-daywhat a capable fellow you were, and when I remember that I nominatedKurzbold for our leader before Roland appeared on the scene, I am amazedat my lack of judgment of men. As for Roland himself, my opinion of himhas fallen. Nothing could have persuaded me that he would desert us allwithout a word of explanation, no matter what happened. My predictionsregarding his conduct are evidently wrong. What do you think hasactually occurred?"

"It's my opinion that the more he thought over the mutiny, the angrierhe became; a cold, stubborn anger, not vocal at all, as Kurzbold's wouldbe. I think that after fastening the money to my belt he went down thevalley to the Rhine. He knows the country, you must remember. He wouldthen either wait there until the barge appeared, or more likely wouldproceed up along the margin of the river, and hail the boat when it camein sight. The captain would recognize him, and turn in, and we know thecaptain is under his command. At this moment they are doubtless polingslowly up the Rhine to the Main again, and will thus reach Frankfort. Herr Goebel has confidence in Roland, otherwise he would never haverisked so much on his bare word. He will confess to his financier thathe has been mistaken in us, and doubtless tell him all that happened, and the merchant will appreciate that, even though he has lost his fivehundred thalers, Roland would not permit him to lose his goods as well. "

"Do you suppose Roland will enlist another company?"

"It is very likely, for Herr Goebel trusts him, and, goodness knows, there are enough unemployed men in Frankfort for Roland to select abetter score than we have proved to be. "

It was quite certain that Roland was not in Assmannshausen, yet Greuselwas a prophet as false as Ebearhard. 

IX

A SOLEMN PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE

When Roland wrapped his cloak about him, and lay down on the sward atsome distance from the spot where his officers already slept, he foundthat he could not follow their example. Although, he had remainedoutwardly calm when the attack was made upon him, his mind was greatlyperturbed over the outlook. He reviewed his own conduct, wonderingwhether it would be possible for him so to amend it that he couldacquire the respect and maintain the obedience of his men. If he couldnot accomplish this, then was his plan foredoomed to failure. Hiscogitations drove away sleep, and he called to mind the last occasion onwhich he made this same spot his bedroom. Then he had slumbereddreamlessly the night through. He was on the direct trail betweenEhrenfels Castle and the town of Wiesbaden, the route over whichsupplies had been carried to the Castle time and again when theperiodical barges from Mayence failed to arrive. It had been pointed outto him by the custodian of the Castle when the young man first becameirked by the confined limits of the Schloss, and frequently since thattime he had made his way through the forest to Wiesbaden and back. 

Never before had he seen the little Walluf so boisterous, pretendingthat it was important, and he quite rightly surmised that the cause wasa sudden downpour in the mountains farther east. The distant mutteringsof thunder having long since ceased, he recognized that the volume ofthe stream was constantly lessening. As the brook gradually subsided toits customary level, the forest became more and more silent. The greaterhis endeavor to sleep, the less dormant Roland felt, and all his sensesseemed unduly quickened by this ineffectual beckoning to somnolence. Hejudged by the position of the stars, as he lay on his back, that it waspast midnight, when suddenly he became aware of a noise to the west ofhim, on the other side of the brook. Sitting up, and listening intently, he suspected, from the rustle of the underbrush, that some one wasfollowing the trail, and would presently come upon his sleeping men. 

He rose stealthily, unsheathed his sword, leaped across the rivulet, andproceeded with caution up the acclivity, keeping on the trail as best hecould in the darkness. He was determined to learn the business of thewayfarer, without disturbing his men, so crept rapidly up the hill. Presently he saw the glimmer of a light, and conjectured that some onewas coming impetuously down, guided by a lanthorn swinging in his hand. Roland stood on guard with sword extended straight in front of him, andthe oncomer's breast was almost at the point of it when he hauledhimself up with a sudden cry of dismay, as the lanthorn revealed anarmed man holding the path. 

"I have no money, " were the first words of the stranger. 

"Little matter for that, " replied Roland. "'Tis information I wish, notgear. Why are you speeding through the forest at night, for no sane mantraverses this path in the darkness?"

"I could not wait for daylight, " said the stranger, breathing heavily. "I carry a message of the greatest importance. Do not delay me, I beg ofyou. I travel on affairs of State; Imperial matters, and it is necessaryI should reach Frankfort in time, or heads may fall. "

"So serious as that?" asked Roland, lowering the point of his sword, forhe saw the messenger was unarmed. "Whom do you seek?"

"That I dare not tell you. The message concerns those of the highest, and I am pledged to secrecy. Be assured, sir, that I speak the truth. "

"Your voice sounds honest. Hold up the lanthorn at arm's length, that Imay learn if your face corresponds with it. Ha, that is mostsatisfactory! And now, my hurrying youth, will you reveal your mission, or shall I be compelled to run my sword through your body?"

"You would not learn it even then, " gasped the young man, shrinkingstill farther up the hill. 

Roland laughed. 

"That is true enough, " he said, "therefore shall I not impale you, butwill instead relate to you the secret you carry. You are making not forFrankfort--"

"I assure you, sir, by the sacred Word, that I am, and grieve my oathdoes not allow me to do your bidding, even though you would kill me, which is easily done, since I am unarmed. "

"You pass through Frankfort, I doubt not, but your goal is a certainsmall room in the neighboring suburb of Sachsenhausen, and he whom youseek is a youth of about your own age, named Roland. You travel on thebehest of your father, who was much agonized in mind when you left him, and he, I take it, is custodian of Ehrenfels Castle. "

"In God's name!" cried the youth, aghast, "how did you guess all that?"

Again Roland laughed quietly. 

"Why, Heinrich, " he said, "your agitation causes you to forget oldfriends. Hold up your lanthorn again, and learn whether or not yourecognize me, as I recognized you. "

"Heaven be praised! Prince Roland!"

"Yes; your journey is at an end, my good Heinrich, thank the fortunethat kept me awake this night. Do you know why you are sent on this longand breathless journey?"

"Yes, Highness. There has come to the Castle from the Archbishop ofMayence a lengthy document for you to sign, and you are informed thatthe day after to-morrow their Lordships of Mayence, Treves, and Cologne, meet together at the Castle to hold some conversation with you. "

"By my sword, then, Heinrich, had you found me in Sachsenhausen we hadnever attained Ehrenfels in time. "

"I think I could have accomplished it, " replied the young man. "I shouldhave reached Wiesbaden before daybreak, and there bought the fastesthorse that could be found. My father told me to time myself, and if bysecuring another horse at Frankfort for you I could not make the returnjourney speedily enough, I was to engage a boat with twenty rowers, ifnecessary, and convey you to Ehrenfels before the Archbishops arrived. "

"Then, Heinrich, you must have deluded me when you said you had nomoney. "

"No, Highness, I have none, but I carry an order for plenty upon amerchant in Wiesbaden, who would also supply me with a horse. "

"Heinrich, there are many stars burning above us to-night, and I havebeen watching them, but your star must be blazing the brightest of all. Sit you down and rest until I return. Make no noise, for there aretwenty others asleep by the stream. My cloak is at the bottom of thehill, and I must fetch it. I shall be with you shortly, so keep yourcandle alight, that I may not miss you. "

With that Roland returned rapidly down the slope, untying his bag ofmoney as he descended. Cautiously he fastened it to the belt of Greusel, then, snatching his cloak from the ground, he sprang once more acrossthe stream, and climbed to the waiting Heinrich. 

It was broad daylight before they saw the towers of Ehrenfels, and theyfound little difficulty in rousing Heinrich's father, for he had sleptas badly that night as Roland himself. 

The caretaker flung his arms around the young prisoner. 

"Oh, thank God, thank God!" was all he could cry, and "Thank God!" againhe repeated. "Never before have I felt my head so insecure upon myshoulders. Had you not been here when they came, Highness, theirLordships would have listened to no explanation. "

"Really you were in little danger with such a clever son. TheArchbishops would never have suspected that he was not I, for none ofthe three has ever seen me. I am quite sure Heinrich would have effectedmy signature excellently, and answered to their satisfaction allquestions they might ask. So long as he complied with their wishes, there would be no inquiries set afoot, for none would suspect thechange. Indeed, custodian, you have missed the opportunity of your lifein not suppressing me, thus allowing your son to be elected Emperor. "

"Your Highness forgets that my poor boy cannot write his own name, muchless yours. Besides, it would be a matter of high treason to forge yoursignature, so again I thank God you are here. Indeed, your Highness, Iam in great trouble about my son. "

"Oh, the danger is not so serious as you think. "

"'Tis not the danger, Highness. That it is his duty to face, but hetakes advantage of his position as prisoner. He knows I dare refuse himnothing, and he calls for wine, wine, wine, spending his days in revelryand his nights in stupor. "

"You astonish me. Why not cudgel the nonsense out of him? Your arm isstrong enough. "

"I dare not lay stick on him, and I beg you to breathe nothing of what Ihave told you, for he holds us both in his grasp, and he knows it. If Icalled for help to put him in a real dungeon, he would blurt out thewhole secret. "

"In that case you must even make terms with him. 'Twill be for but avery short time, and after that we will reform him. He was frightenedenough of my sword in the forest, and I shall make him dance to itspoint once this crisis is over. "

"I shall do the best I can, Highness. But you must have been on your wayto Ehrenfels. Had you heard aught of what is afoot?"

"Nothing. 'Twas mere chance that Heinrich and I met in the forest, andhe was within a jot of impinging himself upon my sword in his hurry. Istood in the darkness, while he himself held a light for the betterconvenience of any chance marauder who wished to undo him. "

"Unarmed, and without money, " said the custodian, "I thought he wassafer than otherwise. But you are surely hungry, Highness. Advance thenwithin, and I will see to your needs. "

So presently the errant Prince consumed an excellent, if earlybreakfast, and, without troubling to undress, flung himself upon acouch, sleeping dreamlessly through the time that Greusel and Ebearhardwere conjuring up motives for him, of which he was entirely innocent. 

When Roland woke in the afternoon, he had quite forgotten that a scoreof men who, nominally, at least, acknowledged him master, were wonderingwhat had become of him. He called the custodian, and asked for a sightof the parchments that his Lordship of Mayence had sent across the riverfor his perusal. He found the documents to be a very carefully writtenseries of demands disguised under the form of requests. 

The pledges which were asked of the young Prince were beautifullyengrossed on three parchments, each one a duplicate of the other two. IfRoland accepted them, they were to be signed next day, in presence ofthe three Archbishops. Two certainties were impressed upon him when hehad read the scroll: first, the Archbishops were determined to rule; andsecond, if he did not promise to obey they would elect some other thanhimself Emperor on the death or deposition of his father. The young manresolved to be acquiescent and allow the future to settle the questionwhether he or the Archbishops should be the head of the Empire. Astrange exultation filled him at the prospect, and all thought of otherthings vanished from his mind. 

Leaving the parchments on the table in the knights' hall, where he hadexamined them, he mounted to the battlements to enjoy the fresh breezethat, no matter how warm the day, blows round the towers of Ehrenfels. Here a stone promenade, hung high above the Rhine, gave a wonderful viewup and down the river and along the opposite shore. From this elevated, paved plateau he could see down the river the strongholds of Rheinsteinand Falkenberg, and up the river almost as far as Mayence. He judged bythe altitude of the sun that it was about four o'clock in the afternoon. The sight of Rheinstein should have suggested to him his desertedcompany, for that was the first castle he intended to attack, but theprospect opened up to him by the communication of the Archbishops haddriven everything else from his mind. 

Presently the cautious custodian joined him in his eyrie, and Rolandknew instinctively why he had come. The old man was wondering whether ornot he would make difficulties about signing the parchments. He fearedthe heedless impetuosity and conceit of youth; the natural dislike onthe part of a proud young prince to be restricted and bound down by hiselders, and the jailer could not conceal his gratification when theprisoner informed him that of course he would comply with the desires ofthe three prelates. 

"You see, " he continued, with a smile, "I must attach my signature tothose instruments in order to make good my promises to you. "

He was interrupted by a cry of astonishment from his aged comrade. 

"Will wonders never cease!" cried the old man. "Those merchants inFrankfort must be irredeemable fools. Look you there, Highness! Do yousee that barge coming down the river, heavily laden, as I am a sinner, for she lies low in the water. It is one of the largest of the Frankfortboats, and those hopeful simpletons doubtless imagine they can maketheir way through to Cologne with enough goods left to pay for thejourney. 'Tis madness! Why, the knights of Rheinstein and Falkenbergalone will loot them before they are out of our sight. If they think toavoid those rovers by hugging our shore, their mistake will be apparentbefore they have gone far. "

Roland gazed at the approaching craft, and instantly remembered that hewas responsible for its appearance on the Rhine. He recognized HerrGoebel's great barge, with its thick mast in the prow, on which no sailwas hoisted because the wind blew upstream. On recollecting his desertedmen, he wondered whether or not Greusel had brought them across thehills to Assmannshausen. Had they yet discovered that Joseph carried thebag of gold? He laughed aloud as he thought of the scrimmage that wouldensue when this knowledge came to them. But little as he cared for theeighteen, he experienced a pang of regret as he estimated thepredicament in which both Greusel and Ebearhard had stood on learning hehad left them without a word. Still, even now he could not see how anyexplanation on his part was possible without revealing his identity, andthat he was determined not to do. 

Turning round, he said abruptly to the custodian:

"Were the seven hundred thalers paid to you each month?"

"Of a surety, " was the reply. 

"That will be two thousand one hundred thalers altogether. Did you spendthe money?"

"I have not touched a single coin. That amount is yours, and yoursalone, Prince Roland. If I have been of service I am quite content towait for my reward, or should I not be here, I know you will remember myfamily. "

"May the Lord forget me if I don't. Still, the twenty-one hundredthalers are all yours, remember, but I beg of you to lend me a thousand, for I possess not a single gold piece in my bag. Indeed, if it comes tothat, I do not possess even a bag. I had two yesterday, but one I gaveaway and the other I threw away. "

The old man hurried down, and presently returned with the bag of moneythat Roland had asked of him. Before this happened, however, Roland, watching the barge, saw it round to, and tie up at the shore somedistance above Assmannshausen. He took the gold, and passed down thestone stair to the courtyard. 

"I shall return, " he said, "before the sun sets, " and without more ado, this extraordinary captive left his prison, and descended the hill inthe direction of the barge. 

After greeting Captain Blumenfels, he learned that the boat had beendelayed by running on a sandbank in the Main during the night, but theyhad got it off at daybreak, and here they were. As, standing on theshore, Roland talked with the captain on the barge, he saw approachingfrom Assmannshausen two men whom he recognized. Telling the captain hemight not be ready for several days, he walked along the shore to meethis astonished friends, who, as was usual with them, jumped at anerroneous conclusion, and supposed that he arrived on the barge whichthey had seen rounding to for the purpose of taking up her berth by theriver-bank. 

Greusel and Ebearhard stood still until he came up to them. 

"Good afternoon, gentlemen. Are you here alone, or have you brought themob with you?"

"Your capable lieutenant, sir, " said Ebearhard, before his slowercompanion could begin to frame a sentence, "allowed the men to thinkthey were having their own way, but in reality diverted them into his, so they are now enjoying a credit of one liter each at the tavern of theGolden Anker. "

"That, " said Roland, "is but as a drop of water in a parched desert. Have they discovered you hold the money, Greusel?"

"No, not yet; but I fear they will begin to suspect by and by. I supposeyou went down the valley of the brook to the Rhine, and overhauled thebarge there?"

"I suppose so, " said Roland. "What else did you think I could do?"

"I was sure you had done that, but I feared you would turn the bargeback to Frankfort. "

"I never thought of such a thing. Indeed, the captain told me he metdifficulty enough navigating the shallow Main, and I think he prefersthe deeper Rhine. Of course, you know why I left you. "

The men looked at each other without reply, and Roland laughed. 

"I see you have been harboring dark suspicions, but the case is verysimple. The pious monks tell us that the Scriptures say if a man asks usto go one league with him, we should go two. My good friends of theguild last night made a most reasonable request, namely, that I shouldbestow upon them three thalers each, and surely, to quote the monksagain, the laborer is worthy of his hire. "

"Oh, that is the way you look upon it, then, " said Greusel. 

"From a scriptural point of view, yes; and I am going to better theteachings of my young days by giving each of the men ten times theamount he desired. Thirty thalers each are waiting in this bag forthem. "

"By my sword!" cried Ebearhard, "if that isn't setting a premium onmutiny it comes perilously close. "

"Not so, Ebearhard; not so. You and Greusel did not mutiny, therefore toeach of you I give a hundred and thirty thalers, which is the thirtythalers the mutineers receive, and a hundred thalers extra, as a rewardof virtue because you did not join them. After all, there is much to besaid for the men's point of view. I had led them ruthlessly under aburning July sun, along a rough and shadeless road, then dragged themaway from the ample wine-vaults of Sonnenberg; next guided them onthrough brambles, over streams, into bogs and out again; and lastly, when they were dog-tired, hungry and ill-tempered, I carelessly pointedto a section of the landscape, and said, 'There, my dear chaps, is yourbedroom'; lads who had never before slept without blankets and a roof. No wonder they mutinied; but even then, by the love of God for Hiscreatures, they did not actually attack me when I stood up with drawnsword in my hand. "

"Of course you have that at least to be thankful for, " said Ebearhard. "Eighteen to one was foul odds. "

"I be thankful! Surely you are dreaming, Ebearhard. Why should I bethankful, except that I escaped the remorse for at least killing a dozenof them!"

Ebearhard laughed heartily. 

"Oh, if so sure of yourself as all that, you need no sympathy from me. "

"You thought I would be outmatched? By the Three Kings! do you imagineme such a fool as to teach you artisans the higher qualities of thesword? There would have been a woeful surprise for the eighteen had theyventured another step farther. However, that's all past and done with, and we'll say no more about it. Let us sit down here on the sward, andindulge in the more agreeable recreation of counting money. "

He spread his cloak on the grass, and poured out the gold upon it. 

"I am keeping two hundred thalers for myself, as leader of theexpedition, and covetous. Here are your hundred and thirty thalers, Greusel, and yours, Ebearhard. You will find remaining five hundred andforty, which, if divided with reasonable accuracy, should afford thirtythalers to each of our precious eighteen. "

"Aren't you coming with us to Assmannshausen, that you may give thismoney to the men yourself?" asked Greusel. 

"No; that pleasure falls to my lieutenants, first and second. One maydivide the money while the other delivers the moral lecture againstmutiny, illustrated by the amount that good behavior gains. Say nothingto the men about the barge being here, merely telling them to preparefor action. Now that you are in funds, engage a large room, exclusivelyfor yourselves, at the Golden Anker. Thus you will be the better able tokeep the men from talking with strangers, and so prevent any news of ourintentions drifting across the river to Rheinstein or Falkenberg. Youmight put it to them, should they object to the special room, that youare reconstituting, as it were, the Kaiser cellar of Frankfort in thevillage of Assmannshausen. Go forward, therefore, with your usualmeetings of the guild, as it was before I lowered its tone by becoming amember. Knowing the lads as I do, I suggest that you make your bargainwith them before you deliver the money. No promise; no thirty thalers. And now, good-by. I shall be exceedingly busy for some days arrangingfor a further supply of money, so do not seek me out no matter whathappens. "

With this Roland shook hands, and returned to Ehrenfels Castle. 

 * * * * *

The three sumptuous barges of the Archbishops hove in sight at midday, two coming up the river and one floating down. They maneuvered to thelanding so that all reached it at the same time, and thus the threeArchbishops were enabled to set foot simultaneously on the firm ground, as was right and proper, no one of them obtaining precedence over theother two. On entering the Castle of Ehrenfels in state, they proceededto the large hall of the knights, and seated themselves in three equalchairs that were set along the solid table. Here a repast was spreadbefore them, accompanied by the finest wine the Rheingau produced, andalthough the grand prelates ate lustily, they were most sparing in theirdrink, for when they acted in concert none dared risk putting himself ata disadvantage with the others. They would make up for their abstinencewhen each rested in the security of his own castle. 

The board being cleared, Roland was summoned, and bowing deeply to eachof the three he took his place, modestly standing on the opposite sideof the table. The Archbishop of Mayence, as the oldest of the trio, occupied the middle chair; Treves, the next in age, at his right hand, and Cologne at his left. A keen observer might have noticed that thedeferential, yet dignified, bearing of the young Prince made a favorableimpression upon these rulers who, when they acted together, formed apower that only nominally was second in the realm. 

It was Mayence who broke the silence. 

"Prince Roland, some months ago turbulence in the State rendered itadvisable that you, as a probable nominee to the throne, should bewithdrawn from the capital to the greater safety which this houseaffords. I hope it has never been suggested to you that this unavoidabledetention merited the harsh name of imprisonment?"

"Never, your Lordships, " said Roland, with perfect truth. 

The three slightly inclined their heads, and Mayence continued:

"I trust that in the carrying out of our behests you have been put to noinconvenience during your residence in my Castle of Ehrenfels, but ifyou find cause for complaint I shall see to it that the transgressor issharply punished. "

"My Lord, had such been the case I should at once have communicated withyour Lordship at Mayence. The fact that you have received no suchprotest from me answers your question, but I should like to add emphasisto this reply by saying I have met with the greatest courtesy andkindness within these walls. "

"I speak for my brothers and myself when I assert we are all gratifiedto hear the expression that has fallen from your lips. There was sentfor your perusal a document in triplicate. Have you found time to readit?"

"Yes, my Lord, and I beg to state at once that I will sign it with thegreater pleasure since in any case, if called to the high position youpropose, I should have consulted your Lordships on every matter that Ideemed important enough to be worthy of your attention, and in noinstance could I think of setting up my own opinion against the unitedwisdom of your Lordships. "

For a few minutes there ensued a whispered conversation among the three, then Mayence spoke again:

"Once more I voice the sentiments of my colleagues, Prince Roland, whenI assure you that the words you have just spoken give us the utmostsatisfaction. In the whole world to-day there is no prouder honor thanthat which it is in the Electors' power to bestow upon you, and it is ablessed augury for the welfare of our country when the energy andaspiration of youth in this high place associates itself with theexperience of age. "

Here he made a signal, and the aged custodian, who had been standingwith his back against the door, well out of earshot, for theconversation was carried on in the most subdued and gentle tones, hurried forward, and Mayence requested him to produce the documentsentrusted to his care. These were spread out before the young man, whosigned each of them amidst a deep silence, broken only by the scratchingof the quill. 

Up to this point Roland had been merely a Prince of the Empire; now, toall practical purposes, he was heir-apparent to the throne. Thisdistinction was delicately indicated by Mayence, who asked the attendantto bring forward a chair, and then requested the young man to seathimself. Roland had supposed the ceremonies at an end, but it was soonevident that something further remained, for the three venerable headswere again in juxtaposition, and apparently there was some whispereddifference as to the manner of procedure. Then Cologne, as the youngestof the three, was prevailed upon to act as spokesman, and with a smilehe regarded the young man before he began. 

"I reside farther than my two colleagues from your fair, if turbulent, city of Frankfort, and perhaps that is one reason why I know little ofthe town and its ways from personal observation. You are a young manwho, I may say, has greatly commended himself to us all, and so inwhatever questions I may put, you will not, I hope, imagine that thereis anything underneath them which does not appear on the surface. "

Roland drew a long breath, and some of the color left his face. 

"What in the name of Heaven is coming now, " he said to himself, "thatcalls for so ominous a prelude? It must be something more than usuallyserious. May the good Lord give me courage to face it!"

But outwardly he merely inclined his head. 

"We have all been young ourselves, and I trust none of us forget thetemptations, and perhaps the dangers, that surround youth, especiallywhen highly placed. I am told that Frankfort is a gay city, anddoubtless you have mixed, to some extent at least, in its society. " Herethe Archbishop paused, and, as he evidently expected a reply, Rolandspoke:

"I regret to say, my Lord, that my opportunities for social intercoursehave hitherto been somewhat limited. Greatly absorbed in study, therehas been little time for me to acquire companions, much less friends. "

"What your Highness says, so far from being a drawback, as you seem toimagine, is all to the good. It leaves the future clear of complicationsthat might otherwise cause you embarrassment. " Here the Archbishopsmiled again, and Roland found himself liking the august prelate. "Itwas not, however, of men that I desired to speak, but of women. "

"Oh, is that all?" cried the impetuous youth. "I feared, my Lord, thatyou were about to treat of some serious subject. So far as women areconcerned, I am unacquainted with any, excepting only my mother. "

At this the three prelates smiled in differing degrees; even the sternlips of Mayence relaxing at the young man's confident assumption thatconsideration of women was not a matter of importance. 

"Your Highness clears the ground admirably for me, " continued Cologne, "and takes a great weight from my mind, because I am entrusted by mybrethren with a proposal which I have found some difficulty in settingforth. It is this. The choice of an Empress is one of the most momentousquestions that an Emperor is called upon to decide. In all except thehighest rank personal preference has much to do with the selection of awife, but in the case of a king do you agree with me that Stateconsiderations must be kept in view?"

"Undoubtedly, my Lord. "

"This is a matter to which we three Electors have given the weightiestconsideration, finally agreeing on one whom we believe to possess thenecessary qualifications; a lady highly born, deeply religious, enormously wealthy, and exceedingly beautiful. She is related to themost noble in the land. I refer to Hildegunde Lauretta Priscilla Agnes, Countess of Sayn. If there is any reason why your preference should notcoincide with ours, I beg you quite frankly to state it. "

"There is no reason at all, your Lordships, " cried Roland, with a deepsigh of relief on learning that his fears were so unfounded. "I shall bemost happy and honored to wed the lady at any time your Lordships andshe may select. "

"Then, " said the Archbishop of Mayence, rising to his feet and speakingwith great solemnity, "you are chosen as the future Emperor of ourland. "

X

A CALAMITOUS CONFERENCE

The prelate and his ward were met at the doors of Stolzenfels by theArchbishop of Treves in person, and the welcome they received leftnothing to be desired in point of cordiality. There were many servants, male and female, about the Castle, but no show of armed men. 

The Countess was conducted to a room whose outlook fascinated her. Itoccupied one entire floor of a square tower, with windows facing thefour points of the compass, and from this height she could view theRhine up to the stern old Castle of Marksburg, and down past Coblentz toher own realm of Sayn, where it bordered the river, although thestronghold from which she ruled this domain was hidden by the hillsending in Ehrenbreitstein. 

When she descended on being called to _mittagessen_, she was introducedto a sister of the Archbishop of Treves, a grave, elderly woman, and tothe Archbishop's niece, a lady about ten years older than Hildegunde. Neither of these grand dames had much to say, and the conversation atthe meal rested chiefly with the two Archbishops. Indeed, had theCountess but known it, her presence there was a great disappointment tothe two noblewomen, for the close relationship of the younger to theArchbishop of Treves rendered it impossible that she should be offeredthe honor about to be bestowed upon the younger and more beautifulCountess von Sayn. 

The Archbishop of Mayence, although a resident of the Castle, partook ofrefreshment in the smallest room of the suite reserved for him, where hewas waited upon by his own servants and catered for by his own cook. 

When the great Rhine salmon, smoking hot, was placed upon the table, Cologne was generous in his praise of it, and related again, for theinformation of his host and household, the story of the English Princesswho had partaken of a similar fish, doubtless in this same room. Despitethe historical bill of fare, and the mildly exhilarating qualities ofthe excellent Oberweseler wine, whose delicate reddish color thesentimental Archbishop compared to the blush on a bride's cheeks, thesocial aspect of the midday refection was overshadowed by an almostindefinable sense of impending danger. In the pseudogenial conversationof the two Archbishops there was something forced: the attitude of theelderly hostess was one of unrelieved gloom. After a few conventionalgreetings to her young guest, she spoke no more during the meal. Herdaughter, who sat beside the Countess on the opposite side of the tablefrom his Lordship of Cologne, merely answered "Yes" or "No" to thecomments of the lady of Sayn praising the romantic situation of theCastle, its unique qualities of architecture, and the splendid outlookfrom its battlements, eulogies which began enthusiastically enough, butfinally faded away into silence, chilled by a reception so unfriendly. 

Thus cast back upon her own thoughts, the girl grew more and more uneasyas the peculiar features of the occasion became clearer in her own mind. Here was her revered, beloved friend forcing hilarity which she knew hecould not feel, breaking bread and drinking wine with a colleague whilethree thousand of his armed men peered down on the roof that shelteredhim, ready at a signal to pounce upon Stolzenfels like birds of prey, capturing, and if necessary, slaying. She remembered the hearty cheersthat welcomed them on their arrival at Coblentz, yet every man who thusboisterously greeted them, waving his bonnet in the air, was doubtlessan enemy. The very secrecy, the unknown nature of the danger, depressedher more and more as she thought of it; the fierce soldiers hidden inthe forest, ready to leap up, burn and kill at an unknown sign from aPrince of religion; the deadly weapons concealed in a Church of Christ:all this grim reality of a Faith she held dear had never been hinted atby the gentle nuns among whom she lived so happily for the greater partof her life. 

At last her somber hostess rose, and Hildegunde, with a sigh of relief, followed her example. The Archbishop of Cologne gallantly held back thecurtain at the doorway, and bowed low when the three ladies passedthrough. The silent hostess conducted her guest to a parlor on the samefloor as the dining-room; a parlor from which opened another doorconnecting it with a small knights' hall; the _kleine Rittersaal_ inwhich the Court of the Archbishops was to be held. 

The Archbishop's sister did not enter the parlor, but here took formalfarewell of Countess von Sayn, who turned to the sole occupant of theroom, her kinsman and counselor, Father Ambrose. 

"Were you not asked to dine with us?" she inquired. 

"Yes; but I thought it better to refuse. First, in case the threeArchbishops might have something confidential to say to you; and second, because at best I am poor company at a banquet. "

"Indeed, you need not have been so thoughtful: first, as you say, therewere not three Archbishops present, but only two, and neither saidanything to me that all the world might not hear; second, the rest ofthe company, the sister and the niece of Treves, were so doleful thatyou would have proved a hilarious companion compared with them. Did myguardian make any statement to you yesterday afternoon that revealed theobject of this coming Court?"

"None whatever. Our conversation related entirely to your estate and mymanagement of it. We spoke of crops, of cultivation, and of vineyards. "

"You have no knowledge, then, of the reason why we are summoned hither?"

"On that subject, Hildegunde, I am as ignorant as you. "

"I don't think I am wholly in the dark, " murmured the Countess, "although I know nothing definite. "

"You surmise, in spite of your guardian's disclaimer, that thediscussion will pertain to your recovery of the town of Linz?"

"Perhaps; but not likely. Did you say anything of your journey toFrankfort?"

"Not a word. I understood from you that no mention should be made of myvisit unless his Lordship asked questions proving he was aware of it, inwhich case I was to tell the truth. "

"You were quite right, Father. Did my guardian ask you to accompany usto Stolzenfels?"

"Assuredly, or I should not have ventured. "

"What reason did he give, and what instructions did he lay upon you?"

"He thought you should have by your side some one akin to you. Hisinstructions were that in no circumstances was I to offer any remarkupon the proceedings. Indeed, I am not allowed to speak unless in answerto a question directly put to me, and then in the fewest possiblewords. "

Hildegunde ceased her cross-examination, and seated herself by a windowwhich gave a view of the steep mountain-side behind the Castle, where, sheltered by the thick, dark forest, she knew that her guardian's menlay in ambush. She shuddered slightly, wondering what was the meaning ofthese preparations, and in the deep silence became aware of theaccelerated beating of her heart. She felt but little reassured by thepresence of her kinsman, whose lips moved without a murmur, and whosegrave eyes seemed fixed on futurity, meditating the mystery of the nextworld, and completely oblivious to the realities of the earth heinhabited. 

She turned her troubled gaze once more to the green forest, and after along lapse of time the dual reveries were broken by the entrance of anofficial gorgeously appareled. This functionary bowed low, and said withgreat solemnity:

"Madam, the Court of my Lords the Archbishops awaits your presence. "

 * * * * *

The _kleine Rittersaal_ occupied a fine position on the river-side frontof Stolzenfels, its windows giving a view of the Rhine, with the strongCastle of Lahneck over-hanging the mouth of the Lahn, and the moreornamental Schloss Martinsburg at the upper end of Oberlahnstein. Thelatter edifice, built by a former Elector of Mayence, was rarelyoccupied by the present Archbishop, but, as he sat in the central chairof the Court, he had the advantage of being able to look across theriver at his own house should it please him to do so. 

The three Archbishops were standing behind the long table when theCountess entered, thus acknowledging that she who came into theirpresence, young and beautiful, was a very great lady by right of descentand rank. She acknowledged their courtesy by a graceful inclination ofthe head, and the three Princes of the Church responded each with a bow, that of Mayence scarcely perceptible, that of Treves deferential andcourtly, that of Cologne with a friendly smile of encouragement. 

In the center of the hall opposite the long table had been placed animmense chair, taken from the grand _Rittersaal_, ornamented with gildedcarving, and covered in richly-colored Genoa velvet. It looked like athrone, which indeed it was, used only on occasions when Royalty visitedthe Castle. To this sumptuous seat the scarcely less gorgeousfunctionary conducted the girl, and when she had taken her place, thethree Archbishops seated themselves. The glorified menial then benthimself until his forehead nearly touched the floor, and silentlydeparted. Father Ambrose, his coarse, ill-cut clothes of somber color instriking contrast to the richness of costume worn by the others, stoodhumbly beside the chair that supported his kinswoman. 

The Countess gave a quick glance at the Archbishop of Mayence, thenlowered her eyes. Cologne she had known all her life; Treves she had metthat day, and rather liked, although feeling she could not esteem him asshe did her guardian, but a thrill of fear followed her swift look atthe man in the center. 

"A face of great strength, " she said to herself, "but his thin, straightlips, tightly compressed, seemed cruel, as well as determined. " With aflash of comprehension she understood now her guardian's warning not tothwart him. It was easy to credit the acknowledged fact that this mandominated the other two. Nevertheless, when he spoke his voice wassurprisingly mild. 

"Madam, " he said, "we are met here in an hour of grave anxiety. TheEmperor, who has been ill for some time, is now upon his death-bed, andthe physicians who attend him inform me that at any moment we may becalled upon to elect his successor. That successor has already beenchosen; chosen, I may add, in an informal manner, but his selection isnot likely to be canceled, unless by some act of his own which wouldcause us to reconsider our decision. Our adoption was made very recentlyin my castle of Ehrenfels, and we are come together again in the Castleof my brother Treves, not in our sacred office as Archbishops, but inour secular capacity as Electors of the Empire, to determine a matterwhich we consider of almost equal importance. It is our privilege tobestow upon you the highest honor that may be conferred on any woman inthe realm; the position of Empress. 

"When you have signified your acceptance of this great elevation, I mustput to you several questions concerning your future duties to the State, and these are embodied in a document which you will be asked to sign. "

The Countess did not raise her eyes. While the Archbishop was speakingthe color flamed up in her cheeks, but faded away again, and herguardian, who watched her very intently across the table, saw her facebecome so pale that he feared she was about to faint. However, sherallied, and at last looked up, not at her dark-browed questioner, butat the Archbishop of Cologne. 

"May I not know, " she said, in a voice scarcely audible, "who is myfuture husband?"

"Surely, surely, " replied her guardian soothingly, "but the Elector ofMayence is our spokesman here, and you must address your question to hisLordship. "

She now turned her frightened eyes upon Mayence, whose brow had becomeslightly ruffled at this interruption, and whose lips were more firmlyclosed. He sat there imperturbable, refusing the beseechment of hereyes, and thus forced her to repeat her question, though to him it tookanother form. 

"My Lord, who is to be the next Emperor?"

"Countess von Sayn, I fear that in modifying my opening address toaccord with the comprehension of a girl but recently emerged fromconvent life, I have led you into an error. The Court of Electors is notconvened for the purpose of securing your consent, but with the duty ofimposing upon you a command. It is not for you to ask questions, but toanswer them. "

"You mean that I am to marry this unknown man, whether I will or no?"

"That is my meaning. "

The girl sat back in her chair, and the moisture that had gathered inher eyes disappeared as if licked up by the little flame that burned intheir depths. 

"Very well, " she said. "Ask your questions, and I will answer them. "

"Before I put any question, I must have your consent to my firstproposition. "

"That is quite unnecessary, my Lord. When you hear my answer to yourquestions, you will very speedily withdraw your first proposition. "

The Elector of Treves, who had been shifting uneasily in his chair, nowleaned forward, and spoke in an ingratiating manner. 

"Countess, you are a neighbor of mine, although you live on the oppositeside of the river, and I am honored in receiving you as my guest. Asguest and neighbor, I appeal to you on our behalf: be assured that wewish nothing but your very greatest good and happiness. " The spark inher eyes died down, and they beamed kindly on the courtier Elector. "Yousee before you three old bachelors, quite unversed in the ways of women. If anything that has been said offends you, pray overlook our default, for I assure you, on behalf of my colleagues and myself, that any one ofus would bitterly regret uttering a single word to cause youdisquietude. "

"My disquietude, my Lord, is caused by the refusal to utter the singlename I have asked for. Am I a peasant girl to be handed over to the hindthat makes the highest offer?"

"Not so. No such thought entered our minds. The name is, of course, asecret at the present moment, and I quite appreciate the reluctance ofmy Lord of Mayence to mention it, but I think in this instance anexception may safely be made, and I now appeal to his Lordship toenlighten the Countess. "

Mayence answered indifferently:

"I do not agree with you, but we are here three Electors of equal power, and two can always outvote one. "

The Elector of Cologne smiled slightly; he had seen this comedy enactedbefore, and never objected to it. The carrying of some unimportant pointin opposition to their chief always gave Treves a certain sense ofindependence. 

"My Lord of Cologne, " said the latter, bending forward and addressingthe man at the other end of the table "do you not agree with me?"

"Certainly, " replied Cologne, with some curtness. 

"In that case, " continued Treves, "I take it upon myself to announce toyou, Madam, that the young man chosen for our future ruler is PrinceRoland, only son of the dying Emperor. "

The hands of the Countess nervously clutched the soft velvet on the armsof her chair. 

"I thank you, " she said, addressing Treves, and speaking as calmly asthough she were Mayence himself. "May I ask you if this marriage wasproposed to the young man?"

Treves looked up nervously at the stern face of Mayence, who nodded tohim, as much as to say:

"You are doing well; go on. "

"Yes, " replied Treves. 

"Was my name concealed from him?"

"No. "

"Had he ever heard of me before?"

"Surely, " replied the diplomatic Treves, "for the fame of the Countessvon Sayn has traveled farther than her modesty will admit. "

"Did he agree?"

"Instantly; joyfully, it seemed to me. "

"In any case, he has never seen me, " continued the Countess. "Did hemake any inquiry, whether I was tall or short, old or young, rich orpoor, beautiful or ugly?"

"He seemed very well satisfied with our choice. "

Treves had his elbows on the table, leaning forward with open palmssupporting his chin. He had spoken throughout in the most ingratiatingmanner, his tones soft and honeyed. He was so evidently pleased with hisown diplomacy that even the eye of the stern Mayence twinkledmaliciously when the girl turned impulsively toward the other end of thetable, and cried:

"Guardian, tell me the truth! I know this young man accepted me as if Iwere a sack of grain, his whole mind intent on one thing only: to securefor himself the position of Emperor. Is it not so?"

"It is not so, Countess, " said Cologne solemnly. 

"Prince Roland, it is true, made no stipulation regarding you. "

"I was sure of it. Any Gretchen in Germany would have done just as well. I was merely part of the bargain he was compelled to make with you, andnow I announce to the Court that no power on earth will induce me tomarry Prince Roland. I claim the right of my womanhood to wed only theman whom I love, and who loves me!"

Mayence gave utterance to an exclamation that might be coarselydescribed as a snort of contempt. The Elector of Treves was leaning backin his chair discomfited by her abrupt desertion of him. The Elector ofCologne now leaned forward, dismayed at the turn affairs had taken, deepanxiety visible on his brow. 

"Countess von Sayn, " he began, and thus his ward realized how deeply shehad offended, "in all my life I never met any young man who impressed meso favorably as Prince Roland of Germany. If I possessed a daughter whomI dearly loved, I could wish her no better fortune than to marry sohonest a youth as he. The very point you make against him should havetold most strongly in his favor with a young girl. My reading of hischaracter is that so far as concerns the love you spoke of, he knows aslittle of it as yourself, and thus he agreed to our proposal with aseeming indifference which you entirely misjudge. If you, then, have anybelief in my goodwill towards you, in my deep anxiety for your welfareand happiness, I implore you to agree to the suggestion my Lord ofMayence has made. You speak of love knowing nothing concerning it. Icall to your remembrance the fact that one noble lady of your race mayhave foregone the happiness that love perhaps brings, in her desire forthe advancement of one whom she loved so truly that she chose for herguide the more subdued but steadier star of duty. The case is presentedto you, my dear, in different form, and I feel assured that duty andlove will shine together. "

As the venerable Archbishop spoke with such deep earnestness, in a voiceshe loved so well, the girl buried her face in her hands, and he couldsee the tears trickle between her fingers. A silence followed herguardian's appeal, disturbed only by the agitated breathing ofHildegunde. 

The cold voice of the Elector of Mayence broke the stillness, like abreath from a glazier:

"Do you consent, Madam?"

"Yes, " gasped the girl, her shoulders quivering with emotion, but shedid not look up. 

"I fear that the object of this convocation was like to be forgotten inthe gush of sentiment issuing from both sides of me. This is a businessmeeting, and not a love-feast. Will you do me the courtesy, Madam, ofraising your head and answering my question?"

The girl dashed the tears from her eyes, and sat up straight, graspingwith nervous hands the arms of the throne, as if to steady herselfagainst the coming ordeal. 

"I scarcely heard what you said. Do you consent to marry Prince Rolandof Germany?"

"I have consented, " she replied firmly. 

"Will you use your influence with him that he may carry out the behestsof the three Archbishops?"

"Yes, if the behests are for the good of the country. "

"I cannot accept any qualifications, therefore I repeat my question. Will you use your influence with him that he may carry out the behestsof the three Archbishops?"

"I can have no influence with such a man. "

"Answer my question, Madam. "

"Say yes, Hildegunde, " pleaded Cologne. 

She turned to him swimming eyes. 

"Oh, Guardian, Guardian!" she cried, "I have done everything I can, andall for you; all for you. I cannot stand any more. This is torture tome. Let me go home, and another day when I am calmer I will answer yourquestions!"

The perturbed Archbishop sat back again with a deep sigh. The ignoranceof women with which his colleague of Treves had credited all three wasbeing amazingly dispelled. He could not understand why this girl shouldshow such emotion at the thought of marrying the heir to the throne, when assured the young man was all that any reasonable woman coulddesire. 

"Madam, I pray you give your attention to me, " said the unimpassionedvoice of Mayence. "I have listened to your conversation with mycolleagues, and the patience I exhibited will, I hope, be credited tome. This matter of business"--he emphasized the word--"must be settledto-day, and to clear away all misapprehension, I desire to say that yourguardian has really no influence on this matter. It was settled beforeyou came into the room. You are merely allowed a choice of two outcomes:first, marriage with Prince Roland; second, imprisonment in PfalzCastle, situated in the middle of the Rhine. "

"What is that?" demanded the Countess. 

"I am tired of repeating my statements. "

"You would imprison me--me, a Countess of Sayn?"

Again the tears evaporated, and in their place came the smoldering firebequeathed to her by the Crusaders, and, if the truth must be known, byRhine robbers as well. 

"Yes, Madam. A predecessor of mine once hanged one of your ancestors. "

"It is not true, " cried the girl, in blazing wrath. "'Twas the EmperorRudolph who hanged him; the same Emperor that chastised an Archbishop ofMayence, and brought him, cringing, to his knees, begging for pardon, which the Emperor contemptuously flung to him. You dare not imprisonme!"

"Refuse to marry Prince Roland, and learn, " said the Archbishop veryquietly. 

The girl sprang to her feet, a-quiver with anger. 

"I do refuse! Prince Roland has hoodwinked the three of you! He is alibertine and a brawler, consorting with the lowest in the cellars ofFrankfort; a liar and a thief, and not a brave thief at that, but acutthroat who holds his sword to the breast of an unarmed merchant whilehe filches from him his gold. Added to that, a drunkard as his fatheris; and, above all, a hypocrite, as his father is not, yet cleverenough, with all his vices, to cozen three men whose vile rule hasruined Frankfort, and left the broad Rhine empty of its life-givingcommerce;" she waved her hand toward the vacant river. 

The Archbishop of Cologne was the first to rise, horror-stricken. 

"The girl is mad!" he murmured. 

Treves rose also, but Mayence sat still, a sour smile on his lips, yet atwinkle of admiration in his eyes. 

"No, my poor Guardian, I am not mad, " she cried, regarding him with asmile, her wrath subsiding as quickly as it had risen. "What I say istrue, and it may be that our meeting, turbulent as it has been, willprevent you from making a great mistake. He whom you would put on thethrone is not the man you think. "

"My dear ward!" cried Cologne, "how can you make such accusationsagainst him? What should a girl living in seclusion as you live, know ofwhat is passing in Frankfort. "

"It seems strange, Guardian, but it is true, nevertheless. Sit downagain, I beg of you, and you, my Lord of Treves. Even my Lord of Mayencewill, I think, comprehend my abhorrence when such a proposal was made tome, and I hope, my Lord, you will forgive my outburst of anger justnow. "

She heard the trembling Treves mutter:

"Mayence never forgives. "

"Now, Father Ambrose, come forward. "

"Why?" asked Ambrose, waking from his reverie. 

"Tell them your experiences in Frankfort. "

"I am not allowed to speak, " objected the monk. 

"Speak, speak!" cried Cologne. "What, sir, have you had to do with thisgirl's misleading?"

"I thought, " he said wistfully to his kinswoman, "that I was not tomention my visit to Frankfort unless my Lord the Archbishop brought upthe subject. "

"Have you not been listening to these proceedings?" cried the girlimpatiently. "The subject is brought up before three Archbishops, instead of before one. Tell their Lordships what you know of PrinceRoland. "

Father Ambrose, with a deep sigh, began his recital, to which Treves andCologne listened with ever-increasing amazement, while the sullenMayence sat back in his chair, face imperturbable, but the thin lipsclosing firmer and firmer as the narrative went on. 

When the monologue ended, his Reverence of Cologne was the first tospeak:

"In the name of Heaven, why did you not tell me all this yesterday?"

Father Ambrose looked helplessly at his kinswoman, but made no reply. 

"I forbade him, my Lord, " said the girl proudly, and for the first timeaddressing him by a formal title, as if from now on he was to bereckoned with her enemies. "I alone am responsible for the journey toFrankfort and its consequences, whatever they may be. You invoked thename of Heaven just now, my Lord, and I would have you know that I amconvinced Heaven itself intervened on my behalf to expose the realcharacter of Prince Roland, who has successfully deluded three men likeyourselves, supposed to be astute!"

The Archbishop turned upon her sorrowful eyes, troubled yet kindly. 

"My dear Countess, " he said, "I have not ventured to censure you;nevertheless I am, or have been, your guardian, and should, I think, have been consulted before you committed yourself to an action thatthreatens disaster to our plans. "

The girl replied, still with the hauteur so lately assumed:

"I do not dispute my wardship, and have more than once thanked you foryour care of me, but at this crisis of my life--a crisis transforming meinstantly from a girl to a woman--you fail me, seeing me here at bay. Iwished to spend a month or two at the capital city, but before troublingyou with such a request I determined to learn whether or not the stateof Frankfort was as disturbed as rumor alleged. Finding matters there tobe hopeless, the project of a visit was at once abandoned, and knowingnothing of the honor about to be conferred on Prince Roland, I thoughtit best to keep what had been discovered regarding his character asecret between the Reverend Father and myself. I dare say an attemptwill be made to cast doubt on the Reverend Father's story, and perhapsmy three judges may convince themselves of its falseness, but theycannot convince me, and I tell you finally and formally that no power onearth will induce me to marry a marauder and a thief!"

This announcement effectually silenced the one friend she possessedamong the three. Mayence slowly turned his head, and looked upon thecolleague at his right, as much as to say, "Do you wish to add yourquota to this inconsequential talk?"

Treves, at this silent appeal, leaned forward, and spoke to theperturbed monk, who knew that, in some way he did not quite understand, affairs were drifting towards a catastrophe. 

"Father Ambrose, " began the Elector of Treves, "would you kindly tell usthe exact date when this encounter on the bridge took place?"

"Saint Cyrille's Day, " replied Father Ambrose. 

"And during the night of that day you were incarcerated in the cellaramong the wine-casks?"

"Yes, my Lord. "

"Would it surprise you to know, Father Ambrose, that during SaintCyrille's Day, and for many days previous to that date, Prince Rolandwas a close prisoner in his Lordship of Mayence's strong Castle ofEhrenfels, and that it was quite impossible for you to have met him inFrankfort, or anywhere else?"

"Nevertheless, I did meet him, " persisted Father Ambrose, with the quietobstinacy of a mild man. 

Treves smiled. 

"Where did you lodge in Frankfort, Father?"

"At the Benedictine Monastery in Sachsenhausen. "

"Do the good brethren supply their guests with a potent wine? Frankfortis, and always has been, the chief market of that exhilarating butillusion-creating beverage. "

The cheeks of the Countess flushed crimson at this insinuation on herkinsman's sobriety. The old monk's hand rested on the arm of her throne, and she placed her own hand upon his as if to encourage him to resentthe implied slander. After all, they were two Sayns hard pressed bythese ruthless potentates. But Ambrose answered mildly:

"It may be that the monastery contains wine, my Lord, and doubtless thewine is good, but during my visit I did not taste it. "

Cross-examination at an end, the Lord of Mayence spoke scarcely above awhisper, a trace of weariness in his manner. 

"My Lords, " he said, "we have wandered from the subject. The romance byFather Ambrose is but indifferently interesting, and nothing at all tothe point. Even a child may understand what has happened, for it ismerely a case of mistaken identity, and my sympathy goes out entirelytowards the unknown; a man who knew his own mind, and being naturallyindignant at an interference both persistent and uncalled for, quiterightly immured the meddler among the casks, probably shrewd enough tosee that this practicer of temperance would not interfere with theirintegrity. 

"Madam, stand up!"

The Countess seemed inclined to disobey this curt order, but abeseeching look from her now thoroughly frightened guardian changed herintention, and she rose to her feet. 

"Madam, the greatest honor which it is in the power of this Empire tobestow upon a woman has been proffered to you, and rejected withunnecessary heat. I beg therefore, to inform you, that in the judgmentof this Court you are considered unworthy of the exalted position which, before knowing your true character, it was intended you should fill. Thevarious calumnies you have poured upon the innocent head of PrinceRoland amount in effect to high treason. "

"Pardon, my Lord!" cried the Archbishop of Cologne, "your contentionwill hold neither in law nor in fact. High treason is an offense thatcan be committed only against the realm as a whole, or against its rulerin person. Prince Roland is not yet Emperor of Germany, and however muchwe may regret the language used in his disparagement, it has arisenthrough a misunderstanding quite patent to us all. A good but dreamy manmade a mistake, which, however deplorable, has been put forward with asincerity that none of us can question; indeed, it was the intention ofFather Ambrose to keep his supposed knowledge a secret, and you both sawwith what evident reluctance he spoke when commanded to do so by mycolleague of Treves. Whatever justice there may be in discipliningFather Ambrose, there is none at all for exaggerated censure upon mylady, the Countess of Sayn, and before pronouncing a further censure Ibeg your Lordship to take into consideration the circumstances of thecase, by which a young girl, without any previous warning orpreparation, is called upon suddenly to make the most momentous decisionof her life. I say it is to her ladyship's credit that she refused thehighest station in the land in the interests of what she supposes to be, however erroneously, the cause of honesty, sobriety, and, I may add, ofChristianity; qualities for which we three men should stand. "

"My Lord, " objected Treves, "we meet here as temporal Princes, and notas Archbishops of the Church. "

"I know that, my brother of Treves, and my appeal is to the temporallaw. Prince Roland, despite his high lineage, is merely a citizen of theEmpire, and a subject of his Majesty, the Emperor. It is thereforeimpossible that the crime of treason can be committed against him. "

During this protest and discussion the Elector of Mayence had leanedback again in his usual attitude of tired indifference; his keen eyesalmost closed. When he spoke he made no reference to what either of histwo confrères had said. 

"Madam, " he began, without raising his voice, "it is the sentence ofthis Court that you shall be imprisoned during its pleasure in theCastle of Pfalzgrafenstein, which stands on a rock in the middle of theRhine. Under the guardianship of the Pfalzgraf von Stahleck, who will beresponsible for your safe keeping, I hope you will listen to the devoutcounsel of his excellent wife to such effect that when next you areprivileged to meet a Court so highly constituted as this you may bebetter instructed regarding the language with which it should beaddressed. You are permitted to take with you two waiting-women, chosenby yourself from your own household, but all communication with theoutside world is forbidden. You said something to the effect that thisCourt dared not pronounce such sentence against you, but if youpossessed that wisdom you so conspicuously lack, you might have surmisedthat a power which ventured to imprison the future Emperor of this landwould not hesitate to place in durance a mere Countess von Sayn. "

The Countess bowed her head slightly, and without protest sat downagain. The Elector of Cologne arose. 

"My Lord, I raised a point of law which has been ignored. "

"This is the proper time to raise it, " replied Mayence, "and you shallbe instantly satisfied. This Court is competent to give its decisionupon any point of law. If my Lord of Treves agrees with me, yourobjection is disallowed. "

"I agree, " said the Elector of Treves. 

"My Lord of Cologne, " said Mayence, turning towards the personaddressed, "the decision of the Court is against you. "

Hildegunde was already learning a lesson. Although dazed by the verdict, she could not but admire the quiet, conversational tone adopted by thethree men before her, as compared with her own late vehemence. 

"The decision of the Court is not unexpected, " said Cologne, "and Iregret that I am compelled to appeal. "

"To whom will you appeal?" inquired Mayence mildly, "The Emperor, as youknow, is quite unfit for the transaction of public business, and even ifsuch were not the case, would hesitate to overturn a decision given by amajority of this Court. "

"I appeal, " replied Cologne, "to a power that even Emperors must obey;the power of physical force. "

"You mean, " said Mayence sadly, "to the three thousand men concealed inthe forest behind this house in which you are an honored guest?"

The Elector of Cologne was so taken aback by this almost whisperedremark that he was momentarily struck speechless. A sudden pallor sweptthe usual ruddiness from his face. The Lord of Mayence gently inclinedhis head as if awaiting an answer, and when it did not come, went onimpassively:

"I may inform you, my Lord, that my army occupies the capital city ofFrankfort, able and ready to quell any disturbance that may be caused bythe announcement of the Emperor's death, but there are still plenty ofseasoned troops ready to uphold the decisions of this Court. When yourspies scoured the country in the forests, and along the river almost tothe gates of my city of Mayence, they appeared to labor under theillusion that I could move my soldiers only overland. Naturally, theymet no sign of such an incursion, because I had requisitioned a hundredbarges which I found empty in the river Main by Frankfort. These werefloated down the Main to Mayence, and there received their quota of ahundred men each. The night being dark they came down the Rhine, itseems, quite unobserved, and are now concealed in the mouth of the riverLahn directly opposite this Castle. 

"When my flag is hoisted on the staff of the main tower this flotillawill be at the landing below us within half an hour. You doubtless havemade similar arrangements for bringing your three thousand down uponStolzenfels, but the gates of this Castle are now closed. Indeed, Stolzenfels was put in condition to withstand a siege very shortly afteryou and your ward entered it, and it is garrisoned by two hundredfighting men, kindly provided at my suggestion by my brother of Treves. I doubt if its capture is possible, even though you gave the signal, which we will not allow. Of course, your plan of capturing Treves andmyself was a good one could it be carried out, for a man in jeopardywill always compromise, and as I estimate you are in that position Ishould be glad to know what arrangement you propose. "

The Archbishop of Cologne did not reply, but stood with bent head andfrowning brow. It was the Countess von Sayn who, rising, spoke:

"My Lord Archbishop of Mayence, " she said, "I could never forgive myselfif through action of mine a fatal struggle took place between mycountrymen. I have no desire to enact the part of Helen of Troy. I amtherefore ready and willing to be imprisoned, or to marry Prince Rolandof Frankfort, whichever alternative you command, so long as nodisadvantage comes to my friend, his Lordship of Cologne. "

"Madam, " said Mayence suavely, "there are not _now_ two alternatives, asyou suppose. "

"In such case, your Highness, I betake myself instantly to Pfalz Castle, and I ask that my guardian be allowed to escort me on the journey. "

"Madam, your determination is approved, and your request granted, but, as the business for which the three Electors were convened is not yetaccomplished, I request you to withdraw until such time as an agreementhas been arrived at. Father Ambrose is permitted to accompany you. "

The gallant Elector of Treves sprang at once to his feet, pleading forthe privilege of conducting the Countess to the apartments of his sisterand her daughter. As the door to the ante-room opened the Elector ofCologne, whose eyes followed his departing ward, did not fail to observethat the lobby was thronged with armed men, and he realized now, if hehad not done so from Mayence's observation, how completely he wastrapped. Even had a hundred thousand of his soldiers stood in readinesson the hills, it was impossible for him to give the signal bringing themto his rescue. 

A few minutes later the Elector of Treves returned, and took his placeat Mayence's right hand. The latter spoke as though the conference hadbeen unanimous and amiable. 

"Now that we three are alone together, I think we shall discuss ourproblems under a feeling of less apprehension if the small army in theforest is bade God-speed on its way to Cologne. Such being the case, " hewent on, turning to Cologne, "would you kindly write an order to thateffect to your commander. Inform him that we three Electors wish toreview your troops from the northern balcony, and bid them file pastfrom the hills to the river road. They are to cross the Moselle by theold bridge, and so return to your city. You will perhaps pledge faiththat no signal will be made to your officers as they pass us. I makethis appeal with the greater confidence since you are well aware threethousand men would but destroy themselves in any attempt to capture thisCastle, with an army of ten thousand on their flank to annihilate them. Do you agree?"

"I agree, " replied Cologne. 

He wrote out the order required, and handed it to Mayence, whoscrutinized the document with some care before passing it on to Treves. Mayence addressed Cologne in his blandest tones:

"Would you kindly instruct our colleague how to get that message safelyinto the hands of your commander. "

"If he will have it sent to the head of my small escort, ordering him totake it directly up the hill behind this Castle until he comes to mysentinels, whom he knows personally, they will allow him to passthrough, and deliver my written command to the officer in charge. "

This being done, and Treves once more returned, Mayence said:

"I am sure we all realize that the Countess von Sayn, however admirablein other respects, possesses an independent mind and a determined willrendering her quite unsuited for the station we intended her to occupy. I think her guardian must be convinced now, even though he had littlesuspicion of it before, that this lady would not easily be influenced byany considerations we might place before her. The regrettable incidentsof this conference have probably instilled into her mind a certainprejudice against us. "

Here, for the first time, the Elector of Cologne laughed. 

"It is highly probable, my Lord, " he said, "and, indeed, your moderateway of putting the case is unanswerable. Her ladyship as an Empressunder our influence is out of the question. I therefore make a proposalwith some confidence, quite certain it will please you both. I ventureto nominate for the position of Empress that very demure and silent ladywho is niece of my brother the Elector of Treves. "

Treves strangled a gasp in its birth, but could not suppress the lightof ambition that suddenly leaped into his eyes. The elevation of hiswidowed sister's child to the Imperial throne was an advantage sotremendous, and came about so unexpectedly, that for the moment his slowbrain was numbed by the glorious prospect. It seemed incredible thatCologne had actually put forward such a proposition. 

The eyes of Mayence veiled themselves almost to shutting point, but inno other manner did emotion show. Like a flash his alert mind saw thefull purport of the bombshell Cologne had so carelessly tossed betweenhimself and his henchman. Cologne, having lost everything, had nowproved clever enough to set by the ears those who overruled him by theirunited vote. If this girl were made Empress she would be entirely underthe influence of her uncle, of whose household she had been a pliantmember ever since childhood. Yet what was Mayence to do? Should heobject to the nomination, he would at once obliterate the unswervingloyalty of Treves, and if this happened, Treves and Cologne, joining, would outvote him, and his objection would prove futile. He would enrageTreves without carrying his own point, and he knew that he held hisposition only because of the dog-like fidelity of the weaker man. Slowanger rose in his heart as he pictured the conditions of the future. Whatever influence he sought to exert upon the Emperor by the indirectassistance of the Empress, must be got at through the complacency ofTreves, who would gradually come to appreciate his own increasedimportance. 

All this passed through the mind of Mayence, and his decision had beenarrived at before Treves recovered his composure. 

"It gives me great pleasure, " said the Elector of Mayence, firmlysuppressing the malignancy of his glance towards the man seated on hisleft, --"it gives me very great pleasure indeed to second so admirable anomination, the more so that I am thus permitted to offer mycongratulations to an esteemed colleague and a valued friend. My Lord ofTreves, I trust that you will make this nomination unanimous, for, to mydelight, his Lordship of Cologne anticipated, by a few moments theproposal I was about to submit to you. "

"My Lord, " stammered Treves, finding his voice with difficulty, "I--I--of course will agree to whatever the Court decides. I--I thankyou, my Lord, and you too, my brother of Cologne. "

"Then, " cried Mayence, almost joyfully, "the task for which we areconvened is accomplished, and I declare this Court adjourned. "

He rose from his chair. The overjoyed Prince at his right took nothought of the fact that their chairman had not called upon the ladythat she might receive the decision of the conclave and answer thequestions to be put to her, but Cologne perceived the omission, and knewthat from that moment Mayence would set his subtility at work to nullifythe nomination. Even though his bombshell had not exploded, and the twoother Electors were apparently greater friends than ever, Cologne hadachieved his immediate object, and was satisfied. 

Through the open windows came the sound of the steady tramping ofdisciplined men, and the metallic clash of armor and arms in transit. 

"Ah, now, " cried Mayence, "we will enjoy the advantage of reviewing thebrave troops of Cologne. Lead the way, my Lord of Treves. You know theCastle better than we do. "

The proud Treves, treading on air, guided his guests to the northernbalcony. 

XI

GOLD GALORE THAT TAKES TO ITSELF WINGS

In the thick darkness Roland paced up and down the east bank of theRhine at a spot nearly midway between Assmannshausen and Ehrenfels. Thenight was intensely silent, its stillness merely accentuated by thegentle ripple of the water current against the barge's blunt nose, whichpointed upstream. Standing motionless as a statue, the massive figure ofCaptain Blumenfels appeared in deeper blackness against the inky hillson the other side of the Rhine. Long sweeps lay parallel to the bulwarksof the barge, and stalwart men were at their posts, waiting the word ofcommand to handle these exaggerated oars, in defiance of wind and tide. On this occasion, however, the tide only would be against them, for thestrong southern breeze was wholly favorable. Their voyage that nightwould be short, but strenuous; merely crossing the river, and tying upagainst the opposite bank; but the Rhine swirled powerfully round therock of Ehrenfels above them, and the men at the sweeps must pullvigorously if they were not to be carried down into premature danger. 

Roland, who when they left Frankfort was in point of time the youngestmember of the guild, now seemed, if one could distinguish him throughthe gloom of the night, to have become years older, and there was anadded dignity in his bearing, for, although now but a potentialfreebooter, he had received assurance that he would be eventuallyelected Emperor. 

He had sent word that morning to Greusel at the Golden Anker, biddinghim get together his men, and lead them up to the barge not later thanan hour before the moon rose, for Roland was anxious to reach the otherside of the Rhine unseen from either shore. He cautioned Greusel to makehis march a silent one, and this order Joseph at first found somedifficulty in carrying out, but in any case he need have entertained nofear. The strong red wine of Assmannshausen is a potent liquid, and theinhabitants of the town were accustomed to song and laughter on the onestreet of the place at all hours of the night. 

When they arrived, the men were quiet enough, and speedily stowedthemselves away in their quarters at the stern of the barge, whereuponRoland, the last to spring aboard, waved his hand at the captain to castoff. The nose of the boat was shoved away from land, and then thepowerful sweeps dipped into the water. Slowly but surely she made herway across the river; silent and invisible from either bank. Thecurrent, however, swept them down opposite the twinkling lights ofAssmannshausen, after which, in the more tranquil waters of the westernshore, they rowed steadily upstream for about half a league, and then, with ropes tied round trees growing at the water's edge, laid up for theremainder of the night. 

Roland now counseled his company to enjoy what sleep was possible, asthey would be roused at the first glint of daybreak; so, with greatgood-nature, each man wrapped himself up in his cloak and lay down onthe cabin floor. 

When the eastern sky became gray, the slumberers were awakened, and aration of bread and wine served to each. The captain already hadreceived his instructions, and the men discarding their cloaks, followedtheir leader into the still gloomy forest. Here, with as little noise asmight be, they climbed the steep wooded hill, and arriving at somethingalmost like a path, a hundred yards up from the river, they turned tothe right, and so marched, no man speaking above a whisper. 

The forest became lighter and lighter, and at last Roland, holding uphis hand to sign caution, turned to the left from the path, and fartherup into the unbroken forest. They had traversed perhaps a league whenanother silent order brought them to a standstill, and peering throughthe trees to the east, the men caught glimpses of the grand, graybattlements of that famous stronghold, Rheinstein, seeing at the cornernearest them a square tower, next a machicolated curtain of wall, and alarger square tower almost as high as the first hanging over theprecipice that descended to the Rhine. Inside this impregnable enclosurerose the great bulk of the Castle itself, and near at hand the massivesquare keep, with an octagonal turret on the southeast corner, the topof which was the highest point of the stronghold, although a round towerrising directly over the Rhine was not much lower. 

Roland, advancing through the trees, but motioning his men to remainwhere they were, peered across to the battlements and down at theentrance gate. 

Baron von Hohenfels sat so secure in his elevated robber's nest, whichhe deemed invincible--and, indeed, the cliff on which it stood, nearly ahundred yards high, made it so if approached from the Rhine--that hekept only one man on watch, and this sentinel was stationed on theelevated platform of the round tower. Roland saw him yawn wearily as heleaned against his tall lance, and was glad to learn that even one mankept guard, for at first he feared that all within the Castle wereasleep, the round tower, until Roland had shifted his position to thenorth, being blotted out by the nearer square donjon keep. Nowsatisfied, he signaled his men to sit down, which they did. He himselftook up a position behind a tree, where, unseen, he could watch the manwith the lance. 

So indolent was the sentry that Roland began to fear the barge wouldpass by unnoticed. Not for months had any sailing craft appeared on theriver, and doubtless the warden regarded his office as both useless andwearisome. Brighter and brighter became the eastern sky, and at last atinge of red appeared above the hills across the silent Rhine. Suddenlythe guardian straightened up, then, shading his eyes with his righthand, he leaned over the battlements, peering to the south. A momentlater the stillness was rent by a lusty shout, and the man disappearedas if he had fallen through a trap-door. Presently the notes of a bugleechoed within the walls, followed by clashes of armor and the buzzingsound of men, as though a wasp's nest had been disturbed. Half a dozencame into sight on top of the various towers and battlements, glanced atthe river, and vanished as hastily as the sentinel had done. 

At last the gates came ponderously open, and the first three men toemerge were on horseback, one of them hastily getting into an outergarment, but the well-trained horses, who knew their business quite asthoroughly as their riders, for they were accustomed to plunge into theriver if any barge disobeyed the order commanding it to halt, turnedfrom the gate, and dashed down the steep road that descended through theforest. The men-at-arms poured forth with sword or pike, and in turnwent out of sight. They appeared to be leaderless, dashing forward in noparticular formation, yet, like the horses, they knew their business. All this turmoil was not without its effect on Roland's following, whoedged forward on hands and knees to discover what was going on, everyonebreathless with excitement; but they saw their leader cool andmotionless, counting on his fingers the number of men who passed out, for he knew exactly how many fighters the Castle contained. 

"Not yet, not yet!" he whispered. 

Finally three lordly individuals strode out; officers their moreresplendent clothing indicated them to be, and the trio followed theothers. 

"Ha!" cried Roland, "old Baron Hugo drank too deeply last night to be soearly astir. "

He was speaking aloud now. 

"Take warning from that, my lads, and never allow wine to interfere withbusiness. Follow me, but cautiously, one after the other in single file, and look to your footing. 'Tis perilous steep between here and thegate;" and, indeed, so they found it, but all reached the levelforecourt in safety, and so through the open portal. 

"Close and bar those gates, " was the next command, instantly obeyed. 

Down the stone steps of the Castle, puffing and grunting, came agigantic, obese individual, his face bloated with excess, his eyesbleary with the lees of too much wine. He was struggling into hisdoublet, assisted by a terrified old valet, and was swearing mostdeplorably. Seeing the crowd at the gate, and half-blindly mistakingthem for his own men, he roared:

"What do you there, you hounds? To the river, every man of you, andcurse your leprous, indolent souls! Why in the fiend's name--" But herehe came to an abrupt stop on the lowest step, the sting of a sword'spoint at his throat, and now, out of breath, his purple face becamemottled. 

"Good morning to you, Baron Hugo von Hohenfels. These men whom youaddress so coarsely obey no orders but mine. "

"And who, imp of Satan, are you?" sputtered the old man. 

"By profession a hangman. From our fastnesses in the hills, seeing abarge float down the river, we thought it likely you would leave theCastle undefended, and so came in to execute the Prince of Robbers. "

The Baron was quaking like a huge jelly. It was evident that, althoughnoted for his cruelty, he was at heart a coward. 

"You--you--you--" he stammered, "are outlaws! You are outlaws from theHunsruck. "

"How clever of you, Baron, to recognize us at once. Now you know what toexpect. Greusel, unwind the rope I gave you last night. I will show youits purpose. "

Greusel did as he was requested without comment, but Ebearhardapproached closely to his chief, and whispered:

"Why resort to violence? We have no quarrel with this elephant. 'Tis hisgold we want, and to hang him is a waste of time. "

"Hush, Ebearhard, " commanded Roland sternly. "The greater includes theless. I know this man, and am taking the quickest way to histreasure-house. "

Ebearhard fell back, but by this time the useful Greusel had made a loopof the rope, and threw it like a cravat around the Baron's neck. 

"No, no, no!" cried the frightened nobleman. "'Tis not my life you seek. That is of no use to such as you; and, besides, I have never harmed theoutlaws. "

"That is a lie, " said Roland. "You sent an expedition against us just ayear ago. "

"'Twas not I, " protested Hohenfels, "but the pirate of Falkenberg. Still, no matter. I'll buy my life from you. I am a wealthy man. "

"How much?" asked Roland, hesitating. 

"More than all of you can carry away. "

"In gold?"

"Of a surety in gold. "

"Where are the keys of your treasury?"

"In my chamber. I will bring them to you, " and the Baron turned to mountthe steps again. 

"Not so, " cried Roland. "Stand where you are, and send your man forthem. If they are not here before I count twoscore, you hang, andnothing will save you. "

The Baron told the trembling valet where to find the keys. 

"Greusel, you and Ebearhard accompany him, and at the first sign oftreachery, or any attempt to give an alarm, run him through with yourswords. Does your man know where the treasury is?" he continued to theBaron. 

"Oh, yes, yes!"

"How is your gold bestowed?"

"In leathern bags. "

"Good. Greusel, take sixteen of the men, and bring down into thecourtyard all the gold you can carry. Then we will estimate whether ornot it is sufficient to buy the Baron's life, for I hold him in highesteem. He is a valuable man. See to it that there is no delay, Greusel, and never lose sight of this valet. Bring him back, laden with gold. "

They all disappeared within the Castle, led by the old servitor. 

"Sit you down, Baron, " said Roland genially. "You seem agitated, forwhich there is no cause should there prove to be gold enough to outweighyou. "

The ponderous noble seated himself with a weary sigh. 

"And pray to the good Lord above us, " went on Roland, "that your men maynot return before this transaction is completed, for if they do, myfirst duty will be to strangle you. Even gold will not save you in thatcase. But still, you have another chance for your life, should such anuntoward event take place. Shout to them through the closed gates thatthey must return to the edge of the river until you join them; then, ifthey obey, you are spared. Remember, I beg of you, the uselessness of anoutcry, for we are in possession of Rheinstein, and you know that theCastle is unassailable from without. "

The Baron groaned. 

"Do not be hasty with your cord, " he said dejectedly. "I will followyour command. "

The robbers, however, did not return, but the treasure-searchers did, piling the bags in the courtyard, and again Hohenfels groaned dismallyat the sight. Roland indicated certain sacks with the point of hissword, ordering them to be opened. Each was full of gold. 

"Now, my lads, " he cried, "oblige the Baron by burdening yourselves withthis weight of metal, then we shall make for the Hunsruck. Open thegates. Lead the men to the point where we halted, Greusel, and thereawait me. "

The rich company departed, and Roland beguiled the time and theweariness of the Baron by a light and interesting conversation to whichthere was neither reply nor interruption. At last, having allowed timefor his band to reach their former halting-place, he took the rope fromthe Baron's neck, tied the old robber's hands behind him, then bound hisfeet, cutting the rope in lengths with his sword. He served thetrembling valet in the same way, shutting him up within the Castle, andlocking the door with the largest key in the bunch, which bunch he threwdown beside his lordship. 

"Baron von Hohenfels, " he said, "I have kept my word with you, and nowbid farewell. I leave you out-of-doors, because you seem rather scant ofbreath, for which complaint fresh air is beneficial. Adieu, my lordBaron. "

The Baron said nothing as Roland, with a sweep of his bonnet, took leaveof him, climbed the steep path and joined his waiting men. He led themalong the hillside, through the forest for some distance, then descendedto the water's edge. The river was blank, so they all sat down under thetrees out of sight, leaving one man on watch. Here Roland spent a veryanxious half-hour, mitigated by the knowledge that the men of Rheinsteinwere little versed in woodcraft, and so might not be able to trace thefugitives. It was likely they would make a dash in quite the oppositedirection, towards the Hunsruck, because Hohenfels believed they wereoutlaws from that district, and did not in any way associate them withthe plundered barge. 

But if the robbers of Rheinstein took a fancy to sink the barge, an actonly too frequently committed, then were Roland and his company in aquandary, without food, or means of crossing the river. However, he wassure that Captain Blumenfels would follow his instructions, which wereto offer no resistance, but rather to assist the looters in theirexactions. 

"Within a league, " said Roland to his men, "stand three pirate castles:Rheinstein, which we have just left; Falkenberg, but a short distancebelow, and then Sonneck. If nothing happens to the barge, I expect tofinish with all three before nightfall; for, the strongholds being soclose together, we must work rapidly, and not allow news of our doingsto leap in advance of us. "

"But suppose, " said Kurzbold, "that Hohenfels' men hold the barge at thelanding for their own use?"

"We will wait here for another half-hour, " replied Roland, "and then, ifwe see nothing of the boat, proceed along the water's edge until welearn what has become of her. I do not think the thieves will interferewith the barge, as they have not been angered either by disobedience oftheir orders to land, or resistance after the barge is by the shore. Besides, I count on the fact that the officers, at least, will beanxious to let the barge proceed, hoping other laden boats may follow, and, indeed, I think for this reason they will be much more moderate intheir looting than we have been. "

Before he had finished speaking, the man on watch by the water announcedthe barge in sight, floating down with the current. At this they allemerged from the forest. Captain Blumenfels, carefully scanning theshore, saw them at once, and turned the boat's head towards the spotwhere they stood. 

The bags of gold were bolted away in the stout lockers extending on eachside of the cabin. While this was being done, Roland gave minuteinstructions to the captain regarding the next item in the programme, and once more entered the forest with his men. 

The task before them was more difficult than the spoiling of Rheinstein, because the huge bulk of Falkenberg stood on a summit of treeless rock;the Castle itself, a gigantic, oblong gray mass, with a slender squarecampanile some distance from it, rising high above its battlements onthe slope that went down towards the Rhine, forming thus an excellentwatch-tower. But although the conical hill of rock was bare of the largetrees that surrounded Rheinstein, there were plenty of bowlders andshrubbery behind which cover could be sought. On this occasion themarauding guild could not secure a position on a level with thebattlements of the Castle, as had been the case behind Rheinstein, and, furthermore, they were compelled to make their dash for the gate up-hill. 

But these disadvantages were counterbalanced by the fact that Falkenbergwas situated much higher than Rheinstein, and was farther away from theriver, so that when the garrison descended to the water's edge it couldnot return as speedily as was the case with Hohenfels' men. Rheinsteinstood directly over the water, and only two hundred and sixty feet aboveit, while, comparatively speaking, Falkenberg was back in the country. Still all these castles had been so long unmolested, and consideredthemselves so secure, that adequate watching had fallen into abeyance, and at Falkenberg guard was kept by one lone man on the tall campanile. The attacking party saw no one on the battlements of the Castle, soworked their way round the hill until the man on the tower was hiddenfrom them by the bulk of the Castle itself, and thus they crawled likelizards from bush to bush, from stone to stone, and from rock-ledge torock-ledge, taking their time, and not deserting one position ofobscurity until another was decided upon. The fact that the watchman wasupon the Rhine side of the Castle greatly favored a stealthy approachfrom any landward point. 

At last the alarm was given; the gate opened, and, as it proved, everyman in the Castle went headlong down the hill. The amateur cracksmentherefore had everything their own way, and while this at first seemedan advantage, they speedily found it the reverse, for although theywandered from room to room, the treasure could not be discovered. Theinterior of Falkenberg was unknown to Roland, this being one of thestrongholds where he had been compelled to sleep in an outhouse. At lastthey found the door to the treasure-chamber, for Roland suggested it wasprobably in a similar position to that at Rheinstein, and those who hadaccompanied Hohenfels' valet made search according to this hint, andwere rewarded by coming upon a door so stoutly locked that all theirefforts to force it open were fruitless. 

Deeply disappointed, with a number of the men grumbling savagely, theywere compelled to withdraw empty handed, warned by approaching shoutsthat the garrison was returning, so the men crawled away as they hadcome, and made for the river, where on this occasion the boat alreadyawaited them. 

The lord of Falkenberg proved as moderate in his exactions as the menof Rheinstein. Many bales had been cut open, and the thieves, with theknowledge of cloth-weavers, selected in every case only the best goods, but of these had taken merely enough for one costume each. 

Although the company had made so early a beginning, it was past noon bythe time they reached the barge on the second occasion. A substantial meal was served, for every man was ravenously hungry, besides beingdisgusted to learn that there were ups and downs even in the tradeof thievery. 

Early in the afternoon they made for the delicate Castle of Sonneck, whose slender turrets stood out beautifully against the blue sky. Hereexcellent cover was found within sight of the doorway, for Sonneck stoodalone on its rock without the protection of a wall. 

In this case the experience of Rheinstein was repeated, with theexception that it was not the master of the Castle they encountered, buta frightened warder, who, with a sharp sword to influence him, producedkeys and opened the treasury. Not nearly so large a haul of gold wasmade as in the first instance, yet enough was obtained to constitute amost lucrative day's work, and with this they sought the barge in highspirits. 

They waited in the shadow of the hills until dusk, then quietly madetheir way across the river behind the shelter of the two islands, and socame to rest alongside the bank, just above the busy town of Lorch, scarcely two leagues down the river from the berth they had occupied thenight before. After the barge was tied up, Roland walked on deck withthe captain, listening to his account of events from the level of theriver surface. It proved that, all in all, Roland could suggest noamendment of the day's proceedings. So far as Blumenfels was concerned, everything had gone without a hitch. 

As they promenaded thus, one of the men came forward, and said, rathercavalierly:

"Commander, your comrades wish to see you in the cabin. "

Roland made no reply, but continued his conversation with the captainuntil he learned from that somewhat reticent individual all he wished toknow. Then he walked leisurely aft, and descended into the cabin, wherehe found the eighteen seated on the lockers, as if the conclave were adeliberate body like the Electors, who had come to some momentousdecision. 

"We have unanimously passed a resolution, " said Kurzbold, "that themoney shall be divided equally amongst us each evening. You do notobject, I suppose?"

"No; I don't object to your passing a resolution. "

"Very good. We do not wish to waste time just now in the division, because we are going to Lorch, intending to celebrate our success with abanquet. Would Greusel, Ebearhard, and yourself care to join us?"

"I cannot speak for the other two, " returned Roland quietly; "butpersonally I shall be unable to attend, as there are some plans for thefuture which need thinking over. "

"In that case we shall not expect you, " went on Kurzbold, who seemed inno way grieved at the loss of his commander's company. 

"Perhaps, " suggested John Gensbein, "our chief will drop in upon uslater in the evening. We learned at Assmannshausen that the Krone is avery excellent tavern, so we shall sup there. "

"How did you know we were to stop at Lorch?" asked Roland, wondering ifin any way they had heard he was to meet Goebel's emissary in thisvillage. 

"We were not sure, " replied Gensbein, "but we made inquiries concerningall the villages and castles down the Rhine, and have taken notes. "

"Ah, in that case you are well qualified as a guide. I may find occasionto use the knowledge thus acquired. "

"We are all equally involved in this expedition, " said Kurzboldimpatiently, "and you must not imagine yourself the only person to beconsidered. But we lose time. What we wish at the present moment is thatyou will unlock one of these chests, and divide amongst us a bag ofgold. The rest is to be partitioned when we return this evening; andafter that, Herr Roland, we shall not need to trouble you by asking formore money. "

"Are the thirty thalers I gave you the other day all spent, HerrKurzbold?"

"No matter for that, " replied this insubordinate ex-president. "Themoney in the lockers is ours, and we demand a portion of it now, withthe remainder after the banquet. "

Without another word, Roland took the bunch of keys from his belt, opened one of the lockers, lifted out a bag of gold, untied the thongs, and poured out the coins on the lid of the chest, which he locked again. 

"There is the money, " he said to Kurzbold. "I shall send Greusel andEbearhard to share in its distribution, and thus you can invite them toyour banquet. My own portion you may leave on the lid of the locker. "

With that he departed up on deck again, and said to his officers:

"Kurzbold, on behalf of the men, has demanded a bag of gold. You will goto the cabin and receive your share. They will also invite you to abanquet at the Krone. Accept that invitation, and if possible engage aprivate room, as you did at Assmannshausen, to prevent the men talkingwith any of the inhabitants. Keep them roystering there until all thevillage has gone to bed; then convoy them back to the barge as quietlyas you can. A resolution has been passed that the money is to be dividedamongst our warriors on their return, but I imagine that they will be inno condition to act as accountants when I have the pleasure of beholdingthem again, so if anything is said about the apportionment, suggest apostponement of the ceremony until morning. I need not add that I expectyou both to drink sparingly, for this is advice I intend to followmyself. "

Roland paced the deck deep in thought until his difficult contingentdeparted towards the twinkling lights of the village, then he went tothe cabin, poured his share of the gold into his pouch, and followed thecompany at a distance into Lorch. He avoided the Krone, and afterinquiring his way, stopped at the much smaller hostelry, Mergler's Inn. Here he gave his name, and asking if any one waited for him, wasconducted upstairs to a room where he found Herr Kruger just about tosit down to his supper. A stout lad nearing twenty years of age stood inthe middle of the room, and from his appearance Roland did not need theelder man's word for it that this was his son. 

"I took the precaution of bringing him with me, " said Kruger, "as Ithought two horsemen were better than one in the business I hadundertaken. "

"You were quite right, " returned Roland, "and I congratulate you upon sostalwart a traveling companion. With your permission I shall order ameal, and sup with you, thus we may save time by talking while we eat, because you will need to depart as speedily as possible. "

"You mean in the darkness? To-night?"

"Yes; as soon as you can get away. There are urgent reasons why youshould be on the road without delay. How came you here?"

"On horseback; first down the Main, then along the Rhine. "

"Very well. In the darkness you will return by the way you came, butonly as far as the Castle of Ehrenfels, three leagues from here. Thereyou are to rouse up the custodian, and in safety spend the remainder ofthe night. To-morrow morning he will furnish you a guide to conduct youthrough the forest to Wiesbaden, and from thence you know your way toFrankfort, which you should reach not later than evening. "

At this point the landlord, who had been summoned, came in. 

"I will dine with my friends here, " said Roland. "I suppose I need notask if you possess some of the good red wine of Lorch, which they tellme equals that of Assmannshausen?"

"Of the very best, mein Herr, the product of my own vineyard, and I cantherefore guarantee it sound. As for equaling that of Assmannshausen, wehave always considered it superior, and, indeed, many other good judgesagree with us. "

"Then bring me a stoup of it, and you will be enabled to add my opinionto that of the others. "

When the landlord produced the wine, Roland raised it to his lips, andabsorbed a hearty draught. 

"This is indeed most excellent, landlord, and does credit alike to yourvines and your inn. I wish to send two large casks of so fine a wine toa merchant of my acquaintance in Frankfort, and my friend, Herr Kruger, has promised to convey it thither. If you can spare me two casks of suchexcellent vintage, they will make an evenly balanced burden for thehorse. "

"Surely, mein Herr. "

"Choose two of those long casks, landlord, with bung-holes of thelargest at the sides. Do you possess such a thing as a pack-saddle?"

"Oh, yes. "

"And you, my young friend, " he said, turning to Kruger's son, "rode hereon a saddle?"

"No, " interjected his father; "I ride a saddle, but my son was forced tocontent himself with a length of Herr Goebel's coarse cloth, folded fourtimes, and strapped to the horse's back. "

"Then the cloth may still be used as a cushion for the pack-saddle, andyou, my lad, will be compelled to walk, to which I dare venture you arewell accustomed. "

The lad grinned, but made no objection. 

"Now, landlord, while we eat, fill your casks with wine, then place thepack-saddle on the back of this young man's horse, and the casksthereon, for I dare say you have men expert in such a matter. "

"There are no better the length of the Rhine, " said the landlordproudly. 

"Lay the casks so that the bung-holes are upward, and do not drive thebungs more tightly in place than is necessary, for they are to beextracted before Frankfort is reached, that another friend of mine mayprofit by the wine. When this is done, bring me word, and let me knowhow much I owe you. "

The landlord gone, the three men fell to their meal. 

"There is more gold, " said Roland, "than I expected, and it isimpossible even for two of you to carry it in bags attached to yourbelts. Besides, if you are molested, such bestowal of it would provemost unsafe. A burden of wine, however, is too common either to attractnotice or arouse cupidity. I propose, then, when we leave here, to bringyou to the barge belonging to Herr Goebel, and taking out the bungs, wewill pour the gold into the barrels, letting the wine that is displacedoverflow to the ground. Then we will stoutly drive in the bungs, andshould the guards question you at the gates of Frankfort, you may letthem taste the wine if they insist, and I dare say it will contain noflavor of the metal. "

"A most excellent suggestion, " said Herr Kruger with enthusiasm. "Anadmirable plan; for I confess I looked forward with some anxiety to thisjourney, laden down with bags of gold under my cloak. "

"Yes. You are simply an honest drinker, tired of the white wine ofFrankfort, and providing yourself with the stronger fluid that Lorchproduces. I am sure you will deliver the money safely to Herr Goebel, somewhat in drink, it is true, but, like the rest of us, none the worsefor that when the fumes are gone. "

The repast finished, and all accounts liquidated, the trio left the inn, and, leading the two horses, reached the barge without observation. Herethe bungs were removed from the casks, and the three men, assisted bythe captain, quietly and speedily opened bag after bag, pouring thecoins down into the wine; surely a unique adulteration, astonishing evento so heady a fluid as the vintage of Lorch. From the whole amountRoland deducted two thousand thalers, which he divided equally betweentwo empty bags. 

"This thousand thalers, " said he to Kruger, "is to be shared by your sonand yourself, in addition to whatever you may receive from Herr Goebel. The other you will hand to the custodian of Ehrenfels Castle, saying itcame from his friend Roland, and is recompense for the money he lent theother day. That will be an effective letter of introduction to him. Saythat I ask him to send his son with you as guide through the forest toWiesbaden; and so good-night and good luck to you. "

It was long after midnight when the guild came roystering up the bank ofthe Rhine to the barge. The moon had risen, and gave them sufficientlight to steer a reasonably straight course without danger of fallinginto the water. Ebearhard was with them, but Greusel walked rapidlyahead, so that he might say a few words to his chief before the othersarrived. 

"I succeeded in preventing their talking with any stranger, but theyhave taken aboard enough wine to make them very difficult and ratherquarrelsome if thwarted. When I proposed that they should leave thecounting until to-morrow morning they first became suspicious, and thenresented the imputation that they were not in fit condition for such atask. I recommend, therefore, that you allow them to divide the moneyto-night. It will allay their fear that some trick is to be played uponthem, and if you hint at intoxication, they are likely to get out ofhand. As it does not matter when the money is distributed, I counsel youto humor them to-night, and postpone reasoning until to-morrow. "

"I'll think about it, " said Roland. 

"They have bought several casks of wine, and are taking turns incarrying them. Will you allow this wine to come aboard, even if youdetermine to throw it into the water to-morrow?"

"Oh, yes, " said Roland, with a shrug of the shoulders. "Coax them intothe cabin as quietly as possible, and keep them there if you can, forshould they get on deck, we shall lose some of them in the river. "

Greusel turned back to meet the bellowing mob, while Roland roused thecaptain and his men. 

"Get ready, " he said to Blumenfels, "and the moment I raise my hand, shove off. Make for this side of the larger island, and come to restthere for the remainder of the night. Command your rowers to put theirwhole force into the sweeps. "

This was done accordingly, and well done, as was the captain's custom. The late moon threw a ghostly light over the scene, and the barrenisland proved deserted and forbidding, as the crew tied up the bargealongside. Most of the lights in Lorch had gone out, and the town lay inthe silence of pallid moonbeams like a city of the dead. Roland stood ondeck with Greusel and Ebearhard by his side, the latter relating thedifficulties of the evening. There had been singing in the cabin duringthe passage across, then came a lull in the roar from below, followed bya shout that betokened danger. An instant later the crowd came boilingup the short stair to the deck, Kurzbold in command, all swords drawn, and glistening in the moonlight. 

"You scoundrel!" he cried to Roland, "those lockers are full of emptybags. "

"I know that, " replied Roland, quietly. "The money is in safe keeping, and will be honestly divided at the conclusion of this expedition. "

"You thief! You robber!" shouted Kurzbold, flourishing his weapon. 

"Quite accurate, " replied Roland, unperturbed. "I was once called aPrince of Thieves when I did not deserve the title. Now I have earnedit. "

"You have earned the penalty of thieving, and we propose to throw youinto the Rhine. "

"Not, I trust, before you learn where the money is deposited. "

Drunk as they were, this consideration staggered them, but Kurzbold wasmad with rage and wine. 

"Come on, you poltroons!" he shouted. "There are only three of them. "

"Draw your swords, gentlemen, " whispered Roland, flashing his own bladein the moonlight. 

Greusel and Ebearhard obeyed his command. 

XII

THE LAUGHING RED MARGRAVE OF FURSTENBERG

Ebearhard laughed, and took two steps forward. Whenever affairs becameserious, one could always depend on a laugh from Ebearhard. 

"Excuse me, Commander, " he said, "but you placed Greusel and me incharge of this pious and sober party; therefore I, being the least ofyour officers, must stand the first brunt of our failure to keep theselambs peaceable for the night. Greusel, stand behind me, and in front ofthe Commander. I, being reasonably sober, believe I can cut down six ofthe innocents before they finish with me. You will attend to the nextsix, leaving exactly half a dozen for Roland to eliminate in his ownfashion. Now, Herr Conrad Kurzbold, come on. "

"We have no quarrel with you, " said Kurzbold. "Stand aside. "

"But I force a quarrel upon you, undisciplined pig. Defend yourself, for, by the Three Kings, I am going to tap your walking wine-barrel!"

Kurzbold, however, retreating with more haste than caution, one or twobehind him were sent sprawling, and the half-dozen which were Roland'sportion tumbled over one another down the steep ladder into the cabin. 

Ebearhard laughed again when the last man disappeared. 

"I think, " he said to Roland, "that you will meet no further troublefrom our friends. They evidently broke open the lockers, alarmed becauseGreusel and I asked for a postponement of the counting, probablyintending to make the division without our assistance. "

"Have you hidden the money?" asked Greusel. 

"Not exactly, " replied Roland; "but, in case anything should happen tome, I will tell you what I have done with it. "

When he finished his recital, he added:

"I will give each of you a letter to Herr Goebel, identifying you. He isentitled to four thousand five hundred thalers of the money. The balanceyou will divide among those of us who survive. "

Roland slept on deck, wrapped in his cloak. His two lieutenants tookturn in keeping watch, but nothing except snores came up from the cabin. The mutineers were not examples of early rising next morning. The sungave promise of another warm day, and Roland walked up and down thedeck, anxiety printed on his brow. He had made up his mind to knock atthe door of the Laughing Baron, a giant in stature, reported to be themost ingenious, most cruel, and bravest of all the robber noblemen ofthe Rhine, whose Castle was notoriously the hardest nut to crack alongthe banks of that famous river. For several reasons it would not be wiseto linger much longer in the neighborhood of Lorch. The three castlesthey had entered the day before were still visible on the western bank. News of the raid would undoubtedly travel to Furstenberg, also withinsight down the river, and thus the hilarious Margrave would be put onhis guard, overjoyed at the opportunity of trapping the moral marauders. Furstenberg was also a fief of Cologne, and any molestation of it wouldinvolve the meddler, if identified, in complications with the Church andthe Archbishop. 

It was necessary, therefore, to move with caution, and to retreat, ifpossible, unobserved. These difficulties alone were enough to give pauseto the most intrepid, but Roland was further handicapped by his ownfollowing. How could he hope to accomplish any subtle movement requiringsilence, prompt obedience, and great alertness, supported by men whosebrains were muddled with drink, and whose conduct was saturated withconspiracy against him? They had wine enough on board to continue theirorgy, and he was quite unable to prevent their carouse. With a deep sighhe realized that he would be compelled to forego Furstenberg, and thusleave behind him a virgin citadel, which he knew was bad tactics from amilitary point of view. 

During his meditations his men were coming up from the fuming cabin intothe fresh air and the sunlight. They appeared by twos and threes, yawning and rubbing their eyes, but no one ventured to interrupt theleader as, with bent head, he paced back and forth on the deck. The men, indeed, seemed exceedingly subdued. They passed with almost overdonenonchalance from the boat to the island, and sauntered towards its lowerend, from which, in the clear morning air, the grim fortress ofFurstenberg could be plainly discerned diagonally across the river. Itwas Ebearhard who broke in upon Roland's reverie. 

"Our friends appear very quiet this morning, but I observe they have allhappened to coincide upon the northern part of the island as arendezvous for their before-breakfast walk. I surmise they are holding aformal meeting of the guild, but neither Greusel nor I have beeninvited, so I suppose that after last night's display we two are nolonger considered their brethren. This meekness on their part seems tome more dangerous than last night's flurry. I think they will demandfrom you a knowledge of what has been done with the gold. Have youdecided upon your answer?"

"Yes; it is their right to know, so I shall tell them the truth. By thistime Kruger is on his way somewhere between Ehrenfels and Wiesbaden. Hewill reach Frankfort to-night, and cannot be overtaken. "

"Is there not danger that they will desert in a body, return toFrankfort, and demand from Herr Goebel their share of the spoil?"

"No matter for that, " returned Roland. "Goebel will not part with aflorin except under security of such letters as I purpose giving you andGreusel, and even then only when you have proven to him that I am dead. "

"That is all very well, " demurred Ebearhard, "but don't you see what adangerous power you put into the hands of the rebels? Goebel is merely amerchant, and, though rich, politically powerless. He has already comeinto conflict with the authorities, and spent a term in prison. Do notforget that the Archbishops have refused to take action against theserobber Barons. Our men, if there happen to be one of brains among them, can easily terrify Goebel into parting with the treasure by threateningto confess their own and his complicity in the raids. Consider what anexcellent case they can put forward, stating quite truly that theyjoined this expedition in ignorance of its purport, but on the veryfirst day, learning what was afoot, they deserted their criminal leader, and are now endeavoring to make restitution. Goebel is helpless. If hesays that they first demanded the gold from him, they as strenuouslydeny it, and their denial must be believed, because they come of theirown free-will to the authorities. The merchant, already tainted withtreason, having suffered imprisonment, and narrowly escaped hanging, proves on investigation to be up to the neck in this affair. There is nodifficulty in learning that his barge went down the river, manned by acrew of his own choosing. Of course, it need never come to this, becauseGoebel, being a shrewd man, could at once see in what jeopardy he stood, and convinced from the men's own story that they were part, at least, ofyour contingent, would deliver up the treasure to them. Don't you see hemust do so to save his own neck?"

Roland pondered deeply on what had been said to him, but for the momentmade no reply. Greusel, who joined them during the conversation, remaining silent until Ebearhard had finished, now spoke:

"I quite agree with all that has been said. "

"What, then, would you advise me to do?" asked Roland. 

"I have been talking with one or two of the men, " said Greusel. "(Theywon't speak to Ebearhard because he drew his sword on them. ) I find theybelieve you took advantage of their absence to bury the gold in what yousuppose to be a safe place. They are sure you are acquainted with no onein Lorch to whom you could safely entrust it, and of course do notsuspect an emissary from Frankfort. I should advise you to say thatarrangements have been made for every man to get his share so long asnothing untoward happens to you. This will preserve your life shouldthey go so far as to threaten it, and compel them to stay on with us. After all, we are merely artisans, and not fighting men. I am convincedthat if ever we are really attacked, we shall make a very poor showing, even though we carry swords. Remember how the men tumbled over oneanother in their haste to get out of reach when Ebearhard flourished hisblade. "

"I think Greusel's suggestion is an excellent one, " put in Ebearhard. 

"Very well, " said Roland, "I shall adopt it, although I had made up mymind fully to enlighten them. "

"There is one more matter that I should like to speak to you about, "continued Ebearhard. "Both at Assmannshausen, and at Lorch last night, we heard a good deal anent Furstenberg. It is the most dangerous castleon the Rhine to meddle with. The Laughing Baron, as they call him, although he is a Margrave, is the only man who dared to stop a king onhis way down the Rhine, and hold him for ransom. "

"Yes, " said Roland; "Adolf of Nassau, on his way to be crowned atAix-la-Chapelle. "

"Quite so. Well, this huge ruffian--I never can remember his name; canyou, Greusel?"

"No, it beats me. "

"Margrave Hermann von Katznellenbogenstahleck, " said Roland, so solemnlythat Ebearhard laughed and even Greusel smiled. 

"That's the individual, " agreed Ebearhard, "and you must admit the nameitself is a formidable thing to attack, even without the giant itbelongs to. "

"Banish all apprehension, " said Roland. "I have already decided toremain here through the day, and drop quietly down the river to-night inthe darkness past Furstenberg. "

"I think that is a wise decision, " said Ebearhard. 

"'Tis against all military rules, " demurred Roland, "but neverthelesswith such an army as I lead it seems the only way. Do the men know thatFurstenberg is our point of greatest danger?"

"Yes; but they do not know so much as I. Last night I left them inGreusel's charge, being alarmed about what I heard of Furstenberg, andengaged a boatman to take me over there before the moon rose. Idiscovered that the Laughing Baron has caused a chain to be buoyed upjust below the surface of the water, running diagonally up the rivermore than half-way across it, so that any boat coming down is caught anddrawn into the landing, for the main flood of the Rhine, as you know, runs to the westward of this island. The boatman who ferried me knewabout this chain, but thought it had been abandoned since trafficstopped. He says it runs right up into the Castle, and the moment abarge strikes against it, a big bell is automatically rung inside thestronghold, causing the Baron to laugh so loudly that they sometimeshear him over in Lorch. "

"This is very interesting, Ebearhard, and an excellent feat of scoutingmust be set down to your credit. Say nothing to the men, because, although we give Furstenberg the go-by on this occasion, I shall pay myrespects to Herman von Katznellenbogenstahleck on my return, and theknowledge you bring me will prove useful. "

"Ha!" cried Greusel, "here are our infants returning, all in a body, Kurzbold at their head as usual. I imagine this morning they are goingto depend on rhetoric, and allow their swords to remain in scabbard. They have evidently come to some momentous decision. "

The three retired to the prow of the boat as the guild clambored on atthe stern. The captain and two of his men had taken the skiff belongingto the barge, and were absent at Lorch, purchasing provisions. Rolandstood at the prow of the barge, slightly in advance of his twolieutenants, and awaited the approach of Kurzbold, with seventeen menbehind him. 

"Commander, " said the spokesman, with nothing of the late truculence inhis tone, "we have just held a meeting of the guild, and unanimouslyagreed to ask you one question, and offer you one suggestion. "

"I shall be pleased, " replied Roland, "to answer the first if I think itdesirable, and take the second into consideration. "

He inclined his head to the delegation, and received a low bow inreturn. This was a most auspicious beginning, showing a certainimprovement of method on the part of the majority. 

"The question is, Commander, what have you done with the gold wecaptured yesterday?"

"A very proper inquiry, " replied Roland, "that it gives me much pleasureto answer. I have placed the money in a custody which I believe to beabsolute, arranging that if nothing happens to me, this money shall beproperly divided in my presence. "

"Do you deny, sir, that the money belongs to us?"

"Part of it undoubtedly does, but I, as leader of the expedition, ammorally, if not legally, responsible to you all for its safe keeping. Our barge has stopped three times so far, and Captain Blumenfels tellsme that he has had no real violence to complain of, but as we progressfarther down the river, we are bound to encounter some Baron who is notso punctilious; for instance, the Margrave von Katznellenbogenstahleck, whose stronghold you doubtless saw from the latest meeting-place of theguild. Such a man as the Margrave is certain to do what you yourselvesdid without hesitation last night, that is, break open the lockers, andif gold were there you may depend it would not long remain in ourpossession after the discovery. "

"You miss, or rather, evade the point, Commander. Is the gold ours, oris it yours?"

"I have admitted that part of it is yours. "

"Then by what right do you assert the power to deal with it, lacking ourconsent? If you will pardon me for saying so, you, the youngest of ourcompany, treat the rest of us as though we were children. "

"If I possessed a child that acted at once so obstreperously and in socowardly a manner as you did last night, I should cut a stick from theforest here, and thrash him with such severity that he would neverforget it. As I have not done this to you, I deny that I treat you likechildren. The truth is that, although the youngest, I am your commander. We are engaged in acts of war, therefore military law prevails, and notthe code of Justinian. It is my duty to protect your treasure and myown, and ensure that each man shall receive his share. After thedivision you may do what you please with the money, for you will then beunder the common law, and I should not presume even to advise concerningits disposal. "

"You refuse to tell us, then, what you have done with the gold?"

"I do. Now proceed with your suggestion. "

"I fear I put the case too mildly when I called it a suggestion, considering the unsatisfactory nature of your reply to my question, therefore I withdraw the word 'suggestion, ' and substitute the word'command. '"

Kurzbold paused, to give his ultimatum the greater force. Behind himrose a murmur of approval. 

"Words do not matter in the least. I deal with deeds. Out, then, withyour command!" cried Roland, for the first time exhibiting impatience. 

"The command unanimously adopted is this: the Castle of Furstenberg mustbe left alone. We know more of that Castle than you do, especially aboutits owner and his garrison. We have been gathering information as wejourneyed, and have not remained sulking in the barge. "

"Well, that is encouraging news to hear, " said Roland. "I thought youwere engaged in sampling wine. "

"You hear the command. Will you obey?"

"I will not, " said Roland decisively. 

Ebearhard took a step forward to the side of his chief, and glanced athim reproachfully. Greusel remained where he was, but neither man spoke. 

"You intend to attack Furstenberg?"

"Yes. "

"When?"

"This afternoon. "

Kurzbold turned to his following:

"Brethren, " he said, "you have heard this conversation, and it needs nocomment from me. "

Apparently the discussion was to receive no comment from the otherseither. They stood there glum and disconcerted, as if the trend ofaffairs had taken an unexpected turn. 

"I think, " said one, "we had better retire and consult again. "

This was unanimously agreed to, and once more they disembarked upon theisland, and moved forward to their Witenagemot. Still Greusel andEbearhard said nothing, but watched the men disappear through the trees. Roland looked at one after another with a smile. 

"I see, " he said, "that you disapprove of my conduct. "

Greusel remained silent, but Ebearhard laughed and spoke. 

"You came deliberately to the conclusion that it was unwise to attackFurstenberg. Now, because of Kurzbold's lack of courtesy, you deflectfrom your own mature judgment, and hastily jump into a course oppositeto that which you marked out for yourself after sober, unbiasedthought. "

"My dear Ebearhard, the duty of a commander is to give, and not toreceive, commands. "

"Quite so. Command and suggestion are merely words, as you yourselfpointed out, saying that they did not matter. "

"In that, Ebearhard, I was wrong. Words do matter, although Kurzboldwasn't clever enough to correct me. For example, I hold no man in higheresteem than yourself, yet you might use words that would cause meinstantly to draw my sword upon you, and fight until one or other of ussuccumbed. "

Ebearhard laughed. 

"You put it very flatteringly, Roland. Truth is, you'd fight till Isuccumbed, my swordsmanship being no match for yours. I shall say thewords, however, that will cause you to draw your sword, and they are:Commander, I will stand by you whatever you do. "

"And I, " said Greusel curtly. 

Roland shook hands in turn with the two men. 

"Right, " he cried. "If we are fated to go down, we will fall withbanners flying. "

After a time the captain returned with his supplies, but still themajority of the guild remained engaged in deliberation. Evidentlydiscussion was not proceeding with that unanimity which Kurzbold alwaysinsisted was the case. 

At noon Roland requested the captain to send some of his men with a mealfor those in prolonged session, and also to carry them a cask which hadbeen half-emptied either that morning or the night before. 

"They will enjoy a picnic under the trees by the margin of the river, "said Roland, as he and his two backers sat down in the empty cabin totheir own repast. 

"Do you think they are purposely delaying, so that you cannot cross overthis afternoon?"

"'Tis very likely, " said Roland. "I'll wait here until the sun sets, andthen when they realize that I am about to leave them on an uninhabitedisland, without anything to eat, I think you will see them scrambleaboard. "

"But suppose they don't, " suggested Greusel. "There are at least threeof them able to swim across this narrow branch of the Rhine, and engagea boatman to take them off, should their signaling be unobserved. "

"Again no matter. My plan for the undoing of the castles does not dependon force, but on craft. We three cannot carry away as much gold as cantwenty-one, but our shares will be the same, and then we are not likelyto find again so full a treasury as that at Rheinstein. My belief thatthese chaps would fight was dispelled by their conduct last night. Thinkof eighteen armed men flying before one sword!"

"Ah, you are scarce just in your estimate, Commander. They were underthe influence of wine. "

"True; but a brave man will fight, drunk or sober. "

Although the sun sank out of sight, the men did not return. There hadbeen more wine in the cask than Roland supposed, for the cheery songs ofthe guild echoed through the sylvan solitude. Roland told the captain toset his men at work and row round the top of the island into the mainstream of the Rhine. The revelers had evidently appointed watchmen, forthey speedily came running through the woods, and followed the movementsof the boat from the shore, keeping pace with it. When the craft reachedthe opposite side of the island, the rowers drew in to the beach. 

"Are you coming aboard?" asked Roland pleasantly. 

"Will you agree to pass Furstenberg during the night?" demandedKurzbold. 

"No. "

"Do you expect to succeed, as you did with the other castles?"

"Certainly; otherwise I shouldn't make the attempt. "

"I was wrong, " said Kurzbold mildly, "in substituting the word 'command'for 'suggestion, ' which I first employed. There are many grave reasonsfor deferring an attempt on Furstenberg. In the heat of argument thesereasons were not presented to you. Will you consent to listen to them ifwe go on board?"

"Yes; if you, on your part, will unanimously promise to abide by mydecision. "

"Do you think, " said Kurzbold, "that your prejudice against me, whichperhaps you agree does exist--"

"It exists, " confessed Roland. 

"Very well. Will you allow that prejudice to prevent you from renderinga decision in the men's favor?"

"No. If they present reasons that convince Greusel and Ebearhard againstthe attack on Furstenberg, I shall do what these two men advise, evenalthough I myself believe in a contrary course. Thus you see, HerrKurzbold, that my admitted dislike of you shall not come into play atall. "

"That is quite satisfactory, " said Kurzbold. "Will you tie up againstthe farther shore until your decision is rendered?"

"With pleasure, " replied Roland; and accordingly the raiders tumbledimpetuously on board the barge, whereupon the sailors bent to their longoars, and quickly reached the western bank, at a picturesque spot out ofsight of any castle, where the trees came down the mountain-side to thewater's edge. Here the sailors, springing ashore, tied their stout ropesto the tree-trunks, and the great barge lay broadside on to the land, with her nose pointing down the stream. 

"You see, " said Roland to his lieutenants, "without giving way in theleast I allow you two the decision, and so I take it Furstenberg orourselves will escape disaster on this occasion. "

"Aside from all other considerations, " replied the cautious Greusel, "Ithink it good diplomacy on this occasion to agree with the men, sincethey have stated their case so deferentially. They are improving, Commander. "

"It really looks like it, " he agreed. "You and Ebearhard had better goaft, and counsel them to begin the conference at once, for if we are toattack we must do so before darkness sets in. I'll remain here as usualat the prow. "

Some of the men were strolling about the deck, but the majority remainedin the cabin, down whose steps the lieutenants descended. Roland'simpatience increased with the waning of the light. 

Suddenly a cry that was instantly smothered rose from the cabin, then ashout:

"Treachery! Look out for yourself!"

Roland attempted to stride forward, but four men fell on him, pinioninghis arms to his side, preventing the drawing of his weapon. Kurzbold, with half a dozen others, mounted on deck. 

"Disarm him!" he commanded, and one of the men drew Roland's sword fromits sheath, flinging it along the deck to Kurzbold's feet. The othersnow came up, bringing the two lieutenants, both gagged, with their armstied behind them. Roland ceased his struggles, which he knew to befruitless. 

"We wish an amicable settlement of this matter, " said Kurzbold, addressing the lieutenants, "and regret being compelled to use measuresthat may appear harsh. I do this only to prevent unnecessary bloodshed. Earlier in the day, " he continued, turning to Roland, "when we found allappeals to you were vain, we unanimously deposed you from theleadership, which is our right, and also our duty. "

"Not under martial law, " said Roland. 

"I beg to point out that there was no talk of martial law before we leftFrankfort. It was not till later that we learned we had appointed anunreasoning tyrant over us. We have deposed him, and I am elected in hisplace, with John Gensbein as my lieutenant. We will keep you three hereuntil complete darkness sets in, then put you ashore unarmed. Bacharach, on this side of the Rhine, is to be our next resting-place, anddoubtless so clever a man as you, Roland, may say that we chooseBacharach because it is named for Bacchus, the god of drunkards. Nevertheless, to show our good intentions towards you, we will remainthere all day to-morrow. You can easily reach Bacharach along thehilltops before daybreak. We have written a charter of comradeship whichall have signed except yourselves. If at Bacharach you give us your wordto act faithfully under my leadership, we will reinstate you in theguild, and return your swords. By way of recompense for this leniency, we ask you to direct the captain to obey my commands as he has doneyours. "

"Captain Blumenfels, " said Roland to the honest sailor, who stoodlooking on in amaze at this turn of affairs, "you are to wait here untilit is completely dark. See that no lights are burning to give warning tothose in Furstenberg; and, by the way, " added Roland, turning to hisformer company, "I advise you not to drink anything until you are wellpast the Castle. If you sing the songs of the guild within earshot ofFurstenberg, you are like to sing on the other side of your mouthsbefore morning. Don't forget that Margrave Hermann vonKatznellenbogenstahleck is the chief hangman of Germany. " Then once moreto the captain:

"As the Castle of Furstenberg stands high above the river, and well backfrom it, you will be out of sight if you keep near this shore. However, you can easily judge your distance, because the towers are visible evenin the darkness against the sky. No man on the ramparts of the Castlecan discern you down here on the black surface of the water, so long asyou do not carry a light. "

"Roland, my deposed friend, " said Kurzbold, "I fear you bear resentment, for you are giving the captain orders instead of telling him to obeymine. "

"Kurzbold, you are mistaken. I resign command with great pleasure, and, indeed, Greusel and Ebearhard will testify that I had already determinedto pass Furstenberg unseen. As my former lieutenants are disarmed, surely the company, with eighteen swords, is not so frightened as tokeep them gagged and bound. 'Tis no wonder you wish to avoid theLaughing Baron, if that is all the courage you possess. "

Stung by these taunts, Kurzbold gruffly ordered his men to release theirprisoners, but when the gags were removed, and before the cords werecut, he addressed the lieutenants:

"Do you give me your words not to make any further resistance, if Ipermit you to remain unbound?"

"I give you my word on nothing, you mutinous dog!" cried Greusel; "andif I did, how could you expect me to keep it after such an example oftreachery from you who pledged your faith, and then broke it? I shallobey my Commander, and none other. "

"I am your Commander, " asserted Kurzbold. 

"You are not, " proclaimed Greusel. 

Ebearhard laughed. 

"No need to question me, " he said. "I stand by my colleagues. "

"Gag them again, " ordered Kurzbold. 

"No, no!" cried Roland. "We are quite helpless. Give your words, gentlemen. "

Gloomily Greusel obeyed, and merrily Ebearhard. Darkness was nowgathering, and when it fell completely the three men were put off intothe forest. 

"You have not yet, " said Kurzbold to Roland, "ordered the captain toobey me. I do not object to that, but it will be the worse for him andhis men if they refuse to accept my instructions. "

"Do you know this district, Captain Blumenfels?" asked Roland. 

"Yes, mein Herr. "

"Is there a path along the top that will lead us behind Furstenberg onto Bacharach?"

"Yes, mein Herr, but it is a very rough track. "

"Is it too far for you to guide us there, and return before the moonrises?"

"Oh no, mein Herr, I can conduct you to the trail in half an hour if youconsent to climb lustily. "

"Very good. Herr Kurzbold, if you are not impatient to be off, and willpermit the captain to direct us on our way, I will tell him to obeyyou. "

"How long before you can return, captain?" asked Kurzbold. 

"I can be back well within the hour, mein Herr. "

"You will obey me if the late Commander orders you to do so?"

"Yes, mein Herr. "

"Captain, " said Roland, "I inform you in the hearing of these men thatHerr Kurzbold occupies my place, and is to be obeyed by you until Iresume command. "

Kurzbold laughed. 

"You mean until you are re-elected to membership in the guild, for we donot propose to make you commander again. Now, captain, to the hill, andsee that your return is not delayed. "

The four men disappeared into the dark forest. 

"Captain, " said Roland, when they reached the track, "I have taken youup here not that I needed your guidance, for I know this land as well asyou do. You will obey Kurzbold, of course, but if he tells you to makefor Lorch, allow your boat to drift, and do not get beyond the middle ofthe river until opposite Furstenberg. There is a buoyed chain--"

"I know it well, " interrupted the captain. "I have many times avoidedit, but twice became entangled with it, in spite of all my efforts, andwas robbed by the Laughing Baron. "

"Very well; I intend you to be entrapped by that chain to-night. Offerno resistance, and you will be safe enough. Do not attempt to help theselads should they be set upon, and it will be hard luck if I am not incommand again before midnight. Keep close to this shore, but if theyorder you into the middle of the river, or across it, dally, my goodBlumenfels, dally, until you are stopped by the chain for the thirdtime. "

When the captain returned to his barge, he found Kurzbold pacing thedeck in a masterly manner, impatient to be off. For once the combatants, with an effort, were refraining from drink. 

"We will open a cask, " said Kurzbold, "as soon as we have passed theSchloss. "

He ordered the captain to follow the shore as closely as was safe, andtake care that they did not come within sight of Furstenberg's tall, round tower. All sat or reclined on the dark deck, saying no word as thebarge slid silently down the swift Rhine. Suddenly the speed of the boatwas checked so abruptly that one or two of the standing men were flungoff their feet. From up on the hillside there tolled out the deep noteof a bell. The barge swung round broadside on the current, and lay therewith the water rushing like hissing serpents along its side, the bellpealing out a loud alarm that seemed to keep time with the shuddering ofthe helpless boat. 

"What's wrong, captain?" cried Kurzbold, getting on his feet again andrunning aft. 

"I fear, sir, 'tis an anchored chain. "

"Can't you cut it?"

"That is impossible, mein Herr. "

"Then get out your sweeps, and turn back. Where are we, do you think?"

"Under the battlements of Furstenberg Castle. "

"Damnation! Put some speed into your men, and let us get away fromhere. "

The captain ordered his crew to hurry, but all their efforts could notrelease the boat from the chain, against which it ground up and downwith a tearing noise, and even the un-nautical swordsmen saw that thecurrent was impelling it diagonally toward the shore, and all the whilethe deep bell tolled on. 

"What in the fiend's name is the meaning of that bell?" demandedKurzbold. 

"It is the Castle bell, mein Herr, " replied the captain. 

Before Kurzbold could say anything more the air quivered with shoutafter shout of laughter. Torches began to glisten among the trees, andthere was a clatter of horses' hoofs on the echoing rock. A moremagnificent sight was never before presented to the startled eyes of sounappreciative a crowd. Along the zigzag road, and among the trees, spluttered the torches, each with a trail of sparks like the tail of acomet. The bearers were rushing headlong down the slope, for woe to theman who did not arrive at the water's edge sooner than his master. 

The torchlight gleamed on flashing swords and glittering points ofspears, but chief sight of all was the Margrave Hermann vonKatznellenbogenstahleck, a giant in stature, mounted on a magnificentstallion, as black as the night, and of a size that corresponded withits prodigious rider. The Margrave's long beard and flowing hair werered; scarlet, one may say, but perhaps that was the fiery reflectionfrom the torches. Servants, scullions, stablemen carried the lights; themen-at-arms had no encumbrance but their weapons, and the business-likeway in which they lined up along the shore was a study in discipline, and a terror to any one unused to war. Above all the din and clash ofarms rang the hearty, stentorian laughter of the Red Margrave actuallyechoing back in gusts of fiendish merriment from the hills on the otherside of the Rhine. 

Now the boat's nose came dully against the ledge of rock, to whosesurface the swaying chain rose dripping from the water, sparkling like ajointed snake under the torchlight. 

"God save us all!" cried the Margrave, "what rare show have we here? Bymy sainted patron, the Archbishop, merchants under arms! Whoever saw thelike? Ha! stout Captain Blumenfels, do I recognize you? Once more mychain has caught you. This makes the third time, does it not, Blumenfels?"

"Yes, your Majesty. "

"You may as well call me 'your Holiness' as 'your Majesty. ' I'mcontented with my title, the 'Laughing Baron, ' Haw-haw-haw-haw! And soyour merchants have taken to arms again? The lesson at the Lorely taughtthem nothing! Are there any ropes aboard, captain?"

"Plenty, my lord. "

"Then fling a coil ashore. Now, my tigers, " he roared to hismen-at-arms, "hale me to land those damned shopkeepers. "

With a clash of armor and weapons the brigands threw themselves on theboat, and in less time than is taken to tell it, every man of the guildwas disarmed and flung ashore. Here another command of the Red Margravegave them the outlaw's knot, as he termed it, a most painful tying-up ofthe body and the limbs until each victim was rigid as a red of iron. They were flung face downwards in a row, and beaten black and blue withcudgels, despite their screams of agony and appeals for mercy. 

"Now turn them over on their backs, " commanded the Margrave, and it wasdone. The glare of the pitiless torches fell upon contorted faces. TheBaron turned his horse athwart the line of helpless men, and spurredthat animal over it from end to end, but the intelligent horse, moremerciful than its rider, stepped with great daintiness, despite itsunusual size, and never trod on one of the prostrate bodies. During whatfollowed, the Red Baron, shaking with laughter, marched his horse up anddown over the stricken men. 

"Now, unload the boat, but do not injure any of the sailors! I hope tosee them often again. You cannot tell how we have missed you, captain. What are you loaded with this time? Sound Frankfort cloth?"

"Yes, your Majesty--I mean, my lord. "

"No, you mean my Holiness, for I expect to be an Archbishop yet, if allgoes well, " and his laughter echoed across the Rhine. "Uplift yourhatches, Blumenfels, and tell your men to help fling the goods ashore. "

Delicately paced the fearful horse over the prone men, snorting, perhapsin sympathy, from his red nostrils, his jet-black coat a-quiver with theexcitement of the scene. The captain obeyed the Margrave with promptnessand celerity. The hatches were lifted, and his sailors, two and two, flung on the ledge of rock the merchant's bales. The men-at-arms, whoproved to be men-of-all-work, had piled their weapons in a heap, andwere carrying the bales a few yards inland. Through it all the Baronroared with laughter, and rode his horse along its living pavement, turning now at this end and now at the other. 

"Do not be impatient, " he cried down to them, "'twill not take long tostrip the boat of every bale, then I shall hang you on these trees, andsend back your bodies in the barge, as a lesson to Frankfort. You mustreturn, captain, " he cried, "for you cannot sell dead bodies to my liegeof Cologne. "

As he spoke a ruddy flush spread over the Rhine, as if some one hadflashed a red lantern upon the waters. The glow died out upon theinstant. 

"What!" thundered the Margrave, "is that the reflection of my beard, orare Beelzebub and his fiends coming up from below for a portion of theFrankfort cloth? I will share with good brother Satan, but with no oneelse. Boil me if I ever saw a sight like that before! What was it, captain?"

"I saw nothing unusual, my lord. "

"There, there!" exclaimed the Margrave, and as he spoke it seemed that acrimson film had fallen on the river, growing brighter and brighter. 

"Oh, my lord, " cried the captain, "the Castle is on fire!"

"Saints protect us!" shouted the Red Margrave, crossing himself, andturning to the west, where now both hearing and sight indicated that afurnace was roaring. The whole western sky was aglow, and although theflames could not be seen for the intervening cliff, every one knew therewas no other dwelling that could cause such an illumination. 

Spurring his horse, and calling his men to come on, the nobleman dashedup the steep acclivity, and when the last man had departed, Roland, followed by his two lieutenants, stepped from the forest to the rightdown upon the rocky plateau. 

XIII

"A SENTENCE; COME, PREPARE!"

"Captain, " said Roland quietly, "bring your crew ashore, and fling thesebales on board again as quickly as you can. "

An instant later the sailors were at work, undoing their former efforts. 

"In mercy's name, Roland, " wailed one of the stricken, "get a sword andcut our bonds. "

"All in good time, " replied Roland. "The bales are more valuable to methan you are, and we have two barrels of gold at the foot of the cliffto bring in, if they haven't sunk in the Rhine. Greusel, do you andEbearhard take two of the crew, launch the small boat, and rescue thebarrels if you can find them. "

"Mercy on us, Roland! Mercy!" moaned his former comrades. 

"I have already wasted too much mercy upon you, " he said. "If I rescueyou now, I shall be compelled to hang you in the morning as breakers oflaw, so I may as well leave you where you are, and allow the RedMargrave to save me the trouble. The loss of his castle will not makehim more compassionate, especially if he learns you were the cause ofit. You will then experience some refined tortures, I imagine; for, likemyself, he may think hanging too good for you. I should never have firedhis castle had it not been for your rebellion. "

The men on the ground groaned but made no further appeal. Some of themwere far-seeing enough to realize that an important change had come overthe young man they thought so well known to them, who stood there withan air of indifference, throwing out a suggestion now and then for themore effective handling of the bales; suggestions carrying an impalpableforce of authority that caused them to be very promptly obeyed. They didnot know that this person whom they had regarded as one of themselves, the youngest at that, treating him accordingly, had but a day or twobefore received a tremendous assurance, which would have turned the headof almost any individual in the realm, old or young; the assurance thathe was to be supreme ruler over millions of creatures like themselves; aruler whose lightest word might carry their extinction with it. 

Yet such is the strange littleness of human nature that, although thispotent knowledge had been gradually exercising its effect on Roland'scharacter, it was not the rebellion of the eighteen or their mutinouswords that now made him hard as granite towards them. It was the trivialfact that four of them had dared to manhandle him; had made a personalassault upon him; had pinioned his helpless arms, and flung his sword, that insignia of honor, to the feet of Kurzbold, leader of the revolt. 

The Lord's Anointed, he was coming to consider himself, although not yethad the sacred ointment been placed upon his head. A temporal Emperorand a vice-regent of Heaven upon earth, his hand was destined to holdthe invisible hilt of the Almighty's sword of vengeance. The words "Iwill repay" were to reach their fulfillment through his action. Notwithstanding his youth, or perhaps because of it, he was animated bydeep religious feeling, and this, rather than ambition, explained thecelerity with which he agreed to the proposals of the Archbishops. 

The personage the prisoners saw standing on the rock-ledge ofFurstenberg was vastly different from the young man who, a comrade ofcomrades, had departed from Frankfort in their company. They beheld himplainly enough, for there was now no need of torches along theforeshore; the night was crimson in its brilliancy, and down the hillcame a continuous roar, like that of the Rhine Fall seventy leaguesaway. 

Into this red glare the small boat and its four occupants entered, andRoland saw with a smile that two well-filled casks formed its freight. The bales were now aboard the barge again, and the Commander ordered thecrew to help the quartette in the small boat with the lifting of theheavy barrels. Greusel and Ebearhard clambered over the side, and camethus to the ledge where Roland stood, as the crew rolled the barrelsdown into the cabin. 

"Lieutenants, " said the Commander, "select two stout battle-axes fromthat heap. Follow the chain up the hill until you reach that point whereit is attached to the thick rope. Cut the rope with your axes, and drawdown the chain with you, thus clearing a passage for the barge. "

The two men chose battle-axes, then turned to their leader. 

"Should we not get our men aboard, " they said, "before the barge isfree?"

"These rebels are prisoners of the Red Margrave. They belong to him, andnot to me. Where they are, there they remain. "

The lieutenants, with one impulse, advanced to their Commander, whofrowned as they did so. A cry of despair went up from the pinioned men, but Kurzbold shouted:

"Cut him down, Ebearhard, and then release us. In the name of the guildI call on you to act! He is unarmed; cut him down! 'Tis foul murder todesert us thus. "

The cutting down could easily have been accomplished, for Roland stoodat their mercy, weaponless since the _émeute_ on the barge. Notwithstanding the seriousness of the occasion, the optimisticEbearhard laughed, although every one else was grave enough. 

"Thank you, Kurzbold, for your suggestion. We have come forward, not touse force, but to try persuasion. Roland, you cannot desert to death themen whom you conducted out of Frankfort. "

"Why can I not?"

"I should have said a moment ago that you will not, but now I say youcannot. Kurzbold has just shown what an irreclaimable beast he is, andon that account, because birth, or training, or something has made youone of different caliber, you cannot thus desert him to the reprisal ofthat red fiend up the hill. "

"If I save him now, 'twill be but to hang him an hour later. I am nohangman, while the Margrave is. I prefer that he should attend to myexecutions. "

Again Ebearhard laughed. 

"'Tis no use, Roland, pretending abandonment, for you will not abandon. I thoroughly favor choking the life out of Kurzbold, and one or two ofthe others, and will myself volunteer for the office of headsman, carrying, as I do, the ax, but let everything be done decently and inorder, that a dignified execution may follow on a fair trial. "

"Commander, " shouted the captain from the deck of the barge, "makehaste, I beg of you. The rope connecting with the Castle has been burnt, and the chain is dragging free. The current is swift, and this bargeheavy. We shall be away within the minute. "

"Get your crew ashore on the instant, " cried Roland, "and fling me thesedespicable burdens aboard. A man at the head, another at the heels, andtoss each into the barge. Is there time, captain, to take this heap ofcutlery with us as trophies of the fray?"

"Yes, " replied the captain, "if we are quick about it. "

The howling human packages were hurled from ledge to barge; the strong, unerring sailors, accustomed to the task, heaved no man into the water. Others as speedily fell upon the heap of weapons, and threw them, clattering, on the deck. All then leaped aboard, and Roland, motioninghis lieutenants to precede him, was the last to climb over the prow. 

The chain came down over the stones with a clattering run, and fell witha great splash into the river. The barge, now clear, swung with thecurrent stern foremost; the sailors got to their oars, and graduallydrew their craft away from the shore. A little farther from the landing, those on deck, looking upstream, enjoyed an uninterrupted view of themagnificent conflagration. The huge stone Castle seemed to glow whitehot. The roof had fallen in, and a seething furnace reddened themidnight sky. Like a flaming torch the great tower roared to theheavens. The whole hilltop resembled the crater of an active volcano. Timber floors and wooden partitions, long seasoned, proved excellentmaterial for the incendiaries, and even the stones were crumbling away, falling into the gulf of fire, sending up a dazzling eruption of sparks, as section after section tumbled into this earthly Hades. 

The long barge floated placidly down a river resembling molten gold. Theboat was in disarray, covered with bales of cloth not yet lowered intothe hold, cluttered here and there with swords, battle-axes, and spears. In the various positions where they had been flung lay the helpless men, some on their faces, some on their backs. The deck was as light as ifthe red setting sun were casting his rays upon it. Roland seated himselfon a bale, and said to the captain:

"Turn all these men face upward, " and the captain did so. 

"Ebearhard, you said execution should take place after a fair trial. There is no necessity to call witnesses, or to go through any court oflaw formalities. You two are perfectly cognizant of everything that hastaken place, and no testimony will either strengthen or weaken thatknowledge. As a preliminary, take Kurzbold, the new president, andGensbein, his lieutenant, from among that group, and set them apart. Twomembers of the crew will carry out this order, " which was carried outaccordingly. 

Roland rose, walked along the prostrate row, and selected, apparently athaphazard, four others, then said to the members of his crew:

"Place these four men beside their leader. Left to myself, " he continuedto his lieutenants, "I should hang the six. However, I shall take nohand in the matter. I appoint you, Joseph Greusel, and you, GottliebEbearhard, as judges, with power of life and death. If your verdict onany or all of the accused is death, I shall use neither the ax nor thecord, but propose flinging them into the river, and if God wills them toreach the shore alive, their binding will be no hindrance to escape. "

Kurzbold and his lieutenant broke out into alternate curses and appeals, protesting that Greusel and Ebearhard had not been expelled from theguild, and calling upon them by their solemn oath of brotherhood torelease them now that they possessed the power. To these appeals thenewly-appointed judges made no reply, and for once Ebearhard did notlaugh. 

The other four directed their supplications to Roland himself. They hadbeen misled, they cried, and deeply regretted it. Already they sufferedpunishment of a severity almost beyond power of human endurance, andthey feared their bones were broken with the cudgeling, since whichassault their bonds grievously tortured them. All swore amendment, andtheir grim commander still remaining silent, they asked him in whatrespect they were more guilty than the dozen others whom seemingly heintended to spare. At last Roland replied. 

"You four, " he said sternly, "dared to lay hands upon me, and for that Idemand from the judges a sentence of death. "

Even his two lieutenants gazed at him in amazement, that he should makeso much of an action which they themselves had endured and nothing saidof it. Surely the laying-on of hands, even in rudeness, was not acapital crime, yet they saw to their astonishment that Roland was indeadly earnest. 

The leader turned a calm face toward their scrutiny, but there was afrown upon his brow. 

"Work while ye have the light, " he said. "Judges, consider yourdecision, and deliver your verdict. "

Greusel and Ebearhard turned their backs on every one, walked slowlyaft, and down into the cabin. Roland resumed his seat on the bale ofcloth, elbows on his knees, and face in his hands. All appeals hadceased, and deep silence reigned, every man aboard the boat in a stateof painful tension. The fire in the distant castle lowered and lowered, and darkness was returning to the deck of the barge. At last the judgesemerged from the cabin, and came slowly forward. 

It was Greusel who spoke. 

"We wish to know if only these six are on trial?"

"Only these six, " replied Roland. 

"Our verdict is death, " said Greusel. "Kurzbold and Gensbein are to bethrown into the Rhine bound as they lie, but the other four receive onechance for life, in that the cords shall be cut, leaving their limbsfree. "

This seeming mercy brought no consolation to the quartette, for eachplaintively proclaimed that he could not swim. 

"I thank you for your judgment, " said Roland, "which I am sure you musthave formed with great reluctance. Having proven yourself such excellentjudges, I doubt not you will now act with equal wisdom as advisers. Aphrase of yours, Ebearhard, persists in my mind, despite all efforts todislodge it. You uttered on the ledge of rock yonder something to theeffect that we left Frankfort as comrades together. That is very true, and unless you override my resolution, I have come to the conclusionthat if any of us are fated to die, the penalty shall be dealt by someother hand than mine. The twelve who lie here are scarcely less guiltythan the six now under sentence, and I propose, therefore, to put ashoreon the east bank Kurzbold and Gensbein, one a rogue, the other a fool. The sixteen who remain have so definitely proven themselves to besimpletons that I trust they will not resent my calling them such. Ifhowever, they abandon all claim to the comradeship that has been so muchprated about, swearing by the Three Kings of Cologne faithfully tofollow me, and obey my every word without cavil or argument, I willpardon them, but the first man who rebels will show that my clemency hasbeen misplaced, and I can assure them that it shall not be exercisedagain. Captain, your sailors are familiar with knotted ropes. Bid themrelease all these men except the six condemned. "

The boatmen, with great celerity, freed the prostrate captives fromtheir bonds, but some of the mutineers had been so cruelly used in thecudgeling that it was necessary to assist them to their feet. The earlysummer daybreak was at hand, its approach heralded by the perceptiblediluting of the darkness that surrounded them, and a ghastly, pallidgrayness began to overspread the surface of the broad river. Down thestream to the west the towers of Bacharach could be faintlydistinguished, looking like a dream city, the lower gloom of which waspicked out here and there by points of light, each betokening an earlyriser. 

It was a deeply dejected, silent group that stood in this weirdhalf-light, awaiting the development of Roland's mind regarding them;he, the youngest of their company, quiet, unemotional, whose dominion noone now thought of disputing. 

"Captain, " he continued, "steer for the eastern shore. I know thatBacharach is the greatest wine mart on the Rhine, and well sustains thereputation of the drunken god for whom it is named, but we willnevertheless avoid it. There is a long island opposite the town, but alittle farther down. I dare say you know it well. Place that islandbetween us and Bacharach, and tie up to the mainland, out of view fromthe stronghold of Bacchus. He is a misleading god, with whom we shallhold no further commerce. 

"Now, Joseph Greusel, and Gottlieb Ebearhard, do you two administer theoath of the Three Kings to these twelve men; but before doing so, giveeach one his choice, permitting him to say whether he will followKurzbold on the land or obey me on the water. "

Here Kurzbold broke out again in trembling anger:

"Your pretended fairness is a sham, and your bogus option a piece ofyour own sneaking dishonesty. What chance have we townsmen, put ashore, penniless, in an unknown wilderness, far from any human habitation, knowing nothing of the way back to Frankfort? Your fraudulent clemencyrescues us from drowning merely to doom us to starvation. "

The daylight had so increased that all might see the gentle smile comingto Roland's lips, and the twinkle in his eye as he looked at thewrathful Kurzbold. 

"A most intelligent leader of men are you, Herr Conrad. I suppose thisdozen will stampede to join your leadership. They must indeed be proudof you when they learn the truth. I shall present to each of you, out ofmy own store of gold that came from the castle you so bravely attackedlast night, one half the amount that is your due. This will be moremoney than any of you ever possessed before; each portion, indeed, excelling the total that you eighteen accumulated during your wholelives. I could easily bestow your share without perceptible diminutionof the fund we three, unaided, extracted from the coffers of the RedMargrave. The reason I do not pay in full is this. When you reachFrankfort, I must be assured that you will keep your foolish tonguessilent. If any man speaks of our labors, I shall hear of it on myreturn, and will fine that man his remaining half-share. 

"It distresses me to expose your ignorance, Kurzbold, but I put youashore amply provided with money, barely two-thirds of a league fromLorch, where you spent so jovial an evening, and where a man with goldin his pouch need fear neither hunger nor thirst. Lorch may be attainedby a leisurely walker in less than half an hour; indeed, it is barelytwo leagues from this spot to Assmannshausen, and surely you know theroad from that storehouse of red wine to the capital city of Frankfort, having once traversed it. A child of six, Kurzbold, might be safely putashore where you shall set foot on land. Therefore, lieutenants, leteach man know he will receive a bag of coin, and may land unmolested toaccompany the brave and intelligent Kurzbold. "

As he finished this declamation, that caused even some of the beatenwarriors to laugh at their leader, the barge came gently alongside thestrand, well out of sight of Bacharach. Each of the dozen swore theterrible, unbreakable oath of the Three Kings to be an obedient henchmanto Roland. 

"You may, " said Roland, "depart to the cabin, where a flagon of winewill be served to every man, and also an early breakfast. After that youare permitted to lie down and relax your swollen limbs, meditating onthe extract from Holy Writ which relates the fate of the blind when ledby the blind. "

When the dozen limped away, the chief turned to his prisoners. 

"Against you four I bear resentment that I thought could not be appeasedexcept by your expulsion, but reflection shows me that you acted underinstruction from the foolish leader you selected, and therefore theprincipal, not the agent, is most to blame. I give you the same choice Ihave accorded to the rest. Unloose them, captain; and while this isbeing done, Greusel, get two empty bags from the locker, open one of thecasks, and place in each bag an amount which you estimate to be one halfthe share which is Kurzbold's due. "

The four men standing up took the oath, and thanked Roland for hismercy, hurrying away at a sign from him to their bread and wine. 

"Send hither, " cried Roland after them, "two of the men who have alreadyrefreshed themselves, each with a loaf of bread and a full flagon ofwine. And now, captain, release Kurzbold and Gensbein. "

When these two stood up and stretched themselves, the bearers of breadand wine presented them with this refreshment, and after they hadpartaken of it, Greusel gave them each a bag of gold, which they tied totheir belts without a word, while Greusel and Ebearhard waited to escortthem to land. 

"We want our swords, " said Kurzbold sullenly. 

Ebearhard looked at his chief, but he shook his head. 

"They have disgraced their swords, " he said, "which now by right belongto the Margrave Hermann von Katznellenbogenstahleck. Put them ashore, lieutenant. "

It was broad daylight, and the men had all come up from the cabin, standing in a silent group at the stern. Kurzbold, on the bank, foamingat the mouth with fury, shook his fist at them, roaring:

"Cowards! Pigs! Dolts! Asses! Poltroons!"

The men made no reply, but Ebearhard's hearty laugh rang through theforest. 

"You have given us your titles, Kurzbold, " he cried. "Send us youraddress whenever you get one!"

"Captain, " said Roland, "cast off. Cross to this side of that island, and tie up there for the day. Set a man on watch, relieving the sentinelevery two hours. We have spent an exciting night, and will sleep tillevening. "

"Your honor, may I first stow away these bales, and dispose of thebattle-axes, spears, and broadswords, so to clear the deck?"

"You may do that, captain, at sunset. As for the bales, they make a verycomfortable couch upon which I intend to rest. "

XIV

THE PRISONER OF EHRENFELS

There is inspiration in the sight of armed men marching steadilytogether; men well disciplined, keeping step to the measured clank oftheir armor. Like a great serpent the soldiers of Cologne issued fromthe forest, coming down two and two, for the path was narrow. They wouldmarch four abreast when they reached the river road, and the evolutionswhich accomplished this doubling of the columns, without changing stepor causing confusion, called forth praise from the two southernArchbishops. 

A beautiful tableau of amity and brotherly love was presented to thetroops as they looked up at the three Archbishops standing together onthe balcony in relief against the gray walls of the Castle. Theofficers, who were on horseback, raised their swords sky-pointing fromtheir helmets, for they recognized their overlord and his two notableconfrères. With the motion of one man the three Archbishops acknowledgedthe salute. The troops cheered and cheered as the anaconda made itssinuous way down the mountain-side, and company after company cameabreast the Castle. The Archbishops stood there until the last mandisappeared down the river road on his way to Coblentz. 

"May I ask you, " said Mayence, addressing Treves, "to conduct me to theflat roof of your Castle? Will you accompany us?" he inquired ofCologne. 

Cologne and Treves being for once in agreement, the latter led the way, and presently the three stood on the broad stone plateau which affordeda truly striking panorama of the Rhine. The July sun sinking in the westtransformed the river into a crimson flood, and at that height the coolevening breeze was delicious. Cologne stood with one hand on theparapet, and gazed entranced at the scene, but the practical Mayencepaid no attention whatever to it. 

"Your troublesome guest, Treves, has one more request to make, which isthat you order his flag hoisted to the top of that pole. "

Treves at once departed to give this command, while Cologne, withclouded brow, turned from his appreciation of the view. 

"My Lord, " he said, "you have requested the raising of a signal. "

"Yes, " was the reply. 

"A signal which calls your men from the Lahn to the landing atStolzenfels?"

"Yes, " repeated Mayence. 

"My Lord, I have kept my promise not only to the letter, but in thespirit as well. My troops are marching peaceably away, and will reachtheir barracks some time to-morrow. Although I exacted no promise fromyou, you implied there was a truce between us, and that your army, likemy company, was not to be called into action of any kind. "

"Your understanding of our pact is concisely stated, even though myshare in that pact remained unspoken. A truce, did you say? Is it notmore than that? I hoped that my seconding of the nomination you proposedproved me in complete accord with your views. "

"I am not in effect your prisoner, then?"

"Surely not; so contrary to the fact is such an assumption that Iimplore you to accept my hospitality. The signal, which I see is now atthe mast-head, calls for one barge only, and that contains no soldier, merely a captain and his ten stout rowers, whom you may at this moment, if you turn round, see emerging from the mouth of the Lahn. I present toyou, and to the Countess von Sayn, my Schloss of Martinsburg for as longas you may require it. It is well furnished, well provisioned, andattended to by a group of capable servants, who are at your command. Isuggest that you cross in my barge, in company with the Countess and herkinsman, the Reverend Father. You agree, I take it, to convoy the ladysafely to her temporary restraint in Pfalz. It was her own request, youremember. "

"I shall convoy her thither. "

"I am trusting to you entirely. The distance is but thirteen leagues, and can be accomplished easily in a day. Once on the other side of theriver she may despatch her kinsman, or some more trustworthy messenger, to her own Castle, and thus summon the two waiting-women who will shareher seclusion. "

"Is it your intention, my Lord, that her imprisonment shall--?"

The Archbishop of Mayence held up his thin hand with a gesture ofdeprecation. 

"I use no word so harsh as 'imprisonment. ' The penance, if you wish soto characterize it, is rather in the nature of a retreat, giving herneeded opportunity for reflection, and, I hope, for regret. "

"Nevertheless, my Lord, your action seems to me unnecessarily severe. How long do you propose to detain her?"

"I am pained to hear you term it severity, for her treatment will be ofthe mildest description. I thought you would understand that no othercourse was open to me. So far as I am personally concerned, she mighthave said what pleased her, with no adverse consequences, but sheflouted the highest Court of the realm, and such contempt cannot beoverlooked. As for the duration of her discipline, it will continueuntil the new Emperor is married, after which celebration the Countessis free to go whither she pleases. I shall myself call at Pfalz fourdays from now, that I may be satisfied the lady enjoys every comfort theCastle affords. "

"And also, perhaps, to be certain she is there immured. "

Mayence's thin lips indulged in a wry smile. 

"I need no such assurance, " he said, "since my Lord of Cologne haspledged his word to see that the order of the Court is carried out. "

The conversation was here interrupted by the return of Treves. Alreadythe great barge was half-way across the river. The surging, swiftcurrent swept it some distance below Stolzenfels, and the rowers, five aside, were working strenuously to force it into slower waters. Lord, lady, and monk crossed over to the mouth of the Lahn, and the bargereturned immediately to convey across horses and escort. 

As the valley of the Lahn opened out it presented a picture of quietsylvan beauty, apparently uninhabited by any living thing. TheArchbishop of Cologne rose, and, shading his eyes from the still radiantsun, gazed intently up the little river. No floating craft was anywherein sight. He turned to the captain. 

"Where is the flotilla from Mayence?" he asked. 

"Flotilla, my Lord?"

"Yes; a hundred barges sailed down from Mayence in the darkness eitherlast night or the night before, taking harbor here in the Lahn. "

"My Lord, even one barge, manned as this is, could not have journeyedsuch a distance in so short a time, and, indeed, for a flotilla toattempt the voyage, except in daylight, would have been impossible. Nobarges have come down the Rhine for months, and had they ventured thelittle Lahn is too shallow to harbor them. "

"Thank you, captain. I appear to be ignorant both of the history and thegeography of this district. If I were to ask you and your stout rowersto take me down through the swiftest part of the river to Coblentz, howsoon would we reach that town?"

"Very speedily, my Lord, but I could undertake no such voyage except atthe command of my master. He is not one to be disobeyed. "

"I quite credit that, " said Cologne, sitting down again, the momentarydesire to recall his marching troops, that had arisen when he saw theempty Lahn, dying down when he realized how effectually he had beenoutwitted. 

When the horses were brought across, Father Ambrose, at the request ofthe Countess, rode back to Sayn, and sent forward the two waiting-womenwhom she required, and so well did he accomplish his task that theyarrived at Schloss Martinsburg before ten of the clock that night. At anearly hour next morning the little procession began its journey up theRhine, his Lordship and the Countess in front; the six horsemen bringingup the rear. 

The lady was in a mood of deep dejection; the regret which Mayence hadanticipated as result of imprisonment already enveloped her. It was onlytoo evident that the Archbishop of Cologne was bitterly disappointed, for he rode silently by her side making no attempt at conversation. Theyrested for several hours during midday, arriving at Caub before the redsun set, and now the Countess saw her pinnacled prison lying like ananchored ship in midstream. 

At Caub they were met by a bearded, truculent-looking ruffian, whointroduced himself to the Archbishop as the Pfalzgraf von Stahleck. 

"You take us rather by surprise, Prince of Cologne, " he said. "It istrue that my overlord, the Archbishop of Mayence, called upon me severaldays ago while descending the Rhine in his ten-oared barge, and saidthere was a remote chance that a prisoner might shortly be given into mycare. This had often happened before, for my Castle covers some gruesomecells that extend under the river, --cells with secret entrances noteasily come by should any one search the Castle. It is sometimesconvenient that a prisoner of State should be immured in one of themwhen the Archbishop has no room in his own Schloss Ehrenfels, so I paidlittle attention, and merely said the prisoner would receive a welcomeon arrival. This morning there came one of the Archbishop's men fromStolzenfels, and both my wife and myself were astonished to learn thatthe prisoner would be here this evening under your escort, my Lord, andthat it was a woman we were to harbor. Further, she was to be given thebest suite of rooms we had in the Castle, and to be treated with allrespect as a person of rank. Now, this apartment is in no state ofreadiness to receive such a lady, much less to house one of the dignityof your Lordship. "

"It does not matter for me, " replied the Archbishop. "Being, as I maysay, part soldier, the bed and board of an inn is quite acceptable uponoccasion. "

"Oh no, your Highness, such a hardship is not to be thought of. TheCastle of Gutenfels, standing above us, is comfortable as any on theRhine. Its owner, the Count Palatine, is fellow-Elector of yours, and avery close friend of my overlord of Mayence, and I am told they votetogether whenever my overlord needs his assistance. "

"That is true, " commented Cologne. 

"My overlord sent word that anything I needed for the accommodation ofher ladyship, he recognizing that my warning had been short, I shouldrequisition from the Count Palatine, so at midday I went up to call uponhim, not saying anything, of course, about State prisoners, male orfemale. The moment he heard that you, my Lord, were visiting thisneighborhood, he begged me to tender to you, and to all your companionsor following, the hospitality of his Castle for so long as you mighthonor him with your presence. "

"The Count Palatine is very gracious, and I shall be glad to acceptshelter and refreshment. "

"He would have been here to greet your Highness, but I was unable toinform him at what hour you would arrive, so I waited for you myself, and will be pleased to guide you to the gates of Gutenfels. "

The conversation was interrupted by a great clatter of galloping horses, descending the hill with reckless speed, and at its foot swinging roundinto the main street of the town. 

"Ha!" cried the amateur jailer, "here is the Count Palatine himself;"and thus it is our fate to meet the fourth Elector of the Empire, who, added to the three Archbishops, formed a quorum so potent that it couldelect or depose an Emperor at will. 

The cavalry of the Count Palatine was composed of fifty fully-armed men, and their gallop through the town roused the echoes of that ancientbailiwick, which, together with the Castle, belonged to the Palatinate. The powerful noble extended a cordial welcome to his fellow-Elector, andtogether they mounted to the Castle of Gutenfels. 

At dinner that night the Count Palatine proved an amiable host. Underhis geniality the charming Countess von Sayn gradually recovered herlost good spirits, and forgot she was on her way to prison. After all, she was young, naturally joyous, and loved interesting company, especially that of the two Electors, who were well informed, and hadseen much of the world. The Archbishop also shook off some of hissomberness; indeed, all of it as the flagons flowed. Being asked hispreference in wine, he replied that yesterday he had been regaled with avery excellent sample of Oberweseler. 

"That is from this neighborhood, " replied the Count. "Oberwesel lies buta very short distance below, on the opposite side of the river, but wecontend that our beverage of Caub is at least equal, and sometimessuperior. You shall try a good vintage of both. How did you come byOberweseler so far north as Stolzenfels?"

"Simply because I was so forward, counting on the good nature of myfriend of Treves, that I stipulated for Oberweseler. "

"Ah! I am anxious to know why. "

"For reasons of history, not of the palate. A fair English Princess wasguest of Stolzenfels long ago, and this wine was served to her. "

"In that case, " returned the Count, "I also shall fall back on history, and first order brimming tankards of old Caub. Really, Madam, " he said, turning to Hildegunde, "we should have had Royalty here to meet you, instead of two old wine-bibbers like his Highness and myself. "

The girl looked startled at this mention of Royalty, bringing to hermind the turbulent events of yesterday. Nevertheless, with greatcomposure, she smiled at her enthusiastic host. 

"Still, " went on the Count, "if we are not royal ourselves, 'tis adegree we are empowered to confer, and, indeed, may be very shortlycalled upon to bestow. That is true from what I hear, is it not, yourHighness?"

"Yes, " replied the Archbishop gravely. 

"Well, as I was about to say, this Castle belonged to the Falkensteins, and was sold by them to the Palatinate. Rumor, legend, history, call itwhat you like, asserts that the most beautiful woman ever born on theRhine was Countess Beatrice of Falkenstein. But when I drink to thetoast I am about to offer I shall, Madam, " he smiled at Hildegunde, "assert that the legend no longer holds, a contention I am prepared tomaintain by mortal combat. Know then that the Earl of Cornwall, who waselected King of Germany in 1257, met Beatrice of Falkenstein in thisCastle. The meeting was brought about by the Electors themselves, who, stupid matchmakers, attempted to coerce each into a marriage with theother. Beatrice refused to marry a foreigner. 

"The Chronicles are a little vague about the most interesting part ofthe negotiations, but minutely plain about the outcome. In some mannerthe Earl and Beatrice met, and he became instantly enamored of her. Thisis the portion so deplorably slurred by these old monkish writers. Ineed hardly tell you that the Earl himself succeeded where the sevenElectors failed. Beatrice became Cornwall's wife and Queen of Germany, and they lived happily ever afterwards. 

"I give you the toast!" cried the chivalrous Count Palatine, rising. "Tothe cherished memory of the Royal lovers of Gutenfels!"

The Archbishop's eyes twinkled as he looked across the table atHildegunde. 

"This seems to be a time of Royal betrothals, " he said, raising hisflagon. 

"'Seems' is the right word, Guardian, " replied the Countess. 

Then she sipped the ancient wine of Caub. 

Next morning Hildegunde was early afoot. Notwithstanding her trouble ofmind, she had slept well, and awakened with the birds, so great is theinfluence of youth and health. During her last conscious moments thenight before, as she lay in the stately bed of the most noble room theCastle contained, she bitterly accused herself for the disastrousfailure of the previous day. The Archbishop of Cologne had given hergood counsel that was not followed, and his disappointment with theresult, generously as he endeavored to conceal it, was doubtless thedeeper because undiscussed. Thinking of coming captivity, a dream ofgrim Pfalz was expected, but instead the girl's spirit wandered throughthe sweet seclusion of Nonnenwerth, living again that happy, earliertime, free from politics and the tramp of armed men. 

In the morning the porter, at her behest, withdrew bolt, bar, and chain, allowing exit into the fresh, cool air, and skirting the Castle, shearrived at a broad terrace which fronted it. A fleecy mist extendingfrom shore to shore concealed the waters of the Rhine, and partiallyobliterated the little village of Caub at the foot of the hill. Whereshe stood the air was crystal clear, and she seemed to be looking out ona broad snow-field of purest white. Beyond Caub its surface was piercedby the dozen sharp pinnacles of her future prison, looking like a bed ofspikes, upon which one might imagine a giant martyr impaled by theverdict of a cruel Archbishop. 

Gazing upon this nightmare Castle, whose tusks alone were revealed, thegirl formulated the resolution but faintly suggested the night before. On her release should ensue an abandonment of the world, and theadoption of a nun's veil in the convent opposite Drachenfels, an islandexchanged for an island; turmoil for peace. 

At breakfast she met again the jovial Count Palatine, and her more soberguardian, who both complimented her on the results of her beauty rest, the one with great gallantry, the other with more reserve, as befitted aChurchman. The Archbishop seemed old and haggard in the morning light, and it was not difficult to guess that no beauty sleep had soothed hispillow. It wrung the girl's heart to look at him, and again she accusedherself for lack of all tact and discretion, wishing that her guardiantook his disappointment more vengefully, setting her to some detestedtask that she might willingly perform. 

The hospitable Count, eager that they should stop at least another nightunder his roof, pressed his invitation upon them, and the Archbishopgave a tacit consent. 

"If the Countess is not too tired, " said Cologne, "I propose that sheaccompany me on a little journey I have in view farther up the river. Wewill return here in the evening. "

"I should be delighted, " cried Hildegunde, "for all sense of fatigue hasbeen swept away by a most restful night. "

The good-natured Count left them to their own devices, and shortlyafterwards guardian and ward rode together down the steep declivity tothe river. The mist was already driven away, except a wisp here andthere clinging to the gray surface of the water, trailing along as ifdrawn by the current, for the air was motionless, and there was promiseof a sultry day. They proceeded in silence until a bend in the Rhineshut Caub and its sinister water-prison out of sight, and then it wasthe girl who spoke. 

"Guardian, " she said, "have I offended you beyond forgiveness?"

A gentle smile came to his lips as he gazed upon her with affection. 

"You have not offended me at all, my dear, " he said, "but I am grievedat thwarting circumstance. "

"I have been thinking over circumstances too, and hold myself solely toblame for their baffling opposition. I will submit without demur towhatever length of imprisonment may please, and, if possible, soften theArchbishop of Mayence. After my release I shall ask your consent that Imay forthwith join the Sisterhood at Nonnenwerth. I wish to divide mywealth equally between yourself and the convent. "

The Archbishop shook his head. 

"I could not accept such donation. "

"Why not? The former Archbishop of Cologne accepted Linz from myancestress Matilda. "

"That was intended to be but a temporary loan. "

"Well; call my benefaction temporary if you like, to be kept until Icall for it, but meanwhile to be used at your discretion. "

"It is quite impossible, " said the Archbishop firmly. 

"Does that mean you will not allow me to adopt the religious life?"

"It means, my child, that I should not feel justified in permitting thisrenunciation of the world until you knew more of what you were givingup. "

"I know enough already. "

"You think so, but your experience of it is too recent for us to expectunbiased judgment this morning. I should insist on a year, at least, andpreferably two years, part of that time to be spent in Frankfort and inCologne. I anticipate a great improvement in Frankfort when the newEmperor comes to the throne. If at the end of two years you are still ofthe same mind, I shall offer no further opposition. "

"I shall never change my intention. "

"Perhaps not. I am told that the determination of a woman isirrevocable, so a little delay does not much matter. Meanwhile, anotherproblem passes my comprehension. I have thought and thought about it, and am convinced there is a misunderstanding somewhere, which possiblywill be cleared away too late. I am quite certain that Father Ambrosedid not meet Prince Roland in Frankfort. "

"Do you, then, dispute the word of Father Ambrose?" asked the girl, quickly checking the accent of indignation that arose in her voice, forhumility was to be her rôle ever after. 

"Father Ambrose is at once both the gentlest and most truthful of men. He has undoubtedly seen somebody rob a merchant in Frankfort. He hasundoubtedly been imprisoned among wine-casks; but that this thief andthis jailer was Roland is incredible to me who know the young man, andphysically impossible, for Prince Roland at that time was himself aprisoner, as, indeed, he is to-day. Prince Roland cannot be liberatedfrom Ehrenfels without an order signed by Mayence, Treves, and myself. Ialone have not the power to encompass his freedom, and Mayence isequally powerless although he is owner of the Castle. Some scoundrel iswalking the streets of Frankfort pretending to be Roland. "

"In that case, my Lord, he would not deny his identity when accosted onthe bridge. "

"A very clever point, my dear, but it does not overcome my difficulty. There might be a dozen reasons why the rascal would not incriminatehimself to any stranger who thus took him by surprise. However, it isuseless to argue the question, for I persuade you as little as youpersuade me. The practical thing is to fathom the misunderstanding, andremove it. Will you assist me in this?"

"Willingly, if I can, Guardian. "

"Very well. I must first inform you that your imprisonment is likely tobe very short. You are to know that the harmony supposed to exist inStolzenfels is largely mythical: I left behind me the seeds of discord. I proposed that the glum niece of Treves, whom you met at our historiclunch, should be the future Empress. This nomination was seconded byMayence himself, and received with unconcealed joy by my brother ofTreves. "

"Then for once the Court was unanimous? I think your choice an admirableone. "

"The Archbishop of Mayence does not agree with you, my dear. "

"Then why did he second your nomination?"

"Because he is so much more clever than Treves, who a few minutes laterwould have been the seconder. "

"Why should his Lordship of Mayence think one thing and act another?"

"Why is he always doing it? No one can guess what Mayence really thinks, if he is judged by what he says. Were Treves' niece to become Empress, her uncle would speedily realize his power, and Mayence would lose hisleadership. Could Mayence to-day secretly promote you to the position ofEmpress, he would gladly do so. "

"But won't he at once look for some one else?"

"Certainly. That choice is now occupying his mind. His seconding of thenomination was merely a ruse to gain time, but if he proposes any oneelse he will find both Treves and myself against him. His only hope ofcircumventing the ambition of Treves is that something may happen, causing you to change your mind concerning Prince Roland. "

"You forget, Guardian, " protested the girl, "that his Lordship ofMayence said he would not permit me to marry Prince Roland after the wayI had spoken and acted. "

"He said that, my dear, under the influence of great resentment againstyou, but Mayence never allows resentment or any other feeling to standin the way of his own interests. If you wrote him a contrite letterregretting your defiance of him, and expressing your willingness to bowto his wishes, I am very sure he would welcome the communication as ahappy solution of the quandary in which he finds himself. "

"You wish me to do this, Guardian?" she asked wistfully. 

"Not until you are satisfied that Prince Roland is innocent of thecharges you make against him. "

"How can I receive such assurance?"

"Ah, now you come to the object of this apparently purposeless journey. I have had much experience in the world you are so anxious to renounce, and although I have seen the wicked prosper for a time, yet my faith hasnever been shaken in an overruling Providence, and what happened lastnight set me thinking so deeply that daylight stole in upon mymeditations. "

"Oh, my poor Guardian, I knew you had not slept, and all because of aworthless creature like myself, and a wicked creature, too, for I didnot see the hand of Providence so visible to you. "

"Surely, my dear, a moment's thought would reveal it to you. Rememberhow we came almost to the door of the prison, when a temporary reprievewas handed to us by that coarse reprobate, the Pfalzgraf. Your suite ofrooms was not yet ready, and thus we found bestowed upon us another freeday; a day of untrammeled liberty, quite unlooked for. Now, much may bedone in a day. An Empire has been lost and won within a few hours. Withthis gift came a revelation. That wine-blotched Pfalzgraf would haveshown no consideration for you: to him a prisoner is a prisoner, to becast anywhere, lock the door, and have done, but a wholesome fear hadbeen instilled into him by his overlord. The Archbishop of Mayence hadtaken thought for your comfort, ordering that the best rooms in theCastle should be placed at your disposal. Hence, after all that hadpassed, his Lordship felt no malignancy against you, and I dare saywould have been glad to rescind the order for your imprisonment, were itnot that he would never admit defeat. "

"Oh, Guardian, what an imagination is yours! I am sure his Lordship ofMayence will never forgive me. "

"His Lordship of Mayence, my dear, is in a dilemma from which no oneexcept yourself can extricate him. "

"His own cleverness will extricate him. "

"Perhaps. Still, I'm not troubling about him. My thoughts are much tooselfish for that. I wish you to lift me from _my_ uncertainty. "

"You mean about Prince Roland? I shall do whatever you ask of me. "

"I place no command, but I proffer a suggestion. "

"It shall be a command, nevertheless. "

"We have left your own prison far behind, and are approaching that ofPrince Roland. To the door of that detaining Castle I propose to leadyou. I am forbidden by my compact with the other Electors to see PrinceRoland or to hold any communication with him. The custodian of theCastle, who knows me well, will not refuse any request I make, even if Iask to see the young man himself. He will therefore not hesitate toadmit you when I require him to do so. To take away any taint ofsurreptitiousness about my action, interfering, as one might say, withanother man's house, I shall this evening write to the Archbishop ofMayence, tell him exactly what I have done, and why. "

"Do you intend, then, that I should see Prince Roland and talk withhim?"

"Yes. "

"My dear Guardian!" cried the girl, her face flushing red, "what onearth can I say to him? How am I to excuse my intrusion?"

"A prisoner, I fancy, does not resent intrusion, especially if theintruder is--" The old man smiled as he looked at the girl, whose blushgrew deeper and deeper; then, seeing her confusion, he added: "There aremany things to say. Introduce yourself as the ward of his Lordship ofCologne; reveal that your guardian has confided to you that PrinceRoland is to be the future Emperor; ask for some assurance from him thatthe property descending to you from your ancestors shall not bemolested; or perhaps, better still, with the same introduction, tell himthe story of Father Ambrose. Add that this has disquieted you: demandthe truth, hearken to what the youth says for himself, thank him, andwithdraw. It needs no long conversation, though I am prepared to hearthat he wished to lengthen your stay. I am certain that five minutesface to face with him will completely overturn all Father Ambrose hassaid to his disparagement, and a few simple words from him will probablydispel the whole mystery. If someone is personating him in Frankfort itis more than likely he knows who it is. "

They traveled a generous furlong together in silence, the girl's headbowed and her brow troubled. At last, as if with an effort, she cleareddoubt away, and raised her head. 

"I will do it, " she said decisively. 

The Archbishop heaved a deep sigh of relief. He knew now he was out ofthe wood. 

"Is this Assmannshausen we are coming to?" she asked, as if to hint thatthe subject on which they had talked so earnestly was finally done with. 

"No; this is Lorch, and that is the Castle of Nollich standing aboveit. "

"I hope, " said the girl, with a sigh of weariness, "that no EnglishPrincess about to marry an Emperor lodged there, or no Englishman whowas to become an Emperor--"

The Archbishop interrupted the plaint with a hearty laugh, the first hehad enjoyed for several days. 

"The English seem an interfering race, " she went on. "I wish they wouldattend to their own affairs. "

"Nollich is uncontaminated, " said the Archbishop, "though in olden daysa reckless knight on horseback rode up to secure his lady-love, and Ibelieve rode down again with her, and his route is still called theDevil's Ladder. "

"Did the marriage turn out so badly?"

"No; I believe they lived happily ever after; but the ascent was socliff-like that mountain sprites are supposed to have given theirassistance. "

"How much farther is Assmannshausen?"

"Less than two leagues. We will stop there and refresh ourselves. Areyou tired?"

"Oh no; not in the least. I merely wish the ordeal was past. "

"You are a brave girl, Hildegunde. "

"I am anything but that, Guardian. Still, do not fear I shall flinch. "

After partaking of the midday meal at Assmannshausen, the Countessproposed that they should leave their horses in the stable, and walk theshort third of a league to Ehrenfels, and to this her guardian agreed. 

He found more difficulty with the custodian than had been expected. Theman objected, trembling. Without a written order from his master he darenot allow any one to visit the prisoner. He would be delighted to obligehis Lordship of Cologne, but he was merely a poor wretch who had nooption in the matter. 

"Very well, " said Cologne. "I have just come from your master, who isstopping with my brother Treves at Stolzenfels. If you persist I mustthen request lodgings from you until such time as a speedy messenger canbring your master hither. This journey may cause him greatinconvenience, and should such be the case, I fear you will fare illwith him. "

"That may be, my Lord, but I must do my duty. "

"Are you sure you have already done it on all occasions?" asked theArchbishop severely. 

The man's face became ghastly in its pallor. 

"I don't know what you mean, my Lord. "

"Then I will quickly tell you what I mean. It is rumored that PrinceRoland has been seen on the streets of Frankfort. "

"How--how could that be, my Lord?"

"That is exactly what I wish to know. I believe the Prince is not inyour custody. "

"I assure you, my Lord, " said the now thoroughly frightened man, "thathis Highness is in his room. "

"Very well; then conduct this lady thither. Although she does not knowthe Prince, a relative of hers who does asserts that he met his Highnessin Frankfort. I said this was impossible if you had done that duty youprate so much about. The lady merely wishes to ask him for someexplanation of this affair, so make your choice. Shall she go up withyou now, or must I send for the other two Archbishops?"

There was but one comforting phrase in this remark, namely, that thelady did not know the Prince. Still, it was a dreadful risk, yet thecustodian hesitated no longer. He took down a bunch of keys, and askedthe Countess to follow him. Ascending the stair, he unlocked the door, and stood aside for the Countess to pass through. 

Some one with wildly tousled hair sat sprawling in a chair; arms on thetable, and head sunk forward down upon them. A full tankard of winewithin his reach, and a flagon had been overset, sluicing the table withits contents, which still fell drip, drip, drip, to the floor. 

The young man raised his head, aroused by the harsh unlocking of thedoor, and with the crash it made as his father flung it hard against thestone wall for the purpose of giving him warning, but the youth was inno condition to profit by this thoughtfulness, nor to understand thesignals his father made from behind the frightened girl. He clutchedwildly at the overturned flagon, and with an oath cried:

"Bring me more wine, you old--"

Staggering to his feet, he threw the flagon wide, then slipped on thespilled wine and fell heavily to the floor, roaring defiance at theworld. 

The panic-stricken girl shrank back, crying to the jailer:

"Let me out! Close the door quickly, and lock it!" an order obeyed withalacrity. 

When Hildegunde emerged to the court her guardian asked no question. Thehorror in her face told all. 

"I am sorry, my Lord, " said the cringing custodian, "but his Highness isdrunk. "

"Does this--does this happen often?"

"Alas! yes, my Lord. "

"Poor lad, poor lad! The sins of the fathers shall be visited on thechildren to the third and fourth generation. Hildegunde, forgive me. Letus away and forget it all. "

The next morning the Countess began her imprisonment in Pfalz. 

XV

JOURNEYS END IN LOVERS' MEETING

Roland slept until the sun was about an hour high over the westernhills. He found the captain waiting patiently for him to awake, and thenthat useful martinet instantly set his crew at tying up the bales whichhad been torn open, placing them once more in the hold. He was about todo the same with the weapons captured from Furstenberg, but Greuselstepped forward, and asked him to put pikes, battle-axes, and the longswords into the cabin. 

Roland nodded his approval, saying:

"They may prove useful instruments in case of an attack on the barge. Our own swords are just a trifle short for adding interest to anassault. "

When once more the hatches were down, and the deck clear, supper wasserved. Shortly after sunset, Roland told the captain to cast off, directing him to keep to the eastern shore, passing between what mightbe called the marine Castle of Pfalz and the village of Caub, with thestrictest silence he could enjoin upon his crew. Pfalz stands upon arock in the Rhine, a short distance up the river from Caub, while abovethat village on the hill behind are situated the strong, square towersof Gutenfels. 

"Don't you intend to pay a call upon Pfalzgrafenstein?" asked Ebearhard. "It is notoriously the most pestilent robber's nest between Mayence andCologne. "

"No, " said Roland. "On this occasion Pfalz shall escape. You see, Ebearhard, on our first trip down the Rhine it is not my intention tofight if I can avoid conflict. The plan which proved successful with thefour castles we have visited is impossible so far as Pfalz is concerned. If we attempted to enter this waterschloss by stealth, we would bediscovered by those levying contributions on the barge. There is nocover to conceal us, so I shall give Pfalz the go-by, and alsoGutenfels, because the latter is not a robber castle, but is owned bythe Count Palatine, a true gentleman and no thief. The next object ofour attentions will be Schonburg, on the western side of the river, nearOberwesel. "

As the grotesque, hexagonal bulk of the Pfalz, with its numerous juttingcorners and turrets, and over all the pentagonal tower, appeared dimlyin the center of the Rhine, under the clear stars, the captain orderedhis men to lie flat on the deck, himself following their example. Rolandand his company were already seated in the cabin, and the great barge, lying so low in the water as to be almost invisible with its blackpaint, floated noiseless as a dream down the swift current. 

Without the slightest warning came a shock, and every man on the lockerswas flung to the floor of the cabin, with cries of dismay, for too wellthey recognized the preliminary to their disasters of the night before. Roland sprang up on deck, and found the boat swinging round broadside tothe current, which had swept it so near to the Castle that at first itseemed to have struck against one of the outlying rocks. The fantasticform of the Pfalz hung over them, looking like some weird building seenin a nightmare, its sharp, pointed pinnacles outlined against thestarlit sky. 

The captain, muttering sonorous German oaths, ordered his men to thesweeps, but Roland saw at once that they were too close to the ledge ofrock for any chance of escape. He hurried down into the cabin. 

"Every man his sword, and follow me as silently as possible!"

Up on deck again, Roland said to the captain:

"Let your rowers help the chain to bring the barge alongside, but whenthe robbers appear, pretend to be getting away, although you mustinstantly obey them when ordered to cease your efforts. "

The prow of the boat ground against the solid rock, jammed in betweenthe stout chain and the low cliff. Roland was the first to springashore, and the rest nimbly followed him. With every motion of the bargethe bell inside the Castle rang, and now they could hear the bestirringof the garrison, and clashing of metal, although the single door of thePfalz had not yet been opened. This door stood six feet above theplateau of rock, and could be entered or quitted only by means of aladder. 

Roland led his men to a place of effective concealment along the westernwall of the Pfalz, only just in time, for as he peered round the corner, his men standing back against the wall to the rear, he saw the flash oftorches from the now-open door, and the placing of a stout ladder at asteep angle between the threshold and the floor of rock below. Most ofthe garrison, however, did not wait for this convenience, but leapedimpetuously from doorway to rock. Others slid down the ladder, and allrushed headlong towards the barge, which made its presence known by thegrinding of its side against the rock, and also by the despairing ordersof the captain, and the hurrying footsteps of his men on deck. 

More leisurely down the ladder came two officers, followed by one whomRoland recognized as lord of the Castle, Pfalzgraf Hermann von Stahleck, a namesake and relative of the Laughing Baron of Furstenberg, and quiteas ruthless a robber as he. 

"Cease your efforts at the prow, " shouted the Pfalzgraf to the captainwhen he had descended the ladder, "and concentrate your force at thestern, swinging your boat round broadside on to the landing. "

The captain obeyed, and presently the boat lay in such position as thenobleman desired. Now there was a great commotion as, at a word from thePfalzgraf, the garrison fell on the barge, and began to wrench off thehatches, a task which they well knew how to perform. 

"Follow as quietly as possible, " whispered Roland to the two lieutenantsbehind him, who, under their breath, passed on word to the men. Rolandran nimbly up the ladder. No guard was set where none had ever beenneeded before. Greusel was the last to ascend, then the ladder waspulled up, and the massive door swung shut, bolted and chained. 

The invaders found torches stuck here and there along the wall, and thepicturesque courtyard, with its irregular balconies and stairways, seemed, in the flickering light, more spacious than was actually thecase. 

Although for the moment in safety, Roland experienced a sense ofimprisonment as he gazed round the narrow limits of this enclosure. Hehad endeavored to count the number of men who followed the Pfalzgraf, but their impetuosity in seeking the barge prevented an accurateestimate, although he knew there were more than double the force thatobeyed him, and therefore it would be suicidal to lead his untrainedcoterie against the seasoned warriors of Stahleck. 

He ordered Greusel to take with him six men, and search the Castle, bringing into the courtyard whomsoever they might find; also to discoverwhether any window existed that looked out upon the easternlanding-place. The remainder of his men he grouped at the door, undercommand of Ebearhard. 

"I fear, Ebearhard, " he said, "that I boasted prematurely in thinkinggood luck would attend me now that I lead what appears to be an obedientfollowing. Here we are in a trap, and unless we can escape throughrat-holes, I admit that I fail to see for the moment how we are to getsafely afloat again. "

"We are in better fettle than the Pfalzgraf and his men outside, "returned Ebearhard, "because this fortress is doubtless well suppliedwith provisions, and is considered impregnable, while the Pfalzgraf'simpetuous chaps, who did not know enough to stay in comfortable quarterswhen they had them, are without shelter and without food. You havecertainly done the best you could in the circumstances, and for thosecircumstances you are free of blame, since, not being a wizard, youcould scarcely know of the chain. "

"Indeed, Ebearhard, it is just in that respect I blame myself, neglecting your own good example, who discovered the chain atFurstenberg. This trap is a new invention, and, so far as I know, hasnever before been attempted on the Rhine. I might have remembered thatStahleck here is cousin to the Red Margrave, who likely has told him ofthe device. Indeed, the chances are that Stahleck himself was thecontriver of the chain, for he seems a man of much more craft andintelligence than that huge, laughing animal farther up the river. Ishould have ordered the captain to tie up against the eastern bank, andthen sent some men in a small boat to learn if the way was clear. No, Ebearhard, I blame myself for this muddle, and, through anxiety to passthe Pfalz, I have landed myself and my men within its walls. I must pacethis courtyard for a time, and ponder what next to do. Go you, Ebearhard, with the men to the door. Allow no talking or noise. Listenintently, and report to me if you hear anything. You see, Ebearhard, thedevil of it is that Stahleck, like his cousin with Cologne, swearsallegiance to the Archbishop of Mayence, and here am I, after destroyingthe fief of one Archbishop, securely snared in the fief of another. Ifear their Lordships' next meeting with me will not pass off so amicablyas did the last. "

"_Next_ meeting?" cried Ebearhard in astonishment; "have you ever metthe Archbishops?"

Roland gasped, realizing that his absorption in one subject had nearlycaused him to betray his momentous secret. 

"Ah, I remember, " continued Ebearhard. "It was on account of theArchbishop's presence in Bonn that you returned from that town whenfirst you journeyed up the Rhine. "

"Yes, " said Roland, with relief. 

"It seems to me, " went on Ebearhard consolingly, "that even if we maynot leave the Castle, at least the Pfalzgraf cannot penetrate into thestronghold, therefore we are safe enough. "

"Not so, Ebearhard, " replied his chief. "The Pfalzgraf has the barge, remember, and it can carry his whole force to Caub or elsewhere, returning with ample provisions and siege instruments that will batterin the door despite all we can do. Nevertheless, let us keep up ourhearts. Get you to the gate, Ebearhard. I must have time to think beforeGreusel returns. "

Alone, with bent head, he paced back and forwards across the courtyardunder the wavering light of the torches. Very speedily he concluded thatno plan could be formed until Greusel made his report regarding theintricacies of the Castle. 

"My luck is against me! My luck is against me!" he said aloud tohimself, as if the sound of his own voice might suggest some way out ofthe difficulty. 

"Luck always turns against a thief and a marauder, " said a sweet andclear voice behind him; "and how can it be otherwise, when thegallows-tree stands at the end of his journey. "

Roland stopped in his walk, and turned abruptly towards the sound. Hesaw standing there, just descended from the stairway at her back, onequite evidently a lady; not more than eighteen, perhaps, butnevertheless with a flash of defiance in her somber eyes, which werebent fearlessly upon him. The two tirewomen accompanying her shranktimorously to the background, palpably panic-stricken, and ready tofaint with fright. 

"Ah, Madam, how came you here?" cried Roland, ignoring her insultingwords, too much surprised by her beauty of face and form to think ofaught else. 

"I came here, because your bully upstairs hammered at my door and bademe open, which I would not do, defying him to break it down if he hadthe power. It so happened that he possessed the power, and used it. "

"I deeply regret that you should have been disturbed, Madam. Mylieutenant erred through over-zeal, and I ask your pardon for theoffense. "

The girl laughed. 

"Why, sir, you are the politest of pirates, but, indeed, your lieutenantseems a harsh man. Without even removing his bonnet, he commanded me tobetake myself to the courtyard and report to his chief, which obedientlyI have done. "

"I did not guess that women inhabited this robber's nest. My lieutenantis searching for men in hiding, so please accept my assurance that youwill suffer no further annoyance. You are surely not alone in thishouse?"

"Oh no. Her ladyship the Pfalzgraf's wife, and her entourage, havesought shelter in another part of the Castle, and presently they willall troop down here, prisoners to your most ungallant subordinate; thatis, should their doors prove no stouter than mine, or if your furiousmen have not dislocated their shoulders. "

"How came you to be absent from her ladyship's party?"

"Because, urbane pirate captain, I am an unwilling prisoner in thisstronghold, being an obstreperous person, who refused to obey mysuperiors; those set in authority over me. Consequently am I immured inthis dismal dungeon of the water-rats, and thus, youthful pirate, Iwelcome even so red-handed an outlaw as yourself. "

"Then are we in like case, my lady of midnight beauty, for I, too, am aprisoner in Pfalzgrafenstein, and, when you came, was cogitating someplan of escape. Therefore, rebellious maiden, the sword of thisred-handed freebooter is most completely at your service, " and thespeaker once more doffed his bonnet with a gallant sweep that caused theplume to kiss the flagstones at his feet, and he bowed low to the bravegirl who had shown no fear of him. 

XVI

MY LADY SCATTERS THE FREEBOOTERS AND CAPTURES THEIR CHIEF

Greusel appeared on one of the balconies, and called down to his leader. 

"There are, " he said, "a number of women in the western rooms of theCastle. They have bolted their doors, but tell me that the rooms containthe Pfalzgravine von Stahleck and other noble ladies, with theirtirewomen. What am I to do?"

"Place a guard in the corridor, Greusel, to make sure that these ladiescommunicate with no one outside the fortress. "

"I thought it well, " explained Greusel, "not to break in the doorswithout definite instructions from you to that effect. "

"Quite right. Tell the ladies we will not molest them. "

"You molested me!" cried the handsome girl in the courtyard, her darkeyes flashing in the glow of the torches. 

"This person, " said the unemotional Greusel, betraying no eye forbeauty, "called us every uncomplimentary name she could think of. Wewere the scum of the earth, according to her account. "

The girl laughed scornfully. 

"But I would not have dislodged her, " continued Greusel, unperturbed, "had she not said there was a window in her room, which is on theeastern side of the Castle, overlooking the operations of the Pfalzgrafon the barge, and she proclaimed her determination to warn Stahleck thathis Castle was filled with freebooters, as soon as she could make hervoice heard above the din at the landing. Therefore I broke in the door, ordering her and the tirewomen to descend to the courtyard. On examiningher room I find there is no such window as she described, and she couldnot communicate with the Count, so I advise that you send her backagain. "

Once more the young lady laughed, and exclaimed:

"I could not break down the door for myself, so compelled you and yourclods to do it. I am immured here; a reluctant captive. You will nothave me sent back to my cell, I hope, Commander?"

"No; if you are really my fellow-prisoner, and not one of the enemy. "

"She may be deluding you also, " warned Greusel. 

"I will take the risk of that, " replied Roland, smiling at the girl, whosmiled back at him. She had a will of her own, but seemed sensitivelyresponsive to fair treatment. 

"Are there any men-servants?" asked Roland. 

"Only three, and they are tottering with age, " replied Greusel, "morefrightened than the women themselves. Nevertheless, one of the retainersis important, being, as he told me, keeper of the treasure-house. Irelieved him of his keys, and find that the strong-room is well suppliedwith bags of gold. 'Twill be the richest haul yet, excepting our twobarrels of coin from--"

"Hush, hush!" cried Roland. "Mention no names. Did you discover anyother exit excepting the door by which we entered?"

"No; but at the northern end there is a window through which a man ofordinary size might pass. It is, however, high above the rocks, and Idiscern floating in the tide a fleet of small boats. "

"Ah, " said Roland, "that is important. "

"Taken in conjunction with the gold, most amiable robber, " suggested thegirl. 

"Taken in conjunction with the gold, " repeated Roland, smiling again;and adding, "Taken also in conjunction with a lady who, if I understandher, wishes to escape from the Pfalz. "

"You are right, " agreed the young girl archly. "Do I receive a share ofthe money?"

"Yes; if you join our band. "

"Oh!" she cried, with a pout of feigned disappointment, "I thought youhad already accepted me as a member. And what am I to call my newoverlord, who acquires wealth so successfully that he does not wish theamount mentioned, or the place from which it was taken specified?"

"My name is Roland. Will you consent to a fair exchange?"

"I am called Hilda by my friends. "

"Then, Hilda, " said the young man, looking at her with admiration, "Iwelcome you as one of my lieutenants. "

"One, indeed!" she exclaimed, with affected indignation. "I shall befirst lieutenant or nothing. "

"Up to this moment Herr Joseph Greusel, who so unceremoniously made youracquaintance, has been my chief lieutenant, but I willingly depose him, and give you his place. "

"Do you hear that, Joseph?" Hilda called up to the man leaning over thebalcony. 

The deposed one made a grimace, but no reply. 

"Set your guard, and come down, Greusel. "

Presently Greusel appeared in the courtyard, followed by four men. 

"I have left two on guard, " he said. 

"Right. What have you done with the servants?"

"Tied them up in a hard knot. I found a loft full of ropes. "

"Right again. Take your four men, and stand guard at the door. SendEbearhard to me. "

Before Ebearhard arrived, Roland turned to the girl. 

"Retire to your room, " he said, "and bid your women gather togetherwhatever you wish to carry with you. "

"I'd rather stay where I am, " protested Hilda, "being anxious to hearwhat your plans are. I confess I don't know how you can emerge from thisCastle in safety. "

"Fräulein Hilda, the first duty of a chief lieutenant is obedience. "

"Refusing that, what will you do?"

"I shall call two of my men, cause you to be transported to your room, and order them to see that you do not leave it again. "

"Remaining here when you have departed?"

"That, of course. "

"You will take the gold, however. "

"Certainly; the gold obeys me; doing what I ask of it. "

For a few moments the girl stood there, gazing defiance at him, butalthough a slight smile hovered about his lips, she realized in somesubtle way--woman's intuition, perhaps--that he meant what he said. Hereyes lowered, and an expression of pique came into her pretty face; thenshe breathed a long sigh. 

"I shall go to my room, " she said very quietly. 

"I will call upon you the moment I have given some instructions to mythird lieutenant. "

"You need not trouble, " she replied haughtily, speaking, however, asmildly as himself. "I remain a prisoner of the Pfalzgraf von Stahleck, who, though a distinguished pillager like yourself, neverthelesspossesses some instincts of a gentleman. "

With that, the young woman retired slowly up the stairway, anddisappeared, followed by her two servants. 

"Ebearhard, " said Roland, when that official appeared, "Greusel hasdiscovered a window to the north through which yourself and a number ofyour men can get down to the rocks with the aid of a cord, and he tellsme there is a loft full of ropes. A flotilla of boats is tied up at thelower end of the Castle. He has visited the treasury, and finds it wellsupplied with bags of coin. I intend to effect a junction between thosebags and that flotilla. Our position here is quite untenable, for thereis probably some secret entrance to this Castle that we know nothing of. There are also a number of women within whom we cannot coerce, and mustnot starve. Truth to tell, I fear them more than I do the ruffiansoutside. Have any of the men-at-arms discovered that we pulled up theladder and closed the door?"

"I think not, for in such case they would return from their pillages asquickly as did the Red Margrave when he found his house was ablaze. Myopinion is that they are making a clean job of looting the barge. "

"If that is so, our barrels of gold are gone, rendering it the morenecessary that we should carry away every kreuzer our friend Stahleckpossesses. Call, therefore, every man except one from the door. Greuselhas the keys, and will lead you to the treasury. Hoist the bags to thenorth window. While your men are doing this, rive a stout rope so thatyou may all speedily descend to the rocks, except as many as arenecessary to lower the bags. When this is accomplished, Greusel is toreport to me from the balcony, and then descend, taking with him the manon guard at the door. Apportion men and bags in all the boats but one. That one I shall take charge of. Put Greusel in command of the flotilla, and tell him to convey his fleet as quietly as possible to the easternshore; then paddle up in slack water until he is, say, a third of aleague above Pfalz. There he must await my skiff. You will stand by thatskiff until I join you. I shall likely be accompanied by three women, soretain the largest and most comfortable of the small boats. "

Ebearhard raised his eyebrows at the mention of the women, but saidnothing. 

Roland went in person to the room occupied by the young woman, andknocked at her door, whereupon it was opened very promptly. 

"Madam, " he said, "there is opportunity for escape if you care to availyourself of it. "

The girl had been seated when he entered, but now she rose, speaking ina voice that was rather tremulous. 

"Sir, I was wrong to disobey you when you had treated me so kindly. Ishall therefore punish myself by remaining where I am. "

"In that case, Madam, you will punish me as well; and, indeed, I deserveit, forgetting as I did for the moment that I addressed a lady. If youwill give me the pleasure of escorting you, I shall conduct you insafety to whatever place of refuge you wish to reach. "

"Sir, you are most courteous, but I fear my intended destination mighttake you farther afield than would be convenient for you. "

"My time is my own, and nothing could afford me greater gratificationthan the assurance of your security. Tell me your destination. "

"It is the Convent of Nonnenwerth, situated on an island larger thanthis, near Rolandseck. "

"I shall be happy to convoy you thither. "

"Again I thank you. It is my desire to join the Sisterhood there. "

"Not to become a nun?" cried Roland, an intonation of disappointment inhis voice. 

"Yes; although to this determination my guardian is opposed. "

"Alas, " said Roland, with a sigh, "I confess myself in agreement withhim so far as your taking the veil is concerned. Still, imprisonmentseems an unduly harsh alternative. "

The girl's seriousness fled, and she smiled at him. 

"As you have had some experience of my obstinacy, and proposed an evenharsher remedy than that--"

"Ah, you forget, " interrupted Roland, "that I apologized for my lack ofmanners. I hope during our journey to Nonnenwerth I may earn completeforgiveness. "

"Oh, you are forgiven already, which is magnanimous of me, when yourecollect that the fault was wholly my own. I will join you in thecourtyard at once if I may. "

"Very well. I shall be down there after I have given final instructionsto my men. "

Roland arrived at the north window, and saw that the flotilla hadalready departed. He could discern Ebearhard standing with his hand onthe prow of the remaining boat, so pulled up the rope, untied it fromthe ring to which it was fastened, and threw it down to his lieutenant. 

"A rope is always useful, " he whispered, "and we will puzzle the goodPfalzgraf regarding our exit. "

In the courtyard he found the three women awaiting him. Quietly he drewback the heavy bolts, and undid the stout chains. Holding the doorslightly ajar, he peered out at the scene on the landing, brightlyilluminated by numerous torches which the servants held aloft. 

The men-at-arms were enjoying themselves hugely, and the great heap ofbales already on the rocks showed that they resolved not to leave evenone package on the barge. The fact that they stood in the lightprevented their seeing the exit of the quartette from the Castle, evenhad any been on the outlook. 

Roland swung the door wide, placed the ladder in exactly the sameposition it had formerly occupied, assisted the three women to theground, and then led them round the western side of the Castle throughthe darkness to Ebearhard and his skiff. Dipping their paddles withgreat caution, they kept well out of the torchlight radius. 

As they left the shadow of the Castle, and came within sight of theparty on the landing, they were somewhat startled by a lusty cheer. 

"Ah, " said Ebearhard, "they have discovered our barrels of gold. "

"'Tis very likely, " replied Roland. 

"Still, " added Ebearhard consolingly, "I think we have made a goodexchange. There appears to be more money in Stahleck's bags than in ourtwo barrels. "

"By the Three Kings!" cried Roland, staring upstream, "the barge isgetting away. They have looted her completely, and are giving her aparting salute. The robbers evidently bear no malice against our popularcaptain. Hear them inviting him to call again!"

They listened to the rattle of the big chain. It was more amenable thanthat at Furstenberg, confirming Roland in his belief that Stahleck wasthe inventor of the device. They saw half a dozen men paying out a rope, while the first section of the chain sank, leaving a passage-way for thebarge. Silhouetted against the torchlight, the boatmen were gettingready with their sweeps, prepared to dip them into the water as soon asthe vessel got clear of the rocky island. 

"We will paddle alongside before they begin to row, " said Roland; andCaptain Blumenfels was gently hailed from the river, much to hisastonishment. 

"Make for the eastern bank, captain, " whispered Roland, "and keep alookout ahead for a number of small boats like this. "

Presently, rowing up the river strenuously, close to the shore, thebarge came upon the flotilla. Here Roland bade Hilda remain where shewas, and leaving Ebearhard in charge of the skiff, he clambered up onthe barge, ordering Greusel to range his boats alongside and flingaboard the treasure. 

"Well, captain, did his Excellency of Pfalz leave you anything at all?"

"Not a rag, " replied the captain. "The barge is empty as a drum. "

"In that case there is nothing for it but a speedy return to Frankfort. I do not regret the cloth, which has been paid for over and over again, but I am mercenary enough to grudge Stahleck our two barrels of gold. "

"Oh, as to the gold, " replied the captain gravely, "I took the libertyof reversing your plan at Lorch. "

"What plan?"

"Your honor poured gold into wine barrels, but I poured the red wine ofLorch into the gold barrels, and threw the empty cask overboard. Perhapsyou know that the Pfalzgraf grows excellent white wine round his Castleof Stahleck, and despises the red wine of Lorch and Assmannshausen. Hetasted the wine, which had not been improved by being poured into thedirty gold barrels, spat it out with an oath, and said we were welcometo keep it. He has also promised to send me a cask of good white wine toFrankfort. "

"Captain, despite your quiet, unassuming manner, you are the mostingenious of men. "

"Indeed, I but copied your honor's ingenuity. "

"However it happened, you saved the gold, and that action alone willmake a rich man of you, for you must accept my third share of themoney. "

By this time the bags had been heaved aboard. Greusel followed them, andstood ready to receive further orders. 

"You will all make for Frankfort, " said Roland, "keeping close aspossible to this side of the river. No man is to be allowed ashore untilyou reach the capital. Captain, are there provisions enough aboard forthe voyage?"

"Yes, your honor. "

"Very well. Put every available person at the oars, and get pastFurstenberg before daybreak. My men, who have not had an opportunity todistinguish themselves as warriors, will take their turn at the sweeps. You and Ebearhard, " he continued, turning to Greusel, "will employ thetime in counting the money and making a fair division. With regard tothe two barrels, the captain will receive my third share, and also beone of us in the apportionment of the gold we secured to-night. It wasthrough his thoughtfulness that the barrels were saved. Whatever portionyou find me entitled to, place in the keeping of the merchant, HerrGoebel. And now I shall tie four bags to my belt for emergencies. "

"Are you not coming with us, Roland?" asked Greusel anxiously. 

"No. Urgent business requires my presence in the neighborhood of Bonn, but I shall meet you in the Kaiser cellar before a month is out. "

Saying this, he shook hands with the captain and Greusel, and descendedinto the small boat, bidding farewell to Ebearhard. 

"Urge them, " were his last words, "to get well out of sight of Pfalz andFurstenberg before the day breaks, and as for the small boats, turn themloose; present them as a peace-offering to the Rhine. "

In the darkness Prince Roland allowed his frail barque to float down thestream, using his paddle merely to keep it toward the east, so to avoidthe chain. He found himself accompanied by a silent, spectral fleet; theempty boats that his men had sent adrift. To all appearance the littlesquadron lay motionless, while the dim Castle of Pfalz, with its scoreof pointed turrets piercing a less dark sky, seemed like a great shipmoving slowly up the Rhine. When it had disappeared to the south, Rolandventured to speak, in a low voice. 

"Madam, " he said, "tell your women so to arrange what extra apparel youhave brought to form a couch, where you may recline, and sleep for therest of the night. "

"Captain Roland, " she replied, her gentle little laugh floating with somusical a cadence athwart the waters that he found himself regrettingsuch a sweet voice should be kept from the world by the unappreciativewalls of a convent, --"Captain Roland, I was never more awake than I amat this moment. Life has somehow become unexpectedly interesting. Iexperience the deliciously guilty feeling of belonging to a stealthysociety of banditti. Do not, I beg of you, deprive me of that pleasureby asking me to sleep. "

"In the morning, Madam, there will be little opportunity for rest. Wemust put all the distance we can between ourselves and the Pfalzgrafvon Stahleck. I expect you to ride far and fast to-morrow. "

"Do you intend, then, to abandon this boat?"

"I must, Madam. The river has been long so empty that this flotilla, which I cannot shake off, being unaccustomed to oars or paddle, willattract attention from both sides of the Rhine, and when the darknesslifts we are almost certain to be stopped. The boats will be recognizedas belonging to the Pfalzgraf, and I wish to sever all connectionbetween this night's work and my own future. "

"What, then, do you propose?"

"As soon as day breaks we will come to land, and allow our boat to floataway with the rest. Can you walk?"

"I love walking, " cried the girl with enthusiasm. "I ask your pity formyself, immured in that windowless dungeon, situated on a tiny point ofrock; I, who have roamed the hills and explored the valleys of my ownland on foot, breathing the air of freedom with delight. Let me, therefore, I beg of you, remain awake that I may taste the pleasure ofanticipation in my thoughts; or is such a wish disobedience on the partof your first lieutenant? I do not mean it so, and will quietly crymyself to sleep if you insist. "

"Indeed, Hilda, " said Roland, laughing, and abandoning the more formaltitle of "madam, " "I am no such tyrant as you suppose. Besides, youroffice of first lieutenant has lapsed, because our men have all gonesouth, while we travel north. "

"Then may I talk with you?"

"Nothing would please me better. I was thinking of your own welfare, andnot of my desire, when I counseled slumber. "

"Oh, I assure you I slept very well during the first part of the night, for, there being nothing else to do, I went to bed early, and was quiteunconscious until the dreadful ringing of that alarm bell, which set thewhole Castle astir. "

"Why were you imprisoned?"

"Because--because, " she replied haltingly, "I had chosen the religiouslife, the which my guardian opposed. He appeared to think that someexperience of the rigors of the convent might make me less eager toimmure myself in a nunnery, which, like Pfalz Castle, is also on arestricted island. "

"Then his remedy has proved unavailing?"

"Quite. The Sisters will be very good to me, for I shall enrich theirconvent with my wealth. 'Twill be vastly different from incarceration inPfalz. "

"Hilda, I doubt that. Captivity is captivity, under whatever name youterm it. I cannot understand why one who spoke so enthusiastically justnow of hills and valleys and liberty should take the irrevocable stepwhich you propose; a step that will rob you forever of those joys. "

The girl remained silent, and he went on, speaking earnestly:

"I think in one respect you are like myself. You love the murmur of thetrees, and the song of the running stream. "

"I do, I do, " she whispered, as if to herself. 

"The air that blows around the mountain-top inspires you, and you cannotview the hills on the horizon without wishing to explore them, and learnwhat is on the other side. "

There was light enough for him to see that the girl's head sank into heropen hand. 

"You, I take it, have never been restricted by discipline. "

Her head came up quickly. 

"You think that because of what I said in the courtyard?"

"No; my mind was running towards the future rather than to the past. Therigor of strict rules would prove as irksome to you as would a cage to afree bird of the forest. "

"I fear you are in the right, " she said with a sigh; and then, impatiently, "Oh, you do not understand the situation, and I cannotexplain! The convent is merely a retreat for me; the lesser of two evilspresented. "

"You spoke of your land. Where is that land?"

"Do you know Schloss Sayn?" she asked. 

"Sayn? Sayn?" he repeated. "Where have I heard that name before, andrecently too? I thought I knew every castle on the Rhine, but I do notremember Sayn. "

The girl laughed. 

"You will find no fellow-craftsman there, Pirate Roland, if ever youvisit it. The Schloss is not on the Rhine, and, perhaps on that account, rather than because of its owner's honesty, is free from the taint yousuggest. It stands high in the valley of the Saynbach, more than half aleague from this river. "

"Ah, that accounts for my ignorance. I never saw Sayn Castle, although Iseem to have heard of it. Are you its owner?"

"Yes; I told you I was wealthy. "

"Where is the Schloss situated?"

"Below Coblentz, on the eastern side of the river. "

"Then why not let me take you there instead of to the convent?"

"Willingly, if you had brought your barge-load of armed men, but in SaynCastle I am helpless, commanding a peaceful retinue of servants who, although devoted to me, are useless when it comes to defense. "

"I cannot account for it, " said Roland in meditative tone, "but thethought of that convent becomes more and more distasteful. You will befree of your guardian, no doubt, but you merely exchange one whom youknow for another whom you don't, and that other a member of your ownsex. "

"Do you disparage my sex, then?"

"No; but I cannot imagine any man being discourteous to you. Surelyevery gentleman with a sword by his side should spring at once to yourdefense. "

The girl laughed. 

"Ah, Captain Roland, you are very young, and, I fear, inexperienced, despite your filibustering. However, this lovely, still, summer night, with its warm, velvety darkness, was made for pleasant thoughts. Enoughabout myself. Let me hear something of you. Did you come up the river ordown, with your barge?"

"We came down. "

"How long since you adopted a career of crime? You do not seem to be ahardened villain. "

"Believe me, " protested Roland earnestly, "I am not, and I do not admitthat my career is one of crime. "

"Indeed, " said the girl, laughing again, "I am not so gullible as youthink. I could almost fancy that you were the incendiary of FurstenbergCastle. "

"What!" exclaimed Roland in consternation. "How came you to learn of itsdestruction?"

"There!" cried the girl gleefully, "you have all but confessed. You areas startled as if I had said: 'I arrest you in the name of theEmperor!'"

"Who told you that Furstenberg Castle was burned?" demanded the youngman sternly. 

"Yesterday morning there came swiftly down the river, with no less thantwelve oarsmen, a long, thin boat, traveling like the wind. It did notpause at Pfalz, but the man standing in the stern hailed the Castle, andshouted to the Pfalzgraf that Furstenberg had been burned by the outlawsof the Hunsruck. He was on his way to Bonn to inform the Archbishop ofCologne, and he carried also Imperial news for his Lordship: tidingsthat the Emperor is dead. "

"Dead!" breathed Roland in horror, scarcely above his breath. "TheEmperor dead! I wonder if that can be true. "

"Little matter whether it is true or no, " said the girl indifferently. "He doubtless passed away in a drunken sleep, and I am told his drunkenson will be elected in his place. "

"Madam!" said Roland harshly, awakened from his stupor by her words, "Imust inform your ignorance that the Emperor's son is not a drunkard, and, indeed, scarcely touches wine at all, being a most strenuousopposer to its misuse. How can one so fair, and, as I believed, sohonest, repeat such unfounded slander?"

"Are you a partisan of his?"

"I come from Frankfort; have seen the Prince, and know I speak thetruth. "

"Ah, well, " replied the girl lightly, "you and I will not quarrel overhis Highness. I accept your amendment, and will never more bear falsewitness against him. After all, it makes slight difference one way orthe other. An Emperor goes, and an Emperor is elected in his place aspowerless as his predecessor. 'Tis the Archbishops who rule. "

"You seem well versed in politics, Madam. "

The girl leaned forward to him. 

"Do not 'madam' me, I beg of you, Roland. I dare say rumor hasprejudiced me against the young man, but I have promised not to speakslightingly of him again. I wish this veil of darkness was lifted, thatI might see your face, to note the effect of anger. Do you know, I amdisappointed in you, Roland? You spoke in such level tones in thecourtyard that I thought anger was foreign to your nature. "

"I am not angry, " said Roland gruffly, "but I detest malicious gossip. "

"Oh, so do I, so do I! I spoke thoughtlessly. I will kneel to the newEmperor and beg his pardon, if you insist. "

Roland remained silent, and for a time they floated thus down the river, she trailing her fingers in the water, which made a pleasant rippleagainst them, looking up at him now and then. Perceptibly the darknesswas thinning. One seemed to smell morning in the air. A bird pipeddreamily in the forest at intervals, as if only half-awakened. The twowomen reclining in the prow were sound asleep. 

Roland picked up the paddle, and with a strong, sweeping stroke turnedthe head of the boat towards the land. Now she could see his loweringbrow, and if the sight pleased her, 'twas not manifested in her nextremark. 

She took her hand from the water, drew herself up proudly, and said:

"I shall not apologize to you again, and I hate your blameless Prince!"

"Madam, I ask for no apology, and whether you hate or like the Princematters nothing to me, or, I dare say, to him, either. "

"Cannot you even allow a woman her privilege of the last word?" shecried indignantly. 

Roland's brow cleared, and a smile came to his lips, as he remainedsilent, thus bestowing upon her the prerogative she seemed to crave. Hilda lay back in the prow of the boat between her sleeping women, withhands clasped behind her head, and her eyes closed. More and more thelight increased, and sturdily with his paddle Roland propelled the boattowards the shore, bringing it alongside the low bank at last. He sprangout on the turf, and with the paddle in one hand held the boat to landwith the other. 

"We are now, " he said, "a short distance above St. Goarhausen, where Ihope to purchase horses. Will you kindly disembark?"

The girl, without moving, or opening her eyes, said quietly:

"Please throw the paddle into the boat again. I shall make forNonnenwerth in this craft, which is more comfortable than a saddle. "

The paddle came rattling down upon the bottom of the skiff. Rolandstooped, and before she knew what he was about, took Hilda in his arms, lifted her ashore, and laid her carefully on the grass. 

"Come, " he cried to the newly-awakened serving-women, "tumble out ofthat without further delay, " and they obeyed him in haste. 

He stepped into the skiff, flung their belongings on the sward, turnedthe prow to the west, and, leaping ashore, bestowed a kick upon the boatthat impelled it like an arrow far out into the stream. 

Hilda was standing on her feet now, speechless with indignation. 

"Come along, " urged Roland cheerfully, "breakfast awaits us when we earnit;" but seeing that she made no move, the frown furrowed his browagain. 

"Madam, " he said, "I tell you frankly that to be thwarted by petulanceannoys me. It happens that time is of the utmost importance until we aremuch farther from Pfalz. If you think that the ownership of wealth and acastle gives you the right to flout a plain, ordinary man, you take amistaken view of things. I care nothing for your castle, or for yourwealth. You may be a lady of title for aught I know, but even that doesnot impress me. We must not stand here like two quarrelsome children. Iwill conduct you to the Adler Inn at St. Goarhausen, where I know fromexperience you will be taken care of. I shall then purchase four horses, and return to the inn after you have breakfasted. Three of these horsesare at your disposal, also the fourth and myself, if you will condescendto make use of us. If not, I shall ask you to accept what money you needfor your journey, so that you may travel north unmolested, while I takemy way in the other direction. "

"How can I repay the money, " she demanded, "if I do not know who andwhat you are?"

"I shall send for it, either to your Castle of Sayn, or the Convent ofNonnenwerth. You need be under no obligation to me. "

"But, " cried the girl with a sob, "I am already under obligation to you;an obligation which I cannot repay. "

"Oh yes, you can. "

"How?"

"By coming with me, who will persuade you, as readily as you did withyour guardian, who coerced you. "

"I am an ungrateful simpleton, " she murmured. "Of course your way is theright one, and I am quite helpless if you desert me. "

"There, " cried Roland, with enthusiasm, "you have more than repaidwhatever you may owe. "

After breakfasting at St. Goarhausen and purchasing the horses, theyjourneyed down the rough road that extended along the right bank of theRhine. Roland and Hilda rode side by side, the other two following somedistance to the rear. The young man maintained a gloomy silence, and thegirl, misapprehending his thoughts, remained silent also, with downcasteyes, seeing nothing of the beautiful scenery they were passing. Everynow and then Roland cast a sidelong glance at her, and his melancholydeepened as he remembered how heedlessly he had pledged his word to thethree Archbishops regarding his marriage. 

"I see, " she said at last, "that I have offended you more seriously thanI feared. "

"No, no, " he assured her. "There is a burden that I cannot cast from mymind. "

"May I know what it is?"

"I dare not tell you, Hilda. I have been a fool. I am in the position ofa man who must break his oath and live dishonored, or keep it, andremain for ever unhappy. Which would you do were you in my place?"

"Once given, I should keep my oath, " she replied promptly, "unless thosewho accepted it would release me. "

Roland shook his head. 

"They will not release me, " he said dolefully. 

Again they rode together in silence, content to be near each other, despite the young man's alternations of elation and despair. 'Twas, allin all, a long summer's day of sweet unhappiness for each. 

One of Roland's reasons for choosing the right bank of the Rhine was toavoid the important city of Coblentz, with its inevitable questioning, and it was late afternoon when they saw this town on the farther shore, passing it without hindrance. 

"You will rest this night, " she said, "in my Castle of Sayn, and then, as time is pressing, to-morrow you must return. We have met nointerference even by this dangerous route, and I shall make my way alonewithout fear to Nonnenwerth, for I know you are anxious to be inFrankfort once more. "

"I swear to you, Hilda, that if, without breaking my oath, I shouldnever see Frankfort again, I would be the most joyous of men. "

"Does your oath relate to Frankfort?"

"My oath relates to a woman, " he said shortly. 

"Ah, " she breathed, "then you must keep it, " and so they fell intosilence and unhappiness again. 

She had talked of security on the road they traversed, but turning acorner north of Vallandar they speedily found that a Rhine road is neversafe. 

Both reined in their horses as if moved by the same impulse, but toretreat now would simply draw pursuit upon them. Mounted on a splendidwhite charger, gorgeous with trappings, glittering with silver and gold, rode a dignified man in the outdoor habit of a general in times ofpeace. 

Following him came an escort of twoscore horsemen; they in the fullpanoply of war; and behind them, on foot, in procession extending like agigantic snake down the Rhine road, an army of at least three thousandmen, the setting sun flashing fire from the points of their spears. Hereand there, down the line, floated above them silken flags, and Rolandrecognized the device on the foremost one. 

"God!" he shouted in dismay. "The Archbishop of Cologne!"

The girl uttered a little frightened cry, and edged her horse nearer tothat of her escort. 

"My guardian! My guardian!" she breathed. "I shall be rearrested!"

Seeing them standing as if stricken to stone, two horsemen detachedthemselves from the cavalry and galloped forward. 

"Make way there, you fools!" cried the leader. "Get ye to the side; intothe river; where you like; out of the path of my Lord the Archbishop. "

Nevertheless Roland stood his ground, and dared even to frown at theofficers of his Lordship. 

"Stand aside _you_, " he commanded in a tone of mastery, "and do notventure to intrude between the Archbishop and me. "

The rider knew that no man who valued his head would dare use suchlanguage in the very presence of the Archbishop, unless he were thehighest in the land. His dignified Lordship looked up to see the causeof this interruption, and of these angry words. 

First came into his face an expression of amazement, then a smile meltedthe stern lips as he looked on Roland and recognized him. The impetuoushorsemen faded away to the background. There was no answering smile onRoland's face. He reached out and clasped the hand of the girl. 

"Now, by the Three Kings!" he whispered, "I shall break my oath. "

Hilda glanced up at him, frightened by his vehemence, wincing under hisiron grasp. 

An unexpected sound interrupted the tension. The Archbishop had come toa stand, and "Halt! Halt! Halt!" rang out the word along the line ofmen, whose feet ceased to stir the dust of the road. The unexpectedsound was that of hearty laughter from the dignified and mighty Princeof the Church. 

"Forgive me, your Highness!" he cried, "but I laugh to think of thecountenances of my somber brothers, Treves and Mayence, when they learnhow sturdily you have kept your word with them. By the true Cross, Prince Roland, although we wished you to marry her, we had no thoughtthat you would break into the Castle of Pfalz to win her hand. Ah, dear, what a pity 'tis we grow old! The impetuousness of youth outweighs thecalculated wisdom of the three greatest prelates outside Rome. Judgingby your fair face (and I have always held it to be beautiful, remember), you, Hildegunde Lauretta Priscilla Agnes, Countess of Sayn, are notmoving northward to Nonnenwerth. I always insisted that the Saalhof atFrankfort was a more cheerful edifice than any nunnery on the Rhine, yetyou never turned upon me such a glance of confidence as I see you bestowon your future Emperor. "

"I hope, my Lord and Guardian, " cried the girl, "that I have met you intime to deflect your course to my Castle of Sayn. "

"Sweet Countess, I thank you for the invitation. My men can go on totheir camp in the stronghold of my brother of Mayence, SchlossMartinsburg, and I shall gladly return with you to the hospitable hearthof Sayn. Indeed, " said the Archbishop, lowering his voice, "I shall feelsafer there than in enjoying the hospitality I had intended to accept. "

"Are you not surprised to meet me?" asked the lady, with a laugh, adjusting words and manner to the new situation, which she more quicklycomprehended than did her companion, who glanced with bewilderment fromCountess to prelate, and back again. 

The Archbishop waved his hand. 

"Nothing you could do would surprise me, since your interview with theCourt of Archbishops. I am on my way to Frankfort. " Then, moreseriously, to Prince Roland: "You heard of your father's death?"

"I learned it only this morning, my Lord. I shall return to Frankfortwhen I am assured that this gentlewoman is in a place of safety. "

"Ah, Countess, there will be no lack of safety now! But will you notease an old man's conscience by admitting he was in the right?"

The Countess looked up at Roland with a smile. 

"Yes, dear Guardian, " she said. "You were in the right. "

XVII

"FOR THE EMPRESS, AND NOT FOR THE EMPIRE"

While the long line of troops stood at salute in single file, theArchbishop turned his horse to the north and rode past his regiments, followed by the Countess and Roland. His Lordship was accompanied to theend of the ranks by his general, who received final instructionsregarding the march. 

"You will encamp for the night not at Schloss Martinsburg, as I hadintended, but a league or two up the Lahn. To-morrow morning continueyour march along the Lahn as far as Limburg, and there await my arrival. We will enter Frankfort by the north gate instead of from the west. "

The Archbishop sat on his horse for some minutes, watching the departingforce, then called Roland to his right hand, and Hildegunde to his left, and thus the three set out on the short journey to Sayn. 

"Your Highness, " began the Archbishop, "I find myself in a position ofsome embarrassment. I think explanations are due to me from you both. Here I ride between two escaped prisoners, and I travel away from, instead of towards, their respective dungeons. My plain duty, onencountering you, was to place you in custody of a sufficient guard, marching you separately the one to Pfalz and the other to Ehrenfels. Having accomplished this I should report the case to my two colleagues, yet here am I actually compounding a misdemeanor, and assistingprisoners to escape. "

"My Lord, " spoke up Roland, "I am quite satisfied that my ownimprisonment has been illegal, therefore I make no apology forcircumventing it. Before entering upon any explanation, I askenlightenment regarding the detention of my lady of Sayn. Am I right insurmising that she, like myself, was placed under arrest by the threeArchbishops?"

"Yes, your Highness. "

"On what charge?"

"High treason. "

"Against whom?"

There was a pause, during which the Archbishop did not reply. 

"I need not have asked such a question, " resumed the Prince, "for hightreason can relate only to the monarch. In what measure has her ladyshipencroached upon the prerogative of the Emperor?"

"Your Highness forgets that there is such a thing as treason against theState. "

"Are not members of the nobility privileged in this matter?"

"They cannot be, for the State is greater than any individual. "

"I shall make a note of that, my Lord of Cologne. I believe you are inthe right, and I hope so. During my lonely incarceration, " the Princelaughed a little, "I have studied the condition of the State, arrivingat the conclusion that the greatest traitors in our land are the threeArchbishops, who, arrogating to themselves power that should belong tothe Crown, did not use that power for suppressing those othertreason-mongers, the Barons of the Rhine. "

"What would you have us do with them?"

"You should disarm them. You should exact restitution of theirillegally-won wealth. You should open the Rhine to honest commerce. "

"That is easy to enunciate, and difficult to perform. If the Castleswere disarmed, especially those on the left bank, a great injusticewould be done that might lead to the extinction of many noble families. Why, the forests of Germany are filled with desperate outlaws, whorespect neither life nor property. I myself have suffered but recentlyfrom their depredations. In broad daylight an irresistible band of theseruffians descended upon and captured the supposed impregnable Castle ofRheinstein, shamefully maltreating Baron Hugo von Hohenfels, tying himmotionless, and nearly strangling him with stout ropes, after which thescoundrels robbed him of every stiver he possessed. The followingmidnight but one they descended on Furstenberg, a fief of my own, andnot contenting themselves with robbery, brought red ruin on the Margraveby burning his Castle to the ground. "

"My Lord, red ruin and the Red Margrave were made for each other. It wasthe justice of God that they should meet. " The young man raised alofthis swordarm, shaking his clenched fist at the sky. "That hand held thetorch that fired Furstenberg. The Castle was taken and burned by threesword makers from Frankfort, who never saw the Hunsruck or the outlawsthereof. "

The Archbishop reined in his horse, and looked at the excited young manwith amazement. 

"_You_ fired Furstenberg?"

"Yes; and effectively, my Lord. I shall rebuild it for you, but the RedMargrave I shall hang, as my predecessor Rudolph did his ancestor. "

An expression of sternness hardened the Archbishop's face. 

"Sir, " he said, "I regret to hear you speak like this, and your safetylies in the fact that I do not believe a word of it. Even so, such wildwords fill me with displeasure. I beg to remind you that the Election ofan Emperor has not yet taken place, and I, for one, am likely toreconsider my decision. Still, as I said, I do not believe a word ofyour absurd tale. "

"I believe every syllable of it!" cried the Countess with enthusiasm, "and glory that there is a mind brave enough, and a hand obedient to it, to smoke out a robber and a murderer. "

The tension this astonishing revelation caused was relieved by a laughfrom the Archbishop. 

"My dear Hildegunde, you are forgetting your own ancestors. I venturethat no woman of the House of Sayn talked thus when the Emperor Rudolphmarched Count von Sayn to the scaffold. You would probably sing anothersong if asked to restore the millions amassed by Henry III. Of Sayn andhis successors; all accumulated by robbery as cruel as any that the RedMargrave has perpetrated. "

"My Lord, " said the Countess proudly, "you had no need to ask thatquestion, for you knew the answer to it before you spoke. Every thaler Icontrol shall be handed over to Prince Roland, to be used for theregeneration of his country. "

Again the Archbishop laughed. 

"Surely I knew that, my dear, and I should not have said what I did. Isuppose you will not allow me to vote against his Highness at the comingElection. "

"Indeed, you shall vote enthusiastically for him, because you know inyour own heart he is the man Germany needs. "

"Was there ever such a change of front?" cried the Archbishop. "Why, mydear, the charges you so hotly made against his Highness are as nothingto what he has himself confessed; yet now he is the savior of Germany, when previously--Ah, well, I must not play the tale-bearer. "

"Prince Roland, " cried the girl, "my kinsman, Father Ambrose, said hemet you in Frankfort, although now I believe him to have been mistaken. "

"Oh no; I encountered the good Father on the bridge. "

"There now!" exclaimed the Archbishop, "what do you say to that, mylady?"

She seemed perplexed by the admission, but quickly replied to hisLordship:

"'Twas you said that could not be, as he was a close prisoner inEhrenfels. " She continued, addressing the Prince: "Father Ambroseasserted that you were a companion of drinkers and brawlers in a lowwine cellar of Frankfort. "

"Quite true; a score of them. "

The girl became more and more perplexed. 

"Did you imprison Father Ambrose?"

"Yes; in the lowest wine cellar, but only for a day or two. I am verysorry, Madam, but it was a stern necessity of war. He was meddling withaffairs he knew nothing of, and there was no time for explanations. He, a man of peace, would not have sanctioned what there was to do even if Ihad explained. "

"He says, " continued the girl, "that he saw you rob a merchant of a bagof gold. "

"That is untrue!" cried the Prince. 

"My dear Hildegunde, what is the robbing of a bag of gold from amerchant when he admits having stolen gold by the castle full?"

"I robbed no merchant, " protested the Prince. "How could Father Ambrosemake such a statement?"

"He mounted an outside stairway on the Fahrgasse, and through lightedwindows on the opposite side saw you place the point of your sword atthe throat of an unarmed merchant, and take from him a bag of gold. "

Roland, whose brow had been knitted into an angry frown, now threw backhis head and laughed joyously. 

"Oh, that was a mere frolic, " he alleged. 

It was the girl's turn to frown. 

"When you took stolen treasure from thievish Barons and Margravesprotected by scores of armed men, with the object of breaking theirpower, for the relief of commerce, I admired you, but to say that thedespoiling of a helpless merchant is a frolic--"

"No, no, my dear, you do not understand, " eagerly corrected the Prince, unconscious of the affectionate phrase that caused a flush to rise inthe cheeks of his listener. "The merchant was, and is, my partner; ablameless man, Herr Goebel, who came near to being hanged on my behalfwhen these Archbishops took me captive. I sought from him a thousandthalers; he insisted on learning my plans for opening the Rhine, andstill would not give the money until, reluctantly, I was obliged toconfess myself son of the Emperor. This he could not credit, stipulatingthat before giving the money I must produce for him a safe-conduct, signed by the Emperor, and verified by the Great Seal of the Empire. This document I obtained at dire personal risk, through the aid of mymother. Here it is. "

He thrust his hand into his doublet, and produced the parchment inquestion, delivering it to the lady, who, however, did not unfold it, but kept her eyes fixed upon him. 

"This distrust annoyed me; it should not have done so, for he was merelyacting in the cautious manner natural to a merchant. With a boyishness Inow regret, I put my sword to his throat, demanding the money, which Ireceived. I took only half of it, for my mother had given me fivehundred thalers. Oh, no; I did not rob my friend Goebel, but merelytried to teach him that lack of faith is a dangerous thing. "

If the old man who listened could have exchanged confidences with theyoung woman who listened, he would have learned they shared the samethought, which was that the young Prince spoke so straight-forwardlyneither doubted him for a moment. The old man, it is true, felt that histalk was rather reckless of consequences, but, on the other hand, thisin itself was complimentary, for, as he remembered, the Prince had beencautious enough when catechized by the three Archbishops together. 

"I have often read, " said Cologne, with a smile, "pathetic accounts ofprisoners, who in extreme loneliness carved their names over and overagain on stone as hard as the jailer's heart, but your Highness seemsrather to have enjoyed yourself while so cruelly interned. May I furtherbeg of you to enlighten us concerning a somewhat bibulous youth who atthe present moment is enjoying, in every sense of the word, thehospitality of Ehrenfels Castle?"

It was now the Archbishop's turn to astonish the Prince. 

"You knew of my device, then?"

"'Knew' is a little too strong. 'Suspect' more nearly fits the case. Youwon over your jailer, and some one else took your place as prisoner. "

"Yes; a young man to whom I owe small thanks, and with whom I have anaccount to settle. He is son of the custodian, and thinks he has us bothunder his thumb, Heinrich drinks as if he were a fish or a Baron, but Ishall cure him of that habit before it becomes firmly established. "

"Am I correct in assuming that you found your liberty only after yourinterview with the three Electors?"

"Oh, bless you, no! I was free months before that time. Indeed, it isonly since then that my substitute is practically useless. Heinrichmight have passed for me at a pinch, but only because neither you noryour colleagues had seen me. I have kept him under lock and key eversince, because I dare not allow him abroad until the Election has takenplace. "

"I see. A very wise precaution. Well, your Highness, I shall say nothingof what you tell me; furthermore, I still promise you my vote; that is, if you will obey my orders until you are elected Emperor. I foresee weare not going to have the easy time with you that was anticipated, butthis concerns Mayence and Treves, rather than myself, for I have noambition to rule by proxy. And now, my lady of Sayn, when we journeyedsouthward that day from Gutenfels Castle I gave you some informationregarding the mind of Mayence. You remember, perhaps, what I said abouthis quandary. I rather suspect that he admires you, notwithstanding yourdefiance of him; but there is nothing remarkable in that, for we allappreciate you, old and young. I, too, carry a document of safe-conduct, like Prince Roland here, although I see that his Highness has placed hissafety in your hands. "

The old man smiled, and Hildegunde found herself still carrying theparchment Roland had given her. For a moment she was confused, thensmiled also, and offered it back; but the Prince shook his head. TheArchbishop went on:

"Mayence sent down to me your written release, signed by himself andTreves. He asked me to attach a signature, and liberate you on my way toFrankfort, which I intended to do had this impetuous young man notforestalled me. By the way, Highness, how did you happen to meetCountess von Sayn in Pfalz?"

"We will tell you about that later, Guardian, " said Hildegunde, beforeRoland could speak. "What instructions did his Lordship of Mayence giveconcerning me?"

"He asked me to bring you to my palace in Frankfort, and subtlyexpressed the hope you had changed your mind. "

"You may assure him I have, " said the Countess, again speaking rapidly;"but let us leave all details of that for the moment. I am then to gowith you to the capital?"

"Yes; to-morrow morning. "

"To remain until the coronation?"

"Certainly; if such is your wish. But do you not see something verysignificant in my brother Mayence's change of plan, for you know he didnot intend to release you until after that event?"

"Yes, yes, " replied the Countess breathlessly. "I see it quite clearly, but do not wish to discuss the matter at the present moment. "

"Very well. I intended to enter Frankfort from the west, but meeting youso unexpectedly, I have deflected my troops up the Lahn to Limburg, atwhich town we will join them to-morrow night, thus following FatherAmbrose's route to the capital. "

"Ah, that will be very interesting. Prince Roland, you accompany us, Ihope?"

"Of a surety, " replied the young man confidently. 

"No, " quietly said the Archbishop. 

"Why not?"

"Because I say no. "

The young man almost an Emperor drew himself up proudly, and his lipspressed together into a firm line of determination. 

"Does your Highness so quickly forget your promise?"

"What promise?" asked the Prince, scowling. 

"In consideration of my keeping silence touching your recent outrageouscareer of fire and slaughter, and the enslavement of Heinrich, youpromised to obey me until you became Emperor. "

"I intend to obey all reasonable requests, but I very much desire toaccompany the Countess from her Castle to the capital, I have never seenLimburg, or taken that route to Frankfort. "

"It is a charming old city, " replied the Archbishop dryly, "which youcan visit any time at the expense of a day's ride. Meanwhile, I shallescort the Countess thither, and endeavor to entertain her with pleasingand instructive conversation during the journey. "

The Prince continued to frown, yet bit his lip and repressed an angryretort. 

"But, " protested the girl, "would it not be much safer for his Highnessto enter the city of Frankfort protected by your army?"

The Archbishop laughed a little. 

"My dear Hildegunde, the presence of Prince Roland causes you tooverlook a vast difference in the status of you both, but surely theexercise of a little imagination should present to you the true aspectof affairs. You are a free woman, and I hold the document by which youregained your liberty. Do not be deluded, therefore, by the apparentfact that his Highness can raise a clenched fist aloft and defy theheavens. It is not so. He wears fetters on his ankles, and manaclesround his wrists. Roland is a prisoner, and must straightway immurehimself. Your Highness, before us stands the stately Castle of Sayn, where presently you shall refresh yourself, and be furnished with anuntired charger, on which to ride all night, that you may reach thegates of Ehrenfels early to-morrow morning. Once there, place thewine-loving Heinrich out of harm in the deepest dungeon, and take hisplace as prisoner. It is arranged that the three Archbishops personallyescort you to Frankfort in the barge of Mayence, which will land you atthe water-steps of the Royal Palace. If it were known that I had beeneven an hour in your company your chances of reaching the throne wouldbe seriously jeopardized. "

"Surely such haste is unnecessary, " cried the girl. "He can set outto-morrow in one direction while we go in another. He traveled all lastnight, and for most part of it was paddling a boat containing fourpeople; has ridden almost since daylight, and now to journey onhorseback throughout the night is too much for human endurance. "

The grave smile of the Archbishop shone upon her anxiety. 

"For lack of a nail the shoe was lost, " he said, "and you know theremainder of the warning. If Prince Roland cares to risk an Empire for anight's rest, I withdraw my objection. "

The Prince suddenly wheeled his horse, and coming briskly round to theside of the girl, placed a hand on hers. 

"A decision, Countess!" he cried. "Give me your decision. I shall alwaysobey you!"

"Oh, the rashness of youth!" murmured the Archbishop. 

The girl looked up at the young man, and he caught his breath andclasped her hand more tightly as he gazed into the depths of herglorious eyes. 

"You must go, " she sighed. 

"Yes, alas!"

He raised her unresisting hand to his lips, and again turned his horse. 

"You will obey?" asked the Archbishop. 

"I will obey, my Lord. "

He flashed from its scabbard, into the rays of the setting sun, thesword he had made, and elevating the hilt to his forehead, saluted theArchbishop. 

"I shall see you at Ehrenfels, my Lord. "

"Ah, do not go thus. Come to the Castle for an hour's rest at least. "

The young man whirled his sword around, and caught it by the blade, touching the hilt with his lips as if it were a cross. 

"I thank God, " said he, "that I can willingly keep my oath. "

Then, looking at the girl--"For the Empress, and not for the Empire!" hecried. 

The sword seemed to drop into the scabbard of its own accord, as Rolandset spurs to his steed and away. 

XVIII

THE SWORD MAKER AT BAY

The heir-presumptive to the throne reached Frankfort very quietly in theArchbishop's barge, and was landed after nightfall at the water-steps ofthe Imperial Palace. The funeral of the Emperor took place almost as ifit were a private ceremonial. Grave trouble had been anticipated, andthe route of the procession for the short distance between Palace andCathedral was thickly lined on either side by the troops of the threeArchbishops. This precaution proved unnecessary. The dispirited citizenscared nothing for their late nominal ruler, and they manifested theirundisguised hatred of the real rulers, the Archbishops, by keepingindoors while their soldiers marched the streets. 

The condition of the capital was unique. It suffered from a famine ofmoney rather than a famine of food. Frankfort starved in the midst ofplenty. Never had the earth been more fruitful than during this year, and the coming autumn promised a harvest that would fill the granariesto overflowing, yet no one brought in food to Frankfort, for the commonpeople had not the money to buy. The working population dependedentirely upon the merchants and manufacturers, and with the collapse ofmercantile business thousands were thrown out of employment, and thispenniless mob was augmented by the speedy cessation of allmanufacturing. 

After the futile bread riots earlier in the year, put down sodrastically by the Archbishops, the population of the city greatlydiminished, and the country round about swarmed with homeless wanderers, who at least were sure of something to eat, but being city-bred, andconsequently useless for agricultural employment, they gradually joinedinto groups and marauding bands, greatly to the menace of the provincesthey traversed. Indeed, rumor had it that the robberies from certaincastles on the Rhine, and the burning of Furstenberg, were the work ofthese free companies, consequently a sense of uneasiness permeated theEmpire, whose rulers, great and small, began to foresee that acontinuance of this state of things meant disaster to the rich as wellas misery to the poor. Charity, spasmodic and unorganized, proved whollyunable to cope with the disaster that had befallen the capital city. 

When darkness set in on the third night after Roland's return toFrankfort, he made his way out into the unlighted streets, acting withcaution until certain he was not followed, then betook himself to thePalace belonging to the Archbishop of Cologne. 

The porter at first refused him entrance, and Roland, not wishing tomake himself known, declared he had an appointment with his Lordship. Trusting that the underling could not read, he presented his parchmentsafe-conduct, asking him to give that to his Lordship, with a messagethat the bearer awaited his pleasure. The suspicious servant, seeing theGrand Seal of the Empire upon the document, at once conducted Roland toa room on the ground floor, then departed with the manuscript to findhis master. 

The Archbishop returned with him, the Imperial scroll in his hand, and adistinctly perceptible frown on his brow. When the servant withdrew, closing the door, the prelate said:

"Highness, this is a very dangerous procedure on your part. "

"Why, my Lord?"

"Because you are certain to have been followed. "

"What matter for that?" asked the young man. "I am quite unknown inFrankfort. "

"Prince Roland, " said the Archbishop gravely, "until your Election isactually accomplished, you would be wise to do nothing that might arousethe suspicion of Mayence. This house is watched night and day, and allwho come and go are noted. I dare say that within fifteen minutesMayence will know you have visited me. "

"My dear Archbishop, they cannot note an unknown man. The uneasiness ofFrankfort has already taken hold of me, and therefore I saw to it that Iwas not followed. "

"If you were not followed when you came, you will certainly be followedas you return. "

"In that case, my Lord, the spies will track me to the innocent home ofHerr Goebel, the merchant, in the Fahrgasse. "

"They will shadow you when you leave his house. "

"Then their industry will be rewarded by an enjoyable terminus; in otherwords, the drinking cellar of the Rheingold. "

"Be assured, your Highness, that ultimately you will be traced to theRoyal Palace. "

"Again not so, my Lord. They will be led across the bridge into themechanics' quarter of Sachsenhausen, and if the watch continues, theymust make a night of it, for I shall enter my humble room there and goto bed. "

"I see you have it all planned out, " commented the discomfitedArchbishop. 

The young man laughed. 

"I anticipate an interesting life, my Lord, because it is my habit tothink before I act, and I notice that this apparently baffles theElectors. The truth is that you three are so subtle, and so much afraidof one another, so on the alert lest you be taken by surprise, that astraightforward action on my part throws all intrigue out of gear. Now, I'll warrant you cannot guess why I came here to-night. "

"Oh, I know the reason very well. "

"Do you? That astonishes me. What is the reason?"

"You came to see the Countess von Sayn. "

"Ah, is the lady within? Why, of course, she must be. I remember now, she was to accompany you to Frankfort, and it naturally follows she isyour guest. "

"She is my guest, your Highness, and one reason why you cannot see heris because at this moment the lady converses with the Count Palatine, who has just arrived from Gutenfels. As the Countess and myself enjoyedhis hospitality not long ago in that stronghold, I have invited him tobe my guest until the coronation ceremonies are completed. "

"My Lord, I regret that your hospitality halts when it reaches yourfuture Emperor. Why may I not be introduced to the Count Palatine?"

"Such introduction must not take place except in the presence of theother Electors. I am very anxious, as you may perceive, that nothingshall be done to jeopardize your own prospects. We have arrived, yourHighness, at a critical moment. History relates that more than onecandidate has come to the very steps of the throne, only to be rejectedat the last moment. I am too sincere a friend to risk such an outcome inyour own case. "

"Then you think it injudicious of me to see the Countess until after theElection?"

"I not only think it injudicious, your Highness, but I intend to preventa meeting. "

Again the young man laughed. 

"'Tis blessed then that I came for no such purpose; otherwise I might bedeeply disappointed. "

"For what purpose did you come, Highness?"

"The Imperial Palace, my Lord, belongs no more to my mother. If she or Icontinue there to reside, we seem to be taking for granted that I shallbe elected Emperor; an assumption unfair to the seven Electors, whosechoice should be untrammeled by even a hint of influence. I beg of you, therefore, my Lord, to extend your hospitality to my mother. I havespoken to her on this subject, and she will gladly be your guest, happy, I am sure, to forsake that gloomy abode. "

"I am honored, your Highness, by the opportunity you give me. I shallwait upon the Empress to-morrow at whatever hour it is convenient forher Majesty to receive me. "

"You are most kind. I suggested that she should name an hour, and middaywas chosen. "

The Archbishop bowed profoundly. The young man rose, and held out hishand, which the Archbishop took with cordiality. The Prince looked verystraight-forwardly at his host, and the latter thought he detected atwinkle in his eye, as he said with decision:

"To-morrow I shall formally notify my Lord of Mayence that the Empresshas chosen your Palace as her place of residence until after thecoronation, and I shall request his Lordship to crave your permissionthat I may call here every day to see my mother. "

Again Cologne bowed, and made no further protest, although Rolandseemingly expected one, but as it did not come, the Prince continued:

"Here is my address in Sachsenhausen, should you wish a communication toreach me in haste; and kindly command your porter not to parley when Iagain demand speech with your Lordship. Good-night. I thank you, myLord, for your courtesy, " and the energetic youth disappeared before theslow-thinking Archbishop could call up words with which to reply. 

Cologne did not immediately rejoin his guests, but stood a very figureof perplexity, muttering to himself:

"If our friend Mayence thinks that youngster is to be molded like softclay, he is very much mistaken. I hope Roland will not cause him to feelthe iron hand too soon. I wonder why Mayence is delaying the Election?Can it be that already he distrusts his choice, or is it the question ofa wife?"

Meanwhile the front door of the Archbishop's Palace had clanged shut, and Roland strode across the square careless or unconscious of spies, looking neither to the right nor to the left. He made his way speedilyto the Fahrgasse, walking down that thoroughfare until he came to HerrGoebel's door, where he knocked, and was admitted. Ushered into the roomwhere he had parted from the merchant, he found Herr Goebel seated athis table as if he had never left it. The merchant, with a cry ofdelight, greeted the young man. 

"Well, Herr Goebel, you see I have been a successful trafficker. Yourbales of goods are all in Castle Pfalz, and I trust the barge returnedsafely to you with the money. "

"It did indeed, your Highness. "

"Has the coin been counted?"

"Yes; and it totals an enormous, almost unbelievable, sum, which I haveset down here to the last stiver. "

"That is brave news. Have any demands been made on you for itspartition?"

"No, your Highness. "

"Now, Herr Goebel, I have determined that all that money, which is ineffect stolen property, shall go to the feeding of Frankfort's poor. Buying provender shrewdly, how long would this treasure keep hunger awayfrom the gates of Frankfort?"

"That requires some calculation, your Highness. "

"A month?"

"Surely so. "

"Two months, perhaps?"

"'Tis likely; but I deal in cloth, not in food, and therefore cannotspeak definitely without computation and the advice of those expert inthe matter. "

"Very well, Herr Goebel; get your computations made as soon as possible. Call together your merchants' guild, and ask its members--By the way, "said Roland, suddenly checking himself, "give to me in writing theamount of gold I have sent you. "

The unsuspecting merchant did so, and Roland's eyes opened withastonishment when he glanced at the total. He then placed the paper inthe wallet he carried. 

"You were perhaps about to suggest that a committee be appointed, "ventured the merchant. 

"Yes; a small but capable committee, of which you shall be chairman andtreasurer. But first you will ask the merchants to subscribe, out oftheir known wealth, a sum equaling the gold I filched from the Barons. "

The merchant's face fell, and took on a doleful expression. 

"The times, your Highness, have long been very bad, none of us makingmoney--"

The Prince held up his hand, and the merchant ceased his plaint. 

"If I can strip a Baron of his wealth, " he said, "I will not waste wordsover the fleecing of merchants. This contribution is to be given in thename of the three Archbishops, whose heavy hands came down on you afterthe late insurrection. The Archbishops have now nine thousand troops inFrankfort. If given leave, they will collect the sum three times overwithin a very few hours; so you, as chairman of the committee, maydecide whether the fund shall be a voluntary contribution or an impostgathered by soldiery: it matters nothing to me. Have it proclaimedthroughout the city that owing to the graciousness of the threeArchbishops starvation is now at an end in Frankfort. "

"Highness, with your permission, and all due deference, it seems ratherunjust that we should contribute the cash and lose the credit. "

"Yes, Herr Goebel; this is a very unjust world, as doubtless many of thestarving people thought when they recollected that a few hundred of youpossessed vast wealth while they were penniless. Nevertheless, there aregood times ahead for all of us. Let me suggest that this money which Isent to you may prove sufficient and so the subscriptions of themerchants can be returned to them; that is, if the relief fund ishonestly administered. So set to work early to-morrow with energy. Youmerchants have had a long vacation. I think the Rhine will be openbefore many weeks are past, and then you can turn to your money-making, but our first duty is to feed the hungry. Good-night, Herr Goebel. "

He left the merchant as dazed as was the Archbishop. Once again outsidehe made directly for the wine cellar of the Rheingold. On reaching thesteps he heard a roar of talk, lightened now and then by the sound oflaughter. He paused a moment before descending. It was evident that thecompany was enjoying itself, and Roland soliloquized somewhat sadly:

"I am the disturbing element in that group. They seem to agree famouslywhen by themselves. Ah, well, no matter. They will soon be rid of me!"

When Roland descended the stair, the proprietor greeted him with joy. 

"I have missed you, Herr Roland, " he said, "so you may imagine how muchthe guild has regretted your absence. "

"Yes; I hear them bemoaning their fate. "

The inn-keeper laughed. 

"How many are here to-night?"

"There is a full house, Sir Roland. "

"Really? Are Kurzbold and Gensbein within?"

"Oh, yes; and there is no scarcity of money, thanks to you, Iunderstand. "

"Rather, our thanks are for ever due to you, Herr Host, for sustainingus so long when we were penniless. We shall never forget that, " and sowith a semi-military salute to the gratified cellar-man, Roland pushedopen the door and entered the banqueting room of the iron-workers'guild. An instant silence fell on the group. 

"Good evening to you, gentlemen, " said the Prince, taking off his hat, and with a twist of his shoulders flinging the cloak from them. 

Instantly arose a great cheer, and Greusel, who occupied the chair atthe head of the table, strode forward, took Roland's hat and cloak, andhung them up. After that he attempted to lead their Captain to the seatof honor. 

"No, no, my dear lieutenant, " said Roland, placing his handaffectionately on the other's shoulder, "a better man than I occupiesthe chair, and shall never be displaced by me. "

The others, now on their feet, with the exception of Kurzbold andGensbein, vociferously demanded that Roland take the chair. Smilingly heshook his head, and holding up his hand for silence, addressed them. 

"Take your seats, comrades; and, Greusel, if you force me to give acommand, I order you into that chair without further protest. "

Greusel, with evident reluctance, obeyed. 

"Truth to tell, brothers, I have but a few moments to stop. I merelydropped in to enjoy a sip of wine with you, and to offer a proposalthat, within five minutes, will make me the most unpopular man in thisroom, therefore you see my wisdom in refusing a chair from which Ishould be very promptly ejected. "

One of the members poured a tankard full of wine from a flagon, andhanded it to Roland, who, saluting the company, drank. 

"You did not divide the money, Greusel?"

"No, Roland. We gave each man five hundred thalers, to keep as best hemight. We then concealed the rest of the gold between the bottom of theboat and its inner planking. Ebearhard and I construed your orderssomewhat liberally, conceiving it was your desire to get our treasureand ourselves safely into Frankfort. "

"Quite right, " corroborated Roland. 

"When morning came upon us, we soon discovered that the whole countrywas aroused, because of the destruction of Furstenberg and the lootingof Sonneck. No one knew where the next raid would strike, and thereforethe whole country-side was in a turmoil. Now, the only fact known to thedespoiled was that a long black barge had appeared in front of theCastle while the attack was made from behind. We realized that it wouldbe impossible for us to go up the river except in darkness, so in caseof a search we concealed the treasure where it was not likely to be comeat, and each day lay quiet at an unfrequented part of the river, rowingall night. Not until we reached the Main did we venture on a daylightvoyage. It was agreed among us unanimously that the money should beplaced in Herr Goebel's keeping until you returned. "

"That was all excellently done, " commented Roland. "I have just been tosee Herr Goebel, and was surprised to learn how much we had actuallytaken. And now I ask you to make a great sacrifice. This city isstarving. If we give that gold to its relief, the merchants of Frankfortwill contribute an equal amount. I do not know how long such a totalwill keep the wolves from the doors of Frankfort; probably for sixmonths. I shall learn definitely to-morrow. " Here Roland outlined hisplan of relief, which was received in silence. 

Kurzbold spoke up. 

"I should like to know how much the total is?"

"That is a matter with which you have nothing to do, " growled Greusel;then, turning to Roland, who had not yet taken a seat, he said: "So faras my share is concerned, I agree. "

"I agree, " added Ebearhard; and so it went down along each side of thetable until eighteen had spoken. 

Kurzbold rose with a smile on his face. 

"I don't know how it is, ex-Captain, that the moment you come among usthere seems to arise a spirit of disputation. "

"Curiously enough, Herr Kurzbold, that same thought arose in my mind asI listened to your hilarity before I entered. I beg to add, for yoursatisfaction, that this is my last visit to the guild, and never againshall I disturb its harmony. "

"There is no lack of harmony, " cried Ebearhard, laughing, as he rose. "The agreement has been practically unanimous--quite unanimous in fact, among those entitled to share in the great treasure. I believe HerrKurzbold has a claim, if it has not been forfeited, to the loot ofRheinstein. "

"Now, even the genial Ebearhard, " continued Kurzbold, "although hiswords are blameless, speaks with a certain tone of acerbity, while myfriend Greusel has become gruff as a bear. "

"You need not labor that point, Herr Kurzbold, " said Roland. "I haveresigned. "

"I just wished to remark, " Kurzbold went on, "that I rose for thepurpose of stating I had some slight share in something; stolenproperty; honor among thieves, you know. Are my rights to this sharedisputed?"

"No, " said the chairman shortly. 

"Very well, " concluded Kurzbold, "as I am graciously permitted to speakin the august presence of our ex-Captain, I desire to say that whatevermy share happens to be, I bestow it gladly, nay, exultantly, upon thepoor of Frankfort. "

With that Kurzbold sat down, and there was first a roar of laughter, followed by a clapping of hands. Gensbein rose, and said briefly:

"I do as Kurzbold does. "

"Now, " said Roland, "I want a number of volunteers to start out into thecountry early to-morrow morning, Greusel, you, as chairman, willdesignate the routes. Each man is to penetrate as far as he can alongthe main roads, asking the farmers to bring everything in the shape offood they have to sell. Tell them a vast sum has been collected, andthat their cartloads will be bought entire the moment they enter thecity. There will be no waiting for their money. Prompt payment, andeverything eatable purchased immediately. Greusel, I put on you thehardest task. Penetrate into the forest south of the Main, and tell thecharcoal-burners and woodmen to bring in material for kitchen fires. Howmany will volunteer?"

Every man rose. Roland thanked them. "I shall now divulge a secret, andyou will see that when it was told to me I remembered your interests. Ithas been my privilege to meet, since I saw you, more than one man who isa ruler in this Empire. "

"Did they tell you who is to be the new Emperor?" cried one. 

"That is known only to the Electors. But what I was about to say isthis. There are to be established by the Government ironworks on a scalehitherto unknown in any land. I believe, and did my best to inculcatethat belief in others, that we are on the verge of an age of iron, and, knowing your skill, I am privileged to offer each of you thesuperintendency of a department, with compensation never before given solavishly in Germany. I am also induced to believe that the new Emperorwill bestow a title on each of you who desire such honor, so that therecan be no question of your right to wear a sword. Greusel, you mustreceive reports from each of our food scouts, and I shall be glad toknow the outcome, if you take the trouble to call upon me any hour afternine o'clock at night, at my old room in Sachsenhausen. And now, good-night, and good-luck to you all. "

Roland went over the bridge, and so reached his room on the other side. He glanced around several times to satisfy himself he was not spiedupon, and laughed at the apprehension of the Archbishop. Entering hisroom, he lit a lamp, took off his cloak and flung it on the bed, thenunbuckled his sword-belt and hung it and the weapon on a peg, placinghis cloak above them. He was startled by a loud knock at the door, andstood for a moment astonished, until it was repeated with the sternwarning:

"Open in the name of the Archbishop!"

The young man strode forward, drew back the bolt, and flung open thedoor. An officer, with two soldiers behind him, came across thethreshold, and at the side-motion of the officer's head a soldier closedand bolted the door. Roland experienced a momentary thrill ofindignation at this rude intrusion, then he remembered he was amechanic, and that his line must be the humble and deferential. 

"You came to-night from the Imperial Palace. What were you doing there?"

"I was trying to gain admission, sir. "

"For what purpose?"

"I wished, " said Roland, rapidly outlining his defense in his own mind, "I wished to see some high officer; some one of your own position, sir, but was not so fortunate as to succeed. I could not pass the sentrieswithout a permit, which I did not then possess, but hope to acquireto-morrow. "

"Again I ask, for what purpose?"

"For a purpose which causes me delight in meeting your excellency. "

"I am no excellency. Come to the point! For what purpose?"

"To show the officer a sword of such superior quality that a man armedwith it, and given a certain amount of skill, stands impregnable. "

"Do you mean to tell me you went to the Royal Palace for the purpose ofselling a second-hand sword?"

"Oh, no, my lord. "

"Do not be so free with your titles. Call me Lieutenant. "

"Well, Lieutenant, sir; I hope to get orders for a hundred, or perhaps athousand of these weapons. "

"Where did you go after leaving the Palace?"

"I went to the residence of that great Prince of the Church, theArchbishop of Cologne. "

"Ah! You did not succeed in seeing his Lordship, I suppose?"

"Pardon me, Lieutenant, but I did. His Lordship is keenly interested inboth weapons and armor. "

"Did he give you an order for swords?"

"No, Lieutenant; he seems to be a very cautious man. He asked me tovisit him in Cologne, or if I could not do that, to see his general, nowin Frankfort. You understand, Lieutenant, the presence of the threeArchbishops with their armies offers me a great opportunity, by which Ihope to profit. "

The officer looked at him with a puzzled expression on his face. 

"Where next did you go?"

"I went to the house of a merchant in the Fahrgasse. "

"Ah, that tale doesn't hold! Merchants are not allowed to wear swords. "

"No, Lieutenant, but a merchant on occasion can supply capital that willenable a skilled workman to accept a large contract. If I should see thegeneral of his Lordship to-morrow, and he gave me an order for, say, twothousand swords, I have not enough money to buy the metal, and I couldnot ask for payment until I delivered the weapons. "

"Did the merchant agree to capitalize you?"

"He, too, was a cautious man, Lieutenant. He wished first to see thecontract, and know who stood responsible for payment. "

"Wise man, " commented the officer; "and so, disheartened, I suppose, youreturned here?"

"No, Lieutenant; the day has been warm, and I have traveled a good deal. I went from the merchant's house to the Rheingold tavern, there to drinka tankard of wine with my comrades, a score of men who have formed whatthey call the ironworkers' guild. I drank a tankard with them, and thencame direct here, where I arrived but a few moments ago. "

The officer was more and more puzzled. Despite this young man'sdeferential manner, his language was scarcely that of a mechanic, yetthis certainly was his own room, and he had told the absolute truthabout his wanderings, as one who has nothing to fear. 

The Lieutenant stood for a space of time with eyes to the floor, assilent as the soldiers behind him. Suddenly he looked up. 

"Show me the sword. I'll tell you where it's made!"

If he expected hesitation he was mistaken. Roland gave a joyful cry, swept aside the cloak, whisked forth the sword, flung it up, and caughtit by the blade, then with a low bow handed it to the officer, whoflashed it through the air, bent the blade between finger and thumb, then took it near the lamp and scrutinized it with the eye of an expert. 

"A good weapon, my friend. Where was it made? I have never seen one likeit. "

"It was made by my own hands here in Frankfort. Of course I go first tothose who know least about the matter, but if I can get an introductionto his Lordship of Mayence, his officers will know a sword when they seeit; and I hope to-night fortune, in leading you to my door, has broughtme an officer of Mayence. "

The Lieutenant looked at him, and for the first time smiled. He handedback the weapon, signed to his men to unbolt the door, which they did, stepping out; then he said:

"I bid you good-night. Your answers have been satisfactory, but I setyou down not as a mechanic, but a very excellent merchant of swords. "

"Lieutenant, " said Roland, "you do not flatter me. " He raised his weaponin military salute. "I am no merchant, but a sword maker. "

XIX

THE BETROTHAL IN THE GARDEN

Next morning Prince Roland sent a letter to the Archbishop of Mayenceinforming him that the Empress had taken up her abode in the Palace ofher old friend, the Lord of Cologne, giving the reasons for this moveand his own desertion of the Imperial Palace, and asking permission tocall upon his mother each day. The messenger brought back a promptreply, which commended the delicacy of his motives in leaving the RoyalPalace, but added that, so far as the three Archbishops were concerned, the Saalhof was still at their disposal: of course Prince Roland'smovements were quite untrammeled, and again, so far as concerned thethree Archbishops, he was at liberty to visit whom he pleased, as oftenas he liked. 

While waiting for the return of his messenger, Roland called upon HerrGoebel, and told him that twenty emissaries had gone forth in everydirection from Frankfort to inform the farming community that a markethad been opened in the city, and in exchange learned what the merchanthad already done towards furthering the necessary organization. 

"Oh, by the way, Herr Goebel, " he cried, suddenly recollecting, "justwrite out and sign a document to this effect: 'I promise Herr Roland, sword maker of Sachsenhausen, to supply him with the capital necessaryfor carrying out his contract with his Lordship the Archbishop ofCologne. '"

Without demur the merchant indited the document, signed it, and gave itto the Prince. 

"If any emissary of Mayence pays you a domiciliary visit, Herr Goebel, asking questions about me, carefully conceal my real status, and replythat I am an honest, skillful sword maker, anxious to revive theiron-working industry, and for this reason, being yourself solicitousfor the welfare of Frankfort, you are risking some money. "

In the afternoon Roland walked to the Palace of Cologne and boldlyentered, with no attempt at secrecy, the doorkeeper on this occasionoffering no impediment to his progress. He learned that the Empress, much fatigued, had retired to her room and must not be disturbed; thatthe Archbishop was consulting with the Count Palatine, while theCountess von Sayn was walking in the garden. Roland passed with somehaste through the Palace, and emerged into the grounds behind it:grounds delightfully umbrageous, and of an extent surprisingly large, surrounded by a very high wall of stone, so solidly built that it mightsuccessfully stand a siege. 

Roland found the girl sauntering very slowly along one of the mostsecluded alleys, whose gravel-path lay deeply in the shade caused by thethick foliage of over-hanging trees, which made a cool, green tunnel ofthe walk. Her head was slightly bowed in thought, her beautiful facepathetic in its weariness, and the young man realized, with a pang ofsympathy, that she was still to all intents and purposes a prisoner, with no companions but venerable people. She could not, and indeed didnot attempt to suppress an exclamation of delight at seeing him, stretching out both hands in greeting, and her countenance cleared as ifby magic. 

"I was thinking of you!" she cried, without a trace of coquetry. 

"I judged your thoughts to be rather gloomy, " he said, with a laugh, inwhich she joined. 

"Gloomy only because I could see or hear nothing of you. "

"Did you know I came yesterday?"

"No. Why did you not ask to see me?"

"I was informed you were entertaining the Count Palatine. "

"Ah, yes. He is a delightful old man. I like him better and better astime goes on. My guardian and I were guests of his at Gutenfels justbefore I occupied the marine prison of Pfalz. "

"So your guardian told me. "

They were now walking side by side in this secluded, thickly-woodedavenue, just wide enough for two, running in a straight line from wallto wall the whole length of the property, in the part most remote fromthe house. 

"Nothing disastrous has happened to you?" she asked. "I have hadmiserable forebodings. "

"No; I am living a most commonplace life, quite uneventful. "

"But why, why does the Archbishop of Mayence delay the Election?"

"I did not know he was doing so. "

"Oh, my guardian is very anxious about it. Such postponement, Iunderstand, never happened before. The State is without a head. "

"Has your guardian spoken to Mayence about it?"

"Yes; and has been met by the most icy politeness. Mayence wishes thisElection to take place with a full conclave of the seven Electors, threeof whom have not yet arrived. But my guardian says they never arrive, and take no interest in Imperial matters. He pointed out to Mayence thata quorum of the Court is already in Frankfort, but his Lordship of theUpper Rhine merely protests that they must not force an Election, all ofwhich my guardian thinks is a mere hiding of some design on the part ofMayence. "

Prince Roland meditated on this for a few moments, then, as if shakingoff his doubts, he said:

"It never occurs to one Archbishop that either of the others may bespeaking the truth. There is so much mistrust among them that theynullify all united action, which accounts for the prostrate state ofthis city, the capital of one of the most prosperous countries under thesun. So far as I can see, taken individually, they are upright, trustworthy men. Now, to give you an instance. Your guardian last nightwas simply panic-stricken at my audacity in visiting him. He said I mustnot come again, refusing me permission to see you; he told you nothingof my conference with him: he felt certain I was being tracked by spies, and could not be made to understand that my presence here was of noconsequence one way or another. "

"Then why are you here now?"

"I am just coming to that. I asked your guardian to invite my mother ashis guest. Have you met her yet?"

"No; they told me the Empress was too tired to receive any one. I am tobe introduced at dinner to-night. "

"Well, this morning I wrote to the Archbishop of Mayence, telling him ofmy interview with your guardian, the reason for it, and the results. Hisreply came promptly by return. " Roland produced the document. "Just readthat, and see whether you detect anything sinister in it. "

She read the letter thoughtfully. 

"That is honest enough on the surface. "

"On the surface, yes; but why not below the surface as well? That is afrank assent to a frank request. I think that if the Archbishops wouldtreat each other with open candor they would save themselves a good dealof anxiety. "

"Perhaps, " said the girl, very quietly. 

"You are not convinced?"

"I don't know what to think. " Then she looked up at him quickly. "Wereyou followed last night?"

"Ah!" ejaculated Roland, laughing a little "apparently not, so far as Icould see, but the night was very dark. " Then he related to her theincidents succeeding the return to his room, while she listened withbreathless eagerness. "The Lieutenant, " he concluded, "did not deny thathe was in the service of Mayence when I hinted as much, but, on theother hand, he did not admit it. Of course, I knew by his uniform towhom he belonged. He conducted my examination with military abruptness, but skillfully and with increasing courtesy, although I proclaimedmyself a mechanic. "

"You a mechanic!" she said incredulously. "Do you think he believed it?"

"I see you doubt my histrionic ability, but when next he waits upon me Ishall produce documentary evidence of my status, and, what is more, I'lltake to my workshop. " 

"Do you possess a workshop?" cried the girl in amazement. 

"Do I? Why, I am partner with a man named Greusel, and we own a workshoptogether. A gruff, clumsy individual, as you would think, but who, nevertheless, with his delicate hammer, would beat you out in metal abrooch finer than that you are wearing. "

"Do you mean Joseph?"

"Yes, " replied Roland, astonished. "What do you know of him?"

"Have you forgotten so soon? It was his stalwart shoulders that burst inmy door at Pfalz, and you yourself told me his name was Joseph Greusel. Were all those marauders you commanded honest mechanics?"

"Every man of them. "

"Then you must be the villain of the piece who led those worthyironworkers astray?"

Roland laughed heartily. 

"That is quite true, " he said. "Have I fallen in your estimation?"

"No; to me you appeared as a rescuer. Besides, I come of a race ofruffians, and doubtless on that account take a more lenient view of yourvillainy than may be the case with others. "

The young man stopped in his walk, and seized her hands again, which sheallowed him to possess unresisting. 

"Hilda, " he said solemnly, "your guardian thought the Archbishop ofMayence had relented, and would withdraw his opposition to our marriage. Has Mayence said anything to corroborate that estimate?"

"Nothing. "

"Has your guardian broached the subject to him?" 

"Yes; but the attitude of my Lord of Mayence was quite inscrutable. Personally I think my guardian wrong in his surmise. The Archbishop ofTreves murmured that Mayence never forgives. I am certain I offended himtoo deeply for pardon. He wishes the future Empress to be a pliablecreature who will influence her husband according to his Lordship'sdesires, but, as I have boasted several times, I belong to the House ofSayn. "

"Hilda, will you marry me in spite of the Archbishops?"

"Roland, will you forego kingship for my sake?"

"Yes; a thousand times yes!"

"You said 'For the Empress; not for the Empire, ' but if I am no Empress, you will as cheerfully wed me?"

"Yes. "

"Then _I_ say yes!"

He caught her in his arms, and they floated into the heaven of theirfirst kiss, an ecstatic melting together. Suddenly she drew away fromhim. 

"There is some one coming, " she whispered. 

"Nothing matters now, " said Roland breathlessly. "There is no one in theworld to-day but you and me. "

Hildegunde drew her hands down her cheeks, as if to brush away theirtell-tale color and their warmth. 

"'Tis like, " said Roland, "that you marry a poor man. "

"Nothing matters now, " she repeated, laughing tremulously. "I am said tobe the richest woman in Germany. I shall build you a forge and enlistmyself your apprentice. We will paint over the door 'Herr Roland andwife; sword makers. '"

Two men appeared at the end of the alley, and stood still; the one witha frown on his brow, the other with a smile on his lips. 

"Oh!" whispered the Countess, panic striking from her face the colorthat her palms had failed to remove, "the Archbishop and the CountPalatine!"

His Lordship strode forward, followed more leisurely by the smilingCount. 

"Prince Roland, " said Cologne, "I had not expected this after ourconference of last night. "

"I fail to understand why, my Lord, when my parting words were 'Tellyour porter to let me in without parley. ' That surely indicated anintention on my part to visit the Palace. "

"Your Highness knows that so far as I am concerned you are very welcome, and always shall be so, but at this juncture there are others toconsider. "

Roland interrupted. 

"Read this letter, my Lord, and you will learn that I am here with thefull concurrence of that generous Prince of the Church, Mayence. "

Cologne, with knitted brow, scrutinized the communication. 

"Your Highness is most courageous, but, if I may be permitted, just atrifle too clever. "

"My Highness is not clever at all, but merely meets a situation as itarises. "

"Prince Roland, " said the Countess, her head raised proudly, "may Iintroduce to you my friend, and almost my neighbor, the Count Palatineof the Rhine?"

"Ah, pardon me, " murmured the Archbishop, covered with confusion, butthe jovial Count swept away all embarrassment by his hearty greeting. 

"Prince Roland, I am delighted with the honor her ladyship accords me. "

"And I, my Lord, am exceedingly gratified to meet the Count Palatineagain. "

"Again?" cried the Count in astonishment, "If ever we had encounteredone another, your Highness, I certainly should not have been the one toforget the privilege. "

The Prince laughed. 

"It is true, nevertheless. My Lord Count, there is a namesake of mine inthe precincts of your strong Castle of Gutenfels; a namesake who doesmore honor to the title than I do myself. "

The Count Palatine threw back his head, and the forest garden echoedwith boisterous laughter. 

"You mean my black charger, Prince Roland!" he shouted. "A noble horseindeed. How knew you of him? If your Highness cares for horses allow meto present him to you. "

"Never, my Lord Count. You are too fond of him yourself, and I havealways had an affectionate feeling towards you for your love of thatanimal, which, indeed, hardly exceeds my own. I grasped his bridle-rein, and held the stirrup while you mounted. "

"How is that possible?" asked the astonished Count. 

"I cared for Prince Roland nearly a month, receiving generous wages, and, what I valued more, your own commendation, for you saw I was asfond of horses as you were. "

"Good heavens! Were you that youth who came so mysteriously, anddisappeared without warning?"

"Yes, " laughed the Prince. "I know Gutenfels nearly as well as you do. Iwas a spy, studying the art of war and methods of fortification. Istopped in various capacities at nearly all the famous Castles of theRhine, and this knowledge recently came in--"

"Your Highness, your Highness!" pleaded the Archbishop. "I implore youto remember that the Count Palatine is an Elector of the Empire, and, asI told last night, we are facing a crisis. Until that crisis is passedyou will add to my already great anxiety by any lack of reticence onyour part. "

"By the Three Kings!" cried the Count, "this youth, if I may venture tocall him so, has bound me to him with bands stronger than chain armor. Ishall vote for him whoever falters. "

"His Highness, " said the Archbishop, with a propitiatory smile, "hasbeen listening to the Eastern tales which our ancestors brought from theCrusades, and I fear has filled his head with fancies. "

"Really, Archbishop, you misjudge me, " said the young man; "I am themost practical person in the Empire. You interrupted my boasting to herladyship of my handiwork. I would have you know I am a capable mechanicand a sword maker. What think you of that, my Lord?" he asked, drawingforth his weapon, and handing it to Cologne. 

"An excellent blade indeed, " said the latter, balancing it in his hand. 

"Very well, my Lord, I made it and tempered it unassisted. I beg you tore-enter your palace, and write me out an order for a thousand of theseweapons. "

"If your Highness really wishes me to do this, and there is no concealedhumorism in your request which I am too dull to fathom, you mustaccompany me to my study and dictate the document I am to indite. Ishall wait till you bid farewell to the Countess. "

A glance of mutual understanding flashed between the girl and himself, then Roland raised her hand to his lips, and although the onlookers sawthe gallant salutation, they knew nothing of the gentle pressure withwhich the fingers exchanged their confidences. 

"Madam, " said the Prince, "it will be my pleasure and duty to wait uponmy mother to-morrow. May I look forward to the happiness of presentingyou to her?"

"I thank you, " said the Countess simply, with a glance of appeal at herguardian. That good man sighed, then led the way into the house. 

XX

THE MYSTERY OF THE FOREST

Roland left the palace with a sense of elation he had never beforeexperienced, but this received a check as he saw standing in the middleof the square the Lieutenant of the night before. His first impulse wasto avoid the officer, yet almost instinctively he turned and walkeddirectly to him, which apparently nonplussed the brave emissary ofMayence. 

"Good afternoon to you, sir, " began Roland, as if overjoyed to see him. "Will you permit me to speak to you, sir?"

"Well?" said the Lieutenant curtly. 

"My forge, which has been black and cold for many a long day, will soonbe alight and warm again. What think you of this?" He handed to theLieutenant his order for a thousand swords, and the officer made amental note of the commission as an interesting point in armament thatwould be appreciated by his chief. 

"You did not inform me last night who was the merchant you hoped wouldfinance your enterprise. "

"Hoped?" echoed Roland, his eyes sparkling. "'Tis more than hope, HerrLieutenant. His name is Goebel, and he is one of the richest andchiefest traffickers of Frankfort. Why, my fortune is made! Read this, written in his own hand. I got it from him before midday, on my mereword that I was certain of an order from his Lordship. "

"You are indeed much to be envied, " said the Lieutenant coldly, returning the two documents. 

"Ah, but I am just at the beginning. If _you_ would favor me bysmoothing the way to his Lordship, the Archbishop of Mayence, I inreturn--"

"Out upon you for a base-born, profit-mongering churl! Do you think thatI, an officer, would demean myself by partnering a bagman!"

The Lieutenant turned on his heel, strode away and left him. Rolandpursued his way with bowed head, as though stricken by the rebuff. Nearing the bridge, he saw a crowd around an empty cart, standing bywhich a man in rough clothing was cursing most vociferously. 

At first he thought there had been an accident, but most of the peoplewere laughing loudly; so, halting in the outskirts, he asked the causeof the commotion. 

"'Tis but a fool farmer, " said a man, "who came from the country withhis load of vegetables. 'Tis safer to enter a lion's den unarmed than tocome into Frankfort with food while people are starving. He has beenplundered to the last leaf. "

Roland shouldered his way through the crowd, and touched the frantic manon the shoulder. 

"What was the value of your load?" he said. 

"A misbegotten liar told me this morning that a market had opened inFrankfort, and that there was money to be had. No sooner am I in thetown than everything I brought in is stolen. "

"Yes, yes; I know all about that. My question is, How much is yourmerchandise worth?"

"Worth? Thirty thalers I expected to get, and now--"

"Thirty thalers, " interrupted the Prince. "Here is your money. Get yougone, and tell your neighbors there is prompt payment for all theprovender they can bring in. "

The man calmed down as if a bucket of water had been thrown on him. Hecounted the payment with miserly care, testing each coin between histeeth, then mounted his cart without a word of thanks, and, to thedisappointment of the gathering mob, drove away. Roland, seething withanger, walked directly to the house of Herr Goebel, and found thatplacid old burgher seated at his table. 

"Ten thousand curses on your indolence!" he cried. "Where are yourcommittee, and the emissaries empowered to carry out this scheme ofrelief I have ordered?"

"Committee? Emissaries?" cried the astonished man. "There has been notime!"

"Time, you thick-headed fool! I'll time you by hanging you to your ownfront door. There has been time for me to send my men out into thecountry; time for a farmer to come in with a cartload of produce, and berobbed here under your very nose! Maledictions on you, you sit here, well fed, and cry there is no time! If I had not paid the yeoman hewould have gone back into the country crying we were all thieves here inFrankfort. Now listen to me. I drew my sword once upon you in jest. Should I draw it a second time it will be to penetrate your lazy carcassby running you through. If within two hours there is not a paymaster atevery gate in Frankfort to buy and pay for each cartload of produce asit comes, and also a number of guides to tell that farmer where todeliver his goods, I'll give your town over to the military, and orderthe sacking of every merchant's house within its walls. "

"It shall be done; it shall be done; it shall be done!" breathed themerchant, trembling as he rose, and he kept repeating the phrase withthe iteration of a parrot. 

"You owe me thirty thalers, " said the Prince calming down; "the firstpayment out of the relief fund. Give me the money. "

With quivering hands Herr Goebel, seeing no humor in the application, handed over the money, which the Prince slipped into his wallet. 

Dusk had fallen when at last he reached his room in Sachsenhausen, andthere he found awaiting him Joseph Greusel, in semi-darkness and intotal gloom. 

"Your housekeeper let me in, " said the visitor. 

"Good! I did not expect you back so soon. Have the others returned?"

"I do not know. I came direct here. I carry very ominous news, Roland, of impending disaster in Frankfort. "

"Greater than at present oppresses it?"

"Civil war, fire, and bloodshed. Close the door, Roland; I am tired out, and I do not wish to be overheard. "

The Prince obeyed the request, locking the door. Going to a cupboard, heproduced a generous flagon of wine and a tankard, setting the same on asmall table before Greusel, then he threw himself down in the onearmchair the room possessed. Greusel filled the tankard, and emptied itwithout drawing breath. He plunged directly into his narrative. 

"I had penetrated less than half a league into the forest when I wasstopped by an armed man who stepped out from behind a tree. He wore theuniform of Mayence, and proclaimed me a prisoner. I explained mymission, but this had no effect upon him. He asked if I would go withhim quietly, or compel him to call assistance. Being helpless, I said Iwould go quietly. Notwithstanding this, he bound my wrists behind me, then with a strip of cloth blindfolded me. Taking me by the arm, he ledme through the forest for a distance impossible to calculate. I think, however, we walked not more than ten minutes. There was a stop and awhispered parley; a pause of a few minutes, and a further conference, which I partially heard. The commander before whom I must be taken wasnot ready to receive me. I should be placed in a tent, and a guard setover me. 

"This was done. I asked that the cord, which hurt my wrists, might beremoved, but instead, my ankles were tied together, and I sat there onthe ground, leaning against a pole at the back of the tent. Here myconductor left me, and I heard him give orders to those without tomaintain a strict watch, but to hold no communication with me. 

"I imagine that the tent I occupied stood back to back with the tent ofthe commander, for after some time I heard the sound of voices, and itseemed to me voices of two men in authority. They had come to the backpart of their tent, as if to speak confidentially, and their voices werelow, yet I could hear them quite distinctly, being separated from themmerely by two thicknesses of cloth. What I learned was this. There isconcealed in the forest, within half an hour's quick march of thesouthern gate, a force of seven thousand soldiers. These soldiers belongto the Archbishop of Mayence, who commands an additional three thousandwithin the walls of Frankfort. Mayence holds the southern gate, asTreves holds the western and Cologne the northern. You see at once whatthat implies. Mayence can pour his troops into Frankfort, say, atmidnight, and in the morning he has ten thousand soldiers as comparedwith the three thousand each commanded by the Archbishops of Treves andCologne. That means civil war, and the complete crushing of the twonorthern Archbishops. "

"I think you take too serious a view of the matter, " commented Roland. "Mayence is undoubtedly a subtle man, who takes every precaution that heshall have his own way. The reason that there will be no civil war isthis. I happen to know on very excellent authority that so far as theElectoral Court goes, Mayence is paramount. He does not need to conquerCologne and Treves by force, because he is already supreme by his geniusfor intrigue. He is a born ruler, and his methods are all those ofdiplomacy as against those of arms. I dare say if occasion demanded ithe would strike quick and strike effectually, but occasion does notdemand. I am rather sure of my facts, and I know that the threeArchbishops, together with the Count Palatine of the Rhine, are inagreement to elect my namesake, Prince Roland, Emperor of Germany. "

"Yes, " said Greusel, "I heard that rumor, and it is generally believedin Frankfort. Rumor, however, as usual, speaks falsely. "

The Prince smiled at his pessimistic colleague, for that colleague wastalking to the man who knew; nevertheless, he listened patiently, for ofcourse he could not yet reveal himself to his somber lieutenant, whocontinued his narrative:

"The two men spoke of the unfortunate Prince, who is, I understand, still a prisoner in Ehrenfels. "

Here Roland laughed outright. 

"My dear Greusel, you are entirely mistaken. The Prince was never reallya prisoner, and is at this moment in Frankfort, as free to do what helikes as I am. "

"I am sorry, " said Greusel, "that you do not grasp the seriousness ofthe situation, but I have not yet come to the vital part of it, althoughI thought the very fact that seven thousand men threatened Frankfortwould impress you. "

"It does, Greusel, " said Roland, remembering the distrust in which boththe Countess and her guardian held Mayence, and also the close watch hisLordship was keeping over Frankfort, as evidenced by the domiciliaryvisit paid to himself by an officer of that potentate. "Go on, Greusel, "he said more soberly, "I shall not interrupt you again. "

"I gathered that Prince Roland actually had been chosen, butcomplications arose which I do not altogether understand. Thesecomplications relate to a woman, or two women; both of them equallyobjectionable to the Archbishop of Mayence. One of these two women wasto marry the new Emperor, but rather than have this happen, Mayencedetermined that another than Prince Roland should be elected, the reasonbeing that Mayence feared one Empress would be entirely under theinfluence of Cologne, if chosen, and the other under the influence ofTreves. So his subtle Lordship is deluding both of these Electors. Cologne has been asked to bring to Frankfort the woman he controls, therefore he harbors the illusion that Mayence is reconciled to her. Treves also has been requested to bring the lady who is his relative;thus she, too, is in Frankfort, and Treves blindly believes Mayence isfavorable to her cause. 

"As a matter of fact Mayence will have neither, but has resolved tospring upon the Electoral Court at the last moment the name of the GrandDuke Karl of Hesse, a middle-aged man already married, and entirelyunder the dominance of his Lordship of Mayence. "

"Pardon me, Greusel, I must interrupt, in spite of my disclaimer. Whatyou say sounds very ingenious, but it cannot be carried out. Treves, Cologne, and the Count Palatine are already pledged to vote for PrinceRoland, so is Mayence himself, and to change front at the last momentwould be to forswear himself, and act as traitor to his colleagues. Now, he cannot afford to lose even one vote, and I believe that theArchbishop of Cologne will vote for Prince Roland through thick andthin. I think the same of the Count Palatine. Treves, of course, isalways doubtful and wavering, but you see that the negative vote of theArchbishop of Cologne would render Mayence powerless and an Electionimpossible. "

"Doubtless what you say is true, and now you have put your finger on thedanger spot. Why has the Election been delayed beyond all precedent?"

"That I do not know, " replied Roland. 

"Then I will tell you. The Archbishop of Mayence has sent peremptoryorders to the other three Electors, who are reported to be careless sofar as Imperial affairs are concerned, and quite indifferent regardingthe personality of the future Emperor. No one of these three Electors, however, dares offend so powerful a man as Mayence. If the Archbishopcan overawe his colleagues nominally equal to him in position, eachcommanding an army, how think you can three small nobles, with nosoldiers at their beck, withstand his requests, suavely given, no doubt, but with an iron menace behind them?"

"True, true, " muttered Roland. 

"Two of these nobles have already arrived, and are housed with theArchbishop of Mayence. The third is expected here within three days;four days at the farthest. Mayence will immediately convene theElectoral Court, when the Count Palatine, with the two Archbishops, maybe astonished to find that for the first time in history, the wholeseven are present in the Wahlzimmer. Mayence will ask Cologne to makethe nomination, and he will put forward the name of Prince Roland. On avote being taken the Prince will be in a minority of one. Mayence thenshows his hand, nominating the Grand Duke Karl, who will be elected by amajority of one. Then may ensue a commotion in the Wahlzimmer, andaccusations of bad faith, but remember that Cologne and Treves are takencompletely by surprise. They cannot communicate with their commanders, for the three thousand troops which Mayence already has within Frankfortwill have quietly surrounded the Town Hall that contains the ElectionChamber, and Mayence's seven thousand men from the forest are pouringthrough the southern gate into the city, making straight for the Romer. Meanwhile the Grand Duke Karl, a man well known to the populace ofFrankfort, appears on the balcony of the Kaisersaal, and is loudlyacclaimed the new Emperor. "

"Ah, Greusel, forgive my attitude of doubt. It is all as plain now asthe Cathedral tower. Still, there will be no civil war. Treves andCologne will gather up their troops and go home, once more defeated by aman cleverer and more unscrupulous than both of them put together. Theyare but infants in his hands. "

"Have you any suggestion to make?" asked Greusel. 

"No; there is nothing to be done. You see, the young Prince has nofollowing. He is quite unknown in Frankfort. His name can arouse noenthusiasm, and, all in all, that strikes me as a very good thing. TheGrand Duke Karl is popular, and I believe he will make a very goodEmperor. "

"You mean, Roland, that the Archbishop of Mayence will make a very goodruler, for he will be the real king. "

"Well, after all, Joseph, there is much to be said in favor of Mayence. He is a man who knows what he wants, and, what is more, gets it, andthat, after all is the main thing in life. If any one could sway theArchbishop so that he put his great talents to the benefit of hiscountry, instead of thinking only of himself, what a triumph ofinfluence that would be! By the Three Kings, I'd like to do it! I admirehim. If I found opportunity and could persuade him to join us in therelief of Frankfort, and in opening the Rhine to commerce, we would givethese inane merchants a lesson in organization. "

Greusel rose from his chair, poured out another tankard full from theflagon, and drank it off. 

"I must go down now and meet the guild, " he said. "I have eaten nothingall day, and am as hungry as a wolf from the Taunus. "

"Oh, how did you escape, by the way?"

"I didn't escape. I was led blindfolded into a tent, where my bandagewas removed, and here a man in ordinary dress questioned me concerningmy object in entering the forest. I told him exactly the truth, andexplained what we were trying to do in Frankfort. I dare say I lookedhonest and rather stupid. He asked when I set out; in what direction Icame; questioning me with a great affectation of indifference; wanted toknow if I had met many persons, and I told him quite truthfully I met noone but the man I understood was a forester; a keeper, I supposed. "

"'There are a number of us, ' he said, 'hunting the wild boar, and we donot wish the animal life of these woods to be disturbed. We shall not behere longer than a week, but I advise you to seek another spot for whattimber you require. '

"He asked me, finally, if any one in Frankfort knew I had come to theforest, and I answered that the guild of twenty knew, and that we wereall to meet to-night at the Rheingold tavern to report. He pondered fora while on this statement, and I suppose reached the conclusion that ifI did not return to Frankfort, this score of men might set out in themorning to search for me, it being well known that the forest isdangerous on account of wild boars. So, as if it were of no consequence, he blindfolded me again, apologizing privately for doing so, saying itwas quite unnecessary in the first instance, but as the guard had doneso, he did not wish to censure him by implication. 

"I answered that it did not matter at all, but desired him to order mywrists released, which was done. "

"I must say, " commented Roland, "that the Archbishop of Mayence is wellserved by his officers. Your examiner was a wise man. "

"Yes, " replied Greusel, "but nevertheless, I am telling my story here inFrankfort. "

"No difference for that, because, as I have said, we can do nothing. Still, it is a blessing your examiner could not guess what you overheardin the other tent. He let you go thinking you had seen and learnednothing, and in doing so warded off a search party to-morrow. "

XXI

A SECRET MARRIAGE

Blessed is he that expects nothing, for he shall not be disappointed. Roland walked with Greusel across the bridge and through the streets tothe entrance of the Rheingold, and there stopped. 

"I shall not go down with you, " he said. "You have given me much tothink of, and I am in no mood for a hilarious meeting. Indeed, I fear Ishould but damp the enthusiasm of the lads. Continue your good workto-morrow, and report to me at my room. "

With this Roland bade Greusel good-night and turned away. He walked veryslowly as far as the bridge, and there, resting his arms on the parapet, looked down at the dark water. He was astonished to realize how littlehe cared about giving up the Emperorship, and he recalled, with a glowof delight, his recent talk in the garden with Hildegunde, and herassurance that she lacked all ambition to become the first lady in theland so long as they two spent their lives together. 

The bells of Frankfort tolling the hour of ten aroused him from hisreverie, and brought down his thoughts from delicious dreams of romanceto realms of reality. The precious minutes were passing over his headswiftly as the drops of water beneath his feet. There was little use offeeding Frankfort if it must be given over to fire and slaughter. 

With a chill of apprehension he reviewed the cold treachery of Mayence, willing to levy the horrors of civil war upon an already stricken cityso long as his own selfish purposes were attained. 

"And yet, " he said to himself, "there must be good in the man. I wish Iknew his history. Perhaps he had to fight for every step he has risen inthe world. Perhaps he has been baffled and defeated by deception;overcome by chicanery until his faith died within him. My faith woulddie within me were it not that when I meet a Mayence I encounter alsothe virtue of a Cologne, and the bluff honesty of a Count Palatine. Howmarvelous is this world, where the trickery of a Kurzbold and a Gensbeinis canceled by the faithfulness unto death of a Greusel and anEbearhard! Thus doth good balance evil, and then--and then, how Heavenbeams upon earth in the angel glance of a good woman. God guide mearight! God guide me aright!" he repeated fervently, "and suppress in meall anger and uncharitableness. "

He walked rapidly across the bridge into Sachsenhausen, past his room atthe street corner, and on to the monastery of the Benedictines, whoselittle chapel stood open night and day for the prayers of those introuble or in sadness, habited only by one of the elder brothers, whogave, if it were needed, advice, encouragement, or spiritual comfort. Removing his hat, the Prince entered into the silence on tiptoe, andkneeling before the altar, prayed devoutly for direction, asking theAlmighty to turn the thoughts of His servant, Mayence, into channelsthat flowed towards peace and the relief of this unhappy city. 

As he rose to his feet a weight lifted from his shoulders, and thebuoyancy of youth drove away the depression that temporarily overcamehim on hearing of the army threatening Frankfort. His plans were honest, his methods conciliatory, and the path now seemed clear before him. Themonk in charge, who had been kneeling in a dark corner near the door, now came forward to intercept him. 

"Will your Highness deny me in the chapel as you did upon the bridge?"

Roland stopped. In the gloom he had not recognized the ghostly Father. 

"No, Father Ambrose, and I do now what I should have done then. I prayyour blessing on the enterprise before me. "

"My son, it is willingly given, the more willingly that I may atone inpart my forgetting of the Holy Words: 'Judge not, that ye be notjudged. ' I grievously misjudged you, as I learn from both the Archbishopand my kinswoman. I ask your forgiveness. "

"I shall forgive you, Father Ambrose, if you make full, not partialatonement. The consequences of your mistake have proved drastic andfar-reaching. The least of these consequences is that it has cost me theEmperorship. "

"Oh, " moaned the good man, "_mea culpa, mea culpa!_ No penance put uponme can compensate for that disaster. "

"You blame yourself overmuch, good Father. The penance I have to imposewill leave me deeply in your debt. Now, to come from the least to thegreatest of these results, so far as I am concerned, my marriage withyour kinswoman, whom I love devotedly, is in jeopardy. Through herconviction that I was a thief, she braved the Archbishop of Mayence, whoimprisoned her, and now his Lordship has determined that the Grand DukeKarl of Hesse shall be Emperor. Thus we arrive at the most importantoutcome of your error. Between the overwhelming forces of Mayence andthe insufficient troops of Cologne and Treves there may ensue a conflictcausing the streets of Frankfort to flow with blood. "

The pious man groaned dismally. 

"I have a plan which will prevent this. The day after to-morrow I shallrenounce all claim to the throne; but being selfish, like the rest, Irefuse to renounce all claim to the woman the Archbishops themselveschose as my wife, neither shall I allow the case to be made further theplaything of circumstance. Your kinswoman, no later ago than thisafternoon, confessed her love for me and her complete disregard of anyposition I may hold in this realm. Now, Father Ambrose, I ask youseveral questions. Is it in consonance with the rules of the Church thata marriage be solemnized in this chapel?"

"Yes. "

"Are you entitled to perform the ceremony?"

"Yes. "

"Is it possible this ceremony can be performed to-morrow?"

"Yes. "

"Will you therefore attend to the necessary preliminaries, of which I amvastly ignorant, and say at what hour the Countess and I may presentourselves in this chapel?"

"The Archbishop of Cologne is guardian to her ladyship. Will you bringme his sanction?"

"Ah, Father Ambrose, there is just the point. So far as concerns himselfI doubt not that the Archbishop is the most unambitious of men, but tothe marriage of his ward with a sword maker I fear he would refuseconsent which he would gladly give to a marriage with an Emperor. "

The monk hung his head, and pondered on the proposition. At last hesaid:

"Why not ask my Lord the Archbishop?"

"I dare not venture. Too much is at stake. She might be carried away toany castle in Germany. Remember that Cologne has already acquiesced inher imprisonment, and but that the iron chain of the Pfalzgraf broughtme to her prison door--The iron chain, do I say? 'Twas the hand of Godthat directed me to her, and now, with the help of Him who guided me, not all the Archbishops in Christendom shall prevent our marriage. No, Father Ambrose, pile on yourself all the futile penances you can adopt. They are useless, for they do not remedy the wrong you have committed. And now, good-night to your Reverence!"

The young man strode towards the door. 

"My son, " said the quiet voice of the priest, "when you were on yourknees just now did you pray for remission from anger?"

Roland whirled round. 

_"Mea culpa, _ as you said just now. Father Ambrose, I ask your pardon. Imade an unfair use of your mistake to coerce you. You were quite rightin relating what your own eyes saw here in Frankfort, and although theinference drawn was wrong, you were not to blame for that. I recognizeyour scruples, but nevertheless protest that already I possess thesanction of the Archbishop, which has never been withdrawn. "

"Prince Roland, if you bring hither the Countess von Sayn to-morrowafternoon, when the bells strike three, I will marry you, and gladlyaccept whatever penances ensue. I fear the monk's robe has not crushedout all the impulses of the Sayn blood. In my case, perhaps, it has onlycovered them. And now, good-night, and God's blessing fall upon you andher you are to marry. "

Roland went directly from the chapel to his own room, where he slept thesleep of one who has made up his mind. Nevertheless, it was not adreamless sleep, for throughout the night he seemed to hear the tramp ofarmed men marching upon unconscious Frankfort, and this sound was sopersistent, that at last he woke, yet still it continued. Springing upin alarm, and flinging wide the wooden shutters of his window, he wasamazed to see that the sun was already high, while the sound thatdisturbed him was caused by a procession of heavy-footed horses, dragging over the cobble-stones carts well-laden with farm produce. 

Having dressed and finished breakfast, he wrote a letter to theArchbishop of Mayence:

 "My LORD ARCHBISHOP, --There are some important proposals which I wish to make to the Electors, and as it is an unwritten rule that I should not communicate with them separately, I beg of you to convene a meeting to-morrow, in the Wahlzimmer, at the hour of midday. Perhaps it is permissible to add, for your own information, that while my major proposition has to do with the relief of Frankfort, the minor suggestions I shall make will have the effect of clearing away obstacles that at present obstruct your path, and I venture to think that what I say will meet with your warmest approval. "

It was so necessary that this communication should reach the Archbishopas soon as possible that Roland became his own messenger, and himselfdelivered the document at the Archbishop's Palace. As he turned away hewas startled by a hand being placed on his shoulder with a weightsuggesting an action of arrest rather than a greeting of friendship. Heturned quickly, and saw the Lieutenant who had so discourteously usedhim in the square. There was, however, no menace in the officer'scountenance. 

"Still thrusting your sword at people?"

"Yes, Lieutenant, and very harmlessly. 'Tis a bloodless combat I wagewith the sword. I praise its construction, and leave to superiors likeyourself, sir, the proving of its quality. "

"You are an energetic young man, and we of Mayence admire competencewhether shown by mechanic or noble. Was the letter you handed in justnow addressed to his Lordship?"

"Yes, Lieutenant. "

"'Twill be quite without effect. "

"It grieves me to hear you say so, sir. "

"Take my advice, and make no effort to see the Archbishop until afterthe Election. I judge you to be a sane young fellow, for whom I confessa liking. You are the only man in Frankfort who has unhesitatingly toldme the exact truth, and I have not yet recovered from my amazement. Now, when you return to your frugal room in Sachsenhausen you do not attemptto reach it by mounting the stairs with one step?"

"Naturally not, Lieutenant. "

"Very well. When the Emperor is proclaimed, come you to me. I'llintroduce you to my superior, and he, if impressed with your weapon, will take you a step higher, and thus you will mount until you come toan officer who may give you an astonishing order. "

"I thank you, Lieutenant, and hope later to avail myself of yourkindness. "

The Lieutenant slapped him on the shoulder, and wished him good-luck. AsRoland pushed his way through the crowd, he said to himself, with asigh:

"I regret not being Emperor, if only for the sake of young fellows likethat. "

Frankfort was transformed as if a magician had waved his wand over it. The streets swarmed with people. Farmers' vehicles of every descriptionadded to the confusion, and Roland frowned as he noticed how badlyorganized had been the preparations for coping with this sudden influxof food, but he also saw that the men of Mayence had taken a hand in thematter, and were rapidly bringing method out of chaos. The uniforms ofCologne or Treves were seldom seen, while the quiet but firm soldiers ofMayence were everywhere ordering to their homes those already served, and clearing the way for the empty-handed. 

At last Roland reached the Palace of Cologne, through a square throngedwith people. Within he found his mother and the Countess, seated in aroom whose windows overlooked the square, watching the stirring scenepresented to them. Having saluted his mother, he greeted the girl with aquiet pressure of the hand. 

"What is the cause of all this commotion?" asked the Empress. 

Roland tapped his breast. 

"I am the cause, mother, " and he related the history of the reliefcommittee, and if appreciation carries with it gratification, his wasthe advantage of knowing that the two women agreed he was the mostwonderful of men. 

"But indeed, mother, " continued Roland, "I selfishly rob you of thecredit. The beginning of all this was really your gift to me of fivehundred thalers, that time I came to crave your assistance in procuringme this document I still carry, and without your thalers and theparchment, this never could have happened. So you see they haveincreased like the loaves and fishes of Holy Writ, and thus feed themultitude. "

Her Majesty arose, smiling. 

"Ah, Roland, " she said, kissing him, "you always gave your mother morecredit than she deserved. It wrung my heart at the time that I was soscant of money. " Then, pleading fatigue, the Empress left the room. 

"Hilda!" cried the young man, "when you and I discuss things, thosethings become true. Yesterday we agreed that the Imperial throne was notso enviable a seat as a chair by the domestic hearth. To-day I proposeto secure the chair at the hearth, and to-morrow I shall freely give upthe Imperial throne. "

The girl uttered an exclamation that seemed partly concurrence andpartly dismay, but she spoke no word, gazing at him intently as hestrode up and down the room, and listening with eagerness. Walkingbackwards and forwards, looking like an enthusiastic boy, he verygraphically detailed the situation as he had learned it from Greusel. 

"Now you see, my dear, any opposition to the Archbishop of Mayence meansa conflict, and supposing in that conflict our friends were to win, thevictory would be scarcely less disastrous than defeat. I at once made upmy mind, fortified by my knowledge of your opinion on the subject, thatfor all the kingships in the world I could not be the cause of civildissension. "

"That is a just and noble decision, " she said, speaking for the firsttime. 

Then, standing before her, the young man in more moderate tone relatedwhat had happened and what had been said in the chapel of theBenedictine Fathers. She looked up at him, earnest face aglow, duringthe first part of his recital, and now and then the sunshine of a smileflickered at the corners of her mouth as she recognized her kinsman inher lover's repetition of his words, but when it came to the question ofa marriage, her eyes sank to the floor, and remained there. 

"Well, Hilda, " he said at last, "have you the courage to go with me, allunadvised, all unchaperoned, to the chapel this afternoon at threeo'clock?"

She rose slowly, still without looking at him, placed her hands on hisshoulders, then slipped them round his neck, laying her cheek besidehis. 

"It requires no courage, Roland, " she whispered, "to go anywhere if youare with me. I need to call up my courage only when I think with ashudder of our being separated. "

Some minutes elapsed before conversation was resumed. 

"Where is the Archbishop?" asked Roland, in belated manner rememberinghis host. 

"He and the Count Palatine went out together about an hour since. Ithink they were somewhat disturbed at the unusual commotion, and desiredto know what it meant. Do you want to consult my guardian after all?"

"Not unless you desire me to do so?"

"I wish only what you wish, Roland. "

"I am glad his Lordship is absent. Let us to the garden, Hilda, anddiscover a quiet exit if we can. "

A stout door was found in the wall to the rear, almost concealed withshrubbery. The bolts were strong, and rusted in, but the prowess ofRoland overcame them, and he drew the door partially open. It looked outupon a narrow alley with another high wall opposite. Roland looked upand down the lane, and saw it was completely deserted. 

"This will do excellently, " he said, shoving the door shut again, butwithout thrusting the bolts into position. He took her two hands in his. 

"Dearest, noblest, sweetest of girls! I must now leave you. Await mehere at half-past one. I go out by this door, for it is necessary Ishould know exactly where the alley joins a main street. It would berather embarrassing if you were standing here, and Father Ambroselooking for us in the chapel, while I was frantically searching for andnot finding the lane. "

Some time in advance of the hour set, the impatient young man kept theappointment he had made, and when the Countess appeared exactly on theminute, he held open the door for her, then, drawing it shut behind him, they were both out in the city of Frankfort together. Roland's highspirits were such that he could scarcely refrain from dancing along ather side. 

"I'd like to take your hand, " he said, "and swing it, and show you thesights of the city, as if we were two young people in from the country. "

"I am a country girl, please to remember, " said the Countess. "I knownothing of Frankfort, or, indeed, of any other large town. "

"I am glad of that, for there is much to see in Frankfort. We will makefor the Cathedral, that beautiful red building, splendid and grand, where we should have been married with great and useless ceremony if Ihad been crowned Emperor. But I am sure the simple chapel in the workingtown of Sachsenhausen better suits a sword maker and his bride. "

Now they came out into the busy street, which seemed more thronged thanever. In making their way to the Cathedral, the mob became so dense thatprogression was difficult. The current seemed setting in one direction, and it carried them along with it. Hildegunde took the young man's arm, and clung close to him. 

"They are driving us, whether we will or no, towards our old enemy, theArchbishop of Mayence. That is his Palace facing the square. There issome sort of demonstration going on, " cried Roland, as cheer after cheerascended to the heavens. "How grim and silent the Palace appears, allshuttered as if it were a house of the dead! Somehow it reminds me ofMayence himself. I had pictured him occupying a house of gloom likethat. "

"Do you think we are in any danger?" asked the girl. "The people seemvery boisterous. "

"Oh, no danger at all. This mob is in the greatest good-humor. Listen totheir heart-stirring cheers! The people have been fed; that is thereason of it. "

"Is that why they cheer? It sounds to me like an ovation to theArchbishop! Listen to them: 'Long live Mayence! God bless theArchbishop!' There is no terror in those shouts. "

Nevertheless his Lordship of Mayence had taken every precaution. Theshutters of his Palace were tightly closed, and along the whole front ofthe edifice a double line of soldiers was ranged under the silentcommand of their officers. They stood still and stiffly as stone-gravenstatues in front of a Cathedral. The cheers rang unceasingly. Then, suddenly, as if the sinister Palace opened one eye, shutters were turnedaway from a great window giving upon the portico above the door. Thewindow itself was then thrown wide. Cheering ceased, and in the newsilence, from out the darkness there stepped with great dignity an oldman, gorgeous in his long robes of office, and surmounting that splendidintellectual head rested the mitered hat of an Archbishop. After themomentary silence the cheers seemed to storm the very door of the skyitself, but the old man moved no muscle, and no color tinged his wanface. 

"By the Kings, " whispered Roland, during a temporary lull, "what a man!There stands power embodied, and yet I venture 'tis his first taste ofpopularity. I am glad we have seen this sight, both mob and master. Howquick are the people to understand who is the real ruler of Germany! Iwish he were my friend!"

Slowly the Archbishop raised his open hands, holding them for a momentin benediction over the vast assemblage. Once more the cheers died away, and every head was bowed, then the Archbishop was in his place nolonger. Unseen hands closed the windows, and a moment later the shuttersblinded it. The multitude began to dissolve, and the two wanderers foundtheir way become clearer and clearer. 

Together they entered the empty, red Cathedral, and together knelt downin a secluded corner. After some minutes passed thus Roland rememberedthat the hour of two had struck while they were gazing at theArchbishop. Gently he touched the hand of his companion. They rose, andwalked slowly through the great church. 

"There, " he whispered, "is where the Emperor is crowned. The Archbishopof Mayence always performs that ceremony, so, after all, there is somejustification for his self-assumed leadership. "

Again out into the sunshine they walked to the Fahrgasse, and then tothe bridge, where the Countess paused with an expression of delight atthe beauty of the waterside city, glorified by the westering sun. Crossing the river, and going down the Bruckenstrasse of Sachsenhausen, Roland said:

"Referring to people who are not Emperors, that is my room at thecorner, where I lived when supposed to be in prison. "

"Is that where you made your swords?" she asked. 

"No; Greusel's workshop and mine is farther along that side street. Itis a grimy shop of no importance, but here, on the other side, we havean edifice that counts. That low building is the Benedictine monastery, and this is its little chapel. "

The Countess made no comment, but stood looking at it for a few momentsuntil her thoughts were interrupted by the solemn tones of a bellstriking three. Roland went up the steps, and held open the door whileshe passed in, then, removing his hat, he followed her. 

XXII

LONG LIVE THEIR MAJESTIES

The most anxious man in all Frankfort was not to be found among themighty who ruled the Empire, or among the merchants who traffickedtherein, or among the people who starved when there was no traffic. Themost anxious man was a small, fussy individual of great importance inhis own estimation, cringing to those above him, denouncing thosebeneath; Herr Durnberg, Master of the Romer, in other words, the Keeperof the Town Hall. The great masters whom this little master served wereimperious and unreasonable. They gave him too little informationregarding their intentions, yet if he failed in his strict duty towardsthem, they would crush him as ruthlessly as if he were a wasp. 

Unhappy Durnberg! Every morning he expected the Electoral Court to beconvened that day, and every evening he was disappointed. It was hisfirst duty to lay out upon the table in that great room, the Kaisersaal, a banquet, to be partaken of by the newly-made Emperor, and by the sevenpotentates who elected him. It was also his duty to provide two hugetanks of wine, one containing the ruby liquor pressed out atAssmannshausen; the other the straw-colored beverage that had madeHochheim famous. These tanks were connected by pipes with the plain, unassuming fountain standing opposite the Town Hall in that squarecalled the Romerberg. The moment an election took place Herr Durnbergturned off the flow of water from the fountain, and turned on the flowof wine, thus for an hour and a half there poured from the northwardpointing spout of the fountain the rich red wine of Assmannshausen, andfrom the southern spout the delicate white wine of Hochheim. Now, winewill keep for a long time, but a dinner will not, so the distractedDurnberg prepared banquet after banquet for which there were noconsumers. 

At last, thought Herr Durnberg, his vigilance was about to be rewarded. There came up the broad, winding stair, to the landing on which openedthe great doors of the Kaisersaal, two joyous-looking young people, evidently lovers, and with the hilt of his sword the youth knockedagainst the stout panels of the door. It was Herr Durnberg himself whoopened, and he said haughtily--

"The Romer is closed, and will not be free to strangers until after theElection. "

"We enter, nevertheless. I am Prince Roland, here to meet the Court ofElectors, who convene at midday in the adjoining Wahlzimmer. You, Romer-meister, will announce to their august Lordships that I am here, and, when their will is expressed, summon me to audience with them. "

Herr Durnberg bowed almost to the polished floor, and flinging open bothdoors, retreated backwards, still bent double as he implored them toenter. Locking the doors, for the Electors would reach the Wahlzimmerthrough a private way, to be used by none but themselves, the bustlingDurnberg produced two chairs, which he set by the windows in the front, and again running the risk of falling on his nose, bowed hisdistinguished visitors to seats where they might entertain themselves bywatching the enormous crowd that filled the Romerberg from end to end, for every man in Frankfort knew an Election was impending, and it wasafter the banquet, when the wine began to flow in the fountain, that thenew Emperor exhibited himself to his people by stepping from theKaisersaal out upon the balcony in front of it. 

"Do you feel any shyness about meeting this formidable conclave?Remember you have at least two good friends among them. "

The girl placed her hand in his, and looked affectionately upon him. 

"When you are with me, Roland, I am afraid of nothing. "

"I should not ask you to pass through this ordeal were it not for yourguardian. His astonishment at the announcement of our marriage will beso honest and unacted that even the suspicious Mayence cannot accuse himof connivance in what we have done. Of course, the strength of myposition is that I have but carried out the formal request of theirthree Lordships; a request which has never been rescinded. "

Before she could reply the hour of twelve rang forth. The deferentialHerr Durnberg entered from the Wahlzimmer, and softly approached them. 

"Your Highness, " he said, "my Lords, the Electors, request your presencein the Wahlzimmer. "

"How many are there, Romer-meister?"

"There are four, your Highness; the three Archbishops and the CountPalatine. "

"Ah, " breathed Roland, relieved that Mayence had not called up hisreserve, and assured now that the seventh Elector had not arrived. Witha glance of encouragement at his wife, Roland passed into the presence. 

Herr Durnberg, anxious about the outcome, showed an inclination to closethe door and remain inside, but a very definite gesture from Mayencewafted the good man to outer regions. 

Mayence opened the proceedings. 

"Yesterday I received a communication from your Highness, requesting meto convene this Court. I am as ignorant as my colleagues regarding thesubjects to be placed before us. I therefore announce to you that we areprepared to listen. "

"I thank you, my Lord of Mayence, " began the Prince very quietly. "Whenfirst I had the honor of meeting your three Lordships in the Castle ofEhrenfels, I signed certain documents, and came to an agreement with youupon other verbal requests. I am not yet a man of large experience, butat that time, although comparatively few days have elapsed, I was a mereboy, trusting in the good faith of the whole world, knowing nothing ofits chicanery. Since then I have been through a bitter school, learningbitter lessons, but I am nevertheless encouraged, in that for every manof treachery and deceit I meet two who are trustworthy. "

"Pardon me, " said Mayence suavely, "I did not understand that thediscourse you proposed was to be a sermon. If your theme is a lecture onmorality, I beg to remind you that this Wahlzimmer is a place ofbusiness, and what you say is better suited to a chapel or even achurch, than to the Election Chamber of the Empire. "

"I am sorry, my Lord, " said Roland humbly, "if my introduction does notmeet your approval. I assure you that the very opposite was myintention. My purpose is to show you why a change has come over me, andin order--"

"Once more I regret interrupting, but the reason for whatever change hasoccurred can be of little interest to any one but yourself. You begin bymaking vague charges of dishonesty, treachery, and what-not, againstsome person or persons unknown. May I ask you to be definite?"

"Is it your Lordship's wish that I should mention names?"

Cologne showed signs of uneasiness; Treves looked in bewilderment fromone to another of his colleagues; the Count Palatine sat deeplyinterested, his elbows on the table, massive chin supported by hugehands. 

"Your Highness is the best judge whether names should be mentioned ornot, " said Mayence, quite calmly, as if his withers were unwrung. "Butyou must see that if you hint at conspiracy and bafflement, certaininferences are likely to be drawn. Since the time you speak of there hasbeen no opportunity for you to meet your fellow-men, therefore theseinferences are apt to take the color that reference is made to one orthe other of the three personages you did meet. I therefore counsel youeither to abstain from innuendo or explain explicitly what you mean. "

"I the more willingly bow to your Lordship's decision because it ischaracterized by that wisdom which accompanies every word your Lordshiputters. I shall therefore designate good men and bad. "

Mayence gazed at the young man in amazement, but merely said:

"Proceed, sir, on your perilous road. "

"I am the head of a gang of freebooters. When this company leftFrankfort under my command we appeared to be all of one mind. My gangconsisted entirely of ironworkers, well-set-up young fellows in splendidphysical condition, yet before I was gone a day on our journey I foundmyself confronted by mutiny. A man named Kurzbold was the leader of thisrebellion; a treacherous hound, whom I sentenced to death. The two whostood by me were Greusel and Ebearhard, therefore I told you that when Imet one villain I encountered two trustworthy men. "

"When did this happen?" asked Mayence. "And what was the object of yourfreebooting expedition?"

"High Heaven!" cried the Archbishop of Cologne, unable longer torestrain his impatience when he saw the fatal trend of the Prince'sconfession, "what madness has overcome you? Can you not see the effectof these disturbing disclosures?"

The Prince smiled, and answered first the last question. 

"'Tis an honest confession, my Lord, of what may be considered adishonest practice. It is information that should be within yourknowledge before you sit down to elect an Emperor. 

"When did this happen, my Lord of Mayence?" he continued, turning to thechairman. "It happened when you thought I was your prisoner inEhrenfels. Never for a day did you hold me there. I roamed the countryat my pleasure. I examined leisurely and effectively the defenses ofnearly every castle on the Rhine from the town of Bonn to your own cityof Mayence. The object of our expedition, you ask? It was to loot thestolen treasure of the robber castles, and incidentally it resulted inthe destruction by fire of Furstenberg. The marauding excursion ended atPfalz, where I lightened the Pfalzgraf of his wealth, and liberated theCountess von Sayn, unlawfully imprisoned within that fortress. "

"By the Three Kings!" cried the Count Palatine, bringing his huge fistdown on the table like the blow of a sledge hammer, "you are a man, andI glory that it is my privilege to vote for you. "

"I agree with my brother of Cologne, " said Treves, speaking for thefirst time, "that this young man does not properly weigh the inevitableresult of his terrible words. I vote, of course, with my Lord ofMayence, but such a vote will be most reluctantly given for aself-confessed burglar and incendiary. "

"Be not too hasty, gentlemen, " counseled Mayence. "We are not met hereto cast votes. Your Highness, I complained a moment ago of lack ofinterest in your recital; I beg to withdraw that plea. After havingheard you I agree that the Countess was unjustly imprisoned. She wasaccurate in her estimate of your character. "

"I think not, my Lord, I do not regard myself as burglar, incendiary, thief, or robber. I call myself rather a restorer of stolen property. Ished no blood, which in itself is a remarkable feature of action sodrastic as mine. The incendiarism was merely incidental, forced upon meby the fact that the Red Margrave tied up eighteen of my men, whom heproposed presently to hang. I diverted his attention from this executionby the first method that occurred to me, namely, the firing of hisCastle. In my letter to you yesterday, my Lord, I promised to clear awaycertain obstacles from your path. I therefore remove one, by saying thatan object of this conference is my own renunciation of the Emperorship, thus while I thank my Lord Count for his proffered franchise, I quietthe mind of my Lord of Treves by assuring him his defection has noterror for me. And now, my Lord of Mayence, will you listen carefully tomy suggestion?"

"Prince Roland, " replied his Lordship, almost with geniality, "I havenever heard so graphic a narrator in my life. Proceed, I beg of you. "

"When our band of cut-purses set out from Frankfort, they supposed thegold was to be shared equally among us. Mutiny taught me to use the artsof diplomacy, which I despise. I hoped to attain such influence overthem that they would agree to abjure wealth for the benefit ofFrankfort. I am happy to say that I accomplished my object, so thatyesterday and to-day you have witnessed the results of my efforts; therelief of a starving city. I merely removed the wealth of robbers tobenefit those whom they robbed. Knowing the dangerous feeling actuatingthis town against your Lordships, I caused proclamation to be madecrediting this relief to the Archbishops. 

"My Lord of Mayence, when yesterday I saw you appear on your ownbalcony, the most stern, the most dignified figure I ever beheld; when Iheard the ringing cheers that greeted you; when I realized, as neverbefore, the majesty of your genius, I cursed the stupid decree of Fatethat denied me your friendship. What could we not have accomplishedtogether for the Fatherland? I, with my youth and energy, under thetutelage of your wisdom and experience. You tasted there, probably forthe first time in your life, the intoxicating cup of popularity, yet itaffected you no more than if you had drunk of the fountain in theRomerberg. 

"Now, my Lords, here is what I ask of you, and it will show how much Iwould have depended upon you had I been chosen to the position at firstproposed to me. I request you, my Lord of Treves, to remove your threethousand troops to the other side of the Rhine. "

"I shall do nothing of the sort, " blurted Treves, amazed at the absurdproposal. 

Roland went on, unheeding:

"I ask you, my Lord of Cologne, to march your troops to Assmannshausen. "

"You indeed babble like the boy you said you were!" cried the indignantCologne. "You show no grasp of statesmanship. "

A faint smile quivered on the thin lips of Mayence at his colleagues'ill-disguised fear at leaving him the man in possession so far asFrankfort was concerned. The naive proposal which angered his twobrethren merely amused Mayence. This young man's absurdity was anintellectual treat. Roland smiled in sympathy as he turned towards him, but his next words banished all expression of pleasure from the face ofMayence. 

"I hope to succeed better with you, my Lord. Of course I recognize Ihave no standing with this Court since my refusal of the gift youintended to bestow. I ask you to draft into this city seven thousandmen;" then after a pause: "_the seven thousand will not have far tomarch, my Lord. _"

He caught an expression almost of fear in the Archbishop's eyes, whichwere quickly veiled, but his Lordship's tone was as unwavering as everwhen he asked:

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that the city of Mayence is nearer to Frankfort than eitherCologne or Treves. "

"Your geographical point is undeniable. What am I to do with my tenthousand once they are here?"

"My Lord, I admire the rigid discipline of your men, and estimate fromthat the genius of organization possessed by your officers; a geniusimparted, I believe, by you. No one knows better than I the state ofconfusion which this effort at relief has brought upon the city. Isuggest that your capable officers divide this city into cantons, proclaim martial law, and deliver to every inhabitant rations of food asif each man, woman, and child were a member of your army. Meanwhile themerchants should be relieved of a task for which they have proved theirincapacity, and turn their attention to commerce. This relief at bestmust be temporary. The vital task is to open the Rhine. The merchantswill load every barge on the river with goods, and this flotilla thearmies of Treves and Cologne will escort in safety to the latter city. In passing they will deliver an ultimatum to every castle, demanding acontribution in gold towards the further relief of Frankfort, untilcommerce readjusts itself, and assuring each nobleman that if thiscommerce is molested, his castle shall be forfeited, and himselfimprisoned or hanged. "

"Quite an effective plan, I think, your Highness, to which I willinglyagree, if you can assure me of the support of my two colleagues, which Iregret to say has already been refused. "

His Lordship looked from one to another, but neither withdrew hisdeclaration. 

"Prince Roland, " continued Mayence, "we seem to have reached a deadlock, and I fear its cause is that distrust of one human being toward anotherthat you deplored a while ago. I confess myself, however, so pleasedwith the trend of your mind as exhibited in your conversation with us, that I am desirous to know what further proposals you care to make, nowthat our mutual good intentions have led us into an impasse. "

"Willingly, my Lord. I propose that you at once proceed to the Electionof an Emperor, for the delay in his choosing has already caused ananxiety and a tension dangerous to the peace of this country. "

"Ah, that is easier said than done, your Highness. Having yourselfeliminated the one on whom we were agreed, it seems to me you should atleast suggest a substitute. "

"Again willingly, my Lord. You should choose some quiet, conservativeman, and, if possible, one well known to the citizens of Frankfort, andheld in good esteem by the people everywhere. He should be a man ofmiddle age--" Mayence's eyes began to close again, and his lips totighten--"and if he had some experience in government, that would be allto the good. One already married is preferable to a bachelor, for thenno delicate considerations regarding a woman can arise, as, I need notremind your Lordship, have arisen in my own case. A man of common senseshould be selected, who would not make rash experiments with the idealsof the German people, as a younger and less balanced person might betempted to do. That he should be a good Churchman goes without saying--"

"A truce, a truce!" cried Mayence sternly. "Again we are running into amoral catalogue impossible of embodiment. Is there any such man in yourmind, or are you merely treating us to a counsel of perfection?"

"Notwithstanding my pessimism, " said Roland, "I still think so well ofmy countrymen as to believe there are many such. Not to make anyrecommendation to those so much better qualified to judge than I, butmerely to give a sample, I mention the Grand Duke Karl of Hesse, whofulfills every requirement I have named. "

For what seemed to the onlookers a tense period of suspense, the old manseated and the young man standing gazed intently at one another. Mayenceknew at once that in some manner unknown to him the Prince had fathomedhis intentions; that his Highness alone knew why the Election had beendelayed, yet the Prince conveyed this knowledge directly to the personmost concerned, in the very presence of those whom Mayence desired tokeep ignorant, without giving them the slightest hint anent the actualstate of affairs. 

The favorable opinion which the Archbishop had originally formed ofRoland in Ehrenfels during this conference became greatly augmented. Even the most austere of men is more or less susceptible to flattery, and yet in flattering him Roland had managed to convey his own sincerityin this laudation. 

"We will suppose the Grand Duke Karl elected, " Mayence said at last. "What then?"

"Why then, my Lord, the three differing bodies of troops at presentoccupying Frankfort would be withdrawn, and the danger line crossed overto the right side. "

Mayence now asked a question that in his own mind was crucial. Once morehe would tempt the young man to state plainly what he actually knew. 

"Can your Highness give us any reason why you fear danger from thepresence of troops commanded by three friendly men like my colleaguesand myself?"

"My fear is that the hands of one or the other of you may be forced, andI can perhaps explain my apprehension better by citing an incident towhich I have already alluded. I had not the slightest intention ofburning Castle Furstenberg, but suddenly my hand was forced. I wasresponsible for the safety of my men. I hesitated not for one instant tofire the Castle. Of the peaceful intentions of my Lords the Archbishopsthere can be no question, but at any moment a street brawl between thesoldiers, say, of Cologne and Treves, may bring on a crisis that canonly be quelled by bloodshed. Do you see my point?"

"Yes, your Highness, I do, and your point is well taken. I repose suchconfidence in our future Emperor that voluntarily I shall withdraw mytroops from Frankfort at once. Furthermore, I shall open the Rhine, bysending along its banks the ultimatum you propose, not supported by myarmy, but supported by the name of the Archbishop of Mayence, and Ishall be interested to know what Baron on the Rhine dare flout thattitle. Will you accept my aid, Prince Roland?"

"I accept it, my Lord, with deep gratitude, knowing that it will proveeffective. "

His Lordship rose in his place. 

"I said this was not an Electoral Court. I rise to announce my mistake. We Electors here gathered together form a majority. I propose to you thename of Prince Roland, son of our late Emperor. "

"My Lord, my Lord!" cried Roland, raising his hand, "you do not knowall. "

"Patient Heaven!" cried the irritated Archbishop, "you make too much ofus as father confessors. Do not tell us now you have been guilty ofassassination!"

"No, my Lord, but you should know that I have married the LadyHildegunde, Countess von Sayn, whom you have already rejected asEmpress. "

"Well, if you have accepted the dame, the balance is redressed. I am notsure but you made an excellent choice. "

It was now the turn of the amazed Archbishop of Cologne to rise to hisfeet. 

"What his Highness says is impossible. The Lady von Sayn has been in mycare ever since she entered Frankfort, and I pledge my word she hasnever left my Palace!"

"We were married yesterday at three o'clock, in the chapel of theBenedictine Fathers, and in the presence of four of them. We left yourPalace, my Lord, by a door which you may discover in the wall of yourgarden, near the summer-house, and my wife is present in the adjoiningroom to implore your forgiveness. "

Cologne collapsed into his chair, and drew a hand across his bewilderedbrow. The situation appeared to amuse Mayence. 

"I wish your Highness had withheld this information until I was surethat my brother of Treves will vote with me, as he promised. My Lord ofTreves, you heard my proposition. May I count on your concurrence?"

Treves' house of cards fell so suddenly to the ground that under thecompelling eyes of Mayence he could do no more than stammer hisacquiescence. 

"I vote for the Prince, " he said in tones barely audible. 

"And you, my Lord of Cologne?"

"Aye, " said Cologne gruffly. 

"The Count Palatine?"

"Yes, " thundered the latter. "A choice that meets my full approval, andI speak now for the Empress as well as the Emperor. "

"Durnberg!" cried Mayence, raising his voice. 

The doors were instantly opened, and the cringing Romer-meisterappeared. 

"Is the banquet prepared?"

"Ready to lay on the table, my Lord. "

"The wine for the fountains?"

"Needs but the turning of the tap, my Lord. "

"Order up the banquet, turn the tap; and as the new Emperor is unknownto the people, cause heralds with trumpets to set out and proclaim theElection of Prince Roland of Frankfort. "

"Yes, my Lord. "

The Archbishop of Mayence led the way out into the grand Kaisersaal, andthe new Empress rose from her chair, standing there, her face white asthe costume she wore. Mayence advanced to her, bending his gray headover the hand he took in his own. 

"Your Majesty, " he said gravely, and this was her first hint of theoutcome, "I congratulate you upon your marriage, as I have alreadycongratulated your husband. "

"My Lord Archbishop, " she said in uncertain voice, "you cannot blame mefor obeying you. "

"I think my poor commands would have been futile were it not for theassistance lent me by his Majesty. "

The salutations of the others were drowned by the cheers of the greatassemblage in the Romerberg. The red wine and white had begun to flow, and the people knew what had happened. In the intervals between theclangor of the trumpets, they heard that a Prince of their own town hadbeen elected, so all eyes turned to the Romer, and cries of "TheEmperor! The Emperor!" issued from every throat. The multitude felt thata new day was dawning. 

"I believe, " said Mayence, "that hitherto only the Emperor has appearedon the balcony, but to-day I suggest a precedent. Let Emperor andEmpress appear before the people. "

He motioned to Herr Durnberg, and the latter flung open the tallwindows; then Roland taking his wife's hand, stepped out upon thebalcony. 

THE END