y rapidly, at the same time beckoning to Kamienszka to go on.

"General, at present the conflagration may be stamped out by a single
effort. A bold hand, which does not shrink from a bad burn, may cover up
the mouth of the volcano if instant action be taken. But not a day, not
an hour, not a moment, should be lost. The thing must be done at once.
In a day, an hour, a moment, things might happen which could never be
made good again."

A rattle of chains was audible at the door, two sentries were bringing
in the prisoner, behind them came the provost-martial.

The General, who never ceased writing, thus addressed him:

"Young man! have those chains taken off your hands, ask my adjutant for
a sword, and gird it on!"

Young Hetfalusy opened his eyes wide with astonishment. He allowed them
to take the chains off his hands, and gird a sword to his side, and did
not at once observe that a couple of yards away from him stood a strange
youth, who found it very hard not to burst into tears, and fall upon his
neck at the sight of him, so miserable did he look.

The General had at last finished his correspondence, and gave his whole
attention to young Hetfalusy.

"Now listen patiently to all that I am going to say. Take these letters,
choose the best horse from my stables, and hasten to the leaders of the
military cordons one after the other. Each one of them will place at the
disposal of the captain accompanying you one half of his effective
strength. As soon as you have gathered together half a battalion, hasten
with them to Hetfalu, as to the rest that will be provided for by
written instructions. Your own heart will tell you what you ought to do.
You are going to rescue and defend your family. There the hand of God
will be over you. If it please Him to carry your sentence into execution
His will be done, if you return alive the past shall be forgotten."

The youth did not know what to answer, his voice died away in his
throat. All he could do was to sink down in silence by the General's
side, press his hand to his lips, and shed tears.

"Get up, get up, and be off! You have not to thank me for this. You must
thank God and this worthy gentleman who has dared so much for your
sake."

Only then did the youth cast a glance upon Kamienszka, and it seemed to
him as if he dimly saw, conjured up before him, through the misty veil
of his tears, the vision of a form from other days.

The Polish lady hastened up to him, presse