"How frightful!" said Florinda, interrupting him.

"The faint scream Bettina uttered," continued Carlton, "was
smothered by his ready adroitness; and seizing the fainting girl, as
though she was an infant, the robber bore her away to a spot
concealed by the darkness, where several of his confederates met
him, as had been preconcerted; and in a few minutes after Egbert had
left her side, Bettina, all unconscious, was being carried fair away
to the almost impregnable stronghold of the robbers.

"It would be vain to attempt a description of the consternation and
misery of her father when it was found that his child-she who was
everything to him; whom he loved better than life itself-was lost.
Whither to seek her no one knew. The most improbable places were
searched. Egbert, who was last seen with her, was sent for; but he
could give them no information. He supposed, of course, that she
returned directly home after he parted with her. Every conceivable
means were adopted to discover some trace of the missing girl, but
all in vain, and the most tantalizing anguish took possession of
every bosom. Two days had passed in this fruitless and agonizing
search, when a note was delivered at the castle which threw light
upon her disappearance. The purport of the note was to this effect:

"KARL ETZWELL:-Your daughter is safe in my possession. Her simplest
wish is strictly regarded. No harm will come to her, provided you
pay the ransom of one thousand marks of gold. You may not possess
the ready means, rich as you are, to produce this sum at once;
therefore it may be paid in four instalments, and in four months of
time, if you can do no better. red When the sum shall be paid, your
daughter will be restored to you as pure and unharmed as when she