"I told you so," he kept saying; "I knew father wouldn't hurt me.

   Father's the best shot in all Switzerland."

   "That was indeed a shot!" exclaimed Ulric the smith; "it will ring
through the ages. While the mountains stand will the tale of Tell the
bowman be told."

   Rudolph der Harras took the apple from Walter and showed it to Gessler,
who had been sitting transfixed on his horse.

   "See," he said, "the arrow has passed through the very centre. It was a
master shot."

   "It was very nearly a 'Master Walter shot,'" said Rösselmann the priest
severely, fixing the Governor with a stern eye.

   Gessler made no answer. He sat looking moodily at Tell, who had dropped
his cross-bow and was standing motionless, still gazing in the
direction in which the arrow had sped. Nobody liked to be the first to
speak to him.

   "Well," said Rudolph der Harras, breaking an awkward silence, "I
suppose it's all over now? May as well be moving, eh?"

   He bit a large piece out of the apple, which he still held. Walter
uttered a piercing scream as he saw the mouthful disappear. Up till now
he had shown no signs of dismay, in spite of the peril which he had had
to face; but when he watched Rudolph eating the apple, which he
naturally looked upon as his own property, he could not keep quiet any
longer. Rudolph handed him the apple with an apology, and he began to
munch it contentedly.

   "Come with me to your mother, my boy," said Rösselmann.

   Walter took no notice, but went on eating the apple.

   Tell came to himself with a start, looked round for Walter, and began
to lead him away in the direction of his home, deaf to all the cheering

 Prev. P 43/60 next