d after a moment's silence
Max said:--

"I shall not come to the bridge again, Fraeulein. I'll wait till your
uncle returns, when I shall see you at his house. Then I'll say farewell
and go back to the hard rocks of my native land--and to a life harder
than the rocks."

"You are right in your resolve not to come again to the bridge," said
Yolanda, "for so long as you come, I, too, shall come--when I can. That
will surely bring us trouble sooner or later. But when Uncle Castleman
returns, you must come to his house, and I shall see you there. As to
your leaving Peronne, we will talk of that later. It is not to be
thought of now."

She spoke with the confidence of one who felt that she might command him
to stay or order him to go. She would settle that little point
for herself.

"I will go, Fraeulein," said Max, "soon after your uncle's return."

"Perhaps it will be best, but we will determine that when we must--when
the time comes that we can put it off no longer. Now, I wish you to
grant me three promises, Sir Max. First, ask me no questions concerning
myself. Of course, you will ask them of no one else; I need not demand
that promise of you."

"I gladly promise," he answered. "What I already know of you is
all-sufficient."

"Second, do not fail to come to my uncle's house when he invites you.
His home is worthy to receive the grandest prince in the world. My--my
lord, Duke Philip the Good, was Uncle Castleman's dear friend. The old
duke, when in Peronne, dined once a week with my uncle. Although uncle
is a burgher, he could have been noble. He refused a lordship and
declined the Order of the Golden Fleece, preferring the freedom of his
own caste. I have always thought he acted wisely."

"Indeed he was wise," returned Max. "You that have never known the
restraints of one born to high estate cannot fully understand how
wise he was."

Yolanda glanced up to Max with amusement in her eyes:--

"Ah, yes! For example, there is poor Mary of Burgundy, who is to marry
the French Dauphin. I pity her. For all we know, she may be longing for
another man as I--I longed for my mastiff, Caesar, when I was away. By
the way, Sir Max, are you still wearing the ring?" She took his hand and
felt for the ring on his finger. "Ah, you have left it off," she cried
reproachfully, answering her own question.

"Yes," answered Max. "There have been so many changes within the last
few weeks that I have taken it off, and--and I shall c