CHAPTER V.

When, on the evening of the christening day, Lienhard accompanied his
aunt home, Kuni was nowhere to be found. Frau Sophia discovered in her
chamber every article of clothing which she had obtained for her, even
the beaver cap, the prayer-book, and the rosary which she had given.
The young burgomaster, at her request, went to the manager of the rope-
dancers, Loni, the next morning, but the latter asserted that he knew
nothing about the girl. The truth was that he had sent her to Wurzburg
with part of his company.

From that time she had remained with the ropedancers. At first the
master had watched her carefully, that she might not run away again. But
he soon perceived this to be unnecessary; for he had never found any
member of the company more zealous, or seen one make more progress in the
art. Now the only point was to keep her out of the way of other rope-
dancers, English proprietors of circus companies, as well as the numerous
knights and gentlemen who tried to take her from him. Her name had
become famous. When the crier proclaimed that the "flying maiden" would
ascend the rope to the steeple, Loni was sure of a great crowd of
spectators. Among her own profession she had obtained the nickname of
crazy Kuni.

Yet even at that time, and in the midst of the freest intercourse with
German, Spanish, and other officers in Flanders and Brabant, young
knights and light-hearted priests on the Rhine, the Main, the Danube, the
Weser, and the Elbe, whose purses the pretty, vivacious girl, with the
shining raven hair and bright blue eyes, the mistress of her art, seemed