ady approaching the zenith,
made itself felt, it seemed as if she had left the untroubled happiness
of childhood behind her in the green thicket. Yet she would not have
missed this forest walk at any price. She knew now that she had no rival
save the one whom Heinz ought to love no less than she. Whether they both
decided in favour of the world or the cloister, they would remain united
in love for her and her divine Son.

CHAPTER III.

Outside the courtyard of the Ortlieb mansion Eva saw Biberli going
towards the Frauenthor. He had been with Els a long time, giving a report
as frankly as ever. The day before he said to Katterle: "Calm yourself,
my little lamb. Now that the daughters need you and me to carry secret
messages, the father will leave us in peace too. A member of the Council
would be like the receiver of stolen goods if he allowed a man whom he
deemed worthy of the stocks to render him many services."

And Herr Ernst Ortlieb really did let him alone, because he was forced to
recognise that Biberli and Katterle were indispensable in carrying on his
daughter's intercourse with Wolff.

Els had forgiven the clever fellow the more willingly the more consoling
became the tidings he brought her from her betrothed bridegroom. Besides,
she regarded it as specially fortunate that she learned through him many
things concerning Heinz Schorlin, which for her sister's sake she was
glad to know.

True, it would have been useless trouble to try to extort from the true
and steadfast Biberli even a single word which, for his master's sake, it
would have been wiser to withhold, yet he discussed matters patiently,
and told her everything that he could communicate conscientiously. So,
when Eva returned, she was accurately informed of all that had befallen
and troubled the knight the day before.

She listened sympathisingly to the servant's lamentation over the
marvellous change which had taken place in Heinz since his horse was
killed under him. But she shook her head incredulously at Biberli's
statement that his master seriously intended to seek peace in the
cloister, like his two older sisters; yet at the man's animated
description of how Father Benedictus had profited by Sir Heinz's mood to
estrange him from the world, the doubt vanished.

Biberli's assurance that he had often seen other young knights rush into
the world with specially joyous recklessness, who had suddenly halted as
if in terror and known no othe