Year: 1860

A gloomy winter of storm and snow-show-
ers now passed tediously away. Irmengard
secretly mourned the sad misfortune of her
captive lover. The knight on his part COM
planned and fretted every day about his ad-
verse fate, which deprived him of more than
his liberty in separating him from her who
was now dearer to his heart than all the
world besides. His uncle, the abbot of ST.
Martins cfoister, used every means in his
power to obtain his release. But the lord of
the manor made all sorts of difficulties un-
til at length the Baron Vor Sponheim sue
ceeded in me dating reconciliation between
the parties.


1t was in the last days of April that Con-
rad left his prison and hastcned back to the
monastery. Already soft vernal breezes
blew the clear, soft green of the beech tree
leaves looked out from among the brown
trunks and dusky foliage of the fir trees and
here and there on sunny declivities the or
chards shone with the full beauty of their
vernal bloom. An eager and impatient long
ing filled the breast of the young man. He
could not fix his thoughts upon any partic-
ular object. When at last some well known
faces and the towers of the abbey met his
view, he began to feel himself at home again,
and now the image Of his beloved began to
rise distinctly to his fancy's eye. The abbot
! received him as son, and he felt the pleas
ure of being free man among his friends
But still. he could not rest contented even for
half day in the abbey. The impulse of his
| feelings soon drove him forth to the sweet
banks of the forest river on his way to the
White Castle. He crossed the stream by the
| mill as formerly, and wandered in great
emotion down the valley towards the castle
4 A oh ~ Oh orf1 IF 81
stractions Irmengard stood before him
Involuutarily she stretched out her arms to
meet him, but with maidenly blush she
suddenly dropped them again.


'Irmengardp he exclaimed, and offer ing
her his right hand, he gently drew her to
his bosom with the other. Both were al
most speecnless with emotion; they looked
one another in the eyes, and all the sorrow
ful past was banished from their memories
The evening shades gathered around then
before they were aware of it. Reluctantly
:, they parted but with the promise of seeing
each other again ou the morrow.


Several weeks passed away with the low
ers like pleasant dream, aud no thought OF
change disturbed the JOY of their souls
But their meetings did not escape th'
notice OF prylng eyes, and rumors begal
to circulate privately through the neigh
borhood. Among others the lord at St
Martins manor heard of the affair; ant
as he hated the abbot and his nephew, so h
gave private notice to the Baron Fust of Ho
heneck of what the people were whispering
about his daughter and the Baron Dachau
In Hoheneck the old hatred still burnt a


tiercely as ever. He hastened to the Whit


Castle with dark thoughts of vengeance i
his heart. But On lis arrival he gave n


sign of his dark feelings and intentions. II


said that he had come on visit Of a fe'


days, desiring to see his beloved daughte


once more But inspite of his dissimulatio


his bitter grudge broke now and then thi oug


the hypocritical covering of friendliness, an


Irmengard began to feel uneasy.


Among the attendants Of the knight W;


al, old servant, blunt, honest, and an enem