"But who is he? It is strange, but it seems as though I had already heard his voice."
"Do not worry your brain by guessing, Count; you will know his face soon enough."
"You are right. Never before have I experienced so much curiosity to see an adversary raise his visor!"
"And now, my lord, allow me to untie you;--how tightly the villains have drawn these knots!"
"Do you think so? And yet I felt nothing.--Quickly, now, Gero; where are the horses?"
They mounted and left the wood, as speedily as the obscurity would permit; but before reaching the camp, Rechberg was obliged to witness a scene rendered still more horrible by the darkness. He had scarcely advanced a hundred yards, when his attention was arrested by the clashing of arms and the shouts of strife. Always curious to recognize his enemy, he drew up his horse to listen, for he imagined that there must be some connection between this nocturnal combat and the Unknown, whose escape he hoped had been prevented by some of the German patrols. As he advanced as rapidly as prudence and the darkness permitted, the noise ceased and he perceived, by the light of a dozen torches, a troop of heavily laden mules, whose drivers, with downcast eyes and manacled hands, were marching between two files of armed men.
"It is Hesso and his bloodhounds," cried Gero; "I know his gruff voice!"
"Captain Hesso," said Rechberg, when they had gotten nearer, "I heard the noise of your skirmish, as I was returning to camp, and was about to come to your assistance."
"I scarcely needed it, my lord."
"You have made a valuable capture, it seems!"