lood upon your dress."

"It is my blood!" said the slave, calmly.

"Yours, Michael?" cried the count, looking round him. "Now I see it
all--the dead boar, the broken spear, your bleeding arm. You saved my
daughter's life at the risk of your own!"

"The life of a slave belongs to his master and his master's family,"
answered Michael, calmly. "Of what value is the existence of a serf?
He belongs not to himself. He is of no more account than a horse or a
hound."

"Say not so," said Count Alexis, warmly. "Michael, you are a slave no
longer. I will directly make out your manumission papers. In the mean
time you shall do no menial service; you shall sit at my board, if you
will; and be my friend, if you will accept my friendship."

The eagle eye of the young huntsman kindled with rapture. He essayed
to speak, but the words died upon his tongue. Falling on his knees, he
seized the count's hand, and pressed it to his lips and heart. Tekeli
raised him from his humble posture.

"Michael," said he, "henceforth kneel only to your Maker. And now to
the castle; your hurt needs care."

"Willingly," said the young man, "would I shed the best blood in my
body to obtain my freedom."

"Ho, there!" said the count to his squire; "dismount, and let Michael
have your horse; and bring after us Michael's dearly-earned hunting
trophy. He has eclipsed us all to-day."

Michael was soon in the saddle, riding next to the lady Anna, who,
from time to time, turned her countenance, beaming with gratitude,
upon him, and addressed him words of encouragement and kindness; for
her proud and imperious nature was entirely subdued and changed, for
the time, by the service he had rendered her.

When the cavalcade reached the castle, they found the lady Eudocia,
the count's eldest daughter, waiting to receive them. She heard the
recital of the morning's adventure with deep interest; but a keen
observer would have noticed that she seemed less moved by the
recollection of her sister's danger, than by the present condition of
the wounded huntsman. It was to her care that he was committed, as she
was skilled in the healing art, having inherited the knowledge from
her mother. She compelled Michael to give up all active employment,
and, in the course of a few weeks, succeeded in effecting a complete
restoration of the wounded arm.

Count Tekeli treated the young man with the kindness of a father,
losing all his aristocratic prejudices in a generous sens