committed, or whether Elise had followed him of her own free will.

At first, he had been obstinately refused admittance; then in his
despair and anguish he had made use of Gotzkowsky's name, a golden
key to open the doors, as he well knew. In fact, scarcely had the
gold-greedy Russian officers ascertained that the young stranger came
as a messenger from Gotzkowsky and wished to inquire of Count von
Brenda, after a young lady who had been carried off by the Cossacks,
than with a yell of delight they rushed toward the door of the room in
which were Feodor and the captured maiden. Bertram had, therefore, to
thank the avarice of the Russian officers that the door was opened and
he was allowed to enter.

As Bertram appeared on the threshold of the room a scream escaped
the lips of the female, and he was enabled, notwithstanding the
concealment, to recognize her whom he sought. His heart was convulsed
with pain, and his impulse for a moment was, to rush upon this
audacious, dissolute young man who stood next to Elise, to murder him,
and revenge in his blood the disgrace he had brought upon her. But
remembering the sacred duty he had undertaken of protecting Elise and
concealing her flight as far as possible, he controlled his anger and
grief, and forced himself to appear calm and collected.

Elise, in the mean while, with joyful emotion recognized Bertram. His
unexpected and unlooked-for appearance did not surprise her, it seemed
so natural to her that whenever danger threatened he should appear
as her protector and savior. She had such confidence in Bertram's
appearance whenever she stood in need of him, that when she saw him,
she looked upon herself as saved, and protected from every danger
which threatened her. She motioned Feodor to her side, and with a
touch of triumphant pride, said to him, "It is Bertram, the friend
of my youth. He has risked his life to save me from dishonor." Feodor
felt the reproof which lay in the intonation of these words, and his
brow grew dark. But he overcame this momentary irritation, and turning
to Bertram, who was approaching him with a firm and determined step,
asked him, "Well, sir, whom do you seek?"

"A young girl who has been carried off by force," replied Bertram, and
he regarded the young man with angry looks. But Feodor met his glance
with firmness and composure. "It is true," said he, "such an outrage
has been committed; some Cossacks kidnapped a young girl in a garden
and bro