particular.

"It is not when _any one_ dies in the castle that the howling is heard.
It was when one of the Cernogratz family died here that the wolves came
from far and near and howled at the edge of the forest just before the
death hour. There were only a few couple of wolves that had their lairs
in this part of the forest, but at such a time the keepers say there
would be scores of them, gliding about in the shadows and howling in
chorus, and the dogs of the castle and the village and all the farms
round would bay and howl in fear and anger at the wolf chorus, and as the
soul of the dying one left its body a tree would crash down in the park.
That is what happened when a Cernogratz died in his family castle. But
for a stranger dying here, of course no wolf would howl and no tree would
fall. Oh, no."

There was a note of defiance, almost of contempt, in her voice as she
said the last words. The well-fed, much-too-well dressed Baroness stared
angrily at the dowdy old woman who had come forth from her usual and
seemly position of effacement to speak so disrespectfully.

"You seem to know quite a lot about the von Cernogratz legends, Fraulein
Schmidt," she said sharply; "I did not know that family histories were
among the subjects you are supposed to be proficient in."

The answer to her taunt was even more unexpected and astonishing than the
conversational outbreak which had provoked it.

"I am a von Cernogratz myself," said the old woman, "that is why I know
the family history."

"You a von Cernogratz? You!" came in an incredulous chorus.

"When we became very poor," she explained, "and I had to go out and give
teaching lessons, I took another name; I thought it would be more in
keeping. But my grandfather spent much of his time as a boy in this
castle, and my father used to tell me many stories about it, and, of
course, I knew all the family legends and stories. When one has nothing
left to one but memories, one guards and dusts them with especial care. I
little thought when I took service with you that I should one day come
with you to the old home of my family. I could wish it had been anywhere
else."

There was silence when she finished speaking, and then the Baroness
turned the conversation to a less embarrassing topic than family
histories. But afterwards, when the old governess had slipped away
quietly to her duties, there arose a clamour of derision and disbelief.

"It was an impertinence,"