valley filled it with darkness even before sundown; and only the
wild, roaring Passeyr, which rushes from the mountain through the
valley, glistened like a silver belt in the gloom. The church-bells
of the villages of St. Leonard and St. Martin, lying on both sides
of the valley, tolled a solemn curfew, awakening here and there a
low, sleepy echo; and from time to time was heard from a mountain-
peak a loud, joyous Jodler, by which a Tyrolese hunter, perhaps,
announced his speedy return to his family in the valley. The gloom
in the narrow Passeyrthal became deeper and deeper, and, like bright
glow-worms, the lights in the houses of St. Leonard and St. Martin
glistened now in the darkness.

Lights appeared not only in the valley below, but also here and
there on the mountain-slopes; and especially in the solitary house
on the knoll situated half-way between the two villages, was seen
the bright glare of many candles, and the persons passing on the
road in the valley looked up and whispered to each other: "Andreas
Hofer is at home, and, it seems, has a great many guests at his
house, for all the windows of his handsome inn are illuminated."

The solitary house on the knoll, then, belonged to Andreas Hofer. It
was the Gasthaus zum Sand, far famed throughout the Tyrol. And the
passers-by were not mistaken. Andreas Hofer was at home, and had a
great many guests at his house. On the benches of the large bar-room
sat his guests, handsome Tyrolese, with flashing eyes and animated
faces, which were all turned toward the Sandwirth, [Footnote: The
name usually given to Hofer--"Sandwirth, landlord of the inn Zum
Sand."] who was sitting on the small table yonder, and conversing in
a low tone with his friends Eisenstecken and Sieberer. All the
guests seemed excited and anxious; no one opened his mouth to utter