red to act against his counselor and chamberlain."

"Keep the bill of indictment," said Burgsdorf quietly. "I shall be much
surprised if you shortly find yourself in a condition to present it to the
Emperor in person. Certainly not just now, for you are under arrest, and
can not have control of your own movements. You will therefore have the
gratification of having a guard at your door, although you are not the
Stadtholder. Farewell, Count John Adolphus!"

Bowing to the young count, who with a scornful laugh turned his back upon
him, he left the apartment, followed by his officers.

"Metzdorf," he said outside to the young officer in the antechamber, "to
you I intrust the guarding of the palace. I know you are incorruptible,
and will not allow the young gentleman to escape. Go round the palace on
the outside, and before each door station two soldiers, who are to leave
their posts neither by day or night. Relieve them every four hours. The
Stadtholder, alas! did not order us to guard the inner doors of the house,
so we must only be watchful and circumspect outside. I commit the guarding
to you, and if he escapes, the responsibility rests upon yourself."

"Unless he is a magician who can vanish through the air, he shall not
escape me, colonel," said the young officer, smiling. "I will stake my
head upon his not going by ordinary means through the doors."

"Very well, lieutenant; but hark! Place two more sentinels at the garden
railing opposite the palace. They are to watch the windows night and day,
sounding an alarm as soon as they observe anything suspicious. Come now.
Reconnoiter the outer doors and post the sentinels. I am going to report
to the Stadtholder."

Colonel Burgsdorf left the count's palace, and repaired to the Electoral
castle, where the Margrave Ernest von Jaegerndorf had taken up his
residence.

Count John Adolphus had stood listening at the door, and heard every word
spoken by Burgsdorf to his lieutenant, and then listened to his heavy,
retreating footstep. Now he heard the slamming of the front door, and
rushing to the window, saw Burgsdorf mount his horse and ride off,
followed by his companions and a wagon loaded with the papers which had
been seized.

"Waldow!" cried the count, springing back from the window, "he has gone,
and we have, God be thanked! no guard inside the house. We are unobserved."

"What good will that do us, Sir Count," sighed Waldow. "We can not leave
the house, and your