t: "With your permission, Herr von Netz, I will accompany you beyond
the boundaries. The irritated citizens may mean evil to you if they
find you yet within their jurisdiction."

"I accept your offer with thanks," replied Netz, hurrying out. Tausdorf
kissed Althea's hand and said--"I thank you heartily for your friendly
welcome; it seemed to me as if my dear native land greeted me with your
lips, and I only grieve that our first meeting should be so brief and
so unkindly interrupted; but I purpose repeating my visit, if the widow
of my deceased friend will allow it."

"You will always be welcome to me," replied the beautiful widow, in
embarrassment; and the hands, which had been joined seemed to grow
together, while her uncle called out from the window, "Haste! haste!
Netz is already mounted, and the police are coming up the streets from
the market with a whole rabble of armed citizens."

"Farewell!" said Tausdorf, hastily, and disappeared; and Althea,
darting to the window, cried out after him to be careful of himself.
The armed multitude approached; Netz, forgetting his companion, gave
his horse the spurs and galloped off. In the meantime Tausdorf came out
of the house, sprang lightly and nimbly into the saddle, and sent up a
last friendly greeting to the window. In the same moment he was
surrounded by the rabble. Several rough hands seized his horse's reins,
while about him crowded a threatening array of pikes, maces, and
firelocks; and a wild shout arose of--"Another of the murderers!--tear
the scoundrel from his horse!"

"What would you with me?" said Tausdorf, sternly:--"I have had no share
in this unhappy quarrel."

"Found together, bound together!" shouted the rough rabble: "You must
ornament the town-jail."

With this the boldest amongst them seized the knight's legs to pull him
from the saddle.

"Respect to the imperial colours, ye citizens of Schweidnitz!"
exclaimed Tausdorf, and gave his horse the spur and the curb at the
same time. The noble beast reared and struck about him with his
fore-hoofs, to the sore dismay of those who held the reins, and who
immediately let them go; and the knight, thundering out to the mob to
make way, now struck the rowels into his horse's flanks. In an instant
two powerful plunges freed him from his enemies. A loud cry of mingled
joy and terror echoed from Althea's window, while Tausdorf sprang over
the rabble that were rolling upon each other in confusion, and rushed
o