Dodging skilfully in and out among the trees like a practised woodman, and breaking into a run whenever the nature of the ground allowed of it, he was not long in covering the distance to the further edge of the woodland. He took a round-about course, and emerged at a point which would not suggest to any chance onlooker the direction from which he had really come. Once out in the open grounds before the Castle, he walked swiftly up to a side entrance and made his way quietly into the building.
The Castle of Neustadt was an imposing pile dating from that period of the last century when the German kinglets were engaged in imitating the age of Louis XIV., and smaller copies of the Versailles arose in every quarter of the Empire.
Safe within this huge but ugly palace, the spy lost no time in threading his way through the corridors, with the assured air of one who felt himself at home, till he came to a suite of apartments situated on the first floor of the left wing. There he stopped, and rapped confidently at a door.
His knock was answered by a page wearing the royal livery, who appeared instantly to recognize him.
“Tell the Princess Hermengarde that Karl Fink is in attendance.”
The page nodded at these words, and withdrew from the door. The next minute he returned.
“Her Royal Highness will see you now,” he said.
And, beckoning Karl to follow, he led the way into the presence of the King’s aunt.
CHAPTER III
THE PRINCESS HERMENGARDE’S DISCLOSURE
The Princess Hermengarde was one of those characters of whom much is said but little is known.