nd giving orders and arranging
everything, and all the time you yourself needed aid."

"The wound was a mere trifle," he said, "and I scarce gave it a
thought, myself, until I began to feel faint from loss of blood. I
can assure you that the thought that you were ungrateful has never
once entered my head."

"And now, will you please come up to see my mother, sir. She will
be most anxiously expecting you."

They went upstairs together and, turning to the right on the top of
the stairs, entered a pretty apartment that was evidently the
countess's boudoir.

"This is our preserver, mother," the girl said, as she entered.

The countess, who was advancing towards the door, stopped in
surprise. She had been able, from her daughter, to gain no idea of
the age of their rescuer; but the maids had all asserted that he
was quite young. As he was, for so the surgeons had told her, one
of Marshal Keith's aides-de-camp, she had pictured to herself a
fierce soldier; and the sight of this youth, with his smooth
pleasant face, surprised her, indeed.

"Yes, mother, it is himself," the girl said. "I was as surprised as
you are."

"I have no words to thank you, sir, for the most inestimable
service which you have rendered us," the countess said warmly, as
she held out her hand. "Assuredly my husband would have died, had
aid been delayed but a few minutes. As to my daughter and myself,
they would probably have killed us, to prevent our ever recognizing
or giving evidence against them. They only spared our lives, for a
time, in order to learn where our jewels were kept. This was but a
comparative trifle, though the jewels are precious, and there are
none more valuable in Saxony. I have no doubt that after stripping
the house of its valuables they would have buried them, intending
some day to recover them; and would then have fired the house, in
order to conceal all evidence of the crime that had been committed.
It seemed to me wonderful, before, that one man should, single
handed, have attacked and slain them; but now that I see you, it
seems almost a miracle that you performed in our favour."

"It was no great feat, madam. I have the good fortune to be a fair
swordsman; and soldiers, although they may know their military
drill, have little chance with one who can use his weapon well.
Then, too, I had fortunately but three to deal with at a time; and
even then, I should not have come off victorious had it not been
for the courage