to
express in words.

Now, the lord of the castle was at that very moment telling to his
beautiful daughter the story of his own long-past wooing; he paused in
his tale and bade his daughter listen to the melting strains. When
the notes had died away an attendant was dispatched to learn who the
musician might be, but ere he reached the garden Werner had re-embarked
and was lost to sight on the river. However, on the following day the
nobleman pursued his inquiries in the village and the musician was
discovered in an inn.

In obedience to a summons the trumpeter hastened to the castle, where
the old lord greeted him very kindly, giving him a place with his
musicians, and appointing him music-master to the fair Margaretha.
Henceforward his path lay in pleasant places, for the young people were
thrown a great deal into each other's society, and in time it became
evident that the lady returned the young soldier's tender passion. Yet
Werner did not dare to declare his love, for Margaretha was a maiden
of high degree, and he but a poor musician who not so very long ago had
been a homeless wanderer.

One day Werner heard strange, discordant sounds issuing from the
music-room, and thinking that some mischievous page was taking liberties
with his trumpet, he quietly made his way to the spot, to find that the
inharmonious sounds resulted from the vain attempt of his fair pupil to
play the instrument. When the girl observed that her endeavours had been
overheard, she joined her merriment with that of her teacher, and Werner
then and there taught her a bugle-call.

A few weeks later the nobleman, hearing of a rising of the peasants,
hastened to Saeckingen to restore order, leaving his daughter and Werner
to guard the castle. That night an attempt was made upon the stronghold.
Werner courageously kept the foe at bay, but was wounded in the melee,
and Margaretha, seeing her lover fall and being unable to reach him,
took the trumpet and sounded the bugle-call he had taught her, hoping
that her father would hear it and hasten his return. And, sure enough,
that was what happened; the nobleman returned with all speed to the
assistance of the little garrison, and the remnant of the assailants
were routed. Werner, who was happily not wounded seriously, now received
every attention.

Her lover's peril had taught Margaretha beyond a doubt where her
affections lay, and she showed such unfeigned delight at his recovery
that he forgot th