ops of sweat gathered and stood upon his forehead as he sat
there swaying slightly from side to side.

"My shoes," said he, hoarsely.

Master Rudolph stepped forward. "But, my Lord Baron," he began and then
stopped short, for the Baron shot him such a look that his tongue stood
still in his head.

Hans saw that look out of his one eye. Down he dropped upon his knees
and, fumbling under the bed, brought forth a pair of soft leathern
shoes, which he slipped upon the Baron's feet and then laced the thongs
above the instep.

"Your shoulder," said the Baron. He rose slowly to his feet, gripping
Hans in the stress of his agony until the fellow winced again. For a
moment he stood as though gathering strength, then doggedly started
forth upon that quest which he had set upon himself.

At the door he stopped for a moment as though overcome by his weakness,
and there Master Nicholas, his cousin, met him; for the steward had sent
one of the retainers to tell the old man what the Baron was about to do.

"Thou must go back again, Conrad," said Master Nicholas; "thou art not
fit to be abroad."

The Baron answered him never a word, but he glared at him from out of
his bloodshot eyes and ground his teeth together. Then he started forth
again upon his way.

Down the long hall he went, slowly and laboriously, the others following
silently behind him, then up the steep winding stairs, step by step,
now and then stopping to lean against the wall. So he reached a long
and gloomy passageway lit only by the light of a little window at the
further end.

He stopped at the door of one of the rooms that opened into this
passage-way, stood for a moment, then he pushed it open.

No one was within but old Ursela, who sat crooning over a fire with a
bundle upon her knees. She did not see the Baron or know that he was
there.

"Where is your lady?" said he, in a hollow voice.

Then the old nurse looked up with a start. "Jesu bless us," cried she,
and crossed herself.

"Where is your lady?" said the Baron again, in the same hoarse voice;
and then, not waiting for an answer, "Is she dead?"

The old woman looked at him for a minute blinking her watery eyes, and
then suddenly broke into a shrill, long-drawn wail. The Baron needed to
hear no more.

As though in answer to the old woman's cry, a thin piping complaint came
from the bundle in her lap.

At the sound the red blood flashed up into the Baron's face. "What
is that you have ther