and
dispelled their suspicions.

Pillage and murder had not yet ceased, and Ruth saw, heard, and
mistrusted scenes of horror, that congealed her blood. But she bore up
until they reached the rampart.

Here Eitelfritz was among his own men.

He delivered the meat and drink to them, told them to take it out of the
cart, and invited them to fall to boldly. Then, seizing a lantern, he
guided Ruth and the smith, who drew the light cart after them, through
the intense darkness of the November night to the rampart.

Hans Eitelfritz lighted the way, and all three searched. Corpse lay
beside corpse. Wherever Ruth set her foot, it touched some fallen
soldier. Dread, horror and loathing threatened to deprive her of
consciousness; but the ardent longing, the one last hope of her soul
sustained her, steeled her energy, sharpened her sight.

They had reached the centre of the rampart, when she saw in the distance
a tall figure stretched at full length.

That, yes, that was he!

Snatching the lantern from the lansquenet's hand, she rushed to the
prostrate form, threw herself on her knees beside it, and cast the light
upon the face.

What had she seen?

Why did the shriek she uttered sound so agonized? The men were
approaching, but Ruth knew that there was something else to be done,
besides weeping and wailing.

She pressed her ear close to the mailed breast to listen, and when
she heard no breath, hurriedly unfastened the clasps and buckles that
confined the armor.

The cuirass fell rattling on the ground, and now--no, there was no
deception, the wounded man's chest rose under her ear, she heard the
faint throbbing of his heart, the feeble flutter of a gasping breach.

Bursting into loud, convulsive weeping, she raised his head and pressed
it to her bosom.

"He is dead; I thought so!" said the lansquenet, and Adam sank on
his knees before his wounded son. But Ruth's sobs now changed to low,
joyous, musical laughter, which echoed in her voice as she exclaimed:
"Ulrich breathes, he lives! Oh, God! oh, God! how we thank Thee!"

Then--was she deceived, could it be? She heard the inflexible man beside
her sob, saw him bend over Ulrich, listen to the beating of his heart,
and press his bearded lips first to his temples, then on the hand he had
so harshly rejected.

Hans Eitelfritz warned them to hasten, carried the senseless man, with
Adam's assistance, to the cart, and half an hour later the dangerously
wounded, outca