Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-01-22

eued me from the grasp of the lawless
freebooter, Wizenbarg."
And what may be the name of this
valiant gentleman who chooses to play
the part Of knight errant to such per-
fection ?" the burgomaster inquired in
sarcastic tone. Doubtless be expects
to be rewarded for his act of bravery.
he may, perchance, hope to obtain the
hand of the fair damsel he rescued so
opportunely. But never = no, never,
while ! live, shall this come to passl /
swear by" -
"Oh, father r. interrupted Illek, plac-
Ing her soft, white hand on his shoulder;
for my sake--for my dead mothers
sake-do not make any rash vow Hear
me--pity and pardon mel / love Hide
shiem, the Templar"
Hans Gwertler reeled back, as if he
had received his death wound. His
countenance became livid with fury, and
for a brief space of time he remained
stupeied and speechless, staring at the
speaker with undisguised dismay.
Infamous, worthless grill" he at
length calculated. "This to my face
What love q Knight Templarl You
must be mad, or possessed by the Evil
One Dost thou know that thy father,
in common with all right-thinking Chris
tian people, is at deadly war with the
whole order2"
Mercy on me, more's the pity" mur-
INJURED Illek, not knowing very we'll what
she was saying, or that by her last words,
she was but adding fuel to the fire.
" More's the pity? Dost thou dare to
defend such scandslous-such an in
famous body of men, thou artful, wanton
thingT exclaimed the burgomaster, in q
paroxysm of rage.
Hicks naturally high spirit, doubly
armed by long habits Of Difference, rose
at these words.
Wanton I" she reiterated, and then,
after pause, added in a reproacbful
tone of voice, Father, your own hon
orable heart, and your memory of her
who bore me, ought to have strangled that
cslumny ere it saw the light. Artful If
to love brave and honorable gentleman,
and yet refuse his hand from q sense OF
duty only, be srtful-why, then, indeed
| plead guilty to the charge"
Love" |" exclaimed the burgomaster
in a half smothered veice of concentra-
ted rage.
"Yes," returned his daughter quickly.
"Artful l will be no longer. Listen, father,
openly declare that barring a daughter 8
duty above all the world, love, and will
love to my life's end the man who saved
my life-the high minded, valiant Hide
sheimp'
"Oh, oh n groaned the unhappy bur
gomsster, covering his face with his
hands and sinking into massive carved
ebony chair, "that should live to hear
this" His voice faltered, for emotion
choked his utterance.
Father, dear father, forgive me ~
said Illek, bending over her sire with all
good daughters love and devotion.
"You will pardon you poor, petted, way
ward, spoiled child T.
"Let these Knights Templar hence.
forth be to thee as the roaming wolf at
the evening fall-as the ringed adder
basking in the MONDAY sun Shun them,
Illek Remove the deadening weight
that presses on thy fathers heart. Only
say that my hatreds are thy hstreds, my
affections thy affections. But see / ask
too much OF thee II said the speaker in
an altered tone, looking in his daughter 5
face and noticing its expression.
TOO much, indeed" she repeated.s
Let me put my request in another
form. Swear to me that you will never
give secret meetings to this man-this
name seems to blister my tongue-Hil-
deshiem Come, you will promise me p
"0h, press the question no further; l
dare not promise"
"Dare not r. he iterated 10 voice of
concentrated passion. "And. yet you
dare refuse"
He bounded from his chair, with all the
mad brute in his nature unfettercd, and
exclaimed, as be stood in the middle of
the apartment, Hear me, girl ! SOL
emRly swear, that if in two hours thy
stubborn purpose melts not, to devise
some scheme to compel you-do you un-
derstand--compel you to cast aside this
odious and detested Templar. We must
exercise the evil demon that has inspired
this fatal passion"
With these words he strobe out of the
room.
Ilek followed him with her eyes, and
long was her gaze directed to the doorway
by which her sire had so sternly departed,
although nothing but the closed tapestry
met her piteous, Departing look.
The interview between father and
daughter was at an end. Binding tears
gushed into the eyes of the latter-the
harsh and angry voice Of her parent was
still ringing in her ears
The sunset of this eventful day was
succeeded by hosrse and wild gales, that
seemed shrieking over the smooth
meadows in the rear Of the burgomaster's
residence.
Hans Gwertler most cordially hated
the Templars; he had carried his vindic-
tive spirit so far as to bind himself by an
oath 10 do all in bis power to exterminate
them. Il was welcome news to him,
therefore, when it became generally
known that the Archbishop of Mayencs
had received orders to destroy the
Knights Of the order iu his diocese.
At Gwertler's suggestion, the naughty
prelate agreed to make q beginning with
the unfortunate twelve who were in occu.
patton Of Lahneck Castle.
Ac6ye measures were at once deter.
mined upon. A strong division Of the