ew
him into her arms and wept. And as she wept the tears flowed into his
very heart and he also wept. Softly she laid him on his couch, and
with her arms around him, Huldbrand died.

Then sorrowfully Undine raised herself from the couch, and sorrowfully
she passed from the chamber.

'My tears fell on his heart until, for very sorrow, it broke,' she
said, as she glided, a pale veiled figure, through the terrified
servants.

And some who dared to follow her saw that she went slowly down toward
the fountain.

CHAPTER XVII

THE BURIAL

Now when Father Heilman heard that the knight was dead, he hastened to
the castle to comfort Bertalda. The priest, who but the day before had
married the maiden to the knight, had already fled from the haunted
house.

But Father Heilman found that the haughty spirit of the bride needed
no comfort. She was more angry with Undine than sorrowful that she had
lost the knight. Indeed, as she thought of the strange way in which
Huldbrand had been snatched away from her, she cried aloud, 'Why did
Huldbrand bring a water spirit to his home? She is worse than a
mermaiden, she is a witch, a sorceress!'

Then the old fisherman, who heard her cruel words, hushed her, saying,
'It was God's will that Huldbrand should die, and Undine alone,
forsaken, weeps for his death in great sorrow of soul.'

But if Father Heilman was not needed to comfort Bertalda, his presence
was wanted at the burial of the knight.

Not far off there was a little village church to which the lord of
Ringstetten and others of his race had given gifts. It was arranged
that in the churchyard the knight should be laid to rest.

His shield and helmet were laid on his coffin and would be buried with
him, for the knight of Ringstetten had left no son to bear them in the
years that were to come.

On the day that had been fixed the mourners walked slowly toward the
churchyard, Father Heilman in front carrying a crucifix.

Then slowly a figure clad in snow-white garments, and wringing her
hands in great sorrow, came to join the mourners, who all wore black
clothes as a sign of their grief. Those who noticed the white-veiled
figure drew closer together, terror-stricken. Others, seeing them thus
fearful, turned to see the reason of their fear, and soon these too
drew aside, for the white-robed figure was in their very midst.

Seeing the confusion among the mourners, some soldiers, trying to be
brave, as was their duty,