these years it is like to happen he believes me dead."

Conrad rode down the path by the river and disappeared while his
master, after seeing to the welfare of his horse, threw himself down in
a thicket and slept the untroubled sleep of the seasoned soldier. It
was daylight when he was awakened by the tramp of horses. Starting to
his feet, he was confronted by a grizzled warrior with half a dozen men
at his back, and at first the Count thought himself again a prisoner,
but the friendliness of the officer soon set all doubts at rest.

"Are you Count Herbert von Schonburg?" asked the intruder.

"Yes. Who are you?"

"I am Richart, custodian of Castle Gudenfels, and commander of the
small forces possessed by her Ladyship, Countess von Falkenstein. I
have to acquaint you with the fact that your servant and messenger has
been captured. Your castle of Schonburg is besieged, and Conrad,
unaware, rode straight into custody. This coming to the ears of my lady
the Countess, she directed me to intercept you if possible, so that you
might not share the fate of your servant, and offer to you the
hospitality of Gudenfels Castle until such time as you had determined
what to do in relation to the siege of your own."

"I give my warmest thanks to the Countess for her thoughtfulness. Is
her husband the Count then dead?"

"It is the young Countess von Falkenstein whose orders I carry. Her
father and mother are both dead, and her Ladyship, their only child,
now holds Gudenfels."