by breaking into my house, must be the sufferer."

"That won't satisfy the nobles," said Onophrius, shaking his head.

"Let them bite away their anger upon their nails," exclaimed Francis
boastfully. "My father is master here in Schweidnitz, and will not let
them hurt a hair upon my head."

"_You_ are safe,--but _I_!" replied Onophrius, thoughtfully.

"You stand and fall with me, old friend. If I ever forget you, or what
you have this day done and suffered for me, may God forget me in my
dying hour!"

"Amen!" murmured Onophrius with failing voice, and, swooning with the
loss of blood, he dropped from his seat.

"He is dying!" sobbed Agatha, as she caught her father in her arms.

"This is a day of evil," shouted Francis, gazing for a moment on the
mischief he had wrought, and striking his forehead wildly with his
clenched hands, he dashed away.

* * * * *

It was two days after this when the tumult of voices, the stamp of
steeds, and the clatter of iron, woke Althea from a morning sleep,
which had been troubled, yet beautified, by delightful visions. In her
thin night garments she hastened to the window, and saw the streets
full of horses, which were led by armed knights. The clang of harness,
in the meantime, resounded up the stairs, and a party of knights
entered the room in complete armour and closed vizors. The leader of
them threw up his beaver; it was the wild Netz.

"Under favour, sister, I bring you a whole bevy of cousins, nobles, and
good friends, who are all dying with desire to kiss your fair hand, and
would, moreover, beg a breakfast of you."

"What brings you, gentlemen, so early to Schweidnitz?" asked Althea in
alarm--"in such warlike guise too!"

"The lord bishop, Caspar, visits the city today," replied Netz, "to
speak a few serious words, as prince palatine[1], with our council
here, on the score of Bieler's murder. Now, as we know by experience
that the citizens have hard heads, and are easily excited to uproar and
all sorts of mischief, we have come to give the proper weight to the
bishop's words with our steel, if need should be. The strongest party
of us have quartered themselves at Barthel Wallach's, because we did
not wish to fill your house too full, and we have sent out a watch to
give us immediate notice of the bishop's coming, till when we would
rest with you, and enjoy ourselves."

At his signal every vizor rattled up, and from every helmet loo