'The stone has been taken away from the fountain, and I have come to
you and you must die,' said a soft voice.

Ah, it was Undine, his beautiful lost Undine, who had come back to
him. How he longed to see her face, yet how he feared to have the veil
removed lest she should have changed since last he gazed upon her.

[Illustration: Slowly, slowly there rose out of the mouth of the well
a white figure]

'If you are beauteous as in days gone by, if in your eyes I may see
your soul tender as of old, draw aside your veil, that as I die I may
gaze upon you,' faltered the knight.

Silently Undine threw back her veil, and Huldbrand saw her, fair as on
the day he had won her for his bride. As he looked upon her, he knew
that he had never loved any one in all the wide world as he loved
Undine.

He bent toward the sweet face. Then Undine, kissing the knight, drew
him into her arms and wept. And as she wept the tears flowed into his
very heart and he also wept. Softly she laid him on his couch, and
with her arms around him, Huldbrand died.

Then sorrowfully Undine raised herself from the couch, and sorrowfully
she passed from the chamber.

'My tears fell on his heart until, for very sorrow, it broke,' she
said, as she glided, a pale veiled figure, through the terrified