had told them of their mother's promise to tell them the story of the
family of Wallerstätten that evening. They had already placed their
mother's knitting-basket on the table in preparation of what was to come,
because they knew that she would not tell them a story without knitting
at the same time.

Smilingly the mother approached. "Everything is ready, I see, so I can
begin right away."

"Yes, and right from the start, please; from the place where the ghost
first comes in."

The mother looked questioningly at Kurt. "It seems to me, Kurt, that you
still hope to find out about this ghost, whatever I may say to the
contrary. I shall tell you, though, how people first began to talk about
a ghost in Wildenstein. The origin of these rumors goes back many, many
years."

"There is a picture in the castle," the mother began to relate, "which I
often looked at as a child and which made a deep impression upon me. It
represents a pilgrim who wanders restlessly about far countries, despite
his snow-white hair, which is blowing about his head, and despite his
looking old and weather-beaten. It is supposed to be the picture of the
ancestor of the family of Wallerstätten. The family name is thought to
have been different at that time.

"This ancestor is said to have been a man extremely susceptible to
violent outbreaks. In his passion he was supposed to have committed many
evil deeds, on account of which his poor wife could not console herself.
Praying for him, she lay whole days on her knees in the chapel. She died