forest path, and yet saw nought but a little charcoal burner’s cart, meseemed as though a cold hand had been laid on my heart.  Again and again I spied the distance, while a whole army of thoughts and terrors tossed my soul.  I pictured them in the power of the vengeful Eber von Wichsenstein and his fierce robber fellows; methought the covetous Bremberger had dragged them into his castle postern to exact a great ransom—­nor was this the worst that might befall.  If Abersfeld the wildest freebooter of all the plundering nobles far or near were to seize her?  My blood ran cold as I conceived of this chance.  Ann was so fair; what lord who might carry her off could she fail to inflame?  And then I minded me of what I had read of the Roman Lucretia, and if I had been possessed of any magic art, I would have given the first raven by the way a sharp bodkin that he should carry it to her.

In my soul’s anguish, while I held my bridle and whip together in my left hand, with the right I lifted the gold cross on my breast to my lips and in a silent heartfelt prayer I besought the Blessed Virgin, and my own dear mother in Heaven to have her in keeping.

And so we rode on and on till we came to the pools by Pillenreuth.  Hard by the larger of these, known as the King’s pool, was a sign-post, and not far away was the spot where they had found Eppelein, stripped and plundered; and in truth it was the very place for highwaymen and freebooters, lying within the wood and aside from the highway; albeit, if it came to their taking flight, they might find it again by Reichelstorf.  Nor was there any castle nor stronghold anywhere nigh; the great building with walls and moats which stood on the south side of the King’s pool was but the peaceful cloister of the Augustine Sisters of Pillenreuth.  All about the water lay marsh-ground overgrown with leafless bushes, rushes, tall grasses, and reeds.  It was verily a right dismal and ill-boding spot.

The boggy tract across which our path lay was white with fresh hoar-frost, and the thicket away to the south was a haunt for crows such as I never have seen again since; the black birds flew round and about it in dark clouds with loud shrieks, as though in its midst stood a charnel and gallows, and from the brushwood likewise, by the pool’s edge, came other cries of birds, all as full of complaining as though they were bewailing the griefs of the whole world.

Here we stayed our horses, and called and shouted; but none made answer, save only toads and crows.  “This is the place, for certain,” said Young Kubbeling, and Grubner the head forester, sprang to his feet to help him down from his tall mare.  The gentlemen likewise dismounted, and were about to follow the Trunswicker across the mead to the place where Eppelein had been found; but he bid them not, inasmuch as they would mar the track he would fain discover.