mpanion
and promising officer, and of the good wishes with which all the
officers would follow him to his new and important sphere of activity.
All this came from the heart. Who could know whether, as retired
lieutenant-colonel or colonel, a man holding such a post in a
gun-foundry might not be a very useful acquaintance?

When Guentz took his departure from the little station he had got
over all his regrets. He only left behind one man for whom he
cared--Reimers.

He looked out of the window of the railway-carriage and saw his friend
standing on the narrow platform, gazing after the departing train. That
thin face, with its sad eyes, became by degrees undistinguishable, and
at last he could hardly recognise the slender, slightly bent figure.

He waved his handkerchief for the last time; but his friend probably
did not see, for he stood motionless.

Then the train ran round a corner of rock; the carriage swayed
slightly, and the little station was out of sight. Guentz sat back
sighing in his corner. He had been able to give his friend no
consolation, and only one piece of good advice--to work.

Little Dr. von Froeben accompanied Senior-lieutenant Reimers to the
examinations at the Staff College.

"One can only be plucked," he said in excuse when he was teased about
his presumption. Of course if he compared his knowledge with that of
his companion, Reimers, his candidature seemed to himself an
unwarrantable piece of bravado. And Reimers went on studying with an
indefatigable, almost feverish energy.

"My dear Reimers," said the little doctor, "there will be nothing more
for you to learn at the Staff College, if you work like this. You had
better slack off, dear boy!"

Reimers smiled a little half-heartedly. The good progress he was making
gave him no joy. He no longer prosecuted his studies with the inspired
devotion that had formerly possessed him; and only the strong feeling
of duty, which had become habitual with him, spurred him on to further
efforts. He often said to himself: "After all, what is the good of it?"

There was no sign of any obstacle in his path; despite all that had
happened he was in a very fair way to achieve a distinguished military
career. But he could not rid himself of an oppressive feeling that all
his labour was in vain.

And then again after a moment of hopeless depression he would be
possessed anew by the old fair vision, his enthusiasm for the wonderful
German army, to belong