sympathy.

"No."

"Oh, then I must come to you another time and I'll keep you company,"
Maezli said consolingly. "Does the bad baron never come down to you
here?" she asked anxiously.

"Where is he?" came a second question.

"Don't you know that?" Maezli said in great surprise. "He is up there
where the windows are open." With this Maezli looked up, and walking close
to the chair, whispered cautiously, "A sick baron lies up there.
Apollonie says that he is not bad, but I know that one has to be afraid
of him. Are you afraid of him?"

"No."

"Then I won't be afraid of him either," Maezli remarked, quite reassured.
The gentleman who had chased away Mr. Trius so easily and was not afraid
of the bad baron gave her all the confidence in the world. Under his
protection she could face every danger.

"I'll go home now, but I'll come soon again," and with this Maezli gave
her hand in a most winning way. When she wanted to say good-bye she
realized that she did not know either the gentleman's name or title, so
she stopped.

"I am the Castle Steward," said the gentleman, helping Maezli. When the
leave-taking was done Maezli ran back towards the door. Sure enough, Mr.
Trius was standing inside the portals and Apollonie on the outside, for
the careful man had not opened them again. He thought that the excited
woman might forcibly enter the garden in order to seek the child.

"God be thanked that you are here again!" she cried when Maezli came out.
She quickly took her hand. Mr. Trius, after violently shutting the
gate, had immediately turned his back upon the visitors.

"I was simply frightened to death, Maezli. How could you run away from
me? I did not know where you had got to."

"You didn't need to be so frightened," Maezli said with calm assurance.
"I was with the Castle-Steward. I don't need to be afraid of anything
with him, not even of Mr. Trius."

"What, the Castle-Steward! What are you saying, Maezli? Who said it was
the Steward?" Apollonie's words were full of anxiety, as if Maezli might
be threatened with great danger.

"He told me so himself. He was sitting all alone under a big tree. He
sits there alone all the time. But I am going up to see him soon again,"
Maezli informed her.

"No, no, Maezli, what are you thinking of? You can't do it if he has not
told you to. I am sure Mr. Trius will see that you won't get in there
any more," said Apollonie, and she was quite sure that Maezli's plan would
never s