The gentlemen in the barn saw this movement through chinks of the door. "It is Von Sungen," said Romberg. "He must have a strong personal interest in your capture, that he should come to search with his own eyes." He and Dick drew their swords. Antoine held ready a pistol, which he had carried in his saddle-bag on his Spangenberg journey. Von Sungen's concern seemed indeed very great, for so rapidly he strode that he reached the barn a dozen feet ahead of his men. He opened the door, and thrust in his head, preceding it with his torch. Before any one could make a movement, the attention of all was drawn by Catherine, who said to Dick and Romberg: "Flee for your lives, gentlemen! Don't heed me. I shall be dead before he can lay a hand upon me." And she held to her lips the phial that Dick had left on her table in the palace. Dick ran to grasp her hand, and Von Sungen cried out to her, in the utmost alarm, "For God's sake, not that, mademoiselle!" He, too, would have rushed in to prevent her, but his breast was menaced by the sword of Romberg. Meanwhile the dismounted men who had accompanied Von Sungen from the road, had halted at a respectful distance from him, and they now stood awaiting orders, which he was too much occupied with Catherine's movements to give. The men could not see the inside of the barn, or hear what was said there. "Oho!" said Romberg to Von Sungen. "Your interest in mademoiselle's welfare betrays you. You have orders to take her back alive." "You have the gift of second sight, my dear Romberg," said Von Sungen, watching Catherine, who still held the phial to her lips, although Dick's hand upon her wrist could have dashed it from her at any moment. "Then," said she to Von Sungen, "the instant your men approach, I will take this poison, I swear!" "Therefore, Baron," put in Dick, "to prevent accident, you would better order your men away, while we discuss matters." "If your frame of mind is for discussion, I am quite willing to do that," said Von Sungen, who himself feared that some sudden movement of his men might precipitate Catherine's threatened action. He turned and spoke a few words to the six, who thereupon faced about and marched back to the road, where the two mounted forces waited. Only Von Sungen as yet knew who were in the barn. He had given his followers the impression that his talk was with peasants who might put him on the track of the fugitives. "And now, mademoiselle and messieurs," said Von Sungen, "will you listen to reason? You cannot fail to see how impossible is your escape from this place, with all those horse-guards watching from the road. Even if you could kill me--" "We have no desire to do that," said Dick. "God knows there are few enough kind hearts and cheerful faces in the world, as it is. But we are as determined to escape, or all to die together, as you probably are to capture us."