, would enjoy themselves in spite of the
destruction that was going on before their very eyes.

My sister and her daughter surprised us. The former had visited the
camp; had luckily found Julius, and through him had obtained permission
for her daughter to leave the fortress. She had left all her property
at the mercy of the shells and of the plundering soldiers; for the
opinion of the citizens was, that the German soldiers would sack the
city. As Germans, they had been regarded with aversion by their
neighbors and acquaintances. She left us soon again, so as to be with
her husband; but her daughter, who was greatly overcome, remained with
us.

Martha and Conny nursed the young wife carefully; and Martha spoke
French to her, so as to please her.

A large detachment of captured and wounded French and Algerians came
through our valley. The people from all the villages flocked to the
high-road to see them pass. I feared that the people would show their
irritation, and jeer these unfortunates: but, as if by a tacit
agreement, every one kept aloof, and only words of sympathy were heard.
It was only when the fantastic, and sometimes terrible-looking Africans
appeared, that the dismay of the people showed itself, as they called
out, "There they are, the men that were going to burn our towns and
forests, the cannibals!"

Rothfuss, with my team of bays, was also in the procession. He halted a
moment at the saw-mill near the bridge, and gave a merry account of the
kind of load he was carrying. It consisted of wounded Turcos, and he
laid great stress on the fact that the French would have nothing in
common with these wicked apes. He had to keep on his way.

Great excitement was caused in the village when it was reported that
Carl had returned. We all accompanied his mother and Marie down the
valley, where he had halted with a squad of prisoners. Marie embraced
him before us all, and the prisoners smiled, and imitated the sound of
their smacking lips.

Carl had much to tell me, and could not find words to say all he wanted
to, particularly in praise of the Pomeranian lancers. He said they were
the right sort of fellows--as quiet and strong as the pine-trees; and
it was strange to see, when they first saw the Rhine, about which so
much had been sung and said, how, in their enthusiasm, they wanted to
ride directly into the stream.

His mother and sweetheart accompanied him for some distance on the
road, and when they turned t