Page:Zodiac stories by Blanche Mary Channing.pdf/299

282 "Your horse of chased silver with jewels for eyes is well enough," he said, "but for my part give me something that is alive."

Father Johann smiled when he heard this, but he said nothing. He watched Dolf through the day, without seeming to do so, and he liked the free-spoken lad well.

And it was settled that evening between the Duchess and the tutor that Dolf Schmidt should come and live at the castle, and be trained for Lord Conrad's body-servant.

The scheme suited everybody.

To be sure Dolf rebelled at first against hose and shoes, and fretted sadly that he could not climb trees in his new clothes.

He broke all bounds at times, and returned from truant expeditions into the woods with torn doublet and berry-stained hands.

But these things were only the natural