solved at any cost. That Black Pest must be apprehended.
We must find out where she comes from, what she is, and what she wants!"

"Oh, but that is impossible!" she said with a movement of despair.

"Who can tell that, madam? Perhaps Divine Providence may have had a
design connected with me in sending Sperver to fetch me here."

"You are right, sir. God never acts without consummate wisdom. Do
whatever you think right. I give my approval in advance."

I raised to my lips the hand which she tremblingly placed in mine, and
went out full of admiration for this frail and feeble woman, who was,
nevertheless, so strong in the time of trial. Is anything grander than
duty nobly accomplished?

CHAPTER XII.

An hour after the conversation with Odile, Sperver and I were riding
hard, and leaving Nideck rapidly behind us.

The huntsman, bending forward over his horse's neck, encouraged him with
voice and action.

He rode so fast that his tall Mecklemburger, her mane flying, tail
outstretched, and legs extended wide, seemed almost motionless, so
swiftly did she cleave the air. As for my little Ardenne pony, I think he
was running right away with his rider. Lieverle accompanied us, flying
alongside of us like an arrow from the bow. A whirlwind seemed to sweep
us in our headlong way.

The towers of Nideck were far away, and Sperver was keeping ahead as
usual when I shouted--

"Halloo, comrade, pull up! Halt! Before we go any farther let us know
what we are about."

He faced round.

"Only just tell me, Fritz, is it right or is it left?"

"No; that won't do. It is of the first importance that you should know
the object of our journey. In short, we are going to catch the hag."

A flush of pleasure brightened up the long sallow face of the old
poacher, and his eyes sparkled.

"Ha, ha!" he cried, "I knew we should come to that at last!"

And he slipped his rifle round from his shoulder into his hand.

This significant action roused me.

"Wait, Sperver; we are not going to kill the Black Pest, but to take her
alive!"

"Alive?"

"No doubt, and it will spare you a good deal of remorse perhaps if I
declare to you that the life of this old woman is bound up with that of
your master. The ball that hits her hits your lord."

Sperver gazed at me in astonishment.

"Is this really true, Fritz?"

"Positively true."

There was a long silence; our mounts, Fox and Rappel, tossed their heads
at each other as if in