Besides those who were constrained by the law, many others desired to aid
the popular Sisters of St. Clare and thereby earn a reward from God. A
brewer had furnished his powerful stallions to convey to the scene of
action, with their tools, the eight masons whose duty it was to use their
skill in extinguishing the flames. All sorts of people--men and women--
followed, yelling and shrieking, to seek their own profit during the work
of rescue. But the bailiffs kept a sharp eye on them, and made way when
the commander of the German knights, with several companions on whose
black mantles the white cross gleamed, appeared on horseback, and at last
old Herr Berthold Vorchtel trotted up on his noble grey, which was known
to the whole city. He still had a firm seat in the saddle, but his head
was bowed, and whoever knew that only one hour before the corpse of his
oldest son, slain in a duel, had been brought home, admired the aged
magistrate's strength of will. As First Losunger and commander in chief
he was the head of the Council, and therefore of the city also. Duty had
commanded him to mount his steed, but how pale and haggard was his shrewd
face, usually so animated!

Just in front of the Ortlieb mansion the commander of the German knights
rode to his side, and Eva saw how warmly he shook him by the hand, as if
he desired to show the old man very cordially his deep sympathy in some
sore trouble which had assailed him.

Ever since Wolff's betrothal to Els had been announced the Vorchtels had
ceased to be on terms of intimacy with the Ortliebs; but old Herr
Berthold, though he himself had probably regarded young Eysvogel as his
"Ursel's" future husband, had always treated Eva kindly, and she was not
mistaken--tears were glittering on his cheeks in the torchlight. The
sight touched the young girl's inmost heart. How eagerly she desired to