been loitering.

But Cassian, confident that his master's indignation would soon change
to approval and praise, rapidly began to relate what had occurred
outside the little castle at Prebrunn when the festival under the
lindens was over.

After helping to place the Wittenberg theologian in custody, he had
followed Barbara at some distance during her nocturnal walk. While she
waited in front of Dr. Hiltner's house and talked with the members of
the syndic's family after their return, he had remained concealed in the
shadow of a neighbouring dwelling, and did not move until the doctor had
gone away with the singer. He cautiously glided behind them as far as
the garden, witnessed the syndic's cordial farewell to his companion,
and dogged the former to the Prebrunn jail. Here he had again been
obliged to wait patiently a long while before the doctor came out into
the open air with the prisoner. The rope had been removed from Erasmus's
hands, and Cassian had remained at his heels until he stopped in the
village of Kager, on the Nuremberg road. The young man had taken a
lunch in the tavern there; the money for it was given him by the syndic.
Cassian had seen the gold pieces which had been placed in Erasmus's
hand, to pay his travelling expenses, glitter in the rosy light of dawn.

In reply to the almoner's question whether he remembered any portion
of the conversation between the syndic and the singer, Cassian admitted
that he had been obliged to keep too far away from them to hear it, but
Dr. Hiltner's manner to the girl had been very friendly, especially when
he took leave of her.

The anything but grateful manner with which the almoner received this
story was a great disappointment to the overzealous servant; nay, he
secretly permitted himself to doubt his master's wisdom and energy when
the latter remarked that the arrest of a man who had merely entered a
stranger's garden was entirely unjustifiable, and that he was aware of
the singer's acquaintanceship with the Hiltners.

With these words he motioned Cassian to the door.

When the prelate was again alone he gazed thoughtfully into vacancy. He
understood human beings sufficiently well to know that Barbara had not
deceived him in her confession. In spite of the nocturnal walk with the
head of the Ratisbon heretics, she was faithful to the Catholic Church.

Erasmus's visit at night alone gave him cause for reflection, and
suggested the doubt whether he might not hav