l gallop. At
dinner we became dreadfully uneasy as she did not put in an appearance,
and neither the General nor myself could eat. But it was much worse
when, in the evening twilight, young Pauwelsen came to say Tancredo
had returned to the stable alone, without saddle and white with foam."

"An accident!" I cried, beside myself. "Do tell me the worst at
once. What has happened to her?"

"Oh, it was not so bad after all, Jonker--only a sprained foot; we
found her lying on the moss at the foot of an oak, to which she had
been able to crawl to rest herself a little."

"I know that oak!" I exclaimed. "I feel what she must have felt
there. She loves me still!"

"I believe so, Jonker, for she said we were to leave her there to die,
and to tell you where she died. It appears she had ridden towards the
town, and then, suddenly changing her course, was returning to the
Castle through the wood; but either she must have pressed Tancredo
too hard, or dropped the reins--she cannot explain it herself. But
certain it is, the noble animal, no longer recognizing the hand
of his mistress, galloped home, and she fell out of the saddle. We
carried her home, and laid her on the sofa in the drawing-room. The
surgeon declared there was no danger, but said she must not be moved
for some days."

"And why did you not send me word immediately?"

"Hum! I wanted to write to you, and she also. I ought not to tell
you perhaps, but she wrote a note to you."

"Which I never received."

"No, for young Pauwelsen was charged to deliver it into your own
hands at Zutphen; but when he arrived there they told him you had
left, and he brought back the letter, which the Freule tore up,
with a bitter laugh saying--

"'I deserved no better.'"

"Oh, if I could have foreseen all this!" I cried, wringing my hands.

"I advised you to stay," replied the Captain; "why need you go off
in such a hurry?"

"My dear Captain, I felt I was going to be ill; I was ill already. But
how was it she did not receive my packet? I waited until the third
day for an answer."

"What could you expect? Everything was turned upside down. Fritz had
orders to place all letters on the General's writing-table, and he
had taken such an aversion to anything in the shape of a communication
from the lawyers, that he never opened one of them. Miss Francis was
scarcely able to move about again when those accursed creatures set
to work and threatened to send in the bailiffs, and Hea