"Schlangenwald should suffer next time he transgressed," said Ebbo.
"It should not again be said that he himself was a coward who
appealed to the law because his hand could not keep his head."
The "next time" was when the first winter cold was setting in. A
party of reitern came to harry an outlying field, where Ulrich had
raised a scanty crop of rye. Tidings reached the castle in such good
time that the two brothers, with Heinz, the two Ulm grooms, Koppel,
and a troop of serfs, fell on the marauders before they had effected
much damage, and while some remained to trample out the fire, the
rest pursued the enemy even to the village of Schlangenwald.
"Burn it, Herr Freiherr," cried Heinz, hot with victory. "Let them
learn how to make havoc of our corn."
But a host of half-naked beings rushed out shrieking about sick
children, bed-ridden grandmothers, and crippled fathers, and falling
on their knees, with their hands stretched out to the young barons.
Ebbo turned away his head with hot tears in his eyes. "Friedel, what
can we do?"
"Not barbarous murder," said Friedel.
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