erated prince. The oldest servant of a princely house
could not allow such an insult to pass.

"I beg your highness's pardon. I have not been making a fool of myself
at all."

"Perhaps you believe it is I who have been doing it?"

Stadinger looked his young master well over and then replied,
discreetly:

"I do not know, your highness--but it might be so."

"You're an old bear," cried the prince sharply.

"The whole forest knows that, your highness."

"Come on, Hartmut, there's nothing to be gained from this old ghost of
the woods," said Egon half angry, half laughing. "First you place me in
all sorts of embarrassments, and then you defend yourself by giving me a
lecture."

With that he went off with Rojanow to the carriage. Stadinger remained
standing in a respectful attitude, for he never meant to be rebuked for
lack of respect to "his highness." It never occurred to him to yield an
inch of ground; that was for Prince Egon to do, but not for Peter
Stadinger.

Egon was almost of this opinion himself. He related what had occurred to
Hartmut as they drove along, and with a comical despair he concluded:

"Now can you imagine what kind of a reception that most worshipful aunt
of mine will give me? She evidently suspected that I wanted to keep her
away from Rodeck. Now my morals are saved in her eyes, but at the
expense of my love of truth. Hartmut, you must do me a favor; you must
be my lightning rod. Expend all your power of fascination upon that
imperious kinswoman of mine. Dedicate a poem to her if necessary, but at
least shield me from the first fierce flashes of her anger."

"Well, I should have thought you weather-proof in that particular by
now," said Rojanow smiling. "You must have had cause for forgiveness
before this for such enormities. The duchess and the other ladies will
be on horseback to-day, will they not?"

"Certainly; they could see nothing from the carriages. By the way, did
you know that Frau von Wallmoden was an accomplished horse woman? I met
her day before yesterday returning from a ride with her brother-in-law,
the head forester."

"Ah, then we'll know where to find Prince Adelsberg to-day."

Egon, who had been leaning back comfortably, sat erect now, and said, as
he gave his friend a searching look:

"Not so spitefully, I beg of you. You are not often in the company of
the lady in question, I grant that, and you bear yourself as if you were
only a looker-on at others, but I know