terview with the
Court of Archbishops. I am on my way to Frankfort." Then, more
seriously, to Prince Roland: "You heard of your father's death?"

"I learned it only this morning, my Lord. I shall return to Frankfort
when I am assured that this gentlewoman is in a place of safety."

"Ah, Countess, there will be no lack of safety now! But will you not
ease an old man's conscience by admitting he was in the right?"

The Countess looked up at Roland with a smile.

"Yes, dear Guardian," she said. "You were in the right."

XVII

"FOR THE EMPRESS, AND NOT FOR THE EMPIRE"

While the long line of troops stood at salute in single file, the
Archbishop turned his horse to the north and rode past his regiments,
followed by the Countess and Roland. His Lordship was accompanied to the
end of the ranks by his general, who received final instructions
regarding the march.

"You will encamp for the night not at Schloss Martinsburg, as I had
intended, but a league or two up the Lahn. To-morrow morning continue
your march along the Lahn as far as Limburg, and there await my arrival.
We will enter Frankfort by the north gate instead of from the west."

The Archbishop sat on his horse for some minutes, watching the departing
force, then called Roland to his right hand, and Hildegunde to his left,
and thus the three set out on the short journey to Sayn.

"Your Highness," began the Archbishop, "I find myself in a position of
some embarrassment. I think explanations are due to me from you both.
Here I ride between two escaped prisoners, and I travel away from,
instead of towards, their respective dungeons. My plain duty, on
encountering you, was to place you in custody of a sufficient guard,
marching you separately the one to Pfalz and the other to Ehrenfels.
Having accomplished this I should report the case to my two colleagues,
yet here am I actually compounding a misdemeanor, and assisting
prisoners to escape."

"My Lord," spoke up Roland, "I am quite satisfied that my own
imprisonment has been illegal, therefore I make no apology for
circumventing it. Before entering upon any explanation, I ask
enlightenment regarding the detention of my lady of Sayn. Am I right in
surmising that she, like myself, was placed under arrest by the three
Archbishops?"

"Yes, your Highness."

"On what charge?"

"High treason."

"Against whom?"

There was a pause, during which the Archbishop did not reply.

"I need not have asked suc