any moment. And to
kill his father! Fie! I would rather see Hillner hanged, an innocent
man, than do such a deed.'

These words of the miller's brave wife made deep and lasting impression
on Conrad, who stood by and heard them. Though Juechziger was a cruel
stepfather, a hard struggle had been going on in the boy's mind as to
whether it was his duty to bring a terrible suspicion on that father by
telling all he knew. He now determined to let his secret remain locked
up in his own heart.

CHAPTER XI.

HISTORICAL.

While the scene narrated in our last chapter was being enacted, another
and more joyous one was taking place at the Donat Gate. Three men, two
of them miners, suddenly appeared running towards the gate, and making
eager signs to the sentries in the barbican with the view of obtaining
speedy admission. This being at once granted, the little party turned
out to consist of the two miners, Roller and Wahle, sent some days
before on a special mission, together with Master Prieme, who had
fortunately succeeded in making his escape. Roller and his comrade
brought letters and advices from Marshal Piccolomini; these, addressed
to the commandant and the town authorities, and written at Brix on
February 5th, promised that within six, or at longest eight days, the
imperial army should be seen on the mountain beyond the city, advancing
to free Freiberg, by the blessing of God, from the presence of the foe.
The marshal further announced that as he approached he would set fire
to a house or two in the village of Leichtenberg on the Mulda, so that
by midnight his advance should be known in the city; and that
immediately on reaching the mountain, where the enemy would doubtless
discover his presence, he would fire six guns morning and evening, and
three more as he actually began his march down towards the city. Thus
the garrison would have timely notice of the arrival of help.

Piccolomini's despatch to Schoenleben ran as follows:--

'To our trusty, best, and right well-beloved Burgomaster, Herr Jonas
Schoenleben,--Be it known that I have kept the messengers by me, that
their bodily eyes might see my army set forward on its march, and that
thus they might take assured news thereof into the good city of
Freiberg. And inasmuch as I shall in few days arrive before Freiberg
with such army (whereof the enemy neither have knowledge nor can
conceive aught aright), and so, with the help of Almighty God, shall
r