"I can not get at you there, Gretchen," said the colonel, giving to his voice that venom which the lady's man always has at hand when thwarted in his gallantries. "You will have to come hence presently."
"She shall stay here all day," declared Fräu Bauer decidedly.
"I can wait." The colonel, now possessing two smarts, one to his cheek and one to his vanity, made for the door. But there was a bulk in the doorway formidable enough to be worth serious contemplation.
"What is going on here, little goose-girl?" asked the grizzled old man, folding his arms round his oak staff.
"Herr Colonel insulted me."
"Insulted you?" The colonel laughed boisterously. This was good; an officer insult a wench of this order! "Out of the way!" he snarled at the obstruction in the doorway.
"What did he try to do to you, Gretchen?"
"He tried to kiss me!"
"The man who tries to kiss a woman against her will is always at heart a coward," said the mountaineer.
The colonel seized the old man by the shoulder to push him aside. The other never so much as stirred. He put out one of his arms and clasped the colonel in such a manner that he gasped. He was in the clutch of a Carpathian bear.
"Well, my little soldier?" said the mountaineer, his voice even and not a vein showing in his neck.
"I will kill you for this!" breathed the colonel heavily.
"So?" The old man thrust him back several feet, without any visible exertion. He let his staff slide into his hand.
The moment the colonel felt himself liberated, he drew his saber and lunged toward his assailant. There was murder in his heart. The two women screamed. The old man laughed. He turned the thrust with his staff. The colonel, throwing caution to the four winds, surrendered to his rage. He struck again. The saber rang against the oak. This dexterity with the staff carried no warning to the enraged officer. He struck again and again. Then the old man struck back. The pain in the colonel's arm was excruciating. His saber rattled to the stone flooring. Before he could recover the weapon the victor had put his foot upon it. He was still smiling, as if the whole affair was a bit of pastime.
On his part the colonel's blood suddenly cooled. This was no accident; this meddling peasant had at some time or other held a saber in his hand and knew how to use it famously well. The colonel realized that he had played the fool nicely.
"My sword," he demanded, with as much dignity as he could muster.