298 WHISPERS FROM -FAIRVLAND. [vi.

 

my mind when I first began’ my life of warfare that
the most desirable plan really was to take everything
you could get from the people you conquered, and
then to put them out of their misery as soon as pos-
sible. The world, however, taking a different view of
the matter, called my proceedings cruel, and in con-
sequence of them gave me the distinguishing title of
the Red Baron, because of the blood which I was,
with some reason, supposed to have shed. I may
mention to you, in passing, that this name, which has
stuck to me in the spirit world, has been the cause of
my being obliged to wear always garments of the
colour which you have doubtless remarked, and of
which I confess I sometimes get uncommonly tired.
“Well, the name of the Red Baron, now almost
forgotten, save in legends of the timid peasants, was
well enough known in my lifetime. Now, indeed, I
wish heartily enough that it had been known for Sood
instead of evil deeds. But it is too late to talk of
that. My home life was not so happy as it might
have been. I married the daughter of a neighbour-
ing baron, who was partly engaged to somebody else.
That was the chief reason why I wished to marry
her. She was beautiful, certainly, but so were many
others, and I did not particularly care for her. But
she had slighted me once, or I fancied she had, which
came to the same thing with me in those days.
Moreover, I knew she loved the other fellow, and he
was fond of her—devoted, I may say. I hated /zm,
so I resolved to marry her, which I was able -to ac-
complish through the hold I had upon her old fool of
a father, who was rather richer than his neighbours