t he did not care to do so, and said that he could not
write. One day we learned that he had deserted. They found a letter
from him, although he had said that he could not write. It was in
choice French, thanked the captain for his kind treatment, and added
that he had come and gone by the command of others, high in station.
For some days they spoke of the fact that the Russians were even more
successful than we as spies. For this man had evidently joined us only
in order to inform himself as to the disposition of the Gallicians. It
did not strike me at first, but afterward I could not but notice the
fact that they always talked to me about spies.

"A young Prince joined our regiment. He became an intimate associate of
mine, and seemed to take a special liking to me. My father seemed much
pleased with this, but gave me less money than he had formerly done. I
was obliged to borrow from the young Prince and to ask favors at his
hands. Yes, the world is wise, if one only knew it at the right time. I
found it out too late. Is it not ingenious, and does it not do all
honor to the human intellect, to discover that it is well to incur an
obligation in order to acquire more perfect confidence on the part of
those to whom we owe a debt? Although the lynx out there is ever so
cunning, it cannot do such work; that is reserved for the image of God.

"One day my father said to me--yes, my father--'Conrad, (that is my
baptismal name), 'you are now employed at the officers' quarters; the
adjutant of the post cannot be trusted; be careful that you get hold of
something that involves him; but let it be in writing. That aroused my
suspicions that something was wrong. One day, a fellow-officer said to
me, 'There is a spy in our regiment,' and all the other comrades
laughed. I challenged the one who had thus spoken to me, and--shot him.

"But I am anticipating--I must first tell you of another matter. I
always had a great desire to be a forester. I often begged my father to
permit me to leave the army, but he would not consent. And I would have
been so glad to marry and live quietly in the woods; for I had a child,
a lovely, beautiful child.

"And then, on account of the duel, I was imprisoned in the citadel. No
comrade visited me.

"When I left the prison, my child and the mother had vanished. She had
received a letter, in my handwriting--my father knew how to imitate the
writing of others--in which was contained a considerable sum, t