"Summer or winter, as thou wilt, Father Sieg. fried, he is Count of Hartenburg, and a noble of Leiningen. Even he does no deed of charity, or even of simple justice, that all men do not seize upon the occasion to proclaim it, as eagerly as they endeavor to upbraid me for the accidental loss of a beast, or any other little backsliding, that may befall one, who being bold under thy holy instruction, sometimes stumbles against a sin."

"Thou art a casuist, and, at another time, I must look more closely into the temper of thy mind. At present, thou mayst purchase favor of the Church by enlisting a little more closely in her interests. I remember thy cleverness and thy wit, Gottlob, for both have been remarked in thy visits to the convent; but, until this moment, there has not been sufficient reason to use the latter in the manner that we may fairly claim to do, considering our frequent prayers, and the other consolations afforded in thy behalf."

"Do not be too particular, Father Siegfried, for thy words reveal grievous penance!"

"

Which may be much mitigated in future, if not entirely avoided, by a service that I would now propose to thee, honest Gottlob, and which I will venture to say, from my knowledge of thy reverence for holy things, as is manifest in thy attentions to the pious hermit, and thy love for the Abbey of Limburg, thou wouldst not refuse to undertake." "So!"

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Nay, I have as good as pledged myself to Father Bonifacius to procure either thee, or one shrewd and faithful as thee, to do a trusty service for the brotherhood.”

"The latter might not be easy among the cowherds!"

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Of that I am sure. Thy skill in the management of the beasts may yet gain thee the office of

ending the ample herds of the abbey. Thou art lready believed fit for the charge."

"Not to deny my own merits, sagacious father, I have already some knowledge of the pastures."

"And of the beasts, too, Gottlob; we keep good note of the characters of all who come to our confessionals. There are worse than thine among them, I do assure thee."

"And yet have I never told thee half that I might say of myself, father!"

"It is not important now. Thou knowest the state of the contest between Count Emich and our Abbey. The service that I ask of thee, son, is this; and by discharging it, with thy wonted readiness, believe me thou wilt gain favor with St. Benedict and his children. We have had reason to know, that there is a strong band of armed men in the castle, ready and anxious to assail our walls, under a vain belief that they contain riches and stores to repay the sac. rilege; but we want precise knowledge of their numbers and intentions. Were we to send one of known pursuits on this errand, the Count would find means to mislead him; whereas, we think a hind of thy intelligence might purchase the Church's kindness without suspicion."

"Were Count Emich to get wind of the matter, he would not leave me an ear with which to listen to thy holy admonitions."

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Keep thine own council, and he will not suspect one of thy appearance. Hast no pretext for visiting the castle?"

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Nay, it would be easy to make a thousand. Here, I might say, I wished to ask the cow-herd of Lord Emich for his cunning in curing diseased hoofs, or I might pretend a wish to change my service, or, there is no want of laughing damsels in and abou the hold."

"Enough: thou art he, Gottlob, for whom I have sought daily for a fortnight. Go thy way, then, without fail, and seek me, after to-morrow's mass, in the Abbey."

"It may be enough on the side of Heaven, father, but men of our prudence must not forget their mortal state. Am I to risk my ears, do discredit to my simplicity, and neglect my herd, without a motive?"

"Thou wilt serve the Church, son; get favor in the eyes of our reverend Abbot, and thy courage and dexterity will be remembered in future indulgences."

"That I shall serve the Church it is well known to me, reverend Benedictine, and it is a privilege of which a cow-herd hath reason to be proud; but, by serving the Church, I shall make enemies on earth, for two sufficient reasons: first, that the Church is in no great esteem in this valley; and second, because men never love a friend for being any better than themselves. No, Gottlob,' used my excellent father to say, 'seem to all around thee conscious of thy unworthiness, after which thou mayst be what thou seemest. On this condition only can virtue live at peace with its fellow-creatures. But if thou wouldst have the respect of mankind,' would he say, 'set a fair price on all thou doest, for the world' will not give thee credit for disinterestedness; and if thou workest for naught, it will think thou deservest naught. No,' did he shake his head and add, 'that which cometh easy is little valued, while that which is costly, do men set a price upon.''

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Thy father was, like thyself, one that looked to his ease. Thou knowest that we inhabitants of cells do not carry silver.”

"Nay, righteous Benedictine, if it were a trifle of gold, I am not one to break a bargain for so small a difference."

"Thou shalt have gold, then. On the faith of my holy calling, I will give thee an image of the Emperor in gold, shouldst thou succeed in bringing the tidings we require."

Gottlob stopped short, and kneeling, he reverently asked the monk to bless him. The latter complied, half doubting the discretion of employing such an emissary, between whose cunning and simplicity he was completely at fault. Still, as he risked nothing, except in the nature of the information he was to receive, he saw no sufficient reason for recalling the commission he had just bestowed. He gave the desired benediction, therefore; and our two conspir. ators descended the mountain in company, discoursing, as they went, of the business on which the cowherd was about to proceed. When so near the road as to be in danger of observation, they separated, each taking the direction necessary to his object.

CHAPTER IV.

"And not a matron, sitting at her wheel,
But could repeat their story-"

ROGERS.

He

THE female, enveloped in her mantle, had so well profited by the timely interposition of Gottlob Frinck, as to quit the hermit's hut without attracting the no tice of the Benedictine. But the vigilance of young Berchthold had not been so easily eluded. stepped aside as she glided through the door, then stooping merely to catch the eye of the cow-herd, to whom he communicated his intention by a sign, he followed. Had the forester felt any doubts as to the identity of her he pursued, the light and active movement would have convinced him, that age, at

least, had no agency in inducing her to conceal her features. The roe-buck of his own forests scarce bounded with more agility than the fugitive fled, on first quitting the abode of the recluse; nor did her speed sensibly lessen, until she had crossed most of the melancholy camp, and reached a spot where the opening of the blue and star-lit void showed that she was at the verge of the wood, and near the margin of the summit of the mountain. Here she paused, and stood leaning against a cedar, like one whose strength was exhausted.

Berchthold had followed swiftly, but without losing that appearance of calmness and of superior physical force which gives dignity to the steps of young manhood, as compared with the timid but more attractive movements of the feebler sex. He seemed conscious of his greater powers, and unwilling to increase a flight that was already swifter than circumstances required, and which he knew to be far more owing to a vague and instinctive alarm, than to any real cause for apprehension. When the speed of the female ceased, his own relaxed, and he approached the spot where she stood panting for breath, like a cautious boy, who slackens his haste in order not to give new alarm to the bird that has just alighted.

"What is there so fearful in my face, Meta, that thou fleest my presence, as I had been the spirit of one of those Pagans that they say once peopled this camp? It is not thy wont to have this dread of a youth thou hast known from childhood, and I will say, in my own defence, known as honest and true!"

"It is not seemly in a maiden of my years-it was foolish, if not disobedient, to be here at this hour," answered the hurried girl :—“I would I had not listened to the desire of hearing more of the holy hermit's wisdom!"

"Thou art not alone, Meta!”