Had not Koppel and a few younger men been
more open to influence, his agricultural schemes could hardly have
begun; but Friedel's persuasions were not absolutely without success,
and every rood that was dug was achieved by his patience and
perseverance.
Next came home the Graf von Schlangenwald. He had of late inhabited
his castle in Styria, but in a fierce quarrel with some of his
neighbours he had lost his eldest son, and the pacification enforced
by the King of the Romans had so galled and infuriated him that he
had deserted that part of the country and returned to Swabia more
fierce and bitter than ever. Thenceforth began a petty border
warfare such as had existed when Christina first knew Adlerstein, but
had of late died out. The shepherd lad came home weeping with wrath.
Three mounted Schlangenwaldern had driven off his four best sheep,
and beaten himself with their halberds, though he was safe on
Adlerstein ground. Then a light thrown by a Schlangenwald reiter
consumed all Jobst's pile of wood. The swine did not come home, and
were found with spears sticking in them; the great broad-horned bull
that Ebbo had brought from the pastures of Ulm vanished from the Alp
below the Gemsbock's Pass, and was known to be salted for winter use
at Schlangenwald.
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