fishermen, and sailors. Already she heard the rushing of the
swollen Danube, and horrible tales returned to her memory of hapless
girls who had flung themselves into the waves here to put an end to
lives clouded by disgrace and fear.

Then a shiver ran through her, and she asked herself what her father
would say if he could see her wading alone through the water. Perhaps
the fatigues of the long journey had thrown him upon a sick-bed;
perhaps he had even--at the fear she felt as though her heart would stop
beating--succumbed to them. Then he knew how matters stood with her, the
sin she had committed, and the shame she had brought upon him that she
might enjoy undisturbed a happiness which was already changing into
bitter sorrow. Meanwhile it seemed as if she was gazing into his rugged,
soldierly face, reddish-brown, with rolling eyes, as it looked when
disfigured by anger, and she raised her hands as if to hold him
back; but only for a few minutes, for she perceived that her excited
imagination was terrifying her with a delusion.

Drawing a long breath, she pushed her dank hair back into her hood and
pressed her hand upon her heart. Then she was calm a while, but a
new terror set it throbbing again. Close beside her--this time at
her right--the loud laughter of men's harsh voices echoed through the
darkness.

Barbara involuntarily stopped, and when she collected her thoughts
and looked around her, her features, distorted by anxiety and terror,
smoothed again, and she instantly knocked with her little clinched
hand upon the door of the hut from whose open windows the laughter had
issued.

It stood close to the river bank, and the tiny dwelling belonged to
the Prior of Berchtesgaden's fisherman and boatman, who kept the
distinguished prelate's gondolas and boats in order, and acted as rower
to the occupants of the little Prebrunn castle. She had often met this
man when he brought fish for the kitchen, and he had gone with the boats
in the water excursions which she had sometimes taken with Gombert and
Appenzelder or with Malfalconnet and several pages. She had treated him
kindly, and made him generous gifts.

All was still in the house after her knock, but almost instantly the
deep voice of the fisherman Valentin, who had thrust his bearded face
and red head out of the window, asked who was there.

The answer received an astonished "Can it be!" But as soon as she
informed him that she needed a companion, he shouted