But to the two horsemen on the knoll this spiritual ditty was

unheard. They were, indeed, in some concern of mind, scanning every

fold of the subjacent forest, and betraying both anger and dismay in

their impatient gestures.

'I do not see him, Kuno,' said the first huntsman, 'nowhere - not a

trace, not a hair of the mare's tail! No, sir, he's off; broke

cover and got away. Why, for twopence I would hunt him with the

dogs!'

'Mayhap, he's gone home,' said Kuno, but without conviction.

'Home!' sneered the other. 'I give him twelve days to get home.

No, it's begun again; it's as it was three years ago, before he

married; a disgrace! Hereditary prince, hereditary fool! There

goes the government over the borders on a grey mare. What's that?

No, nothing - no, I tell you, on my word, I set more store by a good

gelding or an English dog. That for your Otto!'

'He's not my Otto,' growled Kuno.

'Then I don't know whose he is,' was the retort.

'You would put your hand in the fire for him to-morrow,' said Kuno,

facing round.

'Me!' cried the huntsman. 'I would see him hanged! I'm a Grunewald

patriot - enrolled, and have my medal, too; and I would help a

prince! I'm for liberty and Gondremark.'

'Well, it's all one,' said Kuno. 'If anybody said what you said,

you would have his blood, and you know it.'

'You have him on the brain,' retorted his companion. 'There he

goes!' he cried, the next moment.

And sure enough, about a mile down the mountain, a rider on a white

horse was seen to flit rapidly across a heathy open and vanish among

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