The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-09-27

gate ana tell MIN the baron sends 1t to
/ him"
will you absolve me, father, for
1T is no falsehood. Goaleib. I, the
baron, send it. 1 came hither the Abb
bot Ambrose; am now Baron Won
Stern, and if have any influence with
our mother church the abbot's robe
shall fall on thy shoulders, if you but
do we'll what l ask of you tonight. 1t
will be some compensation for what,
l fear thou hast already suffered"
Gottleib hurried away, as the knights
were already clamoring for more wine.
AS the night wore on and the moon
rose higher, the sounds of revelry in
creased and once there was a CLASH of
arms and much uproar, which sub
sided under the overmastering voice of
the black baron. At Lass, the abbot
standing there with the rope dangling
behind him, saw Gottleib bring a huge
beaker of liquor to the sentinel, who
at once sat down on the stone bench
under the arch to enjoy 1T.
Finally all riot died away in the hall,
except one thin voice singing wavering-
~ a drinking song, and when that
ceased, silence reigned supreme and the
moon shone full upon the bubbling
spring.
Gottleib stole silently out and told the
abbot that all the knights were stretch
ed upon the floor and the baron had his
head on the table, beside his overturned
fagon. The sentinel snored upon his
stone bench.
Il can now unbar the gate" said
Father Gottleib, and we may all es-
CAPE
mot So" replied the abbot. 1--WE
came here TO convert these men to
Christianity, and our task is still to
do"
The monks all seemed frightened at
! this, and wished themselves once more
within the monastery, able to say alls
well that ends SO, but none ventured to
offer counsel to the gaunt man who
led them. He babe each bring with him
the cords that had bound him and
without word they followed him into
the ritter-saale and there tied up the
Knights and their master as they them
selves had been tied.
| Garry them out" commanded the
abbot, land lay them in a row, their feet
toward the spring and their heads I'M
der the ropes. And go you, Gottleib.
who know the ways of the castle, and
fasten the doors of all the apartments
| where the Servitors are sleeping"
When this was done and they gath
cred once more in the roon-lit court
yard, the abbot took off his robes of
office and handed them to Father Colt
leib, saying, significantly, "the lowest
among you thar suffer and are true,
shall be exalted" Turing to his own
flock he commanded them to go in and
have some rest after such a disquiet-
ing night, then to Gottleib, when the
monks had obediently departed, Bring
4 me, an you know where to find SUCH
the apparel of fighting man and a
sword
Thus arrayed, he dismissed the old
man, and alone in the silence with the
row of figures like effigies on a tomb be-
side him, paced up and down through
the night, as the moon dropped lower
and lower in the heavens. There was
a period of dark before the dawn and
at last the upper walls began to Written
with the coming day, and the black
baron moaned uneasily in his drunken
sleep. The abbot paused in his walk
and looked down upon them, and Colt
leib stole out from the shadow of the
door and asked if he could be of SER
vice. He had evidently not slept, but
had watched his chief, until he paused
in his march.
Tell our brothers to come out and
see the justice of the Lord"
When the monks trooped out, bag
gered and wan. in the pure light of
get a fagon and dash water from the
spring IN the faces of the sleepers.
The black baron was the first to
come to his senses and realize dinnly
but afterwards more acuteay the
changed condition OF affairs His eye
wandered appTehensively to the emp
ty moose swaying LIGHTLY in the morn
mig breeze above him. He chen saw
that the tail, ascetic man before him
fI1sa al -
a, sword by his side, and from this he
augured i'll At the command OF the
abbot the monks raised each prostrane
mann and placed him against the north
wall
"Gottleib.'' said the abbot slowly,
the last Office that Will be required of
you. You took from our necks the
noOses last night. Place them, 1 pray
you, on the necks of the baron and his
followers
The old man, trembling, adjusted the
ropes.
MY lord abbot" began the baron.
Baron Won GTunewald," interrupted
the person addressed, tine Abbot Am
br0se is dead. He was fouliy assassin
ated last night. In his place tands
Conrad Won Stern, who answers for his
deeds TO the emperor, and after him,
to God"
rs it your purpose to hang me,
baron?''
Was it your purpose to have hanged
US, my lord?"
Il swear to heaven, it was not. Twas
but an ilI-tigned pteaEantry. Had l
/ wished to have hanged you L would
have done SO last night
THAT seems plausible"
The knights all swore, with many
rounded oaGhs, that their over-lord
| lya ha
Their from their intentions than execu-
ton. The abbot glanced down along
the line, but his face was inscrutadble;
they could read there neither mercy
nor justice
AT last he spoke.
whether you hang or no, shall de-
pend upon yourselves"
BY Gcd, then" cried the baron, IAN
! I have aught to say on the point l
shall hang some other day.
VIII you, then, baron, beg admit
fance to mother church, whose kindly
tenants you have SO OUTRAGED q"
I'VE VIII. We do" cried the baron,
fervently, whispering through his
clenched teeth to Segfried, who stood
next him. Wait till 1 have the uuuer
hand again Fortunately, the abbot
did not hear the whisper. The knights
all echoed aloud the baronis pious first
remark, and perhaps, in their hearts
said amen" to his second.
The abbot spoke a word OF two to
the monks and they advanced to the
pinioned men and there performed the
rites sacred to their calling and to the
serious situation, of the penitents. AS
the good brothers stood back they
begged the abbot for mercy to be ex-
tended toward the new converts, but
the spninx-like face of eheir leader
gave no Indication as to their fate and
the good men began to fear thar it
was the abbot's intention to hang the