anxiously to Malcolm, "what is your news?"

"Tilly is besieging Magdeburg, sire, with his whole strength."

"Magdeburg!" Gustavus exclaimed incredulously. "Are you sure of your
news? I deemed him advancing upon Frankfort."

"Quite sure, sire, for I accompanied his column to within two marches of
the city, and there was no secret of his intentions. He started for that
town on the very day after he had captured New Brandenburg."

"This is important, indeed," Gustavus said; "follow me," and he turned
and entered the tent. Spread out on the table was a large map, which the
king at once consulted.

"You see, Colonel Munro, that to relieve Magdeburg I must march
through Kustrin, Berlin, and Spandau, and the first and last are strong
fortresses. I can do nothing until the Elector of Brandenburg declares
for us, and gives us leave to pass those places, for I dare not march
round and leave them in my rear until sure that this weak prince will
not take sides with the Imperialists. I will despatch a messenger
tonight to him at Berlin demanding leave to march through his territory
to relieve Magdeburg. In the meantime we will finish off with this
place, and so be in readiness to march west when his answer arrives.
And now, sir," he went on, turning to Malcolm, "please to give me the
account of how you escaped first from New Brandenburg, and then from
Tilly."

Malcolm related briefly the manner of his escape from the massacre at
New Brandenburg, and how, after accompanying Tilly's army as a teamster
for two days, he had made his escape. He then still more briefly related
how he had been taken prisoner by a band of freebooters, but had managed
to get away from them, and had drawn them into an ambush by peasants,
where they had been slain, by which means he had obtained a horse and
ridden straight to the army.

Gustavus asked many questions, and elicited many more details than
Malcolm had deemed it necessary to give in his first recital.

"You have shown great prudence and forethought," the king said when he
had finished, "such as would not be looked for in so young a soldier."

"And he behaved, sire, with distinguished gallantry and coolness at
Schiefelbrune, and in the destructive fight outside Colberg," Colonel
Munro put in. "By the slaughter on the latter day he would naturally
have obtained his promotion, but he begged to be passed over, asserting
that it was best that at his age he should remain for a time an ensign."