"It seems to me as if I saw a fire there, Father," said the boy.
"You are right. What means a fire in the middle of the Kreuzweg?"
Quietly did the old man and his son steal up to where the light shone. "Go thou round that way, I go this way, so she cannot escape us, should she be there."
By the Kreuzweg sat in the seat from whence she had been disturbed by Lydia, the old witch of the Kreuzgrund. Before her lay the bleached skull of a child, around which she had placed three lights. Over a coal-fire was swung a vessel containing a strangely smelling water. Near wriggled the bodies of three snakes whose heads had been cut off. All kinds of magical implements were scattered around. The witch herself had fallen fast asleep. "Mother Sibylla," shouted the Miller loudly in her ear, "what has become of the maiden, who was waiting here this evening?"
The witch started up and stared at Werner. "The fair Ly----," murmured she half asleep, and then became silent.
"Where is she?" repeated the Miller.
"I know nothing about the matter," murmured the old woman, now thoroughly aroused.
"You know all, the name was even on your lips. Do you confess everything or else to-morrow I tell the magistrate that I have already found you twice at midnight on the Kreuzweg, and the previous week before sunrise by the Linsenteich."
The witch grinned. "They will burn you as well as me, if I say, what I know about you."
"I however die for the Lord Jesus Christ and you for Satan." The old woman would have laughed mockingly but suddenly the forest immediately behind her seemed alive. A cock crowed, then the grunting of swine was heard together with an outlandish neighing.