"You will be quite safe," he said. "Hold the rope with both hands; it has plenty of strength and would hold twenty of you."
A moment later she was over the wall, and he lowered her steadily down until he felt the rope slacken. Then he drew it up again and lowered Bertha and her companion, and then joined them on the ledge.
"Now," he said, "you must go on together with Henrick. Walk one behind the other and keep touch of the wall. As you go, you will have to descend a ladder on one side of a deep cut, and climb it on the other. When you get to the top you are to stop till I join you, as Henrick will have to move the ladder for me to follow you. Go on at once; you will know afterwards why I have stayed behind."
He waited till Henrick rejoined him with the news that the others had passed the cut, then he shouted: "Hullo there, watch!"
"Who is that?" a voice called down from the top of the tower.
THE ESCAPE FROM THE CASTLE
"Tell the baron that I, Conrad von Waldensturm, have carried off my sister, and give him my defiance;" and then with Henrick he hurried along and soon rejoined the women. Already there was a tumult in the castle; the sentry had blown his horn, and then run down from the wall and entered the castle to arouse the baron. Conrad sounded the note that his followers knew, and they then hurried along until they arrived at the spot where the men were standing with the horses.
"Now," he said to Minna, "you must mount behind me, two of my men will take your maids."