It was about nine o’clock in the evening when the prince left his quarters in order to visit the commandant.  He did not go on an affair of service, but in answer to an invitation from the general, who had been an old friend of his father, and had looked after the son, since the campaign began, with fatherly solicitude.  Egon would have given much to be alone this evening, for his meeting with Hartmut had moved him deeply, but a soldier has little time for brooding, and an invitation from a commanding officer must not be set aside.

As the young prince went into the house he met an adjutant coming out, who explained breathlessly that there was bad news, but that the general would tell him all.

The general was alone, and was pacing the room in great excitement, gesticulating and muttering as he went.

“Ah, Prince Adelsberg, is it you?” he exclaimed, halting in his walk as Egon entered the room.  “I can’t promise you a pleasant evening, for we have had intelligence which destroys all sociability for us to-night.”

“The adjutant said something about trouble,” answered Egon.  “What is it, your excellency?  The despatches at midday were very favorable.”

“I only got the news an hour ago.  The man you sent to headquarters to-night as a suspicious character had it all.  Do you know what he had with him?”

“Captain Salfeld sent word he had papers of little importance, apparently, but thought they might contain some secret advices; of course, a spy would not carry anything in writing that looked suspicious on the surface.”

“Well, the papers were most important.  The man was a coward, naturally, and when he was threatened with a bullet, he revealed all, and, alas! we cannot doubt the truth of his statements.  You may remember a few lines on a slip of paper which read that one had better in an extreme case follow the heroic example of the commanding general before R——.”

“Yes, I didn’t understand that, for the fort will have to surrender soon.  General von Falkenried said he hoped to take it to-morrow.”

“Yes, and I fear he will do it!” answered the General, excitedly.

“You fear, your excellency?”

“Yes, there’s been treachery, there’s been foul villainy at work!  They will surrender the fort, and then as soon as their garrison have been taken off as prisoners of war, and our men occupy the citadel, it will be blown up.”

“God help us!” cried the young prince, excitedly.  “Cannot General Falkenried be warned?”

“I fear we cannot possibly do it.  I have already sent warnings by two different ways, but our direct course to R——­ is cut off.  The enemy holds the mountain pass, and it is quite impossible for the messengers to reach the place in time.”

Egon was silent for a moment.

The pass was obstructed by the enemy.  He knew that Eschenhagen’s regiment was going forward to open it, but that would not be done for a day or two.