cholas will
agree with me."

"Dear wife," said the Knight, calmly, "When I allowed our little Ava to
become a nun, it was to secure, as I thought, her happiness in this life
and the next. She tells us that, in one respect, our object has
signally failed, and there is a book I have been reading which convinces
me that it will not advance in one single respect our object with regard
to the other. Therefore, let our dear Ava come home, and do you and
Laneta receive her as should her mother and sister. I mean what I say,
Margaret, and advise Father Nicholas to hold his tongue about the
matter."

The Lady Margaret, watching her lord's eye, and being a discreet woman,
came to the conclusion that it would be wise to keep silent, but she
secretly resolved to use every exertion to prevent so terrible a scandal
taking place in her family. The Knight, however, was an old soldier,
and suspecting what was passing in the mind of his better half,
determined to be beforehand with her.

"She will be writing to that Sister Ursula to keep the poor little dove
under double lock and key," he said to himself. "Eric will have a
difficulty even to get a sight of her. I must tell him what I suspect,
and leave it to him to foil the plans of his lady mother; she is a good
woman though, an excellent woman in her way, but she would have been
much the better it we had never been saddled with Father Nicholas. I
will make him go the right-about one of these days, when he least
expects it, if he does not reform his system. And here, Eric you will
want money. Don't stint in the use of it. It will accomplish many
things. Silver keys open locks more rapidly than iron ones, and I would
give every coin I possess to get our dear little Ava back again."

Eric and his friend, meantime, were making preparations for their
journey, and as soon as their horses could be got ready they rode off.
They were, however, seen by Dame Margaret, who immediately suspected
where they were going. Unfortunately, Father Nicholas had just then
entered the Castle. She forthwith told him all she knew and thought,
and urged him to find a quick messenger, who would outstrip the young
men and warn the lady abbess. Father Nicholas hurried off with a purse
which the lady put into his hand, to find a person to carry his message,
resolving to take the credit to himself of the information he was
sending.

Ava Lindburg and her companions in the monastery of Nimptsch were