“Bravo!” cried the head forester, who quite forgot that he was a sufferer also.  “Will, I can echo what Toni said, you please me better now than you have ever done in your life.  I really feel very sorry you are not going to be my son-in-law.”

Frau von Eschenhagen had not been prepared for such an answer.  She had built upon her old power and strength, and now it lay at her feet a wreck.

She was not the woman to yield, however; had it cost her her life she would not have bent her stubborn will then.

“Very well, then, we are done with one another,” she said shortly, and turned to leave the room without heeding her brother’s whispered words, as he rose to follow her.  But before they had reached the door, it was opened hastily by a servant, who said excitedly: 

“The steward from Rodeck is here and wishes—­”

“I have no time to be bothered now,” interrupted Schoenau sharply.  “Tell old Stadinger I am engaged upon important family matters and—­”

He did not finish, for Stadinger, who had followed the servant stood in the doorway, and said in a suppressed tone: 

“I come upon a family matter, Herr von Schoenau, but it is a sad one.  I cannot wait, but must speak with you at once.”

“What is it? speak out!” said the head forester.  “Has any misfortune happened to the prince?  He’s not at Rodeck?”

“No, his highness is in the city, but Herr Rojanow is here and sent me.  He begs that you and Herr von Eschenhagen come down at once to Rodeck, and,” he glanced at Frau von Eschenhagen, of whose arrival he had not heard, “and my lady should come, too.”

“But what is it, what has happened?” cried the forester, seriously alarmed now.

The old man hesitated; he seemed not to know how to break his bad news gently.  At last he spoke.

“His excellency Baron von Wallmoden is at Rodeck—­and the baroness, too.”

“My brother?” Regine cried apprehensively.

“Yes, my lady.  His excellency was thrown from his carriage and now he is unconscious at Rodeck, and the physician whom we summoned in haste, says his condition is very serious.”

“God help us!  Moritz, we must go at once,” exclaimed Regine.

Schoenau had already rung and he ordered horses and carriage to be got ready at once.  “And now, Stadinger, tell us how it happened.”

“The Herr Baron was on his way from Ostwalden to Fuerstenstein,” began Stadinger.  “The way lay through the Rodeck lands, not far from the Castle.  Our forester, who was in the woods close by with some of the men, fired a couple of shots at a deer which started out of the thicket and ran across the road just in front of His Excellency’s carriage.  The horses shied and started off, and the coachman lost control of them.  The forester, who reached the road at that moment, heard the Frau Baroness say to her husband:  ’Sit still, Herbert! for God’s sake, don’t move!’ But the