ith the volunteers? I heard your name mentioned
as one of the leaders."

I was about to reply, "That was my son;" but Bertha quickly anticipated
me, and said, "That was not my father."

CHAPTER III.

After that the young officer bestowed but little attention upon me; his
glances were now all for Bertha, to whom he addressed most of his
remarks.

Who can foretell what germs may awaken into life in the midst of the
storm? My young pupil, who had but the day before been appointed first
lieutenant, gravely delivered himself of the opinion that there was no
real military glory in conquering volunteers. When speaking of me to
Bertha, he was profuse in his assurances of gratitude and esteem.

Bertha, generally so talkative, was now silent. The young officer
procured a safe-conduct for us, and we continued on our journey.

I have never yet seen the ocean, but the country, as it then appeared
to me, awakened impressions similar to those which must be aroused when
the tide has ebbed and the objects which before that dwelt in the
depths of the sea are left lying upon the strand.

At last we reached my nephew's. He conducted me to his official
residence, where I followed him through numerous apartments, until I at
last reached his room, where we were closeted under lock and key.

He then told me that, while walking through the town the day but one
before, he had met a young peasant with a rake on his shoulder, who,
while passing, had hurriedly said to him, "Follow me, cousin; I have
something to tell you."

The director followed, but not without first making sure of his
revolver.

When they had got into the thicket, the peasant suddenly turned about
and said to him, while he removed his hat, "Don't you know me? I am
Ludwig Waldfried." The director's heart was filled with terror. Ludwig
continued, "You, and you alone, can save me. Put me in prison until I
have a chance to run away. Our cause is lost; but for my parents' sake
as well as my own, I must escape."

The cousin was not unwilling to assist Ludwig, but was at a loss how to
go about it. Ludwig, however, had studied strategy. He had carefully
considered every step in advance, and now caused the director to enter
him on the list of prisoners under the name of Rothfuss.

A state of siege, dissolving as it does all forms of civil procedure,
made it possible to carry out so irregular a proceeding; aside from
which there was the