The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-05-28

lUlpdlltuCb ludl lllb IdCG 10 nOb always
to the swift or the battle to the strong.
The next morning Klaus rose early
and went to keep the goats down in the
valley of the Sarina. He did not like
the work, but he made the best of it,
whiting def and handsome things
with his knife while he sat under the
trees. While he was engaged in his
occupation he saw two horsemen ride
out from an adjacent wood and halt
under the boughs of a great oak. They
were armed alike. Each wore a barred
helmet of steel, coat of linked mail,
with long sleeves, plated gauntlets, and
a steel breastplate. Their legs were
covered with armor, so flexible that it
bent to every movement of the body
Each Had shield around his neck and
lance in his hand. There was a
foreign look about them which rendered
the boy suspicious. AS he watched
them he saw man creeping along the
ground toward them from the direction
of the city. Klaus thought he recog-
nized in him certain fellow whom he
had often seen about Fribourg.
What did it mean-those knights in
foreign armor and the spy creeping up
to meet them? Suddenly the words of
the Appenzell visitor in the great square
the day before came TO his mind. Most
likely these were some of MaXimillian's
knights, and they were plotting to get
possession of Fribourg. At the thought
his face flushed hotly, and his heart
almost jumped into his mouth. Per-
haps he, Klaus Henri, might save the
fatherland if he used his wits and did
his duty.
Leaving the goats nibbling the sweet
grasses among the rocks, Klaus eau
tiously crept as near as he could TO the
spot where the newcomers were con-
versing. One of the knights had dis
mounted, and the other was holding
the bridle-rein, while the former was
paying some gold into the hands of the
traitor. Klaus heard them say: To
night, at three o'clock"
Yes" said the knight, ave shall
have a thousand spears at the eastern
gate"
And l." said the villain, who was
betraying his native city for German
gold, y" will have it open for you just as
the clock strikes three, without fail"
"To-night, at three" thought Klaus;
"every one will be sunk in sleep, or
would be-but-"
Histp' whispered the knight, put
ting his finger to his lip.
"'Tis nothing" answered his com
panion. "There's not a soul within
| half a mile. And your worship says
shall have the rest of the gold at sun
rise?"
Certainly, and Maximllian of Ger
many always keeps his word"
The man moved away. Klaus re-
NAMED silent where he was behind the
shadow of rock, his eyes and his ears
open.
The knight did not remount.
certainly heard something" he said,
stepping around, although that mis-
cradle spy thought differently. Hal"
he cried, :" l was sure of it," and he
placed his strong hand upon the listen
ing boy.
"what shall l do with him?" he
asked.
"We can decide that later" an
swered the other. g But we must not
lose him."
Klaus was accordingly taken and
lifted to the saddle in front of one of
the knights, and conveyed about a
mile, when the two horsemen came TO
fire in the wood, where a number of
soldiers were cooking dinner Here
he was lifted down, bound securely
with cord and placed in the middle of
the group.
What shall be done with him?"
again asked the knight who had cap
tured him.
"He can do us no harm as he is" re-
piled one of the soldiers. Let us
spill no more blood than is necessary"
The lad, trembling, heard this de-
cision. He would not have begged for
his life; still he was glad they were not
to kill him at once. He might yet be
able to save the city.
Dinner was served in the wild wood
and then the party mounted their
ing there, hands and feet bound, and
incapable of the least movement. What
should he do? What could he do?
For long time he did not try to dc
anything, he only lay perfectly quiet
thinking. The words three O'Clock u
rung in his ears. Unless he could es
cape and warn them his friends would
all be massacred, his native city en-
shaved, and perhaps the whole lane
brought under Austrian sway. All
woe to Helvetia then! All the labor,
of its heroes would be lost.
The hours passed slowly, the grea
round sun that hung red in the sky like
a broken heart bleeding itself to death
sank lower and lower. The shadow,
began to creep down the darkly-woodet
hill. Night was coming on, then-:h,
, boy dared not think.
, A little breeze arose, and blew thu
ashes from the few live Goals that still
, smouldered where the soldiers ha(
/ cooked their dinner. Half a dozei
dead boughs had fallen upon them, ant
} a little fame nickered suddenly int
r life. A thought, like an inspiration
came to Klaus in his despair.
| He could move just little by work
ing his body like snake, and within,
( slowly and painfully along, an inch at
: time, he finally reached the fire. Wha
was his purpose? lie mould burn til