and, he rushed into the fight. This attack
called the attention of the ruffians from Megret, who, taking advantage
of the circumstance, recovered his bridle and made off with all
possible speed.

Angry at the escape of their prey, the robbers now fell upon Arwed. The
latter, having fired and missed, soon had full employment for his sword
and the activity of his horse, in keeping off the ruffians, who
attacked him on all sides, and appeared to be well accustomed to such
combats. He made an attempt to wheel his horse suddenly to the right
and thus make an opening for escape; but here two other men, who by
their appearance belonged to the gang, met him with well aimed rifles.

'I could have wished a more honorable death,' he murmured, and at that
moment a tall man in a green hunting dress sprang from a neighboring
thicket. A red plume waved from his hat, and his face was black as a
Moor's. He spoke some angry words in an unintelligible jargon to the
robbers, upon which they immediately abandoned Arwed and disappeared in
the bushes, and the Moor motioned to Arwed to depart.

'Thanks, captain!' said Arwed, rejoiced at this unexpected rescue, and
pushing forward, he soon found himself upon the highway.

There he met Megret, with both of their servants, coming to seek for
him. 'Here you are, then!' said Megret out of breath, 'and, as I hope,
not wounded. I should never have forgiven myself if you had been
injured in rescuing me!'

'God be praised that you are alive, Arwed!' cried the beauteous
Christine, flying to meet him upon her favorite dun courser, and her
blue eyes flashed upon him so affectionately as to cause a fluttering
at his heart.

'You see, major,' said Megret flatteringly, 'how instantaneously all
were hastening to your assistance.'

'Your promptness is worthy of all thanks, colonel,' answered Arwed;
'but your help would have been of little service to me had I not been
so fortunate as to make the acquaintance of Black Naddock. His command
caused the fiends by whom I was hard pressed, to vanish. Had he not
appeared most opportunely, you would in all probability have found only
my dead body.'

'That would indeed have been purchasing the safety of a man who could
leave his preserver in the danger which had been incurred for his sake,
at too dear a rate,' remarked Christine, with bitterness.

Megret did not notice the sarcasm, as at that moment he was begging of
Arwed, with singular eagerness, that he wou