"Ah!" exclaimed Yolanda, stepping back from him and placing her hand to the top of her head on the spot that he had kissed. She looked up to him with a fluttering little laugh:-- "I--I did not know you were going to do that." "Neither did I," said Max. Castleman and his wife looked displeased and Twonette's face wore an expression of amused surprise. After a constrained pause Frau Katherine said:-- "Our guests are not in the habit of kissing us." "No one has kissed you, tante," retorted Yolanda, "nor do they intend to do so. Do not fear. I--I brought it on myself, and if I do not complain, you may bear up under it." "It certainly is unusual to--" began the frau. "Tante," cried Yolanda, flushing angrily and stamping her foot. Tante was silent. "Your words night before last brought marvellous comfort to us, Fräulein," said Max. "Where were you, and how--" "My words? Night before last?" asked Yolanda, in open-eyed wonder, "I have not seen you since three weeks ago." "You called to me in my prison in the tower," said Max. "You called to me by the name you sometimes use." "Ah, that is wonderful," exclaimed Yolanda. "I wakened myself night before last calling your name, and telling you not to fear. I was dreaming that you were in danger, but I also dreamed that you would soon be free. Can it be possible that the voice of a dreamer can travel to a distance and penetrate stone walls? You almost make me fear myself by telling me that you heard my call." Like most persons, Max loved the mysterious, so he at once became greatly interested. He would have discussed the subject further had not Yolanda turned to me, saying:-- "Ah, I have not greeted Sir Karl." She gave me her hand, and I would have knelt had she not prevented me by a surprised arching of her eyebrows. My attempt to salute her on my knee was involuntary, but when I saw the warning expression in her eyes, I quickly recovered myself. I bowed and she withdrew her hand. "Let us go to the garden," she suggested. The others left the room, but Yolanda held back and detained me by a gesture. "You would have knelt to me," she said almost angrily. "Yes, mademoiselle," I replied, "the movement was involuntary."