rward.
"You are our prisoner. Follow us to Schweidnitz."

"Keep yourselves out of harm's way, good people," cried Tausdorf,
turning round his horse: "I am well armed, and have nothing to do with
you."

"You have slain the son of our burgomaster, and are therefore forfeited
to our criminal law," retorted two of the marshalmen, waving their
swords, while the others came up and surrounded the knight.

"Surrender!" exclaimed the chief of them, "that we may not have to use
force, by which you are sure to come off worst."

"Not alive!" cried Tausdorf. "I am here in the Fuerstentein territory,
and to the Fuerstentein tribunal will I surrender myself, that the
_Oberlandeshauptmann_ may try me for my deed. To the sentence of the
court of Schweidnitz I never will submit."

"By no means," replied the marshal. "Where you have committed the
crime, there must you be judged. Therefore, yield yourself immediately,
or I'll have you rode down, and the damage is your own."

In the meantime the tumult, the cry of murder, and the loud parley, had
brought the peasants of Saltzbrunn thither. They came with poles and
spears, and stared at the parties, whom they surrounded.

"Help us to seize the murderer!" cried the marshalman, who had but
little inclination to venture on the single man with his whole troop.

"Not at all," replied the village magistrate. "You are here, gentlemen,
upon the imperial fief of Saltzbrunn; and, as I understand, the knight
is willing to give himself up to our tribunal. That is law, and so it
must be. In the meantime I answer for the prisoner till I have informed
our gracious mistress, the Lady of Hochberg, and afterwards right will
be done to all parties."

"That I should have to dispute thus with a village magistrate about
obeying the commands of the council at Schweidnitz!" exclaimed the
marshal indignantly. "Peasants, I again warn you to help us seize the
murderer, as good and true neighbours. You expose yourselves to a heavy
responsibility if he escapes us through your fault; while, on the
contrary, I promise you a rich reward for your services from the noble
council."

"Here's an opportunity of gaining something," whispered one peasant to
the other; and soon the whole party cried out in chorus, with lifted
poles, "Surrender yourself, Sir knight."

"For God's sake, do not compel me to murder!" said Tausdorf earnestly,
and waved his sword.

"Forwards!" commanded the marshal, and rushed with his hors