She began to tremble, and clung to me again.
"It is from that way," pointing in the direction from which I had come.
I listened again, and again found she was right.
"Good!" I exclaimed. "It will be Praga. He is following me."
"Praga! The villain who killed Gustav! Oh, Hans, it is true then that you are in league with that terrible man. I would not believe it when they told me." And she moved away from me as she spoke, and stood at a little distance, trembling.
But it was only for an instant. I had not time to reply before she came again to my side and clung to me as before, crying with quick agitation:
"I did not mean that, cousin Hans. I did not mean anything in distrust of you. I trust you altogether with my whole heart and soul. If he is with you, I know it will be not that you help him to do harm, but that he helps you to do good. I know that. Believe and forgive me for shrinking away like that. But I have always had such a dread and loathing at his mere name, for dear Gustav's sake. Oh, there is so much to be made clear."
"It will all be clear enough to you when I have told you my story," I said in as unmoved a tone as I could command at this fresh proof of her absolute confidence. "And that will be as soon as we can get out of our present plight. Even Praga has been wronged, and in this matter at least he is with us."
After that we stood in silence listening to the now fast approaching gallop of the horse.
Then came to our ears the whinnying of another horse. The galloping stopped. The horse was pulled up short.