soul to his body."

"You have not done well, Satan Laczi," reproved the count. "Another time
you must bring the prisoner to me alive, for I may learn something of
importance from him. Did not I tell you that I would pay a reward for a
living captive?"

"Yes, your lordship, and we shall lose our reward this time. But we
did n't capture the fellow for nothing, after all. We searched his
pockets, and found this sealed letter addressed to a general in the
enemy's army."

Vavel took the letter, and said: "Rest here until I return. You will
find something to eat and drink in the corner there. I may want you to
ride farther to-night."

"If I am to go on a horse, that will rest me sufficiently," was the
response.

Vavel quitted the tent to read the letter by the nearest watch-fire. It
was addressed to "General Guillaume."

That the general commanded a brigade of the viceroy of Italy's troops,
Vavel knew.

The letter was a long one--four closely written pages. Before reading it
Vavel glanced at the signature: "Marquis de Fervlans." The name seemed
familiar, but he could not remember where he had heard it. He was fully
informed when he read the contents:

"M. GENERAL: The intrigue has been successfully carried out.
Themire has found the fugitives! They are hidden in a secluded nook
on the shore of Lake Neusiedl in Hungary, where their extreme
caution has attracted much attention. Themire's first move was to
take up her abode in the same neighborhood, which she did in a
masterly manner. The estate she bought belonged to a Viennese baron
who had ruined himself by extravagance. Themire bought the
property, paying one hundred thousand guilders for it, on condition
that she might also assume the baron's name; such transfers are
possible, I believe, in Austria. In this wise Themire became the
Baroness Katharina Landsknechtsschild, and, as she thoroughly
understands the art of transformation, became a perfect German
woman before she took possession of her purchase. In order not to
arouse suspicion on the part of the fugitives, she carefully
avoided meeting either of them, and played to perfection the role
of a lady that had been jilted by her lover.

"Themire learned that our fugitive owned a powerful telescope with
which he kept himself informed of everything that happened in the
neighborhood, and this prompted her to adopt a very