e opportunity I desired, and I sauntered along a little path
which in a few moments led me into the Pine Forest, and which, from the
directions I had received, I well knew conducted over the mountain, and
descended by a series of steep zigzags into the valley of the Mourg.

Although I had quitted the party long before sunset, the moon was
high and bright ere I reached the spot where my carriage awaited me.
Exhilarated by the unwonted exertion--half-gratified, too, by the
consciousness of supporting a degree of fatigue I had been pronounced
incapable of,--I took my seat in good spirits, to drive back to Baden.
As I ascended the steep road towards Eberstein, I observed that lights
were gleaming from the windows of the large salon of the castle, that
looks towards the glen. I knew that the Grand Ducal family were at
Carlsruhe, and was therefore somewhat surprised to see these signs of
habitation in one of the state apartments of the chateau.

Alternately catching glimpses of and again losing these bright lights,
I slowly toiled up the steep acclivity, which, to relieve my ponies,
I ascended on foot. We were near the top, the carriage had preceded me
some fifty yards or so, and I, alone, had reached a deeply-shaded spot,
over which an ancient outwork of the castle threw a broad shadow, when
suddenly I was startled by the sound of voices, so close beside me that
I actually turned to see if the speakers were not following me; nor was
it till they again spoke that I could believe that they were standing on
the terrace above me. If mere surprise at the unexpected sound of voices
was my first sensation, what was it to that which followed, as I heard a
man's voice say,--

"But how comes this M. Templeton to be of any consequence in the matter?
It is true he was a witness, but he has no interest in troubling himself
with the affair. He is an invalid besides--some say, dying."

"Would he were dead!" interrupted a lower voice; but, although the
accents were uttered with an unusual force, I knew them--at once I
recognised them. It was the Countess spoke.

"Why so, if he never recognised you?"

"How am I certain of this?" said she again. "How shall I satisfy my own
fears, that at every instant are ready to betray me? I dread his reserve
more than all."

"If he be so very inconvenient," interposed the man, in a half-careless
tone, "there may surely be found means to induce him to leave this.
Invalids are often superstitious. Mig