rtments. The colonel received him with the greatest cordiality and
welcomed Thekla with a kindness which soon put her at her ease, for
now that the danger was past she was beginning to feel keenly the
strangeness of her position.

She remembered Colonel Munro perfectly, as he and the other officers of
the regiment had been frequently at her father's during the stay of the
regiment at Maintz. The colonel placed her at once in charge of the
wife of one of the principal citizens, who upon hearing that she was the
daughter of the Count of Mansfeld, well known for his attachment to the
Protestant cause, willingly received her, and offered to retain her
as her guest until an opportunity should occur for sending her on to
Nuremberg, should Malcolm not be able at once to continue his journey to
that city.

"That," Colonel Munro said as soon as Malcolm informed him of the
extremely important information he had gained, "is out of the question.
Your news is of supreme importance, it alters the whole course of
events, and offers hopes of an early termination of the struggle. There
is no doubt that Wallenstein is in earnest now, for he has committed
himself beyond reparation. The only question is whether he can carry the
army with him. However, it is clear that you must ride with all haste
to Oxenstiern with your tidings; not a moment must be lost. He is in the
Palatinate, and it will take you four days of hard riding at the least
to reach him.

"In the meantime, your little maid, who by the way is already nearly a
woman, had best remain here--I will see that she is comfortable and well
cared for, and after all she is as well here as at Nuremberg, as there
is no fear now of an advance of the Imperialists. In case of anything
extraordinary occurring which might render this town an unsafe abiding
place, I will forward her in safety to Nuremberg, even I if I have to
detach a score of my men as her escort."

Before mounting again Malcolm paid a hurried visit to Thekla, who
expressed her contentment with her new abode, and her readiness to stay
there until he should return to take her to Nuremberg, even should it be
weeks before he could do so.

"I quite feel among friends now," she said, "and Colonel Munro and your
Scotch officers will, I am sure, take good care of me till you return."

Glad to feel that his charge was left in good hands Malcolm mounted
his horse with a light heart and galloped away. Four days later he was
closet