while I am away. Who knows
but I may never return to you--think kindly of me, old fellow."

Stadinger's eyes were filled with tears as he turned to go, and he said:

"How can your highness talk that way? It's not likely an old worn-out
man like me would be left, and you, so handsome, so young, so gay be
taken. That's not according to nature."

"Well, well, I did not mean to sadden you, you old ghost of the woods!"
said the young prince reaching out his hand. "We'll think of victory and
not of the slain, but if both should come together it would not be so
hard."

The old man knelt and kissed his young prince's hand.

"I would I could go with you," he said, half aloud.

"I've no doubt of it," said the prince laughing. "And you wouldn't make
a bad soldier either, despite your old gray head. This time the young
ones have to go, and the old ones stay at home. Good-bye, Stadinger,"
and he shook him heartily by the hand. "What! You're not crying' You
ought to be ashamed of yourself. Away with all tears and sad
forebodings. You'll read me many a lecture yet."

"God grant it," said old Peter, with a heavy sigh. He gave one glance at
the bright, handsome face, and looked at the moist eyes; then he went
away with sad, drooping head. He realized for the first time, poor old
man, how deep his highness had crept into his heart.

The prince glanced at the clock.

He had an engagement soon but not for an hour yet, so he picked up the
newspapers containing the latest war rumors.

There was a quick, decided step in the next room; Egon looked up
surprised. Servants did not step thus, and visitors were always
announced. This visitor needed no announcement as every servant in the
palace knew, and all doors were thrown open to him.

"Hartmut, is it you?"

Egon started forward in joyful surprise as his friend entered, and threw
himself upon his breast.

"You are again in Germany, and I had no warning of it? You bad boy, to
keep me two whole months without any news! Have you come to see me off
and say good-bye?"

Hartmut had not responded cordially either to the greeting or embrace;
he was gloomier than ever, and there was no sign of joy in his face over
this meeting.

"I have come directly from the station," he said. "I almost feared I
would not find you, and so much depended on my doing so."

"Why didn't you write or telegraph that you were coming? I wrote to you
at once when war was declared. You were in Sicily, were yo