“I need not fear a duel when I mention your names to one another,” he said laughing.  “You’ll have to meet some day.  Herr von Eschenhagen—­Herr von Walldorf.”

“Bless me!  I at least declare for peace!” cried Walldorf gaily.  “Herr von Eschenhagen, I am rejoiced to know my future wife’s cousin, who got ahead of us at the altar.  We, too, wanted a marriage from the saddle, but my future father-in-law assumed his fiercest look and declared:  ‘First conquer, and then marry.’  Now we’ve been doing the former for the last five months, and when I go home again I’ll see to the latter.”

He shook Toni’s cousin warmly by the hand, then turning to the prince, said: 

“We have something here for you.  Orderly from Rodeck, present yourself before his highness, Herr lieutenant, Prince Adelsberg.”

Through the open door came a tall figure which Egon recognized as that of his old, gray-haired steward.  He closed the door cautiously, and came forward into the room.

“Saints preserve us, it’s Peter Stadinger!” It was, indeed, old Peter who stood in front of his master.  He was not unknown to the other officers, either, for they all greeted him with a shout.

“Well, we must have lights now, that your highness may have a good view of this old ‘ghost of the woods,’” cried Walldorf, as he lit two candles and placed them with comic gravity before the old man.  Egon laughed as he said: 

“You see, Stadinger, what a prominent personage you are, and how much I talk about you; now I’ll present you in all form; here, gentlemen, is Peter Stadinger, noted for his unfailing incivility and his everlasting moral lectures.  He thinks that I need both to keep me in order and even here in the field he has followed me in order that he might keep up the friendly custom.  I trust he pleases you, my masters—­now you can let me go, Peter.”

But instead of obeying this order, the old man held his two hands all the more firmly, while he said in a tone of deep emotion:  “Ah, your highness, you cannot know how anxious we have been about you at Rodeck.”

The prince answered him impatiently:  “Indeed, and that’s why you have run away and left things at sixes and sevens at Rodeck, despite all my solemn charges?  I had not thought you would be so neglectful of duty.”

Stadinger looked at him quite puzzled.

“But I came on receipt of your letter telling me to do so.  You wrote me to fetch Lois from the hospital, so I started at once.  I saw the boy this morning, and found him as gay as he could be, but he can’t be moved for a week, the doctor said; then I am to take him home.  What your highness, and Lois, and all the rest from Rodeck would have done if I had not stayed home to guard and control—­God alone knows.”

Egon drew his hand back impatiently.

“I am Herr Lieutenant here, and have no other title but my military one, remember that! and here you are as meek as a lamb, when I counted on a fine sermon for the benefit of us all.  Lois, gentlemen, is the grandson of this old growler, a fine, brave fellow, and he has a sister as sweet as a peach.  But her grandfather sends her away regularly the minute I set foot in Rodeck.  Why didn’t you bring Zena with you, and let her see a little of the world?”