The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-03-01
and fatiguel Will.shenot be near him If they
find him and Kill him

TO De near ner forever, ana II Sne Snoulu get
lost and perish it tseems to him that their lives
are one and that she holds them both in her
little weak hand.s
Gertrude thinks, too, but she does not worry.
She knows that she has done everything for
the best, and she feels sure that help will come.
Very early in the morning she puts bread
and meat into her little basket and tells Lu-
cas-, who Is doing near the oven, that she is
going to the suburksra if all seems safe, she
will bring home some wholesome cabbage; and
not to be uneasy about her if she should not re-
turn to breakfast
Dost thou hear me- Lucas?" she says and
turns back again to him, for it occurs to her
that she has not prepared her blind father for
her absence
'Dost thou hear9" and she laid her hand
upon the shoulder and shook the sleepy boy,
repeating: Do not be uneasy about Trudy."
She then hastened to the house door, loos-
ened the chain, turned the heavy key in the
lock, and as she heard Gesche singing her morn
ing song, she felt afraid that the girl might de-
tain her with questions
With rapid steps she passed through the
empty, dusky streets. She reached the gate
just as travelling company came up. The
gatekeeper moved sleepily, opened the gate and
recognized her; but she tells him she must go
to her field, and he allows her to pass. She has
dark handkerchief tied over her head, and
walks quietly beside the high, Hnen-coyered
wagon, which groans at every step of its many
horses through the arehed city gateway. Once
safely beyond ii, she steps aside, bends low be-
hind the bushes or vanishes in the autumnal
morning mist, SO that none Of the travelling
company notice her. She has observed care
fully the directions and descriptions given her
by the knight and goes steadily toward the
east, the rising sun being her guide. Her
quick eyes, moving constantly, discern every
traveller upon the lonely road. The moment
she suspects danger she finds hiding-place,
like frightened hare. Here, she finds shelter
behind thick fir tree; there, under cluster
of the creeping elder bushes and, again, in the
thickets of the rushes and willows along the
marshy banks of the river. Her plant figure
IS easily concealed, and peasants, troops of
hired soldiers, and even lynX-eyed footpads
pass ignOrantly by. She fears nothing, nor
does it enter her mind to wonder that she is
not AFRAID, though in her fathers house she
would cry out If q mouse rustled among the
meal bags or shrink If any stranger offered to
touch her hand She has never been so far
from the city gates yet she is not surprised to
lind the world so large, as she has often been
when walking out with Katherine and the
children ON Sundays and they have looked
over the walls at the fiat country beyond.
Many a time she had said: cob! sister! how
comfortable it is to live within strong walls
and FaBParts. How worrying it must be TO
and protection"
Nothing OF this kind comes into her mind to-
day She thinks Of nothing but Greta. Whether
she will. return with her; whether the sick
lady will asl0w her to leave, and whether Bal
thazar wil forgive her; whether the girl will
accompany her home willingly after ell these
years, and whether she continues true to her
brother; but of the Iast she has no doubt for she
would find it hard to understand INCONSISTENCY
in anyone. The neiglrborhood is very desc
late but if it were beautiful and attractive she
would not notice it. The street of the Hanse-
attic League goes close to the water from the
umenau to the ElDe, so there is little business
The wagon which lett at the city at the same
time had turned of, at which she rtjoiced. She
followed the directions which the kAiglt had
impressed upon her Sand, heath and dark FIR
woods were before her. At last she reached q
black cross bent down with age, at which many
pilgrim had been beaten by thieves but she
greeted it with joy, because she knew that she
was in the right path. She sat down, for the
SUB was high and her feet burned from the
unaccustomed service, and partook Of some Of
the food from her basket. Happy and light
hearted as the sparrow in he bush, she ate the
bread and meat. Then she started again into
the world.
A gloomy old inn on the wayside environed
her IN its great arcies. Farther on she secs
castle with cuitiyatek yields around it, and soon
discerns from a little emincnce on the way
broad stream in the distance which must be the
Elbe with its dancing sunbeans. And there
stands his house-his goal-her goal
The sun was going down in the Autumn sky
when she arrived At the cottage which stood at
the foot of the e1ninence crowned by the castle.
She sees the stately round tower Of the Castle
Bleckede visible from long distance, and
turrets, walls and bridges; the roof of the house
occupied by the family, and the tops Of the
trees n0dding over the wall. She sees ALL and
goes quietly and trustfully on. She waved her
handkerchief and called several times in her
weak voice before the gate keeper would lower
the bridge that she might cross At last it was
accomplished, and she proceeded without fear
through the railing and gateway. When she
entered the court she encountered gray
bearded attendant, to whom she said that she
brought tidings Of the Knight Heinz who was
imprisoned at Luneburg, and drew forth his
glove. The man FASTENED before her, calling
to her to follow him to the hall.
The next moment she stood before the old
knight the father of her guest. She related
TO him the particulars concerning st. Ursulas
night; told him what had happened in her home,
and demanded of him that Greta should be re-
leased, and that she, with a liberal ransom,
should be permitted to return to Lune5urg by
All Saints Eve, i'll order to relieve mis- son from
his great necessity and danger.
Inc OIu RulgnJ cfAppBu MS nanQS IOr Joy
over the cheering news. He could hardly be-
leve that his sons life had really been grant
ed him. So few had escaped on that murder
GUS night to bring the sad news out into the
country, and to that lonely castlel
Heinz lives-is saved Oh young woman,
what a consoling message thou bringest to my
desert hal cried he, deeply moved.
He ordered q refreshing drink Of welcome to
be brought, and then led his guest to the sit
ting-room, where hisinyalid wife recIined upon
couch, and shed tears of JOY and hope at the
thought of seeing her son once more.
Greta was called.
eyes, it is She" said Gertrude. "I recog-
nize her" as the strong maid with rosy cheeks
and faxen hair stood before her Greta. |
am Balthazars sister little Trudy. Nv
brother came in vain to try to release thee but
the knight Will now give thee to me in ex-
! change; for thou alone canst save his son
| from Baithazar's rageand restore him tosafety. -
Greta fell upon her neck and cast a shy,
questioning glance at the lady.
Col" murmured the latter "Thou hast
been true and careful, and / shall miss thee
| sorely; thou has been to me as n daughter in
my weakness, but on account of Heinz's situa-
| tion l must let thee GO"
''Oh dear lady, cried Greta, sinking beside
| the COUCH and kissing the invalid's hand
| through the tears, " l leave you very unwiI-
| hngly. You were always good, and | liked to
help you; but do not think i'll of me if / re.
turn to my own"
The next morning they returned to the CITY
/ tba ,,,o,,