ed, and
then bounded away to rejoin his sister. The drawing-room, however, was
empty, and it was by mere chance that he saw the letter, on which the
address was scarcely dry. Taking this with him, he hastened to her room.
"A letter for you, Kate," cried he, "and with a royal seal too!"

"Poor Frank!" said she, coming out to meet him. "That I should have such
tidings for you! The Feld is obdurate and unyielding. He fancies that
there is no road to honor save the old track he has trod himself."

"I knew as much, Kate. Had I stayed longer in the room, I could not have
refrained from bursting out to say, 'Hold, sister dearest; not the best
grade in all the service is worth so much solicitation. I 'll carry the
musket while I must, and the day they make me an officer I 'll smash the
sword across my knee and leave them!'"

Kate broke the seal of the packet without answering this passionate
speech, and then, with a cry of joy, exclaimed, "Here it is, Frank! The
Prince himself has given you the rank, and in the hussars too!"

"Let me see it," cried the boy,--"let me see it." And tearing the paper
from her hand, he read it again and again. "I scarce know--I can scarce
believe this real; but a Prince's word--a royal promise, Kate, is surely
sacred."

"Of that there can be no doubt, Frank."

"And I am a hussar and an officer," said he, with a burst of delight
"I'd not change with the kaiser this minute, Kate."

"My dear, dear Frank!" said she, passing her arm around his neck.

"And to owe it all to you, my sweet Kate! If anything could enhance the
pleasure of this piece of fortune, it is this fact. And such a regiment,
Kate,--the Prince Paul's. The turappe all one mass of gold, and the
chako splendid, and their horses the true Hungarian breed,--the native
horse crossed with the Arab! I feel already as if I were in the saddle,
and careering wildly about. Oh, Kate, what glorious news!"

Again and again he embraced her in his ecstasy, and she, hiding her head
upon his shoulder, tried to suppress the burst of emotions which filled
her heart, for she thought at what a price she purchased the power she
wielded.

They sat long with hands close locked beside each other,--neither
speaking,----each travelling his own road of thought; and how wide apart
they lay!

CHAPTER XII. VIENNA.

We cannot afford to linger in Vienna, nor speak of the week--the most
brilliant of all her life--Kate passed there. It was the first burst