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326 learn where Danusia was and when freedom would be restored to her. But he did not foresee that grievous disappointment was waiting for him in a moment.

Besides the horsemen given for defence and the driver, the embassy from Schytno was composed of two persons, one of whom was that same woman who had brought the healing balsam to the hunting-lodge; the other a young pilgrim. Zbyshko did not know the woman, for he had not seen her; the pilgrim seemed at once to him a disguised attendant. Yurand conducted both to the corner chamber. He stood before them, immense in size and almost terrible in the light which fell on him from the fire blazing in the chimney.

"Where is my child?" asked he.

They were frightened when they stood eye to eye with the terrible Yurand. The pilgrim, though his face was insolent, simply trembled like a leaf, and the woman shook in every limb. Her glance passed from Yurand's face to Zbyshko, then to the shining, bald head of Father Kaleb, and again returned to Yurand, as if with the question, What are those two doing here?

"Lord," said she at last, "we know not what your question means; but we are sent here to you on important business. He who sent commanded us expressly to talk to you without witnesses."

"I have no secrets before them,'* said Yurand.

"If you command them to remain, we shall pray you for nothing save permission to leave here to-morrow."

On the face of Yurand, who was unaccustomed to resistance, anger was evident. For a time his yellow moustache moved ominously, but he remembered that Danusia was in peril, and restrained himself. Zbyshko, for whom the first question was that the conversation should take place at the earliest, and who was certain that Yurand would repeat it to him, said,—

"Since it is to be so, remain alone."

And he went out with Father Kaleb, but he had hardly found himself in the main chamber, the walls of which were covered with shields and armor won by Yurand, when the Cheh approached him.

"Lord," said he, "this is the same woman."

"What woman?"

"From the Knights of the Cross, who brought the Hercynian balsam; I recognized her right away, and so did