garde in her watching and her
fears.

But there is a step near me. Some one comes up the avenue, with foot
that knows its windings, its turns and twists, its ups and downs.

"Eugen!" I said, tremulously.

A sudden pause--a stop; then he said with a kind of laugh:

"Witchcraft--Zauberei!" and was going on.

But now I knew his whereabouts, and coming up to him, touched his arm.

"This, however, is reality!" he exclaimed, infolding me and kissing me
as he hurried on. "May, how is he?"

"Just the same," said I, clinging to him. "Oh, thank Heaven that you are
come!"

"I drove to the gates, and sent the fellow away. But what art thou doing
alone at the Ghost's Corner on a stormy night?"

We were still walking fast toward the schloss. My heart was beating
fast, half with fear of what was impending, half with intensity of joy
at hearing his voice again, and knowing what that last letter had told
me.

As we emerged upon the great terrace before the house Eugen made one
(the only one) momentary pause, pressed my arm, and bit his lips. I knew
the meaning of it all. Then we passed quickly on. We met no one in the
great stone hall--no one on the stairway or along the passages--straight
he held his way, and I with him.

We entered the room. Eugen's eyes leaped swiftly to his child's face. I
saw him pass his hand over his mouth. I withdrew my hand from his arm
and stood aside, feeling a tremulous thankfulness that he was here, and
that that restless plaining would at last be hushed in satisfaction.

A delusion! The face over which my lover bent did not brighten; nor the
eyes recognize him. The child did not know the father for whom he had
yearned out his little heart--he did not hear the half-frantic words
spoken by that father as he flung himself upon him, kissing him,
beseeching him, conjuring him with every foolish word of fondness that
he could think of, to speak, answer, look up once again.

Then fear, terror overcame the man--for the first time I saw him look
pale with apprehension.

"Not this cup--not this!" muttered he. "_Gott im Himmel!_ anything short
of this--I will give him up--leave him--anything--only let him live!"

He had flung himself, unnerved, trembling, upon a chair by the
bedside--his face buried in his hands. I saw the sweat stand upon his
brow--I could do nothing to help--nothing but wish despairingly that
some blessed miracle would reverse the condition of the child and
me--lay me low in deat