Several minutes went by before either of them spoke. It was Hartmut who broke the silence finally.
"You here, my dear madame?" he asked, forcing himself to speak quietly. "Why are you abroad in such unseemly weather?"
Adelheid looked at the weapon which had fallen at her feet and shuddered.
"I might ask you the same question," she answered.
"I started out for a hunt, but this is no day for sport. I was just emptying my gun, when you—"
He did not finish, for her pained, reproving glance told him that all subterfuge was useless—he broke off and gazed gloomily before him. Adelheid too, abandoned any attempt at an ordinary conversation. Her voice was trembling and her face white as death, as she said: "Herr von Falkenried—God help us, what would you have done?"
"That which would have been finished now, had you not interfered," said Hartmut, in a hard tone. "Believe me, dear madame, it would have been better if accident had brought you here five minutes later."
"It was no accident. I was at the Rodeck forestry and heard that you had been gone several hours; a terrible suspicion took possession of me and drove me to follow you. I was almost certain I should find you here."
"You were seeking me? Me, Ada?" His voice trembled with emotion as he asked the question. "How did you learn that I was at the forestry?"
"Through Prince Adelsberg, who was with me to-day. You received a letter from him this morning?"