Closing the door the moment he had gone past her, she led him to the room, and then called up the stairs warily, as though the walls had ears: "My son, 'tis the forest ranger." Herman had already heard the strong voice, and he was at the bottom step while his mother was speaking. "What news?" he asked, when the two men had clasped hands warmly. "All's well, Herman. The Englishman is still in the hut in the mere, and busy with Roye on that great task of his; but he is restless, and his appetite is whetted because Roye has got to know that the printed sheets that were on board the _Marburg_ are waiting in the hold of the ship that lies at the quay in Worms, and the captain wants to know what to do with them. I'll tell you more. They say that the powers that be have at last plucked up their courage, and declare that this scandal shall be ended, so that Schouts' castle is to be stormed, and the robber noble is to be hanged over his own gate." "If they can get at him!" exclaimed Herman, with a laugh of incredulity. "That's how things stand," said the forester, shrugging his shoulders. "What has all this to do with me?" Herman asked after a pause. "Everything. Raymart, whom my father allowed to stay in the house where Master Tyndale is staying, has been prowling about in the forest, and a bear has mauled him so badly that he is ill; so that he cannot take the good man on to Worms. And I do not know the way. That's why I'm here--to get you to go, since you know every inch when once I put you in the forest." Herman's heart leapt. It seemed now that the way for William Tyndale was marked out; and was it not safety for Margaret also? Once in Worms, where the lord of the place was one who would have no Inquisitors prowling in his streets, and, Pope or none at all, would hang them with short shrift if he laid hands on them--was not that the place to which Margaret and her dear ones might go? And Martin Luther, please God, might marry him and her! "Sit down, Otto, while I am putting some things together, and I will tell you something," Herman said, and in the bedroom, after the two men had tramped up the stairs, Otto listened to the story of the contemplated flight from the city. "God's hand is in this," the forester said, when Herman had told him all. "If that simple lad will let me join you, I can get you all to a place where I can hire horses, and we will ride to my father's mill, and on to William Tyndale. Then we can make our other plans; but this is the pressing thing just now--to get that dear girl and her loved ones away from the city. Shall I come?" Herman looked at the ranger's giant frame, and his heart leapt at the thought of his help. "It will be splendid," he cried. "Shall we go to Heinrich's stable now? I am ready, if mother has some warm wrappings for Margaret."