times. But
there was no reply, and presently he came upon the remains, just as he
had seen them when accompanied by Marguerite. Convinced now that all
that had taken place was grim reality, he went back along the route
Schiller and he had taken the preceding day, and in due time reached the
village. To the landlord of the inn where they had stayed he related
what had happened. "I am truly sorry for you," the landlord said; "your
experience has indeed been a terrible one. Every one here knows the
forest is haunted in that particular spot, and we all give it as wide a
berth as possible. But you have been most unfortunate, for Wilfred and
Marguerite, who are werwolves, only visit these parts periodically. I
last heard of them being seen when I was about ten years of age, and
they then ate a pedlar called Schwann and his wife."

As soon as Schiller's remains had been brought to the village and
interred in the cemetery, Hellen, armed to the teeth and accompanied by
several of the biggest and strongest hounds he could hire--for he could
get none of the villagers to go with him--spent a whole day searching
for Wilfred's cottage. But although he was convinced he had found the
exact spot where it had stood, there were now no traces of it to be
seen.

At length he returned to the village, and on the following morning set
out for Frankfort. On his arrival home he was immediately apprised of
the fact that a terrible tragedy had occurred in his house. His wife and
children had been found dead in their beds, with their throats cut and
dreadful wounds in their chests, and the police had not been able to
find the slightest clue to the murderers. With a terrible sinking at the
heart Hellen asked for particulars, and learned, as he knew only too
well he would learn, that the date of the tragedy was identical with
that of his adventure in the forest.

He tried hard to persuade himself that the coincidence was a mere
coincidence; but--he knew better. Besides, there was the scratch!--the
scratch on his forehead.

Moreover, the scratch remained. It remained fresh and raw till a few
days prior to his death, when it began to heal. And on the day he died
it had completely healed.

CHAPTER X

A LYCANTHROPOUS BROOK IN THE HARZ MOUNTAINS; OR, THE CASE OF THE
COUNTESS HILDA VON BREBER

Another case of lycanthropy in Germany, connected with the Harz
Mountains, occurred somewhere about the beginning of the last century.

Count Von