im out of temper. At last he sat down on a
chair that one of the servants carried after him, and quietly listened
to his daughter, who was discussing with Karl the best site for a small
plantation. No one thought of mischief, and each one was occupied with
things immediately around him.

Then came the rumor of some great disaster, flying on wings of evil omen
over the wide plain. It swooped down on the baron's oasis, heavily
fluttered over pines and wild pear-trees, corn-fields and meadows, till
it reached the castle. At first it was indistinct, like a little cloud
on a sunny sky; but soon it grew, it darkened the air, it brooded with
its black pinions over all hearts--it made the blood stand still in the
veins, and filled the eyes with burning tears.

In the middle of his work, Karl suddenly looked up, and said in dismay,
"That was a shot."

Lenore started, then laughed at her own terror. "I did not hear it,"
said she; "perhaps it was the forester."

"The forester is gone to town," replied Karl, gravely.

"Then it is some confounded poacher in the wood," cried the baron,
angrily.

"It was a cannon shot," maintained the positive Karl.

"That is impossible," said the baron; but he himself listened with
intense attention; "there are no cannon for many miles round."

The next moment a voice sounded out from the farm-yard, "There is a fire
in Rosmin."

Karl looked at his young lady, threw down his spade, and ran toward the
farm-yard. Lenore followed him.

"Who said that there was a fire in Rosmin?" he inquired. Not one would
own that he had, but all ran in dismay to the high road, though the town
was six miles off, and no view of it was to be had from thence.

"Many scared women have been running along toward Neudorf," said one
servant; and another added, "There must be mischief going on in Rosmin,
for we can see the smoke rise above the wood." All thought, indeed, that
they did perceive a dark cloud in that direction, Karl as well as the
rest.

"The nobles are all there to-day," cried one. "They have set the town on
fire." Another professed to have heard from a man in the fields that
this was to be a serious day for landed proprietors; then, looking
askance at Karl, he added, "Many things may yet happen before evening."
Next came the landlord, exclaiming, "If this day were but over!" and
Karl returned, "Would that it were!" yet no one knew exactly why.

From that hour, fresh messengers of ill succeeded each