ght before and, from dread of the ball,
had slept very little during the preceding one, she soon, though the
moon was shining in through the parted curtains, lapsed into a
condition midway between sleep and waking. Extreme fatigue had deadened
consciousness, yet she fancied that at times she heard the sound of
footsteps on the pavement outside, and the deep voices of men.

Nor was what she heard in her half-dozing state, which was soon followed
by the sound slumber of youth, any delusion of the senses.

CHAPTER VII.

The moon found something in front of the Ortlieb house worth looking at.
Rarely had she lighted with purer, brighter radiance the pathway of the
mortals who excited her curiosity, than that of the two handsome young
men who, at a moderate interval of time, passed through the Frauenthor,
and finally entered the courtyard of the Ortlieb residence almost at the
same instant.

Luna first saw them pace silently to and fro, and delighted in the
resentful glances they cast at each other. This joy increased as the one
in the long coat, embroidered on the shoulder with birds, and then the
other, whose court costume well became his lithe, powerful limbs, sat
down, each on one of the chains connecting the granite posts between the
street and the courtyard.

The very tall one, who looked grave and anxious, was Wolff Eysvogel; the
other, somewhat shorter, who swung gaily to and fro on the chain as if
it afforded him much amusement, Heinz Schorlin.

Both frequently glanced up at the lighted bow-window and the smaller
one on the second story, behind which Eva lay half asleep. This was the
first meeting of the two men.

Wolff, aware of his excellent right to remain on this-spot, would have
shown the annoying intruder his displeasure long before, had he not
supposed that the other, whom at the first glance he recognised as a
knight, was one of Countess Cordula von Montfort's admirers. Yet he soon
became unable to control his anger and impatience. Yielding to a hasty
impulse, he left the chain, but as he approached the stranger the latter
gave his swaying seat a swifter motion and, without vouchsafing him
either greeting or introductory remark, said carelessly, "This is a
lovely night."

"I am of the same opinion," replied Wolff curtly. "But I would like
to ask, sir, what induced you to choose the courtyard of this house to
enjoy it?"

"Induced?" asked the Swiss in astonishment; then, looking the other in
t