y would
seize the whole man, and clap him into a pepper-bag. No, no, you must
keep a tight hand over the people, and hardly let them breathe, or
there will one day be an end of our old customs and sacred privileges."

"So thought the nobles before the unlucky war of the peasants," said
Tausdorf, "and Germany was turned into a desert by it."

"Don't take it ill, Tausdorf," returned Netz; "in other respects you
may be a brave knight; but if we were to follow your maxims, we should
all be forced to fly the cities."

Tausdorf shrugged up his shoulders at their incorrigible stubbornness,
when Rasselwitz burst into the room, his face glowing with rage, and
asked furiously, "Is not Francis Friend here?"

"He was here a quarter of an hour ago," replied Netz; "perhaps you may
yet find him at doctor Heidenreich's."

"I am in no humour to hunt after the rascal any longer," roared
Rasselwitz. "This is the day whereon he promised to give up the horse
to me. I have already beat up his quarters, but found him abroad, and
the stable locked."

"He does not intend to give up the horse to you. He has openly and
loudly declared as much here."

"We'll soon see that," cried Rasselwitz furiously. "I'll ask his wife
for the stable-key, and if she refuses it, I'll break the door open,
and fetch out the animal by force. Will you join me?"

"Of course," replied Netz and Bieler.

"And you, Herr von Tausdorf?" said Netz. "A brave companion like you,
will you not run the hazard with us?"

"I do not like such disputes," replied Tausdorf, gravely: "they too
often degenerate into frays, wherein more honour is to be lost than
gained. Besides, it seems to me that the right is not on your side. If
you really have any well-grounded pretensions to the horse, an appeal
to the courts would be a better way of proceeding than this forcible
violation of another's property, which sets you in the class of
feud-makers and agitators."

"To the courts?" shouted Rasselwitz, with a wild laugh--"And the
burgomaster is the father of the perjured rascal that I am to complain
of! He would do me admirable justice, no doubt! No! no! we shall get on
much better with our hands. Come, comrades; there's still enough of us
for these pedlers."

They rushed out; and Tausdorf, shaking his head, exclaimed, "It is an
evil spirit that is prevailing in this country."

After a short time Althea returned with her uncle, and presented the
two guests to each other, when the