ack to his stall and take the saddle off,' commanded Arwed.
'I shall not ride this morning.'

Shaking his head, the faithful servant obeyed, and at same moment the
door was thrown open and his beautiful cousin, whose fresh charms
almost outshone the morning's splendor, entered his room in her hunting
dress.

'I am going upon a bear hunt,' said she in a more friendly manner than
on the preceding evening. 'Will you accompany me, cousin Arwed?'

'I am much obliged to you,' answered Arwed, 'but I prefer remaining in
the house.'

Christine started, apparently surprised and perplexed by a cold refusal
which she had not anticipated as possible, 'Perhaps you are not fond of
this kind of chase?' she satirically asked.

'Yes!' answered Arwed, quietly; 'but not in your company, cousin.'

'Now, I confess!'--cried Christine, making a powerful effort to
suppress the last part of the sentence which was at her tongue's end,
'May one venture to ask, wherefore, major?'

'Oh yes, one may venture, countess,' answered Arwed, 'and I will most
willingly respond to the question. I do not like to see women pursuing
employments unsuited to their sex. The riding and hunting and baiting
and shooting of ladies, always excites in me intolerable displeasure.'

'That is nothing but the quite common pride and selfishness of your
sex,' said Christine with bitterness, 'which would have our's always
feeble that you may the more easily keep us under the yoke.'

'Woe to you, poor women,' exclaimed Arwed, laughing, 'if you had no
better defence against our imperiousness than your physical strength;
you would every where come off the worse. Nevertheless, countess, your
sex is more powerful than you believe it. Your most powerful talisman
is your womanhood; and it is a bad exchange, when you give it up for
the fame of a rifleman or hussar.'

'_Give it up?_' repeated Christine with great excitement.

'Nothing less,' answered Arwed. 'To override horses, to chase and
kill animals, is a rough business. A man may pursue it without
suffering in his character, for nature has destined him forcibly to
oppose its hostile powers by contending with them for his safety and
his food,--and, in doing so, he but fulfills his destiny. More tender
and delicate woman has other duties. God created women to be the
proteges, the tender companions of men, to soften and ennoble their
fierce and intractable natures, and to be the loving mothers and
guardians of their child