She was indignant with Greif, and she forgot altogether that
she had at first felt precisely as he did himself in regard to the
marriage. As the trees flew past and every effort of the strong
horses brought her nearer to her home, she knew Hilda was first,
and the instinct to defend her child from pain and sorrow grad-
ually began to dominate her. Mild and gentle as she was, she
was ready to attack Greif and to force him to marry her
daughter whether he would or not. She grew nervous, for the
coming meeting between the two might decide their fate, and
every moment lost might be the most important. Greif did not
reply at once to what she had said, but a shiver passed through
his limbs and he drew the furs more closely about him.
" You are wrong," he said at last. " Hilda will forget me in
time and will marry a better man and a happier one. I did not
mean to tell you — I may as well — I shall make arrangements
to give her half of what I have in the world. She will be an
heiress then, and can marry well."



GEEIFENSTEIN. 221

Frau von Sigmundskron did not understand him. To her,
the speech seemed cynical and brutal, an insult to Hilda's love,
a slight upon her own poverty. The gentle lady's pale and
delicate face flushed suddenly with righteous anger and her
small hands were clenched tightly beneath the furs. There was
a bright light in her soft blue eyes as she answered him.
