o his chair. But he
forced himself to read it to the end, and then burnt the letter in the
flame of the expiring candle, waiting with great patience till the
paper was entirely converted into ashes. He then turned to the
marshal:--"Let the body be watched by six gens d'armes till night; then
let it be carried behind the wall to the churchyard, and there silently
interred. I will myself take an inventory of all that is left, and you
will be silent as to the whole transaction--on your oath of office."

The old man's voice broke at the conclusion of his discourse, and with
tottering steps he left the Sessions-chamber.

* * * * *

Three years had passed since Tausdorfs death. Christopher Friend had
remained a widower, and by all means, just as well as unjust, had
considerably increased his mammon. He was asleep in his own bedroom, on
a beautiful summer's night, when he was awakened by a grasp at his
throat, and, on opening his eyes in terror, there sat upon the bed two
men, fearfully illuminated by the moon. They were enveloped in dark
cloaks, with black masks on their faces, and held two daggers
glittering at his breast, in the pale yellow light. The one figure had
his hand about Christopher's throat, and seemed ready to close it at
the slightest motion of his victim.

"Gracious Heavens! what does this mean?" groaned Christopher; but at
the instant he felt a tighter pressure of the hand about his throat,
and the daggers pricked him in the region of the heart.

"Still!" whispered one of the masks. "A loud word, a cry for help,
sends you in the same moment to hell. We are here to sit in judgment on
you, though, indeed, in a fairer way than your father used three years
since. It has cost no little time, and trouble, and gold--nay, even two
journies to Bohemia--to penetrate your tricks and blinds; but at last
all has become clearer to us than the day. We had paid you a visit long
before this, but that the noble Althea prayed so irresistibly for you,
that during her life we could not undertake any thing against you. Now
at last she has sunk under the grief for her betrothed: Tausdorf's old
father has to weep for his daughter, and the last chain is snapped in
which our revenge lay bound. Your father has to answer to the emperor
for his notorious crimes; but you have done and concealed your deed
with equal cunning, and no earthly court of justice will ever be able
to convict you of it. You