eeted the officer
who was to take charge of Trenck. The soldiers placed themselves on
both sides of the coach, and the door was opened. Trenck cast a
last despairing, imploring glance to heaven, then, with a firm step,
approached the open coach. In the act of entering, he turned once more
to the officer Von Halber, whose friendly eyes were darkened with tears.

"You will not forget, sir!"

These simply, sadly-spoken words, breaking the solemn, imposing silence,
made an impression upon the hearts of even the stern soldiers around
them.

"I will not forget," said Von Halber, solemnly.

Trenck bowed and entered the coach. The officer followed him and closed
the door. Slowly, like a funeral procession, the coach moved on. Von
Halber gazed after him sadly.

"He is right, he is more to be pitied than the dying. I will hasten to
fulfil his last testament."

Eight days later, the Princess Amelia received through the hands of
Pollnitz a letter from Duke Ferdinand. As she read it, she uttered a
cry of anguish, and sank insensible upon the floor. The duke's letter
contained these words:

"All my efforts were in vain; he would not fly, would not believe in his
danger. In the casemates of Magdeburg sits a poor prisoner, whose last
words directed to me were these: 'Say to her whom you know that I am a
prisoner, and hope only in her.'"

CHAPTER III. PRINCE HENRY AND HIS WIFE.

Prince Henry walked restlessly backward and forward in his study; his
brow was stern, and a strange fire flamed in his eye. He felt greatly
agitated and oppressed, and scarcely knew the cause himself. Nothing
had happened to disturb his equanimity and give occasion for his wayward
mood. The outside world wore its accustomed gay and festal aspect.
To-day, as indeed almost every day since the prince resided at
Rheinsberg, preparations were being made for a gay entertainment. A
country fete was to be given in the woods near the palace, and all the
guests were to appear as shepherds and shepherdesses.

Prince Henry had withdrawn to his own room to assume the tasteful
costume which had been prepared for him; but he seemed to have entirely
forgotten his purpose. The tailor and the friseur awaited him in vain
in his dressing-room; he forgot their existence. He paced his room with
rapid steps, and his tightly-compressed lips opened from time to time to
utter a few broken, disconnected words.

Of what was the prince thinking? He did not know, or he