ell, it shall be seen what part of your heritage is
worth a hirsch-gulden; but there, keep your money!" So saying, she
tossed the three copper coins to the count; and so well could the old
woman throw, that all three of the coins fell into the purse that the
count still held in his hand.

The count was struck dumb with astonishment at this exhibition of
skill, but at last his surprise was changed into anger. He grasped his
gun, cocked it, and took aim at the old woman. But she, unmoved, hugged
and kissed the boy, holding him up before her so as to protect herself
from the bullet. "You are a good little fellow," said she. "Only remain
so, and you will never want for any thing." Then she let him go, shook
her finger threateningly at the count, and said: "Zollern, Zollern! you
owe me a hirsch-gulden!" With that she moved off slowly into the
forest, leaning on a staff of box-wood. Conrad, the attendant,
dismounted from his horse trembling, lifted his little master into the
saddle, vaulted up behind him, and followed the count up to the castle.

This was the first and last time that the Tempest of Zollern took his
son out riding with him; for because the boy had cried when his horse
broke into a trot, the count regarded him as a spiritless child out of
whom nothing was to be made, and looked on him with displeasure; and
when the boy, who loved his father dearly, came in a friendly, coaxing
way to his knee, he would motion him to go away, exclaiming: "Know it
already! Stupid stuff!"

The countess had patiently borne all the unpleasant caprices of her
husband, but this unfatherly behavior towards an innocent child
affected her deeply. She fell sick several times with terror, when the
sullen count had punished the boy severely for some trivial offense,
and died at last in her best years, and was mourned by her servants, by
the people for miles around, but especially by her little son.

From this time forth the aversion of the count for his son steadily
progressed. He turned the lad over to the nurse and the house-chaplain
to bring up, and looked after him but little himself--especially as
shortly after his wife's death he married a rich young lady, who in a
twelvemonth presented him with twins.

Cuno's favorite walk was to the house of the old woman who had once
saved his life. She told him many things about his dead mother, and how
much the countess had done for her. The men and maid-servants often
warned him that he shou