a beard. Hallo!
Why, I declare you look uncommonly like that Swede who shot'--

Hillner's face darkened suddenly, as he interrupted Conrad with the
abrupt question, 'Is the mistress in the house?'

'Here she comes,' said Conrad, pointing to the living-room door,
through which the young widow was just entering the workshop. What
wonders a uniform can work! Mistress Bluethgen coloured with pleasure
when she saw her foreman in his new dress, asked how he was in very
friendly tones, and sent the apprentice to fetch some refreshments for
him.

On his way to the cellar Conrad said to himself: 'So at last he has let
his beard grow, and he always used to shave it all off and hide every
scrap of the hair. Bah! I knew long enough ago that it was as red as
the beard of that ugly Swede who tried to shoot me. It's an uncommonly
odd thing; coal-black hair and a red beard!'

When the lad reached the living-room again, he found the entire
household, including the miller and his wife, with little Dollie and
her father, gathered round the gaily dressed young guardsman.

'How do matters look as to the Swedes?' asked the miller.

'The marshal has sent a messenger to ask our commandant a question or
two, and has had his answer.'

'And what were the questions and answers?'

The roar of cannon followed close on the words, and the women and
children huddled together in alarm.

'You may give a pretty good guess by that what they were,' replied
Hillner. 'That's Marshal Torstenson's way of telling us how he likes
his answer.'

The thunder of the guns was heard again. While all were gazing in the
direction whence the reports seemed to come, they saw a flash issue
from the side of St. Peter's Tower, followed in a few seconds by a loud
report.

'There you have question and answer again,' said Hillner. This
exchange of shots had not gone on for very long, however, before the
fire of the Swedes destroyed the topmost parapet of the tower. The gun
planted there was silenced, and had to be moved down to a lower
chamber. By way of covering this movement, the garrison opened a heavy
fire with cannon and double arquebuses on the Swedes, who had ventured
rather nearer to the town than was quite prudent.

'Now I must be off,' said John suddenly. 'The game has begun, and I
must go and take my share in it. May God keep you all! Good-bye!'

As he hastened away the assembled household watched his retreating
figure with very various