cks. The Miller knew, what to expect at the return of the Magistrate
and made his way to the nearest frontier. Red-headed George on the
other hand seemed not to consider the matter in so serious a light; he
followed after his enraged progenitor quite calmly. "Father do not
hurry so," he said panting, "the Heidelberg police are always late."

CHAPTER VI.

Whilst the cart was rolling slowly along the Neckar valley, Erastus
gradually regained his composure. His daughter's image in all its
purity and goodness appeared before his eyes. This harmless child might
have been led astray, but had never been depraved. The humiliated
father called to mind every conversation which she had had in his
presence with the Priest, and felt fully convinced that morally his
child was pure and unspotted, whatever might have been the cause of the
extraordinary nightly adventure. He begged his companions to drive
quicker, as he longed to interrogate Lydia face to face. The cart
rolled rapidly through the streets of the town, though it trailed up
the steep Schlossberg much too slowly for the impatient Erastus. But on
the carter wishing to drive over the draw-bridge he found the entry
blocked up. A vehicle guarded by four riders had just driven into the
court-yard. Near a police-officer of the Palatinate sat with fettered
hands the former Parson, Adam Neuser. Wearied and dejected he gazed
straight before him. His hair had become grayer, his complexion more
sun-burnt. Otherwise the flight with its many privations appeared to
have agreed with him better than the boozing life at the Hirsch. He had
wandered much about the world, but had been unable to make without
recommendations, without testimonials, without a name, any position for
himself. Fortune and his star had abandoned him. Thus utterly
discouraged, degraded as to body and soul, with torn clothing, and but
a few pence in his pockets, he found himself in a tavern near the
Danube where he had put up for the night, next to the children's room.
Whilst the heat from the hot kitchen warmed delightfully his stiffened
limbs, and he listened to the childish prattle of the children, a
longing to see his own family once more overpowered him. It seemed to
him as if his wife brought to him their youngest child, which wrapped
in a woollen cloth felt as warm as the chimney against which he leant,
and the little one placed his cheek against his father's and nibbled at