Page:Blackwood's Magazine volume 137.djvu/819

1885.] the acknowledgment which is hardest to make.

Kurt had thrown away his cigar. The Bohemian's pipe had gone out without his noticing it. Mr Howard it was who made the first movement. He put back his watch into his pocket, and scratched his head. Then he got up, looked around, hesitated for a moment, and said in a studiously careless voice –

"I shall just take a cast about."

Some such signal they had waited for: they all began moving, as if with one accord.

"Why, Gretchen, you are looking as white as a ghost," said Kurt to his sister. "We shall have to carry you down the hill, after all. Hadn't you better sit here while we are beating the bushes?"

Kurt's tone was meant to be cheerful, but his supreme coolness failed him a little just now.

"But I mean to beat the bushes too," said Gretchen, bravely. "We are sure to find Dr Komers at once; don't you think so, Kurt?"

"Oh, at once, – naturally, of course I do," said Kurt, clearing his throat; "only I don't like to make self-evident remarks. He'll be disporting himself somewhere close at hand, depend upon it; or perhaps he has had a moonstroke, you know."

The Bohemian made a few steps to follow the party, then turned, as if struck with a thought, and picking up the lighted lantern, took it with him.

The wraps and provision-basket were abandoned for a second time this evening. But they were not quite abandoned this time; for, looking back, Gretchen saw Baron Tolnay sitting where they had left him, his head still bowed and his arms folded. It seemed as if he were too much exhausted to take part in the search.

This part of the wood became alive with steps and voices. Every one felt that to make a noise was a relief after the silence and inaction from which they had just been freed. Frightened bats darted overhead, and moths flew out of the bushes around. The night-birds uttered shrill cries of surprise as they winged their way towards undisturbed depths of the forest; and the day-birds awoke in alarm, wondering if the night were already over.

The party separated in different directions; there was no word now said about playing at cross-purposes. They took great care in separating to inform each other that they were not going to search anywhere in particular, only to take a general look around.

Gretchen did not say much: she waited till the others were dispersed; and when she thought herself unobserved, she crept quietly in the direction of Gaura Dracului. She did not ask herself why she was going there; but some inward warning was drawing her in that direction. She stifled the warning with all the resolution she could muster; but, half against her will, she obeyed it. Above all, she would not have liked any one else to guess at the horrible fear which had been born within her. She crept softly through the bushes, where the rising moon was weaving strange effects. Her quick eyes espied the signal at once – the handkerchief tied to the branch, just as she had left it. Dr Komers could not have passed it without seeing it; and this thought for a minute revived her failing courage. Then she stepped forward and stood at the edge of the abyss.

Its aspect was somewhat changed from what it had been half an hour ago, for the moon threw a shaft of light right into its depth. The