f man, and the little pitchman
maintained that the reason the little birds didn't fly away when Irma
looked at them, was because she had such kindly eyes. They flew about
her as if she were an old friend, and the mother bird in the nest
looked at her affectionately, and did not take wing.

Thus Irma would spend whole afternoons, sitting by the spring and,
scarcely conscious of what she was doing, would, now and then, throw
some flower which she had plucked into the brook.

The brook flowed through the town in which Gunther lived. A beautiful
boy was sitting on its banks, and a red-haired servant in livery was by
his side.

The boy ordered the servant to fish out a beautiful flower that was
floating by. The servant clambered down the steep bank and, just as he
reached the edge of the stream, the boy threw a stone into the water,
so that it splashed, and the servant exclaimed: "My young master,
you've behaved badly again!"

"Is he at his wild tricks again?" said a tall and handsome young man,
with a countenance that bore the marks of dissipation. "What are you
doing, Eberhard?"

The boy looked startled and the servant said:

"Nothing, sir. My young master and I were only having a little fun
together."

The young man took the boy by the hand and walked with him through the
meadow and toward a beautifully situated country-house, while Fitz, the
groom, followed. The man in front was Count Eberhard von Wildenort, and
the boy with him was his son.

Bruno had given strict orders that his boy should not go near the
water. He had a great dread of that element, for it had brought such
terrible misfortune upon his family. But, as if by some evil influence,
the boy was always drawn toward the wild stream, and Fitz, who always
let him have his own way, secretly abetted and accompanied him.

Bruno looked back, shook his finger at Fitz, and then entered the
garden of the country-house. His wife was there, sitting in a large
arm-chair. A little girl was playing on the gravel path, and a nurse
was carrying an infant in her arms. The matin bell was heard, and
presently the mother-in-law appeared at the garden gate. She was
followed by a servant who carried an embroidered cushion and a
prayer-book sparkling with jewels.

The baroness greeted her family with the calm and satisfied air of one
who had already fulfilled her highest duties. Bruno offered her his arm
and, Arabella following, they repaired to the breakfast table, whi