tions except when it came to levying taxes, a company of rich
nobles met in the gardens of the Count Arnheim to go hunting together.
The Count was the Governor of Presburg, and a very popular man, except
with his inferiors.

They began their day's sport with a rather highfalutin song sung by
the Count's retainers:

"Up with the banner and down with the slave,
Who shall dare dispute the right,
Wherever its folds in their glory wave,
Of the Austrian eagle's flight?"

The verses were rather more emotional than intelligent, but the
singers were all in good spirits and prepared for a fine day's sport.

After this preliminary all the party--among whom was the young
daughter of the Count, whose name was Arline, and a girlie sort of
chap, Florestein, who was the Count's nephew--came from the castle,
with huntsmen and pages in their train; and what with pages running
about, and the huntsmen's bright colours, and the horns echoing, and
the horses that one must feel were just without, stamping with
impatience to be off, it was a gay scene. The old Count was in such
high feather that he, too, broke into song and, while singing that

"Bugles shake the air,"

he caught up his little daughter in his arms and told how dear she was
to him. It was not a proper thing for so young a girl to go on a hunt,
but Arline was a spoiled young countess. When a huntsman handed a
rifle to Florestein, that young man shuddered and rejected it--which
left one to wonder just what he was going to do at a hunt without a
rifle, but the others were less timid, and all separated to go to
their various posts, Arline going by a foot-path in charge of a
retainer.

These gay people had no sooner disappeared than a handsome young
fellow, dishevelled, pursued, rushed into the garden. He looked
fearfully behind him, and stopped to get his breath.

"I can run no farther," he gasped, looking back upon the road he had
come; and then suddenly at his side, he saw a statue of the Austrian
Emperor. He was even leaning against it.

"Here I am, in the very midst of my foes!--a statue of the Emperor
himself adorning these grounds!" and he became even more alarmed.
While he stood thus, hesitating what to do next, a dozen dusky forms
leaped the wall of the garden and stood looking at him. Thaddeus was
in a soldier's dress and looked like a soldier. Foremost among the
newcomers, who huddled together in brilliant rags, was a great
brigand