ct the maiden's attention, lest she should be too much shocked.
With a trembling hand he directed his son to the enormous rock which,
still smoking with the fire of heaven, lay in the path. The youth
shuddered as he turned his head and beheld a naked sword projecting
from under the mass, in the grasp of a stiffened hand. The captain's
plumed hat lay near, and the surrounding snow was reddened by a small
rivulet of blood which came trickling forth.

'Behold the judgment of God, and implore his mercy for your repentant
father,' said Goes, sinking into the arms of his son.

CHAPTER XXI.

Three months later, Frau Rosen was sitting in the little cottage of the
weaver's widow in Friedland, with an expression of soil serenity upon
her still pale countenance. On either side of her sat Oswald and Faith,
each holding one of her hands, and all rejoicing at her convalescence.
The rattle of an approaching carriage was heard without, and directly
four black horses, attached to the carriage of colonel Goes, trotted up
to the cottage door. The merchant Fessel, yet thin and pale from his
past illness and sorrows, descended from the carriage and entered the
room.

As calamities suffered in common, only strengthen the bands by which
good hearts are united, so the meeting of these friends evinced
increased tenderness and affection; while the memory of the dear
departed, which it called up, received the tribute of many tears.

'How stand matters in our good city of Schweidnitz? at length asked the
matron.

'Badly enough, as yet,' answered Fessel; 'but not near so bad as when
you left us. There seems, indeed, no prospect of an end to our
oppressions. The Jesuits are constantly multiplying their encroachments
and assumptions, and the royal judge whom the count has installed there
commands that all shall become catholic communicants, and prohibits
attendance upon the Lutheran churches out of town. These commands
cannot be very effectively enforced, and the military executions have
been discontinued ever since the departure of the tyrannical Dohna.
Many of the troops also have been withdrawn, and but two squadrons now
remain in the city. I must do the colonel the justice to say, moreover,
that he has done every thing in his power to mitigate our sufferings,
even at great hazard of injuring himself.'

'The Lord reward him for it,' said Frau Rosen, 'and allow it to balance
the long account in that boo