ur highness."

"The Lord preserve us! Your life is not safe."

"Oh, they're not so dangerous after all. Only a few of the beasts have
broken away; the people are so afraid of feeding them--but they were
caught again and have not done any harm up to this time."

"Up to this time! A nice condition of affairs, I must say," exclaimed
the princess angrily, "to keep every one in the region in constant
danger of their lives. The duke ought to forbid you such diabolical
amusement."

"Oh, I trust not, for I'm just trying to tame them. But I have some
domesticated creatures to show, as well. Among my servants are several
lovely girls who are well worth looking at in their picturesque national
costumes."

Egon thought with a shudder, as he made this assertion, of the wretched
old woman for whose appearance he had to thank the ever-watchful
Stadinger, but he had not miscalculated the effect of his announcement.
His amiable aunt drew herself up with an angry snort, and measured him
with no conciliatory glance.

"Oh, you have them at Rodeck also?"

"Yes, indeed; and little Zena, the granddaughter of my old steward, is a
lovely little thing, and if you do me the honor of visiting me, dear
aunt, I'll--"

"I will not go near the place," his aunt interrupted sharply. "There
must be nice goings on at Rodeck anyway, which keep you there with that
young foreigner who is another of the curiosities you brought from the
Orient. He looks like an out and out brigand."

"My friend Rojanow? He longs for the honor of being presented to you
above all things. I may introduce him now, may I not?" and without
waiting an answer, he hurried away to fetch Hartmut.

"Now its your turn, my boy," he said, seizing his friend by the arm. "I
have been the sacrificial lamb long enough, and now my angelic aunt must
have some one else to turn on the spit. She wants to marry me off at
once, and she thinks you're a veritable brigand, but, God be praised,
she won't come to Rodeck. I've made that my special care."

The next moment the two friends were standing before the princess, and
Egon presented the latest victim with an amiable smile.

After the princess's abrupt departure, Herr von Wallmoden remained for a
few minutes chatting with the little group which the irate lady had
deserted. Then, offering his wife his arm, he walked slowly through the
long salons, greeting an acquaintance here, or saying a word to a friend
there, until they had reached th