re Sir Sandrit's appearance, seemed like
an age to the Baron of Hers, who in an agony of suspense paced up and
down the clearing before the cottage. At last, however, the two noblemen
and Henry of Stramen were admitted.

Bertha was sitting upright in bed, supported by Father Omehr, who
beckoned to Henry to assist him. There were traces of recent tears upon
her furrowed cheeks, and her form seemed to dilate as she gazed at the
nobles before her.

"Listen to me, Baron of Stramen!" she began, looking full at the noble,
in whom surprise was gaining a temporary mastery over grief; "listen,
for it is God's mercy that permits me to speak and you to hear! Twenty
years ago I was young and beautiful. I was loved by your brother and by
him who stands at your side."

Albert de Hers turned pale as death, and drawing the ring from his
finger, advanced a step, saying hoarsely, "Are you the Bertha to whom I
gave this ring?"

She took the trinket in her hand, and after examining it over and over,
replied:

"I _am_ that Bertha. But how did you get this?"

"From the Duke Rodolph, to whom you gave it."

The woman knit her brows, as if struggling to recall some confused
impression, and at length said: "Yes, I did give it to him; I remember
now. Where is he?"

"In heaven, I trust," replied the Lord of Hers.

At the word heaven, the tears started in the eyes of the poor creature,
and she hung her head. The silence was profound and painful. She was the
first to break it.

"Interrupt me no more," she said, suppressing her emotion. "Hear me
through. Robert of Stramen and Albert of Hers were rivals for my love,
and they began to hate each other bitterly on my account. I loved
neither, for I had promised to marry Albert of the Thorn, and I loved
him as much as my vain heart was able to love anything. But I was weak
enough to receive the presents they gave me for the sake of wearing the
finery, and my lover was pleased, because we were poor. My Lord of
Stramen, do you remember the day we brought you your brother's corpse?"

The baron shuddered.

"On that very morning--oh! how distinctly do I see it--I was sitting in
the ravine, not far from my mother's house, when a wild boar pursued by
hounds rushed madly by me. As I stood trembling, a horseman followed,
dashing along at full speed. He reined up when he saw me. It was the
Lord of Hers. He began to smile, and asked me to forgive him the fright
he had given me, and, untying a scarf w