he maidens, who listened to his
words and watched his movements with uneasiness: "My girls," said he,
"how were these panes broken? Did you not remark?"

"No, Dagobert; we were talking together when we heard a great crash, and
then the glass fell into the room."

"It seemed to me," added Rose, "as if a shutter had struck suddenly
against the window."

Dagobert examined the shutter, and observed a long movable hook, designed
to fasten it on the inside.

"It blows hard," said he; "the wind must have swung round the shutter,
and this hook broke the window. Yes, yes; that is it. What interest could
anybody have to play such a sorry trick?" Then, speaking to Spoil sport,
he asked, "Well, my good fellow, is there no one?"

The dog answered by a bark, which the soldier no doubt understood as a
negative, for he continued: "Well, then, come back! Make the round--you
will find some door open--you are never at a loss."

The animal followed this advice. After growling for a few seconds beneath
the window, he set off at a gallop to make the circuit of the buildings,
and come back by the court-yard.

"Be quite easy, my children!" said the soldier, as he again drew near the
orphans; "it was only the wind."

"We were a good deal frightened," said Rose.

"I believe you. But now I think of it, this draught is likely to give you
cold." And seeking to remedy this inconvenience, he took from a chair the
reindeer pelisse, and suspended it from the spring-catch of the
curtainless window, using the skirts to stop up as closely as possible
the two openings made by the breaking of the panes.

"Thanks, Dagobert, how good you are! We were very uneasy at not seeing
you."

"Yes, you were absent longer than usual. But what is the matter with
you?" added Rose, only just then perceiving that his countenance was
disturbed and pallid, for he was still under the painful influence of the
brawl with Morok; "how pale you are!"

"Me, my pets?--Oh, nothing."

"Yes, I assure you, your countenance is quite changed. Rose is right."

"I tell you there is nothing the matter," answered the soldier, not
without some embarrassment, for he was little used to deceive; till,
finding an excellent excuse for his emotion, he added: "If I do look at
all uncomfortable, it is your fright that has made me so, for indeed it
was my fault."

"Your fault!"

"Yes; for if I had not lost so much time at supper, I should have been
here when the window was broken, a