a good judge of what was
going on around her. She too was changed. Many an evening she would sit
mute at the tea-table, and start if addressed; at other times she would
be immoderately lively. She avoided Fink; she avoided Anton too, and was
reserved in manner to both. Her blooming health appeared disturbed; her
mother would often send her out of doors from her own sick-room; and
then she would have her pony saddled, and ride round and round the wood,
till the indignant pony would take her home without her finding it out.
Anton saw this change with silent sorrow. He was deeply conscious how
different Lenore's relation to him had become, but he did not speak of
this to her, and kept his feelings to himself.

It was a sultry afternoon in May. Dark thunder-clouds hung over the
forest, and the sun threw its burning rays on the parched land, when the
patrol which had been sent to Kunau came hurrying back to the guard-room
to say that there were strange men lurking in the Kunau woods, and that
the villagers wished to know what was to be done. Fink gave the alarm to
his laborers, and sent a message to the forester and to the new farm.
While the men carried the implements into the castle, and the
farm-servants rode home with teams and prepared for a sally, a horseman
came from Kunau to say that a band of Poles had broken into a court-yard
in the village, and that the peasants requested help. All were now in
the cheerful excitement which an alarm occasions when it promises
adventures.

"Keep some of the workmen back," said Fink to Anton, "and guard the
castle and village. I will send the forester with his little militia to
Kunau, and ride over thither myself first of all, with Karl and the
servants."

He sprang to the stable and saddled his own horse, while Karl was
getting ready that of the baron for himself.

"Look at the clouds, Herr von Fink," said Karl. "Take your cloak with
you; we shall have a tremendous shower."

Fink called accordingly for his plaid, and the little band galloped off
toward Kunau. When they entered the forest they remarked how stifling
the atmosphere was. Even the rapid pace of their horses brought with it
no relief.

"Look how restless the beasts are," said Karl. "My horse pricks his
ears. There is something in the wood."

They stopped for a moment. "I hear a horse's tread, and a rustling among
the branches."

The horse that Karl rode stretched out his neck and neighed loudly.

"It is an ac