but he had disappeared, and the legend now
became wide-spread among them, that the Prince of Evil had carried
Navarrete to his own abode. The dog Lelaps died of his wound, and
scarcely a week after the pillage of flourishing Antwerp by the "Spanish
Furies," Hans Eitelfritz's regiment was ordered to Ghent. He came with
drooping head to the smithy, to take his leave. He had sold his costly
booty, and, like so many other pillagers, gambled away the stolen
property at the exchange. Nothing was left him of the great day in
Antwerp, except the silver toys for his sister's children in Colln on the
Spree.

CHAPTER XXXI.

The fire in the smithy was extinguished, no hammer fell on the anvil; for
the wounded man lay in a burning fever; every loud noise disturbed him.
Adam had noticed this himself, and gave no time to his work, for he had
to assist in nursing his son, when it was necessary to raise his heavy
body, and to relieve Ruth, when, after long night-watches, her vigorous
strength was exhausted.

The old man saw that the girl's bands were more deft than his own
toil-hardened ones, and let her take the principal charge-but the hours
when she was resting in her room were the dearest to him, for then he was
alone with Ulrich, could read his countenance undisturbed and rejoice in
gazing at every feature, which reminded him of his child's boyhood and of
Flora.

He often pressed his bearded lips to the invalid's burning forehead or
limp hand, and when the physician with an anxious face had left the
house, he knelt beside Ulrich's couch, buried his forehead among the
pillows, and fervently prayed the Heavenly Father, to spare his child and
take in exchange his own life and all that he possessed.

He often thought the end had come, and gave himself up without resistance
to his grief; Ruth, on the contrary, never lost hope, not even in the
darkest hours. God had not let her find Ulrich, merely to take him from
her again. The end of danger was to her the beginning of deliverance.
When he recognized her the first time, she already saw him, leaning on
her shoulder, walk through the room; when he could raise himself, she
thought him cured.

Her heart was overflowing with joy, yet her mind remained watchful and
thoughtful during the long, toilsome nursing. She did not forget the
smallest trifle, for before she undertook anything she saw in her mind
every detail involved, as if it were already completed. Ulrich took no
food w