Farina | Page 9

As he was gently
closing his iron hold about her, enjoying before hand with grim
mouthridges the flatteries of triumph, Margarita shot past him through
the door, and was already twenty paces beyond the troop before either
of them thought of pursuing her. At the first sound of a hoof, Henker
Rothhals seized the rider's bridle-rein, and roared: 'Fair play for a fair
bet! leave all to the Thier!' The Thier, when he had recovered from his
amazement, sought for old Gottlieb to give him a back-hit, as Margarita
foresaw that he would. Not finding him at hand, out lumbered the
fellow as swiftly as his harness would allow, and caught a glimpse of
Margarita rapidly fleeting up the cathedral square.
'Only five minutes, Schwartz Thier!' some of the troop sung out.
'The devil can do his business in one,' was the retort, and Schwartz
Thier swung himself on his broad-backed charger, and gored the fine
beast till she rattled out a blast of sparkles from the flint.
In a minute he drew up in front of Margarita.
'So! you prefer settling this business in the square.
Good! my choice sweetheart!' and he sprang to her side.
The act of flight had touched the young girl's heart with the spirit of
flight. She crouched like a winded hare under the nose of the hound,
and covered her face with her two hands. Margarita was no wisp in
weight, but Schwartz Thier had her aloft in his arm as easily as if he
had tossed up a kerchief.
'Look all, and witness!' he shouted, lifting the other arm.
Henker Rothhals and the rest of the troop looked, as they came trotting
to the scene, with the coolness of umpires: but they witnessed
something other than what Schwartz Thier proposed. This was the sight
of a formidable staff, whirling an unfriendly halo over the head of the

Thier, and descending on it with such honest intent to confound and
overthrow him, that the Thier succumbed to its force without argument,
and the square echoed blow and fall simultaneously. At the same time
the wielder of this sound piece of logic seized Margarita, and raised a
shout in the square for all true men to stand by him in rescuing a
maiden from the clutch of brigands and ravishers. A crowd was
collecting, but seemed to consider the circle now formed by the
horsemen as in a manner charmed, for only one, a fair slender youth,
came forward and ranged himself beside the stranger.
'Take thou the maiden: I'll keep to the staff,' said this latter, stumbling
over his speech as if he was in a foreign land among old roots and
wolfpits which had already shaken out a few of his teeth, and made him
cautious about the remainder.
'Can it be Margarita!' exclaimed the youth, bending to her, and calling
to her: 'Margarita! Fraulein Groschen!'
She opened her eyes, shuddered, and said: 'I was not afraid! Am I safe?'
'Safe while I have life, and this good friend.'
'Where is my father?'
'I have not seen him.'
'And you--who are you? Do I owe this to you?'
'Oh! no! no! Me you owe nothing.'
Margarita gazed hurriedly round, and at her feet there lay the Thier
with his steel-cap shining in dints, and three rivulets of blood coursing
down his mottled forehead. She looked again at the youth, and a blush
of recognition gave life to her cheeks.
'I did not know you. Pardon me. Farina! what thanks can reward such
courage! Tell me! shall we go?'
'The youth eyed her an instant, but recovering himself, took a rapid
survey, and called to the stranger to follow and help give the young
maiden safe conduct home.
'Just then Henker Rothhals bellowed, 'Time's up!' He was answered by
a chorus of agreement from the troop. They had hitherto patiently acted
their parts as spectators, immovable on their horses. The assault on the
Thier was all in the play, and a visible interference of fortune in favour
of Henker Rothhals. Now general commotion shuttled them, and the
stranger's keen hazel eyes read their intentions rightly when he lifted
his redoubtable staff in preparation for another mighty swoop, this time

defensive. Rothhals, and half a dozen others, with a war-cry of curses,
spurred their steeds at once to ride him down. They had not reckoned
the length and good-will of their antagonist's weapon. Scarce were they
in motion, when round it whizzed, grazing the nostrils of their horses
with a precision that argued practice in the feat, and unhorsing two,
Rothhals among the number. He dropped heavily on his head, and
showed signs of being as incapable of combat as the Thier. A cheer
burst from the crowd, but fell short.
The foremost of their number