“I do,” the Baron replied smilingly, “and I feel that I ought to be obedient.”

After these words Mrs. Maxa took her leave and rapidly walked down the mountain.

She unexpectedly entered Apollonie’s garden while the latter was working there, and immediately described to her the terrible state of things at the castle.  She had always believed that the Baron would find it home-like and furnished, and now everything was gone, and he had not even a bed to sleep in, but was obliged to spend both day and night in his chair.

Apollonie had been wringing her hands all the time and broke out at last bitterly, “How could I have foreseen that?  Oh, what a Turk, what a savage, what an old heathen that miserable Trius is,” she sobbed, full of rage and grief.  “I understand now why he never answered my questions.  I have asked him many a time if he had taken out the right bed and was using the things belonging to it which were marked with a blue crown in the corners.  He only used to grin at me and never said a word.  He never even looked for them and calmly let my poor sick Baron suffer.  Nothing is missing, not even the tiniest picture or trifle, and he had to come back to a terrible waste!  All my sleepless nights were not in vain, but I had not the slightest idea that it could be as bad as that.  The worst of it is that it is my fault.

“Yes, it really is all my fault, Mrs. Maxa,” and Apollonie went on to tell how this had come about.  Baron Bruno had only heard the news of his brother’s marriage and his mother’s death when he returned the first time years ago.  He left again immediately, and she was quite sure that he did not intend to return for a long while.  As no one had lived at the castle for so long, she had decided to put all the beautiful things safely away, in order to keep them from ruin and possible thieves.  So she had stored them in the attic, wrapped in sheets, and had locked the place up.  Apollonie had never doubted that she would be called to the castle as soon as the Baron returned, for she belonged there as of old and occupied the little gardener’s cottage belonging to it.  But her dreams were not to come true.

“I must go to him this minute,” gasped Apollonie; she had spoken rapidly and with intense excitement.  “I want to fix my master’s room to-day.  I am sure I can do it, for all the furniture from the different rooms is marked and grouped together.  But shall I be let in?  The horrible stubborn old watchman always keeps me out.”

But Mrs. Maxa was able to quiet her on that score by the Baron’s recent promise, and she even urged Apollonie to start directly.  The Baron should be told of the situation and have a bed prepared for him that night.  After this Mrs. Maxa left.

Leonore, knowing where the mother had gone, flew to meet her when she saw her coming.

“Did he give you the address, Aunt Maxa,” she asked expectantly.

“He means to let you know when he has traced it.”