of youth. The great blue eyes gazed at you earnestly but coldly, and you
felt instinctively that the soul which looked out through them never
lost itself in girlish dreams of brave heroes and suppliant lovers. The
bearing and appearance was haughty and reserved, yet in form and gesture
she was gracefulness itself.

Rojanow had time and leisure to notice all this as he directed her
course, sometimes behind her, sometimes in front, now holding back the
low, overhanging branches, and a second later warning her of some sudden
irregularity in the ground. The narrow forest footpath was anything but
a pleasant road for a ramble, and was an especially trying passage for
the woman. Her dress caught frequently on thorn and branch, and her long
gauze veil had to be loosened from more than one bramble, while her feet
sank, time and again, in the soft, moist, moss-covered earth. It could
not be helped, and yet Hartmut felt in his self assumed position as
guide, that he was not covering himself with as much glory as be could
have wished.

"I regret extremely, Fräulein, that you are obliged to take so
uncomfortable a path," he said politely. "I fear you will be exhausted,
but we are in the thickest part of the forest and have consequently no
choice."

"I do not become exhausted so easily," was the answer. "I care little
about the disagreeable features of the way, if it will but lead me to
the goal."

The remark had a somewhat unusual sound coming as it did from the mouth
of a young girl; Rojanow thought so, at any rate, and he gave a slight
mocking smile as he repeated: