visible. The nose was flat. The eyes, like
those of a fish, were round and staring. There was no expression
whatever in the features.

The mysterious monster had risen quite close to the boat.

Ludwig seized an oar with both hands to crush the monster's head; but
the heavy blow fell on the water. The creature had vanished underneath
the boat, and only the motion of the water on the other side indicated
the direction it had taken. Terror and rage had benumbed Ludwig's
nerves.

What was it? Who had sent this nameless monster after his carefully
guarded treasure? Even the bottom of the lake concealed her enemies! He
could think of nothing but intrigues and malignant persecutions. Rage
boiled in his veins.

He enveloped the maid in her bath-mantle, and took up his oars.

"I will come back here to-morrow," he muttered to himself, "hunt up
this creature, and shoot it--be it man or beast."

Marie murmured something which sounded like a remonstrance.

"I will shoot the creature!" repeated Ludwig, savagely.

The young girl withdrew trembling to the stern of the boat, and said
nothing further; she even strove to suppress her nervous terror, like a
child that has behaved naughtily.

When the boat reached the shore, Ludwig bade Marie in a stern voice to
make haste and change her bathing-dress, and became very impatient when
she lingered longer than usual in the bath-house. Then he took her arm
and walked rapidly with her to the castle.

"Are you really going to shoot that creature?" asked Marie, still
trembling.

"Yes."

"But suppose it is a human being?"

"Then I shall certainly shoot him."

"I will never, never again venture into the lake."

"I am certain of that! If you once become frightened in the water, you
will always have a dread of it."

"My dear, beautiful lake!" sighed Marie, casting backward a sorrowful
glance at the glittering expanse of water, at the paradise of her
dreams, which the rising wind was curling into wavelets.

"Go at once to bed," said Ludwig, when he had conducted his charge to
the door of her room. "Cover yourself up well, and if you feel chilly I
will make you a cup of camomile tea."

All children have such a distaste for this herb tea that it was not to
be wondered at if Marie declared she did not feel in the least chilly,
and that she would go at once to bed.

But she did not sleep well. She dreamed all night long of the
water-monster. She saw it pursuing her. The staring fis