now, dear Colonel, may God reward you for the kind treatment we have received from you. We feel that a hard chase after us is about to commence. God protect us. Farewell.
"SCHLICKEISEN,
"WIENERSDORF.
"P. S. If we should perish in our efforts to regain our liberty our fate will not remain long concealed from you. We entreat you by everything you value, by the memory of your lamented mother, to inform our parents of our end. You will find full particulars of their addresses in our military pass-books. Once more, farewell."
"Poor devils," repeated the Colonel, wiping away a tear as if he felt humiliated by his emotion. "What a miserable fate these men have gone to encounter." He then laid the letter on the table, giving vent to a deep sigh and became wrapt in meditation. He was interrupted by the entrance of the garrison doctor, who rushed into the room with an angry and excited countenance.
The doctor was a tall, slender man, with bristly red hair and a pair of yellow mustaches, the points of which were kept well waxed so that they stood out as if trying to reach behind his ears, He also had received a letter which he held in his hand.
"Himmelskreuz! The rogue has bolted."
He was evidently a Prussian or South German.
"What? Who?" asked the Colonel.
"Der Wallon, das Vieh, and he has taken my instruments and revolvers with him."
La Cueille had likewise left a letter behind to explain the theft of the doctor's instruments and arms, which as he was a
