o that heart and soul,
with no presentiments, and with all the ardor of youth. He dreamed and
planned a happy future when all the excitement and turmoil were over.

Then the door opened and Frau von Wallmoden entered.

"I beg your pardon for keeping your highness waiting so long," she said
after the first greeting. "The servants told you, perhaps, that a member
of the household was dying."

"I heard that one of the men about the place was very ill," Egon
answered as he hastened toward her.

"Yes, poor Tanner. He was formerly a tutor somewhere in this
neighborhood, but his health failed, and Herr von Schoenau recommended
him to my late husband. He has been here ever since we bought the place.
He told me the other day how thankful his mother was that he had so easy
a position. Since Herr von Wallmoden's death, nothing further has been
done towards a library here, and Tanner was to have had special charge
of that, so that except to act as my secretary occasionally, there has
been literally nothing for him to do. Only yesterday I obtained the
necessary papers for him to enter the army, and he was all enthusiasm
over the prospect. This morning he had a severe hemorrhage, and now the
physician says he cannot live an hour. It seems terrible to see a young
life cut off so suddenly without any warning." The young mistress sighed
deeply as she finished her sad little story.

After a minute's pause, Egon said quietly:

"I have come to say good-bye. We march to-morrow or next day, and I
could not go without seeing you once again. I am fortunate in finding
you here; some one said you were going away."

"Yes, I go to Berlin at once. Ostwalden is too isolated; I want to be
near the centre where I can receive the latest news at this exciting
time. My brother fights for the flag, you know, and I must be where I
can hear from him."

Again there was a short pause, and the prince was thinking how he should
say what lay nearest his heart, when Frau von Wallmoden asked a
question, speaking indifferently, but with a slight falling in her
voice.

"When I last saw your highness you were in doubt about your friend's
whereabouts. Has he given any signs of life yet?"

Egon's eyes fell to the ground, and the shadows which had disappeared
when the baroness entered the room, come back now, darker than ever.

"Yes!" he answered coldly. "Rojanow is again in Germany."

"Since the declaration of the war?"

"Yes, he came--"

"In order to