be accomplished by fair means, you are given over to us as a
prize, with your property and lives, bodies and souls, to be tormented
by us to our heart's content, until you are brought to repentance and
an abandonment of your abominable opinions, or sink in despair.'

'No, captain,' cried Fessel, with manly firmness; 'that is not the will
of our emperor, and I should consider it treasonable to believe your
scandalous assertions. Nor was that the condition upon which we
admitted you within our walls. From your colonel's own mouth have I
heard quite a different speech, and I shall go and ask him if he is
about to give the lie to his own words.'

'First go to your own chamber as an arrested prisoner,' said the
captain, with a smile of contempt; 'until I have had you tried for your
rebellious speech. Lead him forth!' commanded he to the guards. 'Lock
him up, watch him sharply, and if he attempts to escape shoot him
down.'

'Eternal justice, judge and avenge!' cried Fessel, as the soldiers
dragged him away.

'Mercy!' implored his faithful wife, clasping the captain's knees; but
the latter disengaged himself from her, put the children, who pressed
around her, out of the room, drew Katharine to a window, and in a low
voice said to her, 'you see that I can be either good or bad as you
would have me. Upon you alone it depends how I shall further proceed.
Therefore answer me honestly and truly, where is your sister?'

'She fled last night,' answered Katharine, with calm firmness; 'to
escape the horrors which threaten us. Whither, I do not consider it my
duty to inform you.'

'This is fine!' exclaimed the captain, grinning like a Bengal tiger
when his keeper compels him to show his teeth. 'I like to know how
people feel towards me. I now go to my colonel, and you shall soon hear
from me again.'

He departed, and the children, again rushing in, embraced their mother
with loud lamentation. Katharine sank upon her knees, and her children
with her, and, raising their eyes and hands towards heaven, with a
bleeding heart but nevertheless with confidence, the pious woman prayed
in the words of the royal psalmist: 'Why art thou cast down, O my soul?
and why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God; for I shall yet
praise him for his countenance who is my help and my God.'

The boisterous sorrow of the children subsided into gentle weeping, and
from every lip was heard the loud, believing, joyful, amen!'