ight and man at arms. His foster-brother, to his sorrow, was
unable to resist the temptations which Satan scatters in Paris as the
peasants elsewhere sow rye and oats, and the young knight was soon
attacked, by a severe illness. Then Biberli's gay life ended too. For
months he did not leave his foster-brother's sick bed a single hour, by
day or night, until death released him from his suffering.

On his return to Castle Schorlin he found many changes; the old knight
had been called away from earth a few days before his son's death, and
Heinz Schorlin, his present master, had fallen heir to castle and
lands. This, however, was no great fortune, for the large estates of the
Schorlin family were burdened by heavy debts.

The dead lord, as countryman, boon companion, and brother in arms of
the Emperor Rudolph, had been always ready to place his sword at his
service, and whenever a great tournament was held he never failed to be
present. So the property had been consumed, and the Lady Wendula and
her son and three daughters were left in moderate circumstances. The
two older girls had taken the veil, while the youngest, a merry little
maiden, lived with her mother.

But the Emperor Rudolph had by no means forgotten the Lady Wendula and
her dead husband, and with the utmost kindness requested her to send
him her only son as soon as he was able to wield a sword and lance. He
intended to repay Heinz for the love and loyalty his father had shown
him through his whole life.

"And the Hapsburg," Biberli added, "had kept his word."

In a few years his young lord was ready for a position at court.

Gotthard von Ramsweg, the Lady Wendula's older brother, a valiant
knight, went to his sister's home after her husband's death to manage
the estate and instruct his nephew in all the exercises of knighthood.
Soon the strong, agile, fearless son of a brave father, under the
guidance of such a teacher, excelled many an older youth. He was barely
eighteen when the Lady Wendula sent him to his imperial master. She had
given him, with her blessing, fiery horses, the finest pieces of his
father's suits of mail, an armour bearer, and a groom to take with him
on his journey; and his uncle had agreed to accompany him to Lausanne,
where the Emperor Rudolph was then holding his court to discuss with
Pope Gregory--the tenth of the name--arrangements for a new crusade. But
nothing had yet been said about Biberli. On the evening before the young
no