ll nigh by
a miracle, when my comrades have fallen around me like grass. I cannot
hope that such fortune would always attend me. The cause for which I
have fought seems lost, and since the Protestant princes of Germany are
hastening to desert it, neither honour nor common sense demand that I,
a soldier of fortune and a foreigner, should struggle any longer for it;
therefore I am ready at once to resign my commission and to return to
Scotland."

"So be it," the countess said; "but regarding Thekla's dowry I shall
insist on having my way. I should wish to see her in a position similar
to that in which she was born, and with this sum you can largely
increase your estates and take rank among the nobles of your country.
Now I will call Thekla in and leave you to ask her to agree to the
arrangements we have made.

"My child," she went on, as Thekla in obedience to her summons entered
the apartment, "Malcolm Graheme has asked your hand of me. He tells
me that he loves you truly, and is willing to take you as a penniless
bride, and to carry you and me away with him far from these terrible
wars to his native Scotland--what say you, my love?"

Thekla affected neither shyness or confusion, her colour hardly
heightened as in her sombre mourning she advanced to Malcolm, and laying
her hand in his, said:

"He cannot doubt my answer, mother; he must know that I love him with my
whole heart."

"Then, my daughter," the countess said, "I will leave you to yourselves;
there is much to arrange, for time presses, and your betrothal must be
quickly followed by marriage."

It was but a few days later that Malcolm led Thekla to the altar in St.
Sebald's Church, Nuremberg. The marriage was a quiet one, seeing that
the bride had been so lately orphaned, and only Jans Boerhoff and
his family, and two or three Scottish comrades of Malcolm's, who were
recovering from their wounds at Nuremberg, were present at the quiet
ceremony. The following day the little party started for the north.
Malcolm had already received a letter from Oxenstiern accepting
his resignation, thanking him heartily for the good services he had
rendered, and congratulating him on his approaching wedding.

Without adventure they reached Hamburg, and there, arranging with the
banker for the transmission of the sum in his hands to Edinburgh, they
took ship and crossed to Scotland.

Three months later Malcolm was delighted by the appearance of his uncle
Nigel. The latter