Malcolm at once accompanied the count to his house, and was most kindly received by the countess.

“It is difficult to believe,” she said, “that ’tis but four months since we met, so many have been the events which have been crowded into that time.  Scarce a day has passed but we have received news of some success gained, of some town or castle captured, and your Green Brigade has always been in the van.  We have been constantly in fear for you, and after that terrible battle before Leipzig Thekla scarcely slept a wink until we obtained a copy of the Gazette with the names of the officers killed.”

“You are kind indeed to bear me so in remembrance,” Malcolm said, “and I am indeed grateful for it.  I have often wondered whether any fresh danger threatened you; but I hoped that the advance of the Marquis of Hamilton’s force would have given the Imperialists too much to do for them to disturb you.”

“Yes, we have had no more trouble,” the countess replied.  “The villages which the Imperialists destroyed are rising again; and as after the flight of the enemy the cattle and booty they had captured were all left behind, the people are recovering from their visit.  What terrible havoc has the war caused!  Our way here led through ruined towns and villages, the country is infested by marauders, and all law and order is at an end save where there are strong bodies of troops.  We rode with an escort of twenty men; but even then we did not feel very safe until we were fairly through Franconia.  And so you have passed unwounded through the strife?”

“Yes, countess,” Malcolm replied.  “I had indeed a ball through my leg at Wurtzburg; but as it missed the bone, a trifle like that is scarcely worth counting.  I have been most fortunate indeed.”

“He is a captain now,” the count said, “and to obtain such promotion he must have greatly distinguished himself.  I do not suppose that he will himself tell us his exploits; but I shall soon learn all about them from others.  I am to meet his colonel this evening at a dinner at the palace, and shall be able to give you the whole history tomorrow.”

“But I want the history now,” Thekla said.  “It is much nicer to hear a thing straight from some one who has done it, than from any one else.”

“There is no story to tell,” Malcolm said.  “I had been promised my lieutenancy at the first vacancy before I was at Mansfeld, and on my return found that the vacancy had already occurred, and I was appointed.  I got my company the other day for a very simple matter, namely, for swimming across the Rhine with a barrel fixed on each side of me to prevent my sinking.  Nothing very heroic about that, you see, young lady.”

“For swimming across the Rhine!” the count said.  “Then you must have been the Scottish officer who with a sergeant swam and fetched the boat across which enabled the Swedes to pass a body of troops over, and so open the way into the Palatinate.  I heard it spoken of as a most gallant action.”