“Presently.  Ho, there, my little man!  What does the militiaman do when he sees the enemy?”

The whip snapped, and the bagpipe set up a discordant shriek, upon which the actor sprang with one bound from the stage, and vanished behind the curtain, wooden sword and gun clattering after him, while the audience showered applause on the successful instructor.

“Herr Colonel,” observed the baroness, when quiet had been restored, “I am very much afraid that your instructions will cause me some trouble in the future.”

“Why, how so?” in surprise questioned the colonel.

“You have taught a wild creature to kindle a fire, and thus aroused in him a dangerous passion.  His desire to amuse himself with the dangerous element will develop into a mania, and he will end by setting fire to houses and other buildings.”

“I will tell you what to do, baroness.  In order that the little monster may not play his tricks about here, give him to me; I will take him with me.”

“No; I had rather keep him here.  I shall take good care, however, that he does not get hold of tinder and flint, and have him constantly watched.  You have quite ruined my system of education. I taught him to kneel and fold his hands to the music of the organ; you taught him to dance and grimace to the drone of the bagpipe.  You have even accustomed him to drink wine, which is unchristian.”

The company laughed at this harmless anger.

Then came the fireworks.

When the Roman candles and the fire-wheels illumined the darkness, it became impossible to control the little monster.  He rushed into the thickest of the rain of fire, and tried to catch the red and blue stars in his hands.  The sparks burned holes in his clothes, and he would not have escaped a severe burning himself had not some one thrown a pail of water over him.  It was impossible to restrain him.  He struck out with hands and feet, and bit at any one who attempted to prevent him from running into the fire.  Suddenly a rocket shot in an oblique direction, and dropped into the lake.  When the human beast saw this he uttered a yell, and dashed into the water.  He thought that the beautiful fire belonged to him because it had fallen into his lake, and he went to hunt for it.  He did not return.  The baroness had search made for him; but he knew so well how to escape his pursuers that he was not seen again at the manor.

The next morning, while yet the stars were glittering in the sky, the trumpets sounded the departure of the regiment.

The sounds were familiar to Count Vavel.  Even yet, when the blare of trumpets roused him from sleep, he felt as if he must hasten to the stable, saddle his horse, and buckle on his sword.  But those days were past.  His trusty war-horse had become used to the carriage-pole, and the keen Toledo blades were drawn from their scabbards only when they were to be oiled to prevent the rust from corroding them.