At the same time the noise of an opening door was heard, and steps
creaked over the snow. A man, evidently a servant, opened the little
door beside the great gate and held it for another man to pass
out. "You'll come back by the night train as usual, sir?" he asked
respectfully.

"Yes," replied the other, pushing back the dog, which fawned upon him.

"Come back here, Tristan," called the servant, pulling the dog in by his
collar, as lie closed the door and re-entered the house.

The Councillor took the path to the station. He walked slowly, with
bowed head and uneven step. He did not look like a man who was in the
mood to join a merry crowd, and yet he was evidently going to his Club.
"He wants to show himself; he doesn't want to let people think that he
has anything to be afraid of," murmured the peddler, looking after him
sharply. Then his eyes suddenly dimmed and a light sigh was heard,
with another murmur, "Poor man." The Councillor reached the station
and disappeared within its door. The train arrived and departed a few
moments later. Kniepp must have really gone to the city, for although
the man behind the pillar waited for some little time, the Councillor
did not return--a contingency that the peddler had not deemed
improbable.

About half an hour after the departure of the train the watcher came out
of his hiding place and walked noisily past the gate. What he expected,
happened. The dog rushed up to the bars, barking loudly, but when the
peddler had taken a silk muffler from the pack on his back and held
it out to the animal, the noise ceased and the dog's anger turned to
friendliness. Tristan was quite gentle, put his huge head up to the
bars to let the stranger pat it, and seemed not at all alarmed when the
latter rang the bell.

The young man who had opened the door for the Councillor came out from
a wing of the castle. The peddler looked so frozen and yet so venerable
that the youth had not the heart to turn him away. Possibly he was glad
of a little diversion for his own sake.

"Who do you want to see?" he asked.

"I want to speak to the maid, the one who attended your dead mistress."

"Oh, then you know--?"

"I know of the misfortune that has happened here."

"And you think that Nanette might have something to sell to you?"

"Yes, that's it; that's why I came. For I don't suppose there's much
chance for any business with my cigar holders and other trifles here so
near the city."

"Cigar