the skin on his face was drawn so tightly over the bones that it
gave him the appearance of a skull with hollow eyes and wide, grinning
mouth.

Outside an owl hooted dismally. Klara gave a slight shiver of fear and
looked furtively round her to see if any of the drunkards were awake.
Then she recollected that her father was in the next room, and
presently, from afar, came shouts of laughter and the sound of music.

She woke as from a nightmare, gave her fine shoulders a little shake,
and looked boldly into her jealous lover's face.

"By the Lord, Leo!" she said, with a little forced laugh, "you have
given me the creeps, looking as you do. How dare you frighten me like
that? With your clenched hands, too, as if you wanted to murder me.
There, now, don't be such a silly fool. You have got a long journey
before you; it's no use making yourself sick with jealousy just before
you go."

"I am not going on a journey," he said, in a toneless, even voice, which
seemed to come from a grave.

"Not going?" she said, with a frown of puzzlement. "You were going to
Fiume to meet your brother, don't you remember? The ship he is on is due
in the day after to-morrow. If you don't start to-night you won't be
able to catch the express at Budapesth to-morrow."

"I know all that," he said, in the same dull, monotonous tone; "I am not
going, that's all."

"But . . ."

"I have changed my mind. Your father is going away. I must watch over
you to see that no one molests you. Thieves might want to break in . . .
one never knows . . . anyhow, my brother can look after himself . . . I
stay to look after you."

For a moment or two she stood quite still, her senses strained to grasp
the meaning, the purport of the present situation--this madman on the
watch outside--the young Count, key in hand, swaggering up to the back
door at ten o'clock, when most folk would be at supper in the barn, her
father gone, the village street wrapped in darkness!

Leopold, by a violent and sudden effort, had regained mastery over the
muscles of his face and hands, these no longer twitched now, and he
answered her look of mute inquiry with one of well-feigned quietude.
Only his breath he could not control, it passed through his throat with
a stertorous sound, and every now and then he had to pass his tongue
over his dry, cracked lips.

Thus they stood for a moment eye to eye; and what she read in his
glance caused a nameless fear to strike at her heart and