see
where he was, and how he had been saved. His horse lay next to him,
and almost covering him. The poor animal had fallen on to its back;
or had rolled over, afterwards and, in the latter case, it was
fortunate indeed, for Ralph, that it had not taken another half
turn. Had it done so, it would have crushed him to death. As it
was, it had reached to within an inch or two of him; partly
concealing him from sight, protecting him from the cold, and also
greatly diminishing his chance of being trampled upon by cavalry
passing over.

A short distance off, Ralph could see parties with lanterns; and
one of them seemed approaching. Far in his rear, he could hear an
occasional shot; and it rushed across his mind, at once, that the
French had been defeated, and were falling back upon Orleans. These
lights, therefore, must be in the hands of Germans.

The thought that a German prison awaited him roused Ralph from his
inactivity. It flashed across his mind that, as he had escaped
before, they would take care and give him but little chance of
escaping again and--although stiff, and bruised from head to foot;
half frozen, and faint from loss of blood--the hope of liberty
roused him to new exertion. With some effort, he got at the holster
of his pistol; in which was a flask of strong brandy and water
which, though icy cold, had yet a sensibly warming influence. The
lights were still at some distance off; and Ralph, after
considerable trouble, and after cutting the straps which fastened
it to the saddle, succeeded in getting at his fur overcoat. This he
put on, picked up the cap of one of the German troopers who had
fallen near, and then walked slowly away, over the deserted battle
ground.

Ten minutes later, he heard a horse's hoofs upon the hard ground.
He cocked the pistol--which had remained fastened to his belt, when
he fell--pulled forward the German soldier's cap, and walked
quietly on.

"Who goes there?" shouted a voice, and two German officers rode up.

It was far too dark, now, to distinguish faces.

"Karl Zimmerman, of the Seventh Dragoons," Ralph said, in German,
saluting.

"What are you doing here?"

"I am servant to Lieutenant Falchen, who fell today; and I had been
to look for his body. It was somewhere about here, when we charged
the gray Zouaves."

"But your regiment is miles off," one of the officers said. "I saw
them an hour ago."

"I don't know where they are, sir," Ralph said, "for I had my head