nd, it is no secret now; we have escaped from Transylvania,
where my daughter's honour and my life were equally in jeopardy!'

"This information was quite enough to raise an interest in my father's
heart, he remembered his own escape; he remembered the loss of his
wife's honour, and the tragedy by which it was wound up. He
immediately, and warmly, offered all the assistance which he could
afford them.

"`There is no time to be lost then, good sir,' observed the horseman;
`my daughter is chilled with the frost, and cannot hold out much longer
against the severity of the weather.'

"`Follow me,' replied my father, leading the way towards his home.

"`I was lured away in pursuit of a large white wolf,' observed my
father; `it came to the very window of my hut, or I should not have been
out at this time of night.'

"`The creature passed by us just as we came out of the wood,' said the
female, in a silvery tone.

"`I was nearly discharging my piece at it,' observed the hunter; `but
since it did us such good service, I am glad I allowed it to escape.'

"In about an hour and a half, during which my father walked at a rapid
pace, the party arrived at the cottage, and, as I said before, came in.

"`We are in good time, apparently,' observed the dark hunter, catching
the smell of the roasted meat, as he walked to the fire and surveyed my
brother and sister, and myself. `You have young cooks here, Meinheer.'
`I am glad that we shall not have to wait,' replied my father. `Come,
mistress, seat yourself by the fire; you require warmth after your cold
ride.' `And where can I put up my horse, Meinheer?' observed the
huntsman. `I will take care of him,' replied my father, going out of
the cottage door.

"The female must, however, be particularly described. She was young,
and apparently twenty years of age. She was dressed in a
travelling-dress, deeply bordered with white fur, and wore a cap of
white ermine on her head. Her features were very beautiful, at least I
thought so, and so my father has since declared. Her hair was flaxen,
glossy, and shining, and bright as a mirror; and her mouth, although
somewhat large when it was open, showed the most brilliant teeth I have
ever beheld. But there was something about her eyes, bright as they
were, which made us children afraid; they were so restless, so furtive;
I could not at that time tell why, but I felt as if there was cruelty in
her eye; and when she beckoned us to c