lose
his eyes for several nights. Then his mind was made up. All the
prayers and weeping of the daughters did not make him alter his
decision.

One day he stood before the Archbishop of Cologne and reminded him how
he had saved his life more than twenty years ago, and he recalled to
his memory that he had promised to grant any wish of the Hammersteins.

There was a great discussion between the knight and the bishop. But
the fidelity of the vassal was rewarded. The strong ecclesiastical
protection of the church at Cologne facilitated the steps to the
priests in Liege. Surrounded by pious women and earnest men he knelt,
a week later, before the sarcophagus, he pressed his lips to it and
murmured "Henry my master and my King." Afterwards he had the body
transferred to Speyer where it was placed in the royal tomb.

When the mournful vessel went up the Rhine from Cologne, by order of
the knight black flags fluttered in the wind and greeted the dead
Emperor. Hammerstein was always known later on as the most faithful
vassal of the King.

VALLEY OF THE AHR

The Last Knight of Altenahr

Only a few mouldering ruins now show where one of the proudest
strongholds of the Rhine country, Castle Altenahr, once stood. A
legend relates the mournful story of the last of the race which had
lived there for centuries.

This man was a very stubborn knight, and he would not bow down to or
even acknowledge the all-powerful archbishop, whom His Majesty the
Emperor had sent into the Rhine country as protector of the church.

Unfortunately the bishop was also of a proud and unyielding character,
and he nursed resentment in his heart against this spurner of his
authority.

It was not long before his smouldering rancour blazed into an open
feud, and the mighty bishop, accompanied by a large band of followers,
appeared before the proud castle of Altenahr. A ring of iron was
formed round the offending vassal's hold.

But its owner was not disturbed by this formidable array, and only
laughed sneeringly at the besiegers' useless trouble, knowing well
that they would never be able to storm his rocky stronghold.

The warlike priest saw many of his little army bleeding to death in
vain. He was very wrathful, but nevertheless undismayed.

He had sworn a great oath that he would enter this invincible hold as
a conqueror, even if the fight were to last till the Judgment Day; the
lord of Altenahr had sworn a similar oath, and these two