Sperver straightened up, and fixing his gray eye on the Baron:
"And you? What right have you over her?" he asked with a strange smile; "for she is there. I can see her at the back of the cavern. By whose authority do you meddle with our affairs? Do you not know that we are at this moment within the domains of Nideck, and that we administer all forms of justice at our pleasure?"
The young man grew paler yet, and replied shortly:
"I am not accountable to you for any act of mine."
"Take care," replied Sperver; "I am acting in the name of my master, the Count of Nideck, and am but doing my duty. You will have to answer for any interference on your part."
"Your duty!" exclaimed the young man, with a bitter smile; "if you speak of your duty, you may force me to tell you mine."
"Let us hear it," cried the old steward, whose face was becoming discomposed with anger.
"No," returned the Baron, "I will tell you nothing, nor shall you set foot inside this cave."
"We will see about that," said Sperver, advancing towards the cavern.
The young man drew his hunting-knife. Seeing this, I tried to spring between them, when the hound, which I was holding by a leash, shook himself free, throwing me to the ground with the force of the shock. I thought that the Baron was lost; but at the same moment a savage cry rose from the back of the cavern, and as I rose to my feet, I saw the old woman standing upright before the fire, her clothing in rags, her head run forward, and her gray locks scattered about her shoulders, with her long, skinny arms raised towards heaven, and uttering dismal howls, like the cries of the wolf in the cold winter nights, when hunger is gnawing at his entrails.