The convent was not visible from her chamber, but the acrid odor of
the smoke and the loud voices which reached her ear from that direction
proved that the fire was no trivial one. While she was seeking out the
spot from which Heinz must have looked up to her window, the Ortlieb
menservants, with some of the Montfort retainers, came out of the house
with pails and ladders.

A female figure glided into the dark street after them. A black shawl
concealed her head and the upper part of her figure, and she held a
bundle in her hand.

It must be Katterle.

Where was she going at this hour? As she was carrying the package, she
could scarcely intend to help in putting out the fire. Was she stealing
away from fear of punishment? Poor thing! Even the maid was hurled into
misfortune through her guilt.

It pierced her very heart. But while she called to Katterle to stop
her, something else, which engrossed her still more, diverted her
attention--the loud voice of Countess Cordula reached her from the
street door. With whom was she talking? Did the girl, who ventured upon
so many things which ill-beseemed a modest maiden, intend to join the
men? Eva forgot that she, too, would have hurried to the nuns had
not her father prevented it. The countess was already standing in the
courtyard.

After Eva had given her a hasty glance she again looked for the maid,
but Katterle had already vanished in the darkness. This grieved her; she
had neglected something which might have saved the girl, to whom she
was warmly attached, from some imprudent act. But while attracted by the
strange appearance of the countess she had forgotten the other.

Cordula had probably just left her couch, for she wore only a plain
dress tucked up very high, short boots, which she probably used in
hunting, and a shawl crossed over her bosom; another was wound round
her head in the fashion of the peasant women who brought their goods to
market on cold winter days. No farmer's wife could be more simply clad,
and yet--Eva was forced to admit it--there was something aristocratic in
her firm bearing.

Her companions were her father's chaplain and the equerry who had
grown grey in his service. Both were trying to dissuade her. The former
pointed to a troop of women who were following the chief of police and
some city constables, and said warningly: "Those are all wanton queans,
whom the law of this city compels to lend their aid in putting out
fires. How would