The young women entered the house, and we saw nothing more of them for several days.

When we met Castleman, he gladly engaged our services to Peronne, having heard from Franz of our adventures in the Black Forest.  We left the terms to him, and he suggested a compensation far greater than we should have asked.  The sum we received from Franz, together with that which we should get from Castleman, would place us beyond want for a year to come.  Surely luck was with us.

After Castleman’s arrival our meals were served in our room, and we saw little of him or of Franz for a week or more.  Twice I saw Castleman ride out with the young women, and after that I haunted the front door of the house.  One bright afternoon I met them as they were about to dismount.  Castleman was an old man and quite stout, so I helped him from his horse.  He then turned to the fair girl of pink and white, saying:—­

“Antoinette, daughter, this is Sir Karl de Pitti, who will accompany us to Peronne.”

I made my bow and assisted Fraeulein Antoinette to the ground.  The other young lady sprang nimbly from her saddle without assistance and waited, as I thought, to be presented.  Castleman did not offer to present her, and she ran to the house, followed by serene Antoinette.  I concluded that the smaller girl was Fraeulein Castleman’s maid.  I knew that great familiarity between mistress and servant was usual among the burgher class.

The smaller girl was certainly attractive, but I did not care for her acquaintance.  Antoinette was the one in whose eyes I hoped to find favor, first for myself and then for Max.  By her help I hoped Max might be brought to meet the Princess of Burgundy when we should reach Peronne.  I had little doubt of Max’s success in pleasing Antoinette; I was not at all anxious that he should please the smaller maid.  There was a saucy glance in her dark eyes, and a tremulous little smile constantly playing about her red, bedimpled mouth, that boded trouble to a susceptible masculine heart.  Max, with all his simplicity, though not susceptible, had about him an impetuosity when his interest was aroused of which I had learned to stand in wholesome dread.  I was jealous of any woman who might disturb his dreams of Mary of Burgundy, and this little maid was surely attractive enough to turn any man’s head her way if she so desired.

Later in the afternoon I saw Fraeulein Antoinette in the shop looking at silks and laces.  Hoping to improve the opportunity, I approached her, and was received with a serene and gracious smile.  Near Antoinette were the saucy brown eyes and the bedimpled mouth.  Truly they were exquisitely beautiful in combination, and, old as I was, I could not keep my eyes from them.  The eyes and dimples came quickly to Antoinette, who presented me to her “Cousin Fraeulein Yolanda Castleman.”  Fraeulein Yolanda bowed with a grace one would not expect to find in a burgher girl, and said with the condescension of a princess:—­