CHAPTER V.

UPON UNSAFE PATHS.


After this evening, Dietrich was scarcely ever able to go on his walk
alone. Blasi had always some pretext for joining him, and when Jost found
out that regularly every evening his friend took the same walk at the same
hour, he too discovered that he had a great deal to tell him, and to
consult him about. The two accompanied him through the wood, and when they
emerged from it on the other side, they usually saw a graceful figure
coming along the white road that led up the hill from Fohrensee. Then
without a word on the subject, as by tacit agreement, they stopped, shook
hands, and separated; the other two turned back toward the village, and
Dietrich went on. They felt instinctively that this was the best thing to
do. Dietrich, certainly, found out that his companions were not to
Veronica's mind, when one evening, the three being so engaged in talk that
they had not noticed that they were later than usual, Veronica came into
the wood before they left it, and she recognized Blasi and Jost, although
they turned quickly back.

"They can't have the best of consciences," said Veronica, as Dietrich
joined her; "if they had only straight-forward business on hand, why did
they take themselves off so hastily, as soon as I came in sight?"

"Can't you understand that we may have something to talk about, that we
do not wish you to hear?" asked Dietrich.

The girl was silent a few moments, and then she said, rather seriously,