a light summer riding suit, which set off his slender figure
to advantage, was Prince Adelsberg. They had met accidentally, and soon
discovered that they were bound for the same place.

"I did not dream of meeting your Highness here," said Schoenau. "I
understood you were not coming to Rodeck at all this summer. I saw
Stadinger day before yesterday and he certainly didn't expect you then."

"Stadinger made a great hue and cry because I came upon him so
unexpectedly," answered the prince. "To hear him you'd think it was his
own castle and I was intruding. And then I walked from the station, and
he considered that a most undignified proceeding. But the heat at Ostend
was unbearable; the sun just poured down on the strand, and an
irresistible longing came over me for my own cool forest home. Thank the
Lord, I am rid of the heat and noise of that Babel at last."

His Highness had not cared in this instance to tell the truth. A certain
attraction in his immediate neighborhood, of which he heard
accidentally, had started him from the North Sea at a moment's notice.
Stadinger in a report which he sent his master concerning certain
matters at Rodeck, had mentioned that preparations were being made at
Ostwalden for the reception of the young widow. And it was in
consequence of his own gossipy letter that the steward was disagreeably
surprised by the prince's sudden appearance. The head forester seemed
somewhat sceptical about the prince's fancy for his "cool forest home,"
for he said banteringly:

"Then I am greatly surprised that our Court remains so long at Ostend.
The duke and duchess are there, and Princess Sophie with a royal niece,
a kinswoman of her late husband, I hear."

"Yes, with her niece." Prince Egon turned suddenly and looked at his
companion.

"Herr von Schoenau, I see you are about to congratulate me. If you do
I'll demand satisfaction on the spot, right here in the middle of the
forest."

"I don't intend to get into any difficulty with you," laughed his
hearer. "But the papers speak very openly of an impending betrothal at
Court, and that the duchess and Princess Sophie are charmed with the
prospect."

"My beloved aunt has many desires which I fear will never be gratified,"
said the prince, coolly. "Her obedient nephew doesn't always fall in
with her views, and that's the case in this affair. I went to Ostend
because I had to; in other words, because the duke invited me, and I
could not refuse; but th