bed him very minutely to Mr. Rassendyll; if Bauer knew or
guessed who his challenger was, Mr. Rassendyll was as well equipped for
the encounter.

"No home to go to!" cried Rudolf in a pitying tone. "How's that? But
anyhow, Heaven forbid that you or any man should walk the streets a
night like this. Come, I'll give you a bed. Come with me, and I'll find
you good shelter, my boy."

Bauer shrank away. He did not see the meaning of this stroke, and
his eye, traveling up the street, showed that his thoughts had turned
towards flight. Rudolf gave no time for putting any such notion into
effect. Maintaining his air of genial compassion, he passed his left arm
through Bauer's right, saying:

"I'm a Christian man, and a bed you shall have this night, my lad, as
sure as I'm alive. Come along with me. The devil, it's not weather for
standing still!"

The carrying of arms in Strelsau was forbidden. Bauer had no wish to get
into trouble with the police, and, moreover, he had intended nothing
but a reconnaissance; he was therefore without any weapon, and he was a
child in Rudolf's grasp. He had no alternative but to obey the
suasion of Mr. Rassendyll's arm, and they two began to walk down the
Konigstrasse. Bauer's whistle had died away, not to return; but from
time to time Rudolf hummed softly a cheerful tune, his fingers beating
time on Bauer's captive arm. Presently they crossed the road. Bauer's
lagging steps indicated that he took no pleasure in the change of side,
but he could not resist.

"Ay, you shall go where I am going, my lad," said Rudolf encouragingly;
and he laughed a little as he looked down at the fellow's face.

Along they went; soon they came to the small numbers at the station end
of the Konigstrasse. Rudolf began to peer up at the shop fronts.

"It's cursed dark," said he. "Pray, lad, can you make out which is
nineteen?"

The moment he had spoken the smile broadened on his face. The shot had
gone home. Bauer was a clever scoundrel, but his nerves were not under
perfect control, and his arm had quivered under Rudolf's.

"Nineteen, sir?" he stammered.

"Ay, nineteen. That's where we're bound for, you and I. There I hope we
shall find--what we want."

Bauer seemed bewildered: no doubt he was at a loss how either to
understand or to parry the bold attack.

"Ah, this looks like it," said Rudolf, in a tone of great satisfaction,
as they came to old Mother Holf's little shop. "Isn't that a one and
a nine