ly towards the bed, dreading lest already
the tramp of the marching men had reached the sick man's ear, but he was
sleeping calmly, and breathing without effort of any kind.

The thought seized me, to speak to the officer in command of the party,
and I rushed down, and making my way through the crowd, approached the
staff, as they were standing in the middle of the Platz. But my
excited manner, my look of wild anxiety, and my little knowledge of
the language, combined to make my appeal of little moment.

"If it be true, sir," said a gruff old veteran, with a grisly beard,
"that he was an Officer of the Empire, the fire of a platoon can
scarcely hurt his nerves."

"Yes, but," said I, "there is a circumstance of his life which
makes this ten-fold more dangerous--I cannot explain it--I am not at
liberty--"

"I do not desire to learn your secrets, sir," replied the old man
rudely; "stand back, and suffer me to do my duty."

I turned to the others, but they could give me neither advice nor
assistance, and already the square was lined with soldiers, and the men
of the "death party" were ordered to stand out.

"Give me at least time enough to move my friend to a distant chamber, if
you will not do more," said I, driven to madness; but no attention was
paid to my words, and the muster roll continued to be read out.

I rushed back to the inn, and up the stairs; but what was my horror to
hear the sound of voices, and the tramp of feet, in the sick room I
had left in silence. As I entered, I saw the landlord and the servant,
assisted by the doctor, endeavouring to hold down the Baron on his bed,
who with almost superhuman strength, pushed them from him in his efforts
to rise. His features were wild to insanity, and the restless darting of
his glistening eye, showed that he was under the excitement of delirium.

"The effort may kill him," whispered the doctor in my ear; "this
struggle may be his death."

"Leave me free, sir!" shouted the sick man. "Who dares to lay hands
on me--stand aside there--the peloton will take ground to the right,"
continued he, raising his voice as if commanding on parade; "Ground
arms!"

Just at this instant, the heavy clank of the firelocks was heard
without, as though in obedience to his word. "Hark!" said he, raising
his hand--"Not a word--silence in the ranks." And in the deadly
stillness we could now hear the sentence of death, as it was read aloud
by the Adjutant A hoarse roll of the dru