nt for him to his _bureau_.

"Holbein," said he, "I have seldom been deceived in my opinion of
men--you can be secret, I think."

Frank placed his hand upon his breast, and bowed in silence.

"Take the dress you will find on that chair: a carriage is now ready,
waiting in the court-yard--get into it, and set out for Bale. On your
arrival there, which will be--mark me well--about eight o'clock on the
morning of Thursday, you'll leave the carriage, and send it into the
town, while you must station yourself on the bridge over the Rhine, and
take an exact note of everything that occurs, and every one that passes,
till the cathedral clock strikes three. Then, the caleche will be in
readiness for your return; and lose not a moment in repairing to Paris."

It was an hour beyond midnight, in the early part of the following week,
that a caleche, travel-stained and dirty, drove into the court of the
minister's hotel, and five minutes after, Frank, wearied and exhausted,
was ushered into M. de Louvois' presence.

"Well, Monsieur," said he impatiently, "what have you seen?"

"This, may it please your Excellency," said Frank, trembling, "is a note
of it; but I am ashamed that so trivial an account----"

"Let us see--let us see," said the minister.

"In good truth, I dare scarcely venture to read such a puerile detail.

"Read it at once, Monsieur," was the stern command.

Frank's face became deep-red with shame, as he began thus:--

"Nine o'clock.--I see an ass coming along, with a child leading him.
The ass is blind of one eye.--A fat German sits on the balcony, and is
spitting into the Rhine----"

"Ten.--A livery servant from Bale rides by, with a basket. An old
peasant in a yellow doublet----"

"Ah, what of him?

"Nothing remarkable, save that he leans over the rails, and strikes
three blows with his stick upon them.

"Enough, enough," said M. de Louvois, gaily. "I must awake the king at
once."

The minister disappeared, leaving Frank in a state of bewilderment. In
less than a quarter of an hour he entered the chamber, his face covered
with smiles.

"Monsieur," said he, "you have rendered his majesty good service. Here is
your brevet of colonel.--The king has this instant signed it."

In eight days after, was the news known in Paris, that Strasburg, then
invested by the French army, had capitulated, and been reunited to the
kingdom. The three strokes of the cane being the signal, which announced
the success o