d
still the two sat on waiting near the hearth by the burnt out fire.
Finally the old servant could not contain her anxiety any longer. She
wanted to rouse the people in the castle to search for Lydia, but the
Miller stopped her. "A scandal won't do. A girl's reputation is like
the bloom on the peach, or a frost flower on a pane of glass. Touch
them, they are gone. Therefore keep quiet. I fancy I know where she is,
but you must promise me to be silent. If to-morrow by mid-day I have
not found her, I shall come back here. Till then do not mention a word
of this to any one." Old Barbara gave her promise. She felt relieved at
his taking the responsibility on himself. When the Miller reached the
town once again, he turned down one of the narrow side streets leading
to the Neckar. He knocked three times in a peculiar manner at the
shutters of a house. "Immediately," answered a gentle female voice. The
Baptist entered and asked whether his boy was still there? "He sleeps,"
was the answer. "Wake him and give us both a couple of stout sticks."
After a time the boy appeared looking very drowsy, but determined to
accompany his father without a word of complaint, who grasped in his
strong hand the knotty thorn lent to him. After giving their names they
were allowed by the guard to cross the bridge. "We are going by way of
the Holtermann to the Kreuzgrund."

"That is it," said the boy. "I thought that was the reason why thou
didst remain out so long."

Silently, continuing his sleep as he best might whilst walking, the
weary boy plodded in a mechanical manner behind his father. The
crickets chirped around them, and fire-flies flew among the bushes.
When they reached the brow of the hill near the old beech tree, the
father ordered his son to shout his loudest mountain call. The boy did
this at first with a tired husky voice, then louder and louder, but all
remained mute. A bird rose here and there from its bush, and a cock
crowed an answer from the Siebenmuehlenthal. "There is no one here any
longer," said old Werner sadly, "why should she be? Let us go to our
beds."

"It seems to me as if I saw a fire there, Father," said the boy.

"You are right. What means a fire in the middle of the Kreuzweg?"

Quietly did the old man and his son steal up to where the light shone.
"Go thou round that way, I go this way, so she cannot escape us, should
she be there."

By the Kreuzweg sat in the seat from whence she had been disturbed by
L