place of the band. They had ridden over a rough forest road at a fast
trot, exchanging not a word with their prisoners, and conversing among
themselves in low tones only when they changed their course. They
finally came to a halt just above a deep ravine. The robbers
dismounted, and their leader assisted the goldsmith from his horse,
apologizing for the fast and wearisome ride he had forced him to take,
and inquiring whether the gracious lady felt very much fatigued.

Felix answered him in as gentle a tone as he could assume, that he was
in need of rest; and the robber offered his arm to escort him into the
ravine. The descent was a very steep one, and the footpath was narrow
and precipitous. At last they were safely down. Felix saw before him by
the faint light of the opening day, a small narrow valley not more than
a hundred paces in circumference, that lay deep in a basin formed by
the precipitous rocks. Some six or eight small, board and log huts were
built in this ravine. A few untidy women peeped out curiously from
these hovels, and a pack of twelve large dogs and their countless
puppies surrounded the new-comers, howling and barking. The chief led
the countess to the best one of these huts, and told her that this was
exclusively for her own use; and granted Felix's request that the
huntsman and the student might be permitted to remain with him.

The hut was furnished with deer-skins and mats, which served at once
for a carpet and for seats. Some jugs and dishes, made out of wood, a
rusty old fowling-piece, and in the further corner a couch made of a
couple of boards and a few woollen blankets, which could hardly be
dignified by the name of a bed, were the only appointments of the
place.

Left alone together for the first time in this miserable hut, the three
prisoners had time to think over their strange situation. Felix, who
did not for a moment repent of his noble action, but who was still
nervous as to what would become of him in case of a discovery, gave
utterance to loud complaints; but the huntsman quickly checked him, and
whispered:

"For God's sake, be quiet, dear boy; don't you know that they will be
listening to us."

"Each word uttered in such a tone as that would create suspicion in
their minds," added the student.

Nothing remained to poor Felix but to weep silently. "Believe me, Mr.
Huntsman," said he, "I do not weep for fear of these robbers, or
because of this miserable hut; no, it is quite