"He is Zalika's son also. But we won't discuss it any more. They are
waiting for you in the dining-room; you will not go to-night?"

"Yes, in two hours," answered the Major, steadily and quietly. "Hartmut
will be back by then--I'll answer for it."

The gray shadows of evening already lay on field and meadow, and they
grew each moment thicker and darker. The short hazy autumn day was at an
end, and the clouded sky brought the night down more quickly than usual.
A woman's figure could be seen pacing impatiently up and down on the
shore of the little lake. She had a dark mantle drawn closely around
her shoulders, but she paid little heed to the frosty evening air which
was blowing about her; she was feverish with expectation, and her ear
was strained to catch the first echo of approaching footsteps.

Since the first day on which Willibald had surprised them both, and they
had been forced to take him into their confidence, Zalika had chosen a
late hour in the afternoon, and a lonely place in the wood for her
meetings with her son. She was accustomed to meet him before the
twilight began, in order that he might not attract attention by
returning late to Burgsdorf. He had always been punctual, but to-day his
mother had waited already an hour, in vain. What accident had detained
him, or had their secret been disclosed? Since a third knew it, she was
prepared for such a contingency.

All was so silent in the wood that the rustle of her gown and her light
footsteps as she walked to and fro, were the only sounds which greeted
her ear.