member
him!"

"Your majesty will soon see if he is falsely accused. These reliable and
irreproachable men came especially to warn your majesty, through me. You
will discover if they have calumniated Trenck, by giving this testimony.
If he does not go to Dantzic, does not enter Prussia, they have sworn
falsely, and Trenck is innocent."

"He will not dare to cross the borders of my state, for he knows he will
be court-martialled as a deserter. But I am convinced that he is a bold
adventurer, he has boasted that he will defy me, that is certainly what
no one has done before him, and what no one will do after him, but it
will rest there, you may believe me."

Baron Weingarten bowed silently. The king continued, with an engaging
smile.

"However, monsieur, I owe you many thanks, and it would please me to
have an opportunity of rewarding you."

Until this moment, Weingarten had been standing with bowed head, he now
stood erect, and his eye dared to meet that of the king.

"Sire," he said, with the noble expression of offended innocence, "I
demand and wish no other reward than that you may profit by my warning.
If the fearful danger that threatens your majesty is averted through me,
that will be my all-sufficient recompense. I must decline any other."

The king smiled approvingly. "You speak emphatically, and it appears
that you really believe in this danger. Well, I thank you only as that
is your desire. I will respect your warning and guard myself from the
danger that you believe threatens me, but to do that, and at the same
time to convince ourselves of Trenck's evil intentions, we must observe
the most perfect silence in this whole affair, and you must promise me
to speak of it to no one."

"Sire, secrecy appeared to me so necessary, that I did not even
communicate it to Baron Puebla, but came to your majesty on my own
responsibility."

"You did well, for now Trenck will fall unwarned into the trap we set
for him. Be silent, therefore, upon the subject. If you should ever
have a favor to ask, come to me with this tabatiere in your hand. I will
remember this hour, and if it is in my power will grant you what you
wish."

He handed Weingarten his gold, diamond-studded tabatiere, and received
his thanks with approving smiles. After he had dismissed the secretary
of legation, and was alone, the smile faded from his face, and his
countenance was sad and disturbed.

"It has come to this," he said, as he paced his r