upon the staff of Prince Henry. The prince was out Erfurt
way, and had already had some sharp fighting with the French and
the Confederate army. Fergus had learned this on the day after his
arrival at the chateau, and also that to the east there was no sign
of any movement on the part of Daun or of the king. He therefore
suffered himself to be persuaded to stay on for the week.

"Nobody is expecting you, Drummond," the count said. "No doubt they
will be glad to see you, but they will be just as glad ten days
later as ten days earlier. You are believed to be safe in some
Austrian prison, and you may be sure that no one will make any
inquiries whether you spent a week, or a month, in recovering from
your fatigues before taking up your duties again. At any rate, you
must stay for at least a week."

The visit was, indeed, extended two days beyond that time; for the
count and countess so pressed him that he was glad to give way,
especially as his own inclinations strongly seconded their
entreaties. On the ninth morning he was astonished when his bedroom
door opened and Karl came in, and gave his morning's salute as
impassively as if he had seen him the evening before.

[Illustration: "Why, Karl!" Fergus exclaimed, "where do you
spring from--when did you arrive?"]

"Why, Karl!" he exclaimed, "where do you spring from--how did you
know that I was here--when did you arrive?"

"I arrived last night, major, but as it was late we went straight
to the stable."

"Who is we, Karl?"

"The count's messenger, sir. He reached me at Erfurt, where I was
with Captain Lindsay, four days ago; and I started with him half an
hour later. He had set out from here with a led horse, and had
ridden through with but one night in bed; and we had changes of
horses, coming back. And Tartar is in good condition, major. I led
him all the way down."

"That is most kind and thoughtful of the count," Fergus exclaimed,
as he began to dress.

"Well, I am heartily glad to see you again, Karl. I was by no means
sure that you had got off safely at Hochkirch. I looked round for
you, directly I had been captured; but could see nothing of you,
and knew not whether you had ridden off, or had been killed by that
volley that finished poor Turk, and brought about my capture."

"It was a bad business, major, and I have never forgiven myself
that I was not by your side; but the thing was so sudden that I was
taken altogether by surprise. My horse was gr