watching us, I
realised the thought that was in the public mind. Ottilie would have
drawn back, but I prevented her.

"Let them see us together," I said, and led her a little nearer the
window.

Our action pleased the people below, and cheer after cheer went up.
Suddenly, pushing his way through the crowd, I saw the tall figure of
Bertram. He had, indeed, returned from Zaarfburg with dispatch. Having
learnt my destination at the palace, he had lost no time in following
me. On he came, not perhaps as gently as he might have done. Then I saw
him stop and look towards his left. A moment later he had turned, and
was moving back through the crowd. What could be the matter with him?
With straining eyes I watched him pushing and squeezing his way through
the throng, then I lost sight of him altogether. Had he seen anything of
the man whose whereabouts we were so anxious to discover? I had to wait
for an answer to that question.

At last, my impatience quite getting the better of me, I bade Ottilie
good-bye, and descended to the courtyard, where my carriage was waiting.
Slowly I drove across the yard, and passed out through the great gates.
By this time the crowd was so great that it was only with difficulty
sufficient space could be cleared for my horses to pass through. Cheer
after cheer was given me with the heartiest goodwill. I could see that
my being without equerry or escort gave them pleasure. When we turned
towards the palace I looked back at the house I had just left, and could
see Ottilie's white figure still standing at the window watching me. At
the same moment something white was thrown into the carriage. It was a
letter without address or writing of any description upon the envelope.

"A petition of some sort," I said to myself, and placed it in my pocket
to read at my leisure. As it happened, however, when I reached the
palace I found von Marquart there. Important despatches had reached him
from the war, and a council meeting was to be called without delay.
Though I made inquiries, I could hear nothing of Bertram, save that he
had reached there soon after my departure, and had set off for the
Lilienhoehe Palace in search of me. It was almost evening by the time he
returned, and when he was admitted to my presence there was a look of
disappointment upon his face. I praised his diligence in returning so
quickly on receipt of my message from Zaarfburg, but this did not make
him happy.

"To think that I should