lives of the females at least depended upon his gaining the Lager of his
countrymen, and bringing back aid without delay. He was impelled, by
friendship alone for Hans and Victor, to use every endeavour in his
power to bring help to them, but even a stronger impulse urged him, viz.
that he had fallen in love with Katrine's sister. Bernhard had never
devoted much time or thought to the Frauleins, he having always found
hunting attractive enough for him; so that there was something quite
novel in finding himself incurring so much risk for a couple of girls.
When, however, he was thrown into daily communication with one as
pleasing as Katrine's sister, and thus could observe her trusting,
unselfish nature, he seemed suddenly to awake to quite a new sensation.
Thus as he rode on he murmured, "Yes, I'll save her! I'll save her, if
it is for man to do it." And onward he rode, with a speed more fitted
for a brief ride than for the journey which he was now undertaking.

Onward rode Bernhard. Rivers were forded or swum, plains were passed
across, hills ascended, and with but two brief halts, Bernhard continued
his journey till the fading light began to warn him it was time to
prepare a halting-place for the night. Fatigue to a man of Bernhard's
age, frame, and condition was almost unknown, especially when he had
been kept up by excitement, as he had been all day; when, however, he
determined to halt for the night, he remembered that he had scarcely
sufficient food for more than his evening and morning meal, and that
before again starting it would be better to provide himself with this
necessary.

Allowing his horse to graze as long as there was sufficient light to
enable him to see around him, he also cut a large quantity of grass, and
placed this near some bushes where he intended to camp for the night.
Knowing the caution of most nocturnal wanderers, he cut down some
brushwood, and placed this around an open space in which he and his
horse would pass the night. Many animals, fearing a trap of some kind,
would not venture over these bushes, though most of them could have
leaped the obstacle with scarcely any difficulty.

A continued and refreshing sleep, under the conditions in which Bernhard
passed the night, were almost impossible. He knew that lions and
leopards, hyenas and other carnivora infested the country in which he
then was. If his horse should be killed, or even badly mauled by any of
these fierce, strong