their houses or
fields.

A demon driver with a beautiful, haughty-faced woman beside him. Verily
an appalling picture to the sleepy Swabian peasant accustomed to the
heavy swaying motion of quiet oxen or laborious cart-horses.

Each evening at the castle of Urach there were merry doings: dancing,
cards, and music. It all seemed gay and secure enough, but there was
unrest beneath this outward peace, an anxious feeling in the revellers'
hearts. Madame de Ruth chattered wittily; Zollern, gallant and wise, made
subtle ironic speeches; Wilhelmine sang, Serenissimus adored, the
Sittmanns and the parasites were chorus to this--a chorus a little out of
tune at times, perchance, but passable.

At length the imperial ultimatum arrived, and, like a card house blown by
a strong man's breath, the sham court fell, and the Queen of Hearts knew
that the game was played out.

'Wilhelmine, Countess Graevenitz, masquerading under the title of Countess
of Urach, is hereby declared an exile from all countries under our
suzerainty, nor can she hold property in these aforementioned countries,
nor call for the law's protection. From the date of this writing she is
given six days wherein to leave Wirtemberg. After the expiration of this
term she must, an she remaineth in the land, stand her trial for bigamy,
treason, and implication in attempted murder.'--Signed and sealed by the
Emperor this.

There was no possible gainsaying; already the time allotted to her for
flight was exceeded, and at any moment she might be arrested by the
imperial order.

She fled to Schaffhausen once more, and in Stuttgart there was great
rejoicing; but the joy was dashed to the ground when the news came that
Serenissimus had also disappeared. Had he fled with his evil mistress,
then? It was positively averred, however, that she had gone alone with
Madame de Ruth. Witchcraft, of course! The Graevenitzin had bewitched
herself once before when she had disappeared for three days from the old
castle. His Highness himself had said openly that she had returned to him
in a flash of lightning. What more likely than that she should have
spirited Serenissimus away with her to Switzerland?

'Nonsense,' said the Duchess-mother at Stetten; 'Eberhard is roaming in
the woods, crying to the trees that he is a broken-hearted martyr!' And
she hurried to Urach, taking up her abode in the very apartments which
Wilhelmine had just vacated. It is on record that her maternal Highnes