ved a faithful shield to his unhappy prince, for whom a more
gallant heart never beat: he staggered, and sank to the ground. Casting
his dying eye upon his master, "My lord Duke, we are quits," were his
last words, which he uttered with a smile upon his countenance, and
fell lifeless at his feet.

The Leaguists passing over his body, pressed hard upon the Duke, with
the cry of exultation when Albert threw himself in the midst, his sword
dealing destruction among his enemies. He was the last and only
remaining defence of Duke Ulerich of Wuertemberg; had he been
overpowered, imprisonment or death to his friend and benefactor were
unavoidable. The Duke, therefore, turned to the only means of escape; a
desperate one indeed. He cast a painful look at the corpse of that man
who had sealed his fidelity with his death, and turning his powerful
war-horse on one side, gave him the spur that made him spring in the
air, and with one desperate leap he cleared the breastwork of the
bridge, carrying his princely rider down into the waters of the Neckar.

Albert ceased to defend himself. His eye was fixed solely on the Duke.
The horse and rider plunged deep into the river; but the powerful
beast, combating the eddies and current, soon appeared on its surface,
carrying his master down the stream with the apparent ease and safety
of a boat. All this was the affair of a few moments. Some of the
Leaguists were for following him along the banks of the river, to seize
the bold knight when he landed; but one of them nearest Albert cried,
"Let him swim, he is not the right one; here is the prize, in the green
cloak,--seize him." Albert, looking up to heaven in grateful
thanksgiving for the escape of the Duke, and dropping his sword,
surrendered to the Leaguists. They surrounded him, and willingly
allowed him to dismount, to pay the last painful offices to the corpse
of that man who had been their fearful opponent. Albert took his hand,
with which he still kept a firm grasp of his blood-stained axe; it was
icy cold. He felt his heart, to discover if there was still life in it;
the deadly thrust of the spear had but too faithfully done its office.
That eye once so bold was now lifeless, that mouth which bespoke an
unbending cheerful mind was closed, the features rigid; but still the
smile, that last dying salute with which he greeted his master, played
upon his lips. Albert's tears fell on his faithful friend, as he
pressed for the last time th