ness. The tattoo. All must now go to rest. He
thought of the beautiful pale woman whom he loved, who had given him
one last moment of ecstatic joy in life before death claimed him.

Had she too gone to her rest?

The little weapon gave a faint report.

The screech-owl fluttered out of its cranny in the wall. With an
apprehensive beat of its wings it sailed off over the deserted village
and sent forth its piteous cry.

CHAPTER XVII

"Love of the fatherland,
Love of the freeborn man,--"
(_German National Anthem._)

Franz Vogt had calculated that his release from prison would take place
at the beginning of February. He had hoped for a clear sunshiny day, a
blue winter sky, a hard frost, and crackling snow beneath his feet.

Everything turned out according to his wish; yet when the heavy
prison-gates opened, Vogt never noticed the beauty of the winter day.
He thought of Wolf, whom they had shot down in his attempt to escape.
He himself had helped to lift the dead man, whose skull had been
shattered by the shot.

Vogt was escorted back to the garrison by a sergeant. He would have had
about two months more to serve, as the five months of his imprisonment
were not counted; but on account of his father's death he had in any
case to be given his discharge, in order that his little property might
not suffer by neglect.

He had to wait a few days till all the formalities were gone through.
Gunner Vogt did everything he was told punctually and obediently,
though hardly with that cheerful frank readiness which had of old
proved him such a good soldier. During his punishment the fresh
open-hearted lad had become a gloomy, self-contained man.

One evening Kaeppchen, the clerk, who among all the changes in the
battery seemed to be the only person who remained in his place,
announced to him: "Vogt, your papers are made out. To-morrow you can
go."

And Vogt answered him respectfully: "Very good, sir."

He was alone in Room IX. on the morning of his release, putting on his
civilian clothes. The battery had gone down to the big exercise-ground
for general foot-drill. He took his time over his dressing. What need
was there to hurry? Nobody was waiting for him outside; and nobody
would miss him here. He was quite alone in the wide world.

At the door he gave a last look r