upon the floor and caught Otto around the knees. "Save me!" she
cried, "save me!" as though the poor, pale child could be of any
help to her at such a time. In the passageway without shone the
light of torches, and the sound of loud footsteps came nearer
and nearer.

And still through all the din sounded continually the clash and
clang and clamor of the great alarm bell.

The red light flashed into the room, and in the doorway stood a
tall, thin figure clad from head to foot in glittering chain
armor. From behind this fierce knight, with his dark, narrow,
cruel face, its deep-set eyes glistening in the light of the
torches, crowded six or eight savage, low-browed, brutal men,
who stared into the room and at the white-faced boy as he stood
by the window with the old woman clinging to his knees and
praying to him for help.

"We have cracked the nut and here is the kernel," said one of
them who stood behind the rest, and thereupon a roar of brutal
laughter went up. But the cruel face of the armed knight never
relaxed into a smile; he strode into the room and laid his iron
hand heavily upon the boy's shoulder. "Art thou the young Baron
Otto?" said he, in a harsh voice.

"Aye," said the lad; "but do not kill me."

The knight did not answer him. "Fetch the cord hither," said he,
"and drag the old witch away."