The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-02-23
Cd, and the pail and basket were soon

- VIZ ASSN' "AN NNAN f'%'- N NN-'t>~N WIZ oVpA
empty.
''Now, that am again refreshed, good
child" said he heartily, my dangerous exist
ence somewhat prolonged, let us talk a little.
Tell me how things look in the city, and how
it is going to be with me-"
Badly enough, Sir Knight" answered she
4" Ny warlike brother has killed several. and
think he wounded you. am afraid he hates
you above all others. Tell me- are you the
Knight Heinz of the Mountain"
" l am, Trudy"
low cry escaped her, and she struggled for
words, but none came. At last she said and
are you really as bad they all say you are ?"
SO bad /? That is q singular question, little
one / consider myself no worse and no bet
ter than other gentlemen of my neighborhOod.
! am bold and daring, and viii defend my life
at all risks"
"They say that you rob quiet merchants,
and demand toll from honest citizens and peace
full pilgrims. You shun useful labor; will live
riotously upon the property Of others, and Will
reap the harvests from the lands of those who
raise them. You viii allow your neighbors no
peace nor happiness, and haveno respect either
for the laws of the land or the commands Of
God"
"They say that, do they?" cried he, incau-
tiously, in a loud, naughty tone "The shop
keepers, the bakers, the mealworms So Judge
they Of our needs and difficulties. And how can
luty Know NLRb = l0Eu uEEQN HOW can LQET
know with what right one comes in, born to .
shield and that he must take that which these
idiotic, ill-tempered misers will not give up
willingly -
q do not understand you, sir. The usages
of the world are new to me. Your words con-
fuse me- Farewell, and may God keep us all !"
She skipped away, reached safely by the
little-lighted porch her own room, and fell
staggering with confused thoughts aud weari-
ness upon her bed. She slept so soundly and
so late the next morning. that when she awOke
it was difficult to collect her ideas. II seemed
like an absurd dream that she held prisoner a
dangerous knight, who lived by her kindness
only, and that all that had happened could be
true. But she will in the course of a few hours
recall her poor guest-friend to mind.
At noon Balthazar comes home, after making
a new search. With heavy steps he PAGES the
room, and says: " Here is a pretty piece of
witches play. OurneighbOr, Luning, the smith,
saw the knight Heinz of the Mountain fighting
in our street. He also knows that he vanished
and no one has either seen or found him. His
old friend, Satan, must have got him." He
spoke. in loud, scornful tones, and laughed
moekingly.
Hush my son, - said his father; "Iet not the
dark presence cross the threshold Of this God
fearing house, even in name; aud have patience
with thyenemy who issUrely lost, since no one
knows this day where he is
BalthaZar deplored the hard fate that had
prevented him from killing Siegfried Heinzs
brother, on the Chalk Mountains, and said he
would strangle Heinz yet If he could catch
him. Gertrude trembled at the thought that
she held the thread that could guide her brother
to his enemy. At this moment he requested
Katherine to examine his wound, which,
though not serious, was painful
Gertrude succeeded in carrying refreshments,
as on the previous night, while Hans slept be-
-T.1 . h. -
these nightly visits with comparative safety.
The prisoners voice sounded weak, but as joy
full as yesterday, when he answered her in
quiry at the opening.
Dost thou see no way out for me, Trudy?"
he asked.
"None indeed, my Lord" she answered sor-
rowfully. Believe me- l would gladly liber-
ate you from your wretched lodging But if
could be so fortunate as to get either of the KEYS
into my possession, what could I advise you TO
do in this weIl-watehed city? You would
either fall into the hands Of my Tevengeful
brother, who would with his comrades certainly
destroy you, or you would fall under the pixies
Of the city guard or be thrown into dungeon
even worse than the one you now occupy"
" But what wilt thou do with me, Trudy?"
" ] do not know sir; only know that you
must hope and trust and that the command
Love your enemies " is the law Of Christ
which | strive to follow"
s. But | am not thy enemy, dear child. lam
most kindly disposed toward thee thou art
my consolation and my joy, and thy simple
words live from one night 20 another, inefface-
ably. in my SOUL"
She trembled with happiness as she heard him.
al dare neither trust nor believe you" she
whispered back. My family say so many evil
things Of you. 1t seems to me impossible that
what they say can be true, yet they do not tell
falsehoOds; so / stand trembling in a fog Tell
me yourself, are you good or bad l must,
will believe you. No man is bad enough to
deceive, in the face Of cruel death, the only
person who is good to him"
4" In thy estimation | am bad" he replied
after brief pause. "But by the life of my
father / am not so wicked-thou art right,
sweet ehild-as to deceive thee, who alone on
the brink of precipice, holds out a hand to
help me-"
After gloomy pause she whispered again,
My Lord, are you, then, so bad that you cannot
reform? 2"
He laughed aloud. Nonsense, little girl, !"
said he. Leave that TO the priests Thy
sweet lips are better suited to kisses"
She started and flew up like dove when
one claps his hands. He reached out his hand
to hold her, but she fingered not, while be in
cautiously called, Trudy, dear Trudy." vainly
trying to check her fastening steps. She sank
upon her bed in tears.
fiddler in playing his best piece Until then,
the music flows on delightfully."- under his fin
gers, but a loud twang and a false note spoil
all He can be lovely, grateful and true, but
all at once something seems to impel him to
say or do that which reminds one of the break
ing of a string"
The days passed very slowly. She dreaded
the night, yet she could not let him suffer want.
Her anxiety about the risk became less, and
she would have looked forward almost with
pleasure to the visit, if he had not been so dis
posed to ridicule all that she had been taught
TO consider holy.
At last she takes the food to him. but she is
shy, and hastens away as soon as she has pushed
the last draft of water through the aperture.
He climbs again upon the edge of the barrel to
speak to her. but she is gone.
A miserable day passed, filled with self-re-
proach. Her conscience reproyed her, as she
believed. She called herself harsh, and blamed
herself with having withheld from one in great
| need Of sympathy the kind words that ought TO
have been spoken. This is not the custom in
her pious home, in which not bread alone, but
| consolation, is dispensed. He receives her in
| the evening mildly, but complains of her over
hastineSs. He sees that she has not that affec-
! tionate heart that would feel for his misfOrt-
unes; and she calls him bad. He scolds her
severely. In all the dark, long, empty hours
| he has nothing to anticipate but her visit, the
! thought of her and the few words that she
| grudges him. How can she refuse him these q?
| She promises not to be so hasty again, and
! kneels longer than usual at the opening in the