e in the old fable of the rat-catcher."

The old scornful expression, which effaced all his beauty, swept across
Hartmut's face now, as he said contemptuously:

"I understand how to sing to tickle the ears of my hearers. You have to
strike the chords according to the taste of your listener, but after you
have learned that secret no one can withstand you."

"No one?" repeated Egon, as his eye glanced over the room.

"No, not a single soul, I assure you."

"Oh, you're a pessimist with all your inferences. I only wish I knew
where Frau von Wallmoden was, but I don't see her in any place."

"His excellency was reading her a little sermon on her undiplomatic
utterances in the other room a short time ago."

"Why, did you hear what she said?" asked Egon, surprised.

"Certainly, I was standing by the door."

"Well, I'm glad enough my worshipful aunt was given a snub, and wasn't
she furious over it, though; but do you believe that the ambassador
would take his wife to task for--hush, here he is himself."

Yes, there was Baron von Wallmoden himself, true enough, and just in
front of them as they came from an adjoining room.

It was impossible to avoid a meeting now, and the young prince, who had
no premonition that any secret relations existed between the two,
hastened to present them.

"Permit me, your excellency, to atone for the neglect of which I was
guilty on the mountain the other day, but my friend had disappeared for
the moment when we came down from the Tower. Herr Hartmut Rojanow--Baron
von Wallmoden."

The eyes of the two men met, the one with a sharp, contemptuous gaze,
the other, equally sharp, but haughty and defiant. The ambassador was
too much of a diplomat, however, to be other than the courteous
gentleman.

His greeting, though cold, was polite, but he turned at once to the
prince to speak, and chatted to that gentleman alone for the minute or
two that they stood together.

"His excellency is more of a ramrod than ever to-day," said Egon to his
friend as they went on. "Whenever that cold, calculating countenance
comes near me I feel frost-bitten and long to fly to the torrid zones."

"I suppose that's why you seek to bask in the rays of that glittering
northern light, his wife," said Hartmut with a sneer. "Can you tell me
for whom we are searching, in this weary pushing and crowding through
these heated rooms?"

"I want to find the head forester," said the prince, irritated at his
friend. "I