rand Duchess of Mittenheim.

"She is a sensible girl, after all," cried Rudolf, all his anger gone.

The dream began, then, before they came to the cottage. Those days she
lived in its golden mists that shut out all the cold world from her,
moving through space that held but one form, and time that stood still
waiting for one divine unending moment. And the embassy drew near to
Strelsau.

It was night, the dead of night, and all was still in the palace. But
the sentinel by the little gate was at his post, and the gate-warden
stood by the western gate of the city. Each was now alone, but to
each, an hour ago, a man had come, stealthily and silently through
the darkness, and each was richer by a bag of gold than he had been
before. The gold was Osra's--how should a poor student, whose whole
fortune was two horses, scatter bags of gold? And other gold Osra had,
aye, five hundred crowns. Would not that be a brave surprise for the
poor student? And she, alone of all awake, stood looking round her
room, entranced with the last aspect of it. Over the city also she
looked, but in the selfishness of her joy did no more than kiss a
hasty farewell to the good city folk who loved her. Once she thought
that maybe some day he and she would steal together back to Strelsau,
and, sheltered by some disguise, watch the king ride in splendor
through the streets. But if not--why, what was Strelsau and the people
and the rest? Ah, how long the hours were before those two horses
stood by the little gate, and the sentry and the gate-warden earned
their bags of gold! So she passed the hours--the last long lingering
hours.

There was a little tavern buried in the narrowest, oldest street of
the city. Here the poor student had lodged; here in the back room a
man sat at a table, and two others stood before him. These two seemed
gentlemen, and their air spoke of military training. They stroked long
mustaches, and smiled with an amusement that deference could not hide.
Both were booted and wore spurs, and the man sitting at the table gave
them orders.

"You will meet the embassy," he said to one, "about ten o'clock. Bring
it to the place I have appointed, and wait there. Do not fail."

The officer addressed bowed and retired. A minute later his horse's
hoofs clattered through the streets. Perhaps he also had a bag of
gold, for the gate-warden opened the western gate for him, and he rode
at a gallop along the river banks, till he reached the g