my fate,' called
out the latter, as he reached the carriage, 'that I have found your
excellency in good time. I bring you important intelligence.'

'Who are you, sir?' asked Goertz, disturbed in his occupation, with a
tone of displeasure.

'Captain Gyllenstierna,' answered Arwed. 'I have ridden after you from
Stockholm to give you warning and save you from a great misfortune.'

'Gyllenstierna!' cried Goertz with a friendly smile, leaning back that
he might hear his voice above the rattling of the carriage. 'Then you
bring me news from my daughter, or a message from her. You cannot well
deliver it from your saddle; therefore be pleased to hitch your horse
to mine and take a seat by me in the carriage.'

'I accept your invitation with thanks,' answered Arwed, and attaching
his reins to the collar of a saddle-horse, he sprang into the carriage.
'Have the goodness,' said he, 'to change the direction of your journey
immediately, and on the way I will tell you the cause.'

'What are you dreaming of?' asked Goertz with an angry brow.

'There comes a whole troop of dragoons to meet us,' cried the coachman,
'and they are pressing forward under whip and spur.' Arwed examined
them attentively for a moment. 'My God, I have come too late!'
stammered he, recognizing the gray coat of colonel Baumgardt advancing
at their head.

'Are you in your right mind, young man, or rather are you not some
other than the person you pretend to be?' asked Goertz yet more
angrily, drawing a pistol from the pocket of the carriage.

'For God's sake!' untreated Arwed, grasping his hand, 'reserve your
weapons for your enemies, who are coming to meet us. By you sits your
friend, who is ready to die in your defence. Turn back instantly,
perhaps we may yet avoid them.'

As Goertz sharply examined his countenance his features relaxed into a
milder expression at the perusal of his honest face. 'I have no longer
an ill opinion of you,' said he smilingly. 'It is my impression,
however, that you desire to increase your importance with me a little
by pressing upon me your protection against a pretended danger; and I
can pardon something on account of your youth and the motive by which
you are impelled. Another time, however, you must find some more
probable pretence. That the horsemen who are approaching us are no
robbers, but honest Swedish dragoons, a child may see; and, if I
mistake not, that is colonel Baumgardt, whom I well know, riding at
their h