d
refinement, a passionate lover of music, a dreamer and a child of Nature,
who loved to wander alone in the beautiful Wirtemberg forests, and often
in the summer would stay in the woods all night, sleeping upon the soft,
brown carpet of last year's leaves. Stafforth spoke of the perpetual
intrigues of the Romish priests to convert the Duke and gain the country
back to the Catholic Church; he told her stories of the French invasion
of Wirtemberg, and how it was feared that the French would return to the
attack, and that therefore the Duke was occupied in Stuttgart gathering a
new army, though he masked those preparations by a series of brilliant
court gaieties. 'There is to be a magnificent feast in a few weeks' time
at Stuttgart, theatricals, a banquet, a stag-hunt, and a grand ball. Will
you honour my wife and me by accepting our hospitality for that time?
Your brother has rooms in the quarters set apart for the Kammerjunkers;
Madame de Ruth also has but a small apartment in the castle, not large
enough to entertain a guest. But I have a house with ample accommodation,
and it would give me much pleasure if you would come. Madame de Stafforth
too,' he added as an afterthought.

Wilhelmine accepted. She felt that this was no sudden proposition but an
organised scheme, probably of Madame de Ruth's.

'You must play a part in the theatricals, Mademoiselle. The rehearsals
begin next week; will you come then?'

'Let us go and consult Madame de Ruth,' she replied, rising.

They rejoined the group round the table, and Stafforth made his proposal
as though it were a new idea which had come to him. Madame de Ruth
feigned surprise; Graevenitz played the part of the grateful brother;
Zollern acclaimed the notion as excellent. Wherefore all this comedy?
thought Wilhelmine, for she realised that her programme had been fixed by
these schemers, and that this was merely the first act. She looked round:
ah, yes, Reischach! he was the audience for this play-acting. He was
intended to remain ignorant. Wilhelmine smiled; she was in the presence
of three practised intriguers--Zollern, Madame de Ruth, Stafforth. She
herself was to be a tool, as her brother already was. Well, let their
scheme carry her as far as it could; afterwards, she promised herself to
go onward aided by her own ingenuity alone, once she knew her ground. At
present she was not sure at whom the plot was aimed, though she had a
suspicion that it was the Duke himself who