rimsoned, and the longing to put an end to this
deceitful game became almost uncontrollable. The thought of Eva alone
sealed her lips.

IN THE FIRE OF THE FORGE

A ROMANCE OF OLD NUREMBERG

By Georg Ebers

Volume 3.

CHAPTER X.

One person only besides Sir Seitz Siebenburg had not been deceived--the
young knight Boemund Altrosen, whose love for Cordula was genuine, and
who, by its unerring instinct, felt that she had invented her tale and
for a purpose which did honour to her kindness of heart. So his calm
black eyes rested upon the woman he loved with proud delight, while Seitz
Siebenburg twisted his mustache fiercely. Not a look or movement of
either of the two girls had escaped his notice, and Cordula's bold
interference in behalf of the reckless Swiss knight, who now seemed to
have ensnared his future sister-in-law also, increased the envy and
jealousy which tortured him until he was forced to exert the utmost
self-restraint in order not to tell the countess to her face that he, at
least, was far from being deceived by such a fable. Yet he succeeded in
controlling himself. But as he forced his lips to silence he gazed with
the most open scorn at the bales of merchandise heaped around him. He
would show the others that, though the husband of a merchant's daughter,
he retained the prejudices of his knightly rank.

But no one heeded the disagreeable fellow, who had no intimate friends in
the group. Most of the company were pressing round Heinz Schorlin with
jests and questions, but bluff Count von Montfort warmly clasped Els's
hand, while he apologised for the bold jest of his young daughter who, in
spite of her recklessness, meant kindly.

Nothing could have been more unwelcome to a girl in so unpleasant a
situation than this delay. She longed most ardently to get away but, ere
she succeeded in escaping from the friendly old noble, two gentlemen
hastily entered the brightly lighted entry, at sight of whom her heart
seemed to stop beating.

The old count, who noticed her blanched face, released her, asking
sympathisingly what troubled her, but Els did not hear him.

When she felt him loose her hand she would fain have fled up the stairs
to her mother and sister, to avoid the discussions which must now follow.
But she knew into what violent outbursts of sudden anger her usually
prudent father could be hurried if there was no one at hand to warn him.

There he stood in the doorway, his stern, gl