y reproved once for doing so, but he had been too much a child at
the time to ask "why." Zalika gave him no time to do so now. She brushed
the thick locks back from his brow and a shadow crossed her face.

"You get your forehead from him," she said slowly. "But that is the only
thing that reminds me of him, all the rest belongs to me and me alone.
Every feature tells that you are mine--I always knew that."

She suddenly clasped him in her arms again with unspeakable tenderness,
and Hartmut returned the embrace with ardor. It seemed to him like the
fairy tales which he had so often dreamed, and he gave himself up
unresistingly to the spell of happiness which some wonderful magic had
cast over him.

Just at that moment, Will called loudly to his friend from the opposite
shore to come on, that it was time to go home. Zalika spoke at once.

"We must part now. Nobody must learn that I have seen and spoken with
you; above all things your father must not know it. When do you return
to him?"

"In eight days."

"Not for eight days?" The words sounded almost triumphant.

"Until then I can see you daily. Be here by the pond to-morrow at this
same hour; make some pretext for leaving your friend behind, so that we
may be undisturbed. You will come, Hartmut?"

"Certainly, mother, but--"

She gave him no time for any objection, but continued in a passionate
whisper:

"Above all things maintain absolute silence toward every one. Do not
forget that. Good-bye, my child, my own dear son, good-bye."

Another kiss and she had retreated in the woods as noiselessly as she
had come. It was high time, for Willibald appeared at this moment,
though not noiselessly by any means, for he broke the twigs with many a
crackle as he stepped heavily on them.

"Why didn't you answer me?" he asked. "I called you three times. You
have been asleep; you look as if you were dreaming."

Hartmut did have a dazed look as he stood gazing at the trees behind
which his mother had disappeared. Now he straightened himself and drew
his hand across his forehead.

"Yes, I have been dreaming. A very strange, marvelous dream," he said
slowly.

"You had better have been fishing," returned Will. "See what a fine
catch I have made. A man should never dream in daylight--that's the time
to be at something serious--mother says."

CHAPTER II.

The Falkenried and Wallmoden families had been on friendly terms for
years. Living upon adjoining estates, t