All day the Imperialists kept up their fire, the Scots gradually pushing forward their trenches.  In the evening Colonel Axel Lily, one of the bravest of the Swedish officers, came into the trenches to pay a visit to Hepburn.  He found him just sitting down to dinner with Munro by the side of a fire in the trench.  They invited him to join them, and the party were chatting gaily when a heavy cannonball crashed through the earthen rampart behind them, and, passing between Hepburn and Munro, carried off the leg of the Swedish officer.

Upon the following day the governor, seeing that the Swedes had erected several strong batteries, and that the Green Brigade, whose name was a terror to the Imperialists, was preparing to storm, capitulated, and his soldiers were allowed to march out with all their baggage, flying colours, and two pieces of cannon.  Eighty pieces of cannon fell into the hands of the Swedes.  The citizens paid 220,000 dollars as the ransom of their city from pillage, and the Jews 180,000 for the protection of their quarters and of their gorgeous synagogue, whose wealth and magnificence were celebrated; and on the 14th of December, 1631, on which day Gustavus completed his thirty-seventh year, he entered the city as conqueror.

Here he kept Christmas with great festivity, and his court was attended by princes and nobles from all parts of Germany.  Among them were six of the chief princes of the empire and twelve ambassadors from foreign powers.  Among the nobles was the Count of Mansfeld, who brought with him his wife and daughter.  Three days before Christmas Hepburn’s brigade had been moved in from their bivouac in the snow covered trenches, and assigned quarters in the town, and the count, who arrived on the following day, at once repaired to the mansion inhabited by the colonel and officers of Munro’s regiment, and inquired for Malcolm Graheme.

“You will find Captain Graheme within,” the Scottish soldier on sentry said.

“It is not Captain Graheme I wish to see,” the count said, “but Malcolm Graheme, a very young officer.”

“I reckon that it is the captain,” the soldier said; “he is but a boy; but in all the regiment there is not a braver soldier; not even the colonel himself.  Donald,” he said, turning to a comrade, “tell Captain Graheme that he is wanted here.”

In a short time Malcolm appeared at the door.

“Ah! it is you, my young friend!” the count exclaimed; “and you have won the rank of captain already by your brave deeds!  Right glad am I to see you again.  I have come with my wife, to attend the court of this noble king of yours.  Can you come with me at once?  The countess is longing to see you, and will be delighted to hear that you have passed unscathed through all the terrible contests in which you have been engaged.  My daughter is here too; she is never tired of talking about her young Scottish soldier; but now that you are a captain she will have to be grave and respectful.”