s thoughts took shape, and he remembered
what had passed, and struggling painfully into a sitting position,
looked round.

The wheel no longer revolved; there was no longer the constant
splash of water. Indeed the wheel existed as a wheel no longer.

As he looked round the truth lighted upon him. The burning mill had
fallen across the wheel, crushing, at the top, the sides together.
The massive timber had given no further, and the wheel formed a
sort of roof, sloping from the outer wall, built solidly up against
it, to the opposite foot. Above, the timber of this wall glared and
flickered, but the soddened timber of the wheel could have resisted
a far greater amount of heat. The leet had of course been carried
away with the fall, and the water would be flowing down the valley.
The heat was very great, but the rush of air up the deep cut of the
mill race rendered it bearable.

Having once grasped the facts--and as he doubted not the fall must
have occurred soon after he lost consciousness, and so saved him
from being bruised to death--Rupert turned to Hugh.

He was quite insensible, but his heart still beat. Rupert crawled
out of the wheel, and found pools of water in the mill race, from
which he brought double handfuls, and sprinkled Hugh's face. Then
as he himself grew stronger from fresh air and a copious dousing of
his face and head with water, he dragged Hugh out, and laying him
beside a pool dashed water on his face and chest. A deep sigh was
the first symptom of returning consciousness. He soon, to Rupert's
delight, opened his eyes.

After a time he sat up, but was too much hurt to rise. After some
consultation, Rupert left him, and went alone down to the hamlet of
Dettinheim, where, after much knocking, he roused some of the
inhabitants, who had only a short time before returned from the
burning mill. Sodden and discoloured as it was, Rupert's uniform
was still recognizable, and by the authority this conveyed, and a
promise of ample reward, four men were induced to return with him
to the mill, and carry Hugh down to the village.

This they reached just as the distant clock of Liege cathedral
struck two. A bed was given up to them, and in half an hour both
lads were sound asleep.

Chapter 9: The Duel.

Great was the excitement in the 5th Dragoons when, upon the arrival
of Rupert and Hugh--the former of whom was able to ride, but the
latter was carried by on a stretcher--they learned the attack which