is a fool," said Fink.

"Go up at once," urged Anton; "the ladies must not suffer from his
temper." Then throwing on a laborer's jacket, he sprang out through the
door into the rain and to the back farm-yard.

There he found a dreary scene of confusion. German families from the
neighboring villages had taken refuge in the guard-house, and sat there
with their children, and some of their goods and chattels round them.
There were about twenty persons lying on the floor--men, women, and
children, the women lamenting, the children weeping, the men looking
gloomily down. Several of them belonged to the village militia, and some
had their guns with them. Their little carts stood in the yard.
Servants, horses, cows, were all running against each other. Anton
called the superintendent to his assistance.

He next made over the farm-horses and the cattle to the most trustworthy
of the servants, and to the German dairy-maid. Calling aside the head
servant, a resolute kind of man, he described to him a place in the
thicket, not far from the sand-pit, where man and beast might lie
concealed, and be in some degree protected from the weather. Thither the
man was to drive the cattle, and to keep a sharp look-out for the
bailiff, who was to have the management of the wood-party. Next he
desired the maid to leave a cow behind, opened the gate himself, and saw
them all set out toward the forest.

"What are we to do with the horses of the baron and of Herr von Fink?"
hurriedly asked the superintendent.

"They must be brought, together with some of the vehicles, into the
court-yard, come what will. Who knows whether we shall not have to fly,
after all?"

Accordingly, Anton had Karl's newly-painted carts laden with sacks of
potatoes, meal, oats, and as much hay as they could hold. He had the
great water-butt brought in too, and filled to the brim with fresh
water. The skies were still pouring down bucketfuls, and the servants
had to load in the drenching rain. All was confusion; and weeping and
cursing, in German and Polish, was heard on every side. As Anton
approached the fugitives, the screams of the women grew louder, the men
surrounded him and began to relate their disasters, the children clung
about his knees: it was a mournful spectacle. Anton did what he could to
comfort them. "Above all, be quiet; we will protect you as well as we
can. I hope the military may come to our aid, meanwhile you will be safe
in the castle. You have