ssuredly have the hospitals
at Torgau cleared, as soon as he can; lest, when he has retired,
the Austrians might make another dash at the town."

The next morning Karl set out again, bearing a letter from the
count; and one from Thirza which was of a much less formal
character than that which he had dictated to her, and which, as he
told her afterwards, greatly assisted his cure. A month after the
battle he was pronounced fit to travel, and with a large train of
wagons filled with convalescents, and under a strong escort, he was
taken to Leipzig; where the king had just established his
headquarters, and to which all the wounded were to be sent, as soon
as they could safely be moved. Here he was established in
comfortable quarters, and Karl again carried a letter to Thirza.

Ten days later Count Eulenfurst entered his room.

"You here, count!" he exclaimed. "How kind of you! What a journey
to make through the snow!"

"I have been dragged hither," the count said, with a smile.

"Dragged hither, count?"

"Yes. Thirza insisted on coming to see you. Her mother declared
that she should accompany her, and of course there was nothing for
me to do but to set out, also."

"Are they here, then, count?" Fergus exclaimed incredulously.

"Certainly they are, and established at the Black Eagle Hotel. I
could not bring them here, to a house full of officers. You are
well enough to walk to the hotel?"

"Yes, indeed. I walked a mile yesterday."

As Karl was helping Fergus into his uniform, he asked:

"How long were you in coming here, count?"

"We did it in a day. I sent on relays of horses, two days before;
and as the carriage is of course on runners, and the snow in good
order, we made quick work of it. Your man went on with the horses,
and rode with us from the last place where we changed. I did most
of the journey sitting by the coachman; which gave them more room
inside, and was more pleasant for me, also."

In a few minutes they reached the hotel, and the count led Fergus
to a door.

"You will find Thirza alone there. We thought that you had best see
her so, at first."

Half an hour later, the count and countess entered the room.

"He looks very pale and thin, mother," Thirza said, after the
countess had affectionately embraced Fergus.

"You would hardly have expected to find him fat and rosy," the
count laughed. "A man does not lose his arm, and go about as if the
matter was not worth thinking of, a few week