ught how stiff and
ill at ease he must appear, not to others but in her eyes. But there
seemed to be a spell upon him.

She had walked out to the flight of steps which led down into the
courtyard, where the head groom was holding the bridle of a beautiful
English horse which wore a lady's saddle. When it saw its mistress
approaching, it turned its head toward her with a joyful neigh and
impatiently pawed the ground. The countess paused a moment, patted the
animal's neck and let it take a piece of sugar out of her hand. Then
she prepared to mount, but when her foot was already in the stirrup,
she drew back again.

"I see I can't ride to-day," she said carelessly. "My foot is still
lame from the mis-step I made."

"If that's the case," replied the count, "don't tax it. The stag will
lead us a long distance to-day; it's the old one we chased last year,
but which finally escaped. I've ordered the hunting carriage for the
Herr Doctor. Perhaps it will be pleasant for you--"

"Certainly," she carelessly interrupted, without looking at Edwin. "We
can drive to the ranger's house together. I'll take Jean with me."

The lad, evidently proud of this preference, stepped forward from the
crowd of footmen, hurried toward the carriage, which stood a little
apart, behind the saddle horses and hounds, sprang on the box, and
taking the reins drove skillfully through the groups of huntsmen and
idle grooms to the steps.

"You shall witness my skill as a charioteer," said the countess in a
jesting tone to Edwin, who had hastily approached. "Don't be afraid; I
know how responsible science would hold me if I should upset one of her
votaries." Then she entered the carriage and took the reins and whip;
Edwin followed her, and urging on the beautiful animals she guided the
light carriage through the gate of the courtyard into the wide forest
avenue.

Her attention seemed to be entirely occupied with the horses; for the
first ten minutes at least she did not turn her eyes away from them or
utter a word. "How beautiful this forest is," said Edwin at last. She
smiled and then nodded gravely, but was still silent. She evidently had
not heard what he said. So he had plenty of leisure to watch her, and
was compelled to acknowledge that her beauty had really gained some
mysterious charm. The face was longer, the nose seemed to have
lengthened and the eyes to have grown larger and darker, but her smile
was no longer the same. It was not that str