ve any answer. Baum
discovered the horse's tracks, but was somewhat confused by them, as it
had taken the same path going and returning. They took the horse with
them, but did not mount, for it was necessary to find out where
the track led to. Baum's keen eye enabled him to distinguish the
hoof-prints in the twilight.

"If we only had the dog with us; he knows her. Why didn't you bring the
dog with you?" he asked angrily.

"You didn't say anything about it."

"Ride back and bring him. No, stay; I can't be here alone."

They reached the Chamois hill. "Let's turn aside, into the wood," cried
Baum.

He now found use for his good knife. He gathered some of the brushwood,
bound it together into a torch, kindled it, and its light enabled him
to find the track. It was here that the horse had turned. There were
also prints of a woman's foot going in the opposite direction. He
followed them for a few paces and then lost the track.

"She must be here," said Baum. "It was from here that she went down
into the wood; I know every spot about here. Keep to the left with the
two horses, but always near enough to hear my voice. I'll keep to the
right with one."

They searched and shouted, but found nothing. At last they met again. A
stag rushed by. Could it have spoken, it might have told them where
Irma had startled it from its resting-place--a full hour's walk from
where they then were.

"If you find her, you'll be handsomely rewarded," said Baum to the
groom. He addressed him in the way he thought his royal master would
have done.

They spent the greater part of the night wandering in the forest. At
last they were obliged to lie down and wait for the daylight, for there
was no longer a path by which to lead the horses.

The day was far advanced when Baum and the groom awoke. They could see
the sparkling lake from afar, and could hear the sounds of distant
music, while the rock near which they stood echoed the reports of
cannon.

Baum took the pistols from the saddle-pouch and fired them off in rapid
succession. Then he listened with bated breath, thinking that if Irma
were anywhere in the neighborhood, she would hear the shots and give
some sign of her whereabouts; but not a sound was heard.

They now found a forest-path leading down toward the lake. They reached
the water's edge. At their feet lay the lake, smooth as a mirror and
stretching away for miles. Who knew what lay concealed within its
depths? In the distan