as
hung a veiled picture, and half hoping that he might solve the mystery
which pervaded the place, he drew aside the curtain. From the canvas
there looked out at him a lady of surpassing beauty, and the young
knight started back in awe and admiration.

In a short time the attendant returned with a thin, tall old man, the
lord of the castle, who welcomed the guest with grave courtesy, and
offered the hospitality of his castle. Guntram gratefully accepted his
host's invitation, and when he had supped he conversed with the old man,
whom he found well-informed and cultured.

"You appear to be fond of music," said the knight, indicating a harp
which lay in a corner of the room.

He had observed, however, that the strings of the harp were broken, and
that the instrument seemed to have been long out of use, and thought
that it possibly had some connexion with the original of the veiled
portrait. Whatever recollections his remark aroused must have been
painful indeed, for the host sighed heavily.

"It has long been silent," he said. "My happiness has fled with its
music. Good night, and sleep well." And ere the astonished guest could
utter a word the old man abruptly withdrew from the room.

Shortly afterward the old attendant entered, bearing profuse apologies
from his master, and begging that the knight would continue to accept
his hospitality. Guntram followed the old man to his chamber. As they
passed through the adjoining apartment he stopped before the veiled
portrait.

"Tell me," he said, "why is so lovely a picture hidden?"

"Then you have seen it?" asked the old keeper. "That is my master's
daughter. When she was alive she was even more beautiful than her
portrait, but she was a very capricious maid, and demanded that her
lovers should perform well-nigh impossible feats. At last only one of
these lovers remained, and of him she asked that he should descend into
the family vault and bring her a golden crown from the head of one of
her ancestors. He did as he was bidden, but his profanation was punished
with death. A stone fell from the roof and killed him. The young man's
mother died soon after, cursing the foolish maid, who herself died in
the following year. But ere she was buried she disappeared from her
coffin and was seen no more."

When the story was ended they had arrived at the door of the knight's
chamber, and in bidding him good night the attendant counselled him to
say his paternoster should anythi