n amongst you. I have made the whole tour of the
Vorarlberg--through the Bregenzer-wald, down the valley of the Lech, by
Immenstadt, and Wangheim--and it's all the same. I have heard nothing
but the old cry of "Gott und der Kaiser!"'

'Indeed!' said he, with an accent beautifully balanced between sorrow
and astonishment.

'Even the men in authority, the syndics, like yourself, have frankly
told me how difficult it is to preserve allegiance to a Government by
whom they have been so harshly treated. 'I'm sure I have the "grain
question," as they call it, and the "Freiwechsel" with South Tyrol,
off by heart,' said I, laughing. 'However, my business lies in another
quarter. I have seen enough to show me that save the outcasts from home
and family, that class so rare in the Tyrol, that men call adventurers,
we need look for no willing recruits here; and you'll stare when I say
that I 'm glad of it--heartily glad of it.'

The syndic did, indeed, stare, but he never ventured a word in reply.

'I'll tell you why, then, Herr Syndicus. With a man like yourself one
can afford to be open-hearted. Wangheim, Luttrich, Kempenfeld, and all
the other villages at the foot of these mountains, were never other than
Austrian. Diplomatists and map-makers coloured them pale blue, but
they were black and yellow underneath; and what's more to the purpose,
Austrian they must become again. When the real object of this war is
known, all Tyrol will declare for the House of Hapsburg. We begin to
perceive this ourselves, and to dread the misfortunes and calamities
that must fall upon you and the other frontier towns by this divided
allegiance; for when you have sent off your available youth to the
Bavarians, down will come Austria to revenge itself upon your undefended
towns and villages.'

The syndic apparently had thought of all these things exactly with the
same conclusions, for he shook his head gravely, and uttered a low,
faint sigh.

'I'm so convinced of what I tell you,' said I, 'that no sooner have I
conducted to headquarters the force I have under my command----'

'You have a force, then, actually under your orders?' cried he,
starting.

'The advanced guard is picketed in yonder pine wood, if you have
any curiosity to inspect them; you'll find them a little disorderly,
perhaps, like all newly-raised levies, but I hope not discreditable
allies for the great army.'

The syndic protested his sense of the favour, but begged to take al