ill these hunters of their fellow-men have passed by."

The nobleman's orders were speedily obeyed, and Moretz, dressed in his
livery, mounted the groom's horse and rode on with the party. The
groom, meantime, who had put on the old man's clothes, affording no
small amusement to his companions, climbed up into a thick tree, as he
had been directed to do by his master.

"We will send thee a livery, my man, in which thou may'st return home
soon, and satisfy thy hunger, which may be somewhat sharpened by longer
abstinence than usual," said the count, as he rode on.

Scarcely had these arrangements been made, when the party from the gaol
in search of the fugitive came up. "Has the Count Furstenburg seen an
old man in a woodcutter's dress wandering through the forest?" inquired
their leader, in a tone which sounded somewhat insolent.

"The Count Furstenburg is not accustomed to answer questions unless
respectfully asked," replied the noble; "and so, master gaoler, you must
follow your own devices, and search for your prisoner where you may best
hope to find him." Then sounding his horn, he and his whole party rode
on together through the forest, taking care to keep old Moretz well in
their midst. Making a wide circuit, the count led them back to the
castle.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

The woodcutter's astonishment at hearing who had rescued him, and where
he was to find shelter, was very great. He had always entertained a
great dread of the count, who, from common report, was looked upon as a
cruel tyrant. The count's first care on reaching the castle was to send
a servant with a livery in which the groom might return home, directing
him in the same package to bring back the old woodcutter's clothes. He
gave him also another message: it was to visit the cottage on his
return, and to give little Meta and Karl the joyous information that
their grandfather was out of prison and in safe keeping.

"And now, my friend, I will have a few words with you in my private
room," said the count, as the old man stood, cap in hand, gazing at him
with astonishment. "I know you better than you suppose," he said, as
Moretz entered the room; and he told him of the interview he had had
with his grandchildren. "I rejoice to see the way in which you are
bringing them up. How is it you have taught them so to love the Bible?
Do you know about it yourself?"

Moretz seeing no cause for concealment, told the count of the visit of
Gottlieb S