who looked upon a war with us as a most
agreeable diversion. Anything would serve him as an excuse.

For this reason, he thought it his duty to dissuade Annette from
joining in our enterprise. He was willing, however, to advance the
required sum out of his own funds, for, after all, there must be peace
at last; and, if the undertaking should prove successful, it was his
intention to transfer either the whole or a half of his share to
Annette.

Ludwig wanted to employ none but discharged soldiers. He had no
confidence in workmen who had not served in the army; and, as the
stonecutter had been a soldier, he appointed him as chief of the
stone-masons. He engaged an older man to superintend the erection of
the building, who had been recommended as thoroughly honest; and it was
Ludwig's intention to take him back to America with him.

We learned that this man had formerly been an officer of engineers. He
had been obliged to resign, and now led a simple and industrious life,
eating and sleeping with the quarry-men. It was only when at work, that
one could notice that he was of a higher caste. But he seemed to have
no judgment of his own, and always required instructions; when he
received these he would execute them with care and precision. He was a
man of very few words, and always seemed as if seeking something which
he either could not or dared not name.

And then Ludwig sent for Wacker, the dissipated fellow who lived in the
valley beyond the mountains. He was only slightly intoxicated when he
arrived, and Ludwig said to him, "Wacker, I will give you a good
situation on one condition: you may get drunk three times; but after
the third, you will be summarily discharged. If you are agreed, all
right; and I shall only add, beware of the first time: it will not cost
you your situation, but it will make an inroad on your capital."

For a while, Wacker conducted himself properly; but he gave way at
last. He had his three drunks, and was consequently discharged.

It was now time to begin measuring and other preparations, and to
employ the laborers; for the first thing in order was to regulate the
bed of the stream.

Annette found great pleasure in watching the progress of the building.

Ludwig had ascertained where the stream had the greatest fall. He had
an instrument, by means of which one can, while on land, quickly
ascertain the descent of the current; and this, too, afforded Annette
much amusement. She was anxious t