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CZECHOSLOVAK STORIES

“Well, sir, they locked my daughter in here overnight and so I couldn’t stand it to stay at home.”

“Bára? What has happened?” the huntsman asked in amazement.

Jacob related all briefly. The huntsman uttered an oath, and then jerking the gun from his shoulder, hung it on a tree and nimbly scaled the cemetery wall. With a swing of his powerful right arm he forced open the door of the charnel-house and stood before Bára, whom the noise had awakened. Seeing the huntsman before her, she was under the impression that she was still dreaming, but hearing his voice, she wondered how he had come there and could not in her embarrassment even thank him for his greeting.

“Don’t be angry, Bára, because I have burst in here this way. I was going past, saw your father and heard from him what had occurred to place you here, and it made me furious. Come away at once from these dead things!” the huntsman urged, taking Bára by the hand.

“Not yet, sir. I shall stay here until they come for me. They would say that I ran away. I really wasn’t so uncomfortable here,” Bára demurred lightly, withdrawing her hand from the grasp of the huntsman.

“Then I shall call your father and we shall both stay here,” said the huntsman and shouted over the wall to Jacob.

So Jacob, too, climbed over the stone enclosure. Together they entered into the death-chamber to join