nd looked fixedly
into his eyes.

"You are Joco Hics," he said; "two years ago you deserted from my
regiment."

The strong, tall, young peasant began to tremble so that his knees
knocked together, but could not answer a single word. Fritz Winter,
Ritter von Wallishausen, whispered into Joco's ear, his speech
agitated and stuttering: "You have a woman with you," he said, "who
surely is not your wife. Set her free. I will buy her from you for any
price you ask. You can go away with your bears and pluck yourself
another such flower where you found this one."

Joco stood motionless for a while as if turned into stone.

He did not tremble any longer: the crisis was over. He had only been
frightened as long as he was uncertain whether or not he would be
instantly hanged if he were found out.

"In all Bosnia," he answered gloomily, "there was only one such flower
and that I stole."

Before a man who was willing to share his guilt, he dared acknowledge
his crime. In truth, this man was no better than himself. He only wore
finer clothes.

The Captain became impatient. "Are you going to give her up, or not?"
he asked. "I do not want to harm you; but I could put you in prison
and in chains, and what would become of your sweetheart then?"

Joco answered proudly: "She would cry her eyes out for me; otherwise
she would not have run away from her rich father's house for my sake."

Ah! thought the Captain, if it were only that! By degrees I could win
her to me.

But it was not advisable to make a fuss, whether for the sake of his
position or because of his wife, who lived in town.

"Joco, I tell you what," said the Captain, suddenly becoming calm. "I
am going away now for a short time. I shall be gone about an hour. By
that time everybody will be in bed. The officers who sup with me, and
the innkeeper and his servants, will all be sound asleep. I give you
this time to think it over. When I come back you will either hold out
your hand to be chained or to receive a pile of gold in it. In the
meantime I shall lock you in there, because I know how very apt you
are to disappear." He went out, and turned the key twice in the lock.
Joco was left alone.

When the hour had expired Captain Winter noisily opened the door. His
eyes sparkled from the strong wine he had taken during supper, as well
as from the exquisite expectation which made his blood boil.

Joco stood smiling submissively before him. "I have thought it over,
sir,