's education." 

He sat down in an arm-chair beside the table ; and as the 
light fell upon Hulda's face, he noticed the traces of tears upon 
it and the dejection that was expressed in her features. She 
saw she was observed, and turned away from him. But that 
did no good. 

" Is anything the matter ?" he asked. She replied in the 
negative, but that did not content him. "I have not seen 
you," he said, " for some time ; you were not at the castle 
yesterday, nor have you been there to-day." 

" Miss Kenney was not well yesterday," she replied. 

"And to-day V" he asked. 

" To-day I have been at my fe.ther's," was her answer. 

He inquired after her lather's health, and she answered his 
questions, but her  was so heavy that the unwonted 



 



brevity and laiigaor of her replies still flirther struck the 
baron. He leaned forward on the table towards her, and asked, 
looking her full in the fiice with his kindly eyes, " What has 
been done to annoy you? Has Ma'amselle Ulrika vexed you? 
Something has happened, I know, or else what have you