e to him, and which he had before forgotten.

One of his fellow grooms, seeing the anger which flashed from the eyes
of Axel at this pointed humiliation, took the horse from him and led
him about. The colonel did not fail observing this, and to complete
the mortification of the insolent servant, he set his foot on the steps
of the entrance, and called to Axel, "Groom, my right spur galls me,
loosen it."

"I will let your groom know that you want him," said Axel haughtily,
"if you will have the condescension to tell me where I can find him."

The colonel's face reddened with indignation, and addressing the baron,
biting and grinding his teeth, he requested him to remind his groom of
his duty, as his rank demanded he should insist upon it. The baron
satisfied his demands in a ludicrous manner, not knowing in his heart,
of whom he was most afraid. Axel shook his head in silence. "Pray,
good Axel," whispered the baron entreatingly, "when you have often
fastened my spurs, will you refuse it to a person of such distinction.

"I honour and love you as a father," said Axel, "and consider it no
disgrace to serve you; I would willingly perform the most menial
services for you, but cannot suffer indignity from the haughtiness of a
stranger."

"I am curious to see," said the stranger scornfully, "whether the
master or the servant will get the best of this singular dispute."
And, irritated by this observation, and working himself up into a
passion in order to gain his point, the baron cried, "Either you loosen
the spurs, or you quit my service immediately."

"I go, gracious master," said Axel most respectfully. "I know you are
safe for some time to come, and I carry with me the delightful
satisfaction of having so far contributed to your safety. Remember
sometimes, kindly, your faithful servant;" and, shaking heartily the
hand which the baron offered him, he went to the stable to pack up his
knapsack.

Absorbed in secret dreams, Tugendreich stood in a grotto in the garden,
and did not even hear the drums of a company of Tiefenbach's regiment
which was entering the castle, when suddenly Axel stood before her with
the knapsack on his back. "Your father has dismissed me from his
service," he said, with emotion, "but I shall never quit yours, sweet
Fraeulein. You shall soon hear of me." With tears in his eyes, he
offered a forget-me-not, which she could not refuse accepting from the
hand that still showed the scar from