. A groom
took the horse and Pappenheim went with him to the stables, where he
recommended him specially to Walther, a stalwart Tyrolean, who was
evidently glad to have him, as he was short of help.

"Treat him well. Walther, because he will be of use," said Pappenheim.
"He has ridden my own horse and no one but myself has ever done that
before."

The Tyrolean's eyes gleamed with wonder and approval.

"Then you must know horses," he said, and put him to work at once in the
stables. John toiled with a will. All things still moved as he could
wish them to go. The blessings upon his errand that he had received were
not without effect. It was true that he was but a stable boy, but he was
within the precincts of the castle of Auersperg, and Julie was but a few
hundred yards away. He recalled an old line or two, from Walter Scott,
he thought;

And he bowed his pride
To ride a horse-boy in his train.

As he remembered it, the service had a motive somewhat similar to his
own, and he was glad to "bow his pride," because he believed that he
would have ample chance to raise it up again. As he went about his work
singing and whistling softly to himself, he cast many a glance up at the
huge castle.

Truly Zillenstein had been a great fortress. In the old days it must
have been impregnable. Much of it was still standing in its ancient
strength. John saw that the walls were many feet thick, and that in the
older parts the windows were mere slits through which a human body could
not pass.

A much more modern addition to the right wing had been built, and John
surmised that Prince Karl and his suite lived there. Auersperg might
have medieval notions of caste, but he was certain to have modern ideas
of luxury.

He worked hard through all the rest of the day. What a lucky thing it
was that he had always liked horses, and had spent that year on the
western ranch of his uncle! Horses were the same everywhere, and as far
as he could see they responded as readily to kind treatment in Europe as
in America. The same friendly disposition that won him the favor of
people was now winning him the favor of animals, and Walther, who had
spent fifty years in the stables, complimented him on his soothing
touch. John saw that he had made a new friend, and he meant to use him
as a source of information.

He soon learned that Prince Karl would not stay long at Zillenstein. He
had come there, partly, to meet several great officers of