and sentinels stationed everywhere. A man could not have
escaped, but a mouse can find a hole to retire to almost anywhere. Master
Mousy here slipped off through an underground passage. Fortunately I had
stationed a couple of spies in front of the park, and one of them came to
inform me that they had seen two suspicious personages issue from the
park, while the other dogged their footsteps. I flew to horse, and,
thinking that the young count would make for Spandow, raced with my men to
the Spandow Gate. Exactly, they had just fled on before. We gave them
chase. Huzza! that was a hunt! Already I thought I had the fugitives
within my reach, and stretched out my hand to grasp them, when they
galloped into the fortress, the gate was shut, and I stood baffled on the
outside, and had my mortification increased by hearing Colonel Rochow's
mocks and jeers from the wall above. And now when I can take my revenge,
when I at last have my prisoner trapped and caught, now, your highness
commands me to let him go. No, your highness, it is impossible; for trust
me, as soon as I let him go he will find his way to some mousehole. I
arrest you in the name of the Elector and the law, Count John Adolphus von
Schwarzenberg!"

"Burgsdorf!" cried the Elector in a commanding tone, "once more, I command
you to let him go, and come here. Obey without delay!"

The colonel muttered between his teeth a few wild words of wrath, but
released the count, and with bowed head and chagrined air slunk toward the
Elector.

"You treat me like a well-trained pointer, your highness!" he growled.
"You whistle for me, and I drop the prey which you would not have me keep."

"You do yourself too much honor, old Burgsdorf," said the Elector,
smiling. "A well-trained pointer does not follow a false scent, and that
was what you were doing just now. Did you expect to find a fugitive in
your master's cabinet? You thought that this was Count John Adolphus
Schwarzenberg, whom I was compelled to arraign as a criminal, and who, in
his consciousness of guilt, took refuge from trial in flight. Look closely
at what is in the window niche and acknowledge that you were mistaken, and
that it is not Count Adolphus Schwarzenberg."

Colonel Burgsdorf, perfectly bewildered, gazed with wide-open eyes first
on the Elector and then on the count, who returned his stare with a
scornful smile.

"Most gracious sir," he then cried, "my head is not clear enough to
discern your meaning,