berg? Certainly
not. This is the cause of all the trouble and grief I suffer. Often
have I wished to unburden my heart to you, but an uncontrollable
feeling closed my lips. But now that you know the whole truth, can you
still be angry with me? shall I lose my friend also, as well as my
beloved?"

Poor Bertha could contain her tears no longer, and wept aloud. Marie,
overpowered by the grief of her friend, embraced her cousin with the
warm affection of a tender heart sympathising in her painful situation,
and all feeling of enmity was in a moment extinguished in her breast.

"In a few days," said Bertha, after a short silence, "my father will
quit Ulm, and I must accompany him. But I must see Albert again, if it
were only for a quarter of an hour. Marie, your ingenuity can easily
find us an opportunity; only for a very short quarter of an hour!"

"But you do not wish to make him desert the good cause?" asked Marie.

"I know not what you call the good cause," replied Bertha. "The Duke's
cause is, perhaps, not less good than yours. You talk thus because you
belong to the League. I am a Wuertemberger, and my father is faithful to
his Duke. But shall we girls decide upon the merits of the war? rather
let us think of the means, whereby I may see him again."

Marie had listened with so much interest to the history of her cousin,
that she quite forgot having ever entertained any ill-will towards her.
Besides which, being naturally fond of any thing involved in mystery,
she was glad of an opportunity, such as the present, to exercise her
wits. She felt all the importance and honour of being a confidant, and
consequently determined to spare no pains in serving the lovers in
their critical position.

After a few moments' thought, she said, "I have it; we'll invite him at
once into our garden."

"In the garden!" asked Bertha, fearful and incredulous; "and by whom?"

"His host, good cousin Dieterich himself shall bring him," answered
Marie. "That's a good thought! and he shall not know anything of the
plot; leave that alone to me."

Though Bertha was strong and determined in matters of importance, she
trembled for the result of this rash step. But her bold and cheerful
little cousin knew how to combat her scruples and fears. With renewed
hope, then, in the success of their scheme for the morrow, and their
hearts being restored again to their former mutual confidence, the
girls embraced each other with tender affection, and