imself,--who with his
axe felled the doctor and two of our comrades in a trice. One of our
party revenged our leader's life by running the peasant through the
body with his halbert, which encouraged us to renew our attack on the
man in the green mantle. His companion sprang his horse over the bridge
into the Neckar, and swam down the river. Having subdued the man who
was our principal object, we let the other go, and brought the prisoner
with us."

"That was Ulerich, and no other," cried Alban von Klosen. "Ha! to jump
over the bridge into the river! no other man in the whole world would
have dared to do so."

"We must follow him," Truchses exclaimed; "the whole of the cavalry
must start immediately and hunt the banks of the river,--I myself will
go----"

"Oh! sir," replied one of the soldiers, "you are too late; we left the
bridge three hours ago, so that he will have got a long start, and, as
no one knows the country better than he does, there is no chance of
finding him."

"Fellow! do you mean to prescribe to me what to do?" cried Truchses in
fury: "You allowed him to escape, and you shall be answerable for it.
Call the guard--I'll have you hung at once!"

"Pray be just," said Fronsberg. "It was not the poor fellows' fault;
they would have been too happy to have earned the money which was set
on the Duke's head. The doctor was the cause of his escape, and you
have already heard he is not alive to answer for it."

"It was you, therefore, who represented the person of the Duke," said
Truchses, turning to Albert, who had calmly looked on during this
scene. "You are always coming in my way, with your milk face. The devil
employs you everywhere, when you are least wanted. This is not the
first time that you have crossed my plans."

"No," replied Albert, "for when you fell upon the Duke, as you
supposed, at Neuffen, it was I who crossed your path there also; and it
was I whom your men cut down that night."

The knights were astonished to hear this, and looked inquisitively at
Truchses. He reddened, but whether from anger or shame it was not
known, and said, "What are you chattering about Neuffen? I know nothing
about that affair. I only regret that when they cut you down you had
ever risen again to appear before me this day a second time. But as it
is, I rejoice to have you in my clutches. You have proved yourself the
bitterest enemy of the League; you have acted in the service of the
exiled Duke both openly and