“They were going to kill me,” I told her, ‘and she was going to do it this afternoon. I wish Maximilian would come. “

“He’ll come straight back here when he finds you left the Landhaus.”

“I must see Fritz. I can’t wait to tell him. This is going to make him so happy.”

“He loves you. I’ll swear if he could choose a mother she would be you. Talk about dreams coming true! You took to him from the start, didn’`t you? I wonder if it’s true that mothers would know their own no matter what had separated them.”

“I was drawn to him and he to me. I must find him. I’m going to him now.”

I left but she followed me out to the Randhausburg, into the fortress.

I went up to Fritz’s room. He was not there. He was nowhere in the fortress.

As we came down the stairs and out to the courtyard I saw Dagobert.

“Have you seen Fritz?” I called.

Yes, he’s gone off. It’s not fair. “

“Not fair? What’s not fair?”

“My father took us into the forest riding and then sent me back.”

I felt as though my blood had turned cold.

“Sent you back,” I repeated.

“Yes, and Fritz was to go alone to the Island of Graves to the empty grave with the planks across.”

“Why?” I stammered.

“Because he’s a coward and he’s got to learn not to be. He’s got to row over there by himself and wait there and stay till it’s dark.”

I didn’`t wait for any more. I ran to the stable.

Frau Graben was behind me.

“Where are you going?” she demanded.

“I’m going to the Island of Graves. Tell Maximilian, there’s not a moment to lose. Fritz may be in danger.”

I rode through the forest seeing only Fritz, my son, a forlorn figure alone on the Island of Graves with a man who was determined to kill him. I myself had faced death twice in a very short time. Who knew? I was probably coming face to face with it again. I did not care. All I thought of was my son.

“On the Island of Graves alone!” I kept hearing those words.

Oh Fritz, my son! I prayed: “Let me be in time to save him.”

I did not ask myself how I could save him from a man who had determined to kill him. I only thought that I must be there. If Maximilian had not gone to the Landhaus . if he had waited, but how could he wait when he believed me to be in danger?

I had reached the lake. There were no boats there. I stared in desolation at the Island. Then I saw Charon emerge from his house.

“Franz!” I called.

“Franz!”

He heard me and shaded his eyes to look. I waved frantically. He got into the boat and-slowly, it seemed-rowed towards me.

“Why,” he said, ‘it’s Miss Trant. “

“I must get to the Island quickly,” I cried.

He nodded.

“Where are the boats?” he said.

“There is generally one here. They must all be on the other side. One should always be there. But few are in a hurry to get to the Graves.

Oh hurry, Charon, I thought. He sat there bent over the oars, his dark robes falling about him, eyes peering out from under the grey straggling brows.

“Why are you in a hurry, Fraulein?” he asked.

I replied impatiently: “Did you see Fritz?”

He shook his head.

“There are people on the Island today. I don’t see them come but I know. I sense them. Sometimes there is the peace the quiet of the dead and then it changes and though I see no one I know. I never fail to know. Today there is no peace. Perhaps because tomorrow it is a burial day.”

“Someone is to be buried tomorrow?”

The daughter of the innkeeper. She killed herself, poor soul, but she’s entitled to a place in the burial ground. She carried a child a child of the Family. “

“Poor girl,” I said.

“She’s past all earthly suffering now. She will lie in her grave and I will plant a flower for her. A rosemary because someone will remember her.”

We had reached the shore. I leaped out of the boat.

“I am going to look for Fritz,” I said by way of explanation; and I ran as fast as I could to the burial ground and that spot where the new grave had been dug. The planks were still across the dark hole.

I called: “Fritz! Where are you, Fritz? I have come for you, Fritz.”

There was no answer. Could it be that he had disobeyed the Count’s orders and riot come? He would not dare. Besides he would want to prove that he was not afraid.

“Fritz, where are you? Fritz!”

No sound at all. Nothing! I could not see Charon now. He must have gone into his little house. I felt as though I were alone on this island of the dead.

I did not know which way to turn and I stood for a few seconds staring down at the grave in which tomorrow a young girl would be laid to rest.

And then I knew that I was not alone. I turned sharply. The Count was standing a few paces from me. It flashed into my mind that he had been watching me from behind one of the bigger tombstones.

Where is Fritz? ” I demanded.

“Do you expect me to know?”

“He was told to meet you here.”

“Who told you that?”

“Dagobert. You told Fritz to come here alone. I want to know where he is.”

“That is what we should both like to know. The little coward didn’`t come. Of course, he wouldn’`t. He was afraid to.”

“He was more afraid of you than of the dead. I believe he is here somewhere.”

“Where? Please tell me.”

“I should think you’d be better able to tell me.”

“Why should we concern ourselves with the tiresome child? Here we are together-you and I. So quiet it is. No one on the island except the old man and he does not count. A strange meeting-place but at least we shall be undisturbed. Old Franz is half dead in any case.”

“I came here to look for Fritz.”

“And you found me. Much more interesting, I do assure you.”

“Not for me. I ask you again, where is the child?”

“And I tell you again I have no idea. Nor do I care. I was going to teach him a lesson. I would rather teach you one.”

I started to walk away, but he was beside me. He caught my arm.

“I have grown weary of the chase,” he said.

“It ends here.”

I tried to wrench my arm free but I could not. His evil laughing face was close to mine.

I said: “I know you lured my child here.”

The change in his expression was obvious. The lust was tinged with a certain apprehension.

I went on: “I have learned this day who Fritz is. I know what is in your mind. You want Maximilian’s heritage. You are hoping to discredit him because of his marriage to me. But you can’t discredit his son.

You have lured him here. What have you done with him? I have come here to take him away to safety. I am his mother. “

“You are hysterical,” he said.

“I want my son.”

“And I want you. I wonder who is going to be satisfied. There seems to be scarcely a doubt. Do you realize, my dear Duchess, that you are alone with me on this Island for as I said we cannot count that feeble old man. I would throw him into the lake if he dared interfere. “

“I despise you,” I said. , That is of no consequence. You are caught. There is no escape for you.

You are wise enough to know that. “

“Please keep away from me.”

“Why, when I am pleased to be near you.”

“You are wicked. Do you know for whom that grave has been dug? For a girl who trusted you, whom you have betrayed, a girl who has taken her life because you have made it intolerable for her. How dare you! How can you...

Here beside her very grave.”

“Don’t you see, it adds a touch of piquancy?”

“You disgust me.”

*I find that amusing too. “

I was trembling. I looked towards the shore. There was no sign of anyone. I knew that if I attempted to run he would overtake me. There would be a struggle and although I should employ every bit of strength I possessed, I knew that he would overcome me.

I cried out: “I want Fritz. What have you done with him?”

“Now you are being tiresome.”

“I insist.

“You insist? You are in no position to insist. Come, let us be friends before you die.”

“Before I die.”

“You are not your usual clever self today. You have accused me of treason. The penalty for treason is death. I do not want to die. So I cannot allow you to live after making such an accusation against me.”

“You are mad,” I said. And then I cried out in sudden fear:

“You have killed my son. ” “And now you are going to force me to kill you. I shall not enjoy that one little bit. I shall hate killing a woman whom I admire, especially one whom I have never really known and who has not become tiresome to me.”

“You have no regret for the death of those who have become tiresome, I see. Tell me,” I cried, ‘have you killed Fritz? “

He kept his grip on my arm and forced me towards the grave.

“You are a fool after all,” he said.

“Perhaps I should have tired quickly of you. You need never have died. You could have lived in retirement with Max. I should have allowed that. “

“You are mad,” I said.

I could see that this was so. He was mad with ambition, with the love of power and the burning desire to take from his cousin all that he had ever had.

“You will not live to see me rule Rochenstein, but before you die I am going to show you what kind of lover you turned your back on. Then I shall kill you and you shall join your son.”

Still gripping me, he kicked aside one of the planks. I looked down into the grave. Fritz was lying there.