taken his resolution and would not turn aside from it. Having once made up his mind he strove to drive the subject from his thoughts, but with poor success. All that day he was unusually silent, even for him. His mother and Natalie believed him to be suffering from the effects of his wound, and overwhelmed him with kind attention. They were surprised the next morning to find the wounded knee almost healed, only a little stiffness remaining. So much better was he, that in the course of the day he was able to go out into the garden and orchard with the help of a stick. He sat down on the stone stile leading into the plantation, and enjoyed the bright sunshine and fresh autumn breeze. Presently Sévier strolled up.

"I am glad to see you out again, Monsieur Stürmer,” he said, "you have recovered sooner even than I did. It is the kind care and good nursing of Madame votre mère and Mademoiselle Stürmer, which brings us round so soon," said the young Frenchman.

"It may be so," returned Hans, rather stiffly, "if I improve at this rate I hope to rejoin my regiment the day after to-morrow. Do you propose to return too, monsieur, and have you thought how difficult it will be for you, a Frenchman, to gain access to the town ?"

"I have thought of it," replied Sévier, "and am fully aware of the risk I run; I shall however go there by night, and endeavour to rejoin my countrymen under cover of the darkness. The chances are that I shall be shot, but if I am, voilà tout, France will have one faithful heart the less." Monsieur, you are a brave soldier, I respect you, though we are enemies," and Hans shook the young Frenchman's hand heartily, "and I do not wish you to be shot for more than one reason, as I will tell you presently. You shall return at night to Strasbourg with me. Accompanied by a German soldier, you will be less likely to arouse the suspicions of the besiegers, and wrapped in a long coat or cloak you may perhaps manage to gain access to the garrison."

"Monsieur Stürmer, I accept your kind offer," rejoined Louis, "it may be a good plan. I am proud to have you as an enemy, Monsieur, I should be still more proud to call you my friend, were it not for one thing which-"

"Hold," interrupted Hans sharply, "I know what you would say, -you love Natalie Stürmer, she loves you, and yet is betrothed to me. That is the state of the case, is it not ?"

stick.

Precisely, monsieur," muttered Louis, playing nervously with his

"You have known this,-how long?"

cr

Only since the night before last, monsieur. Until you came I had never dreamed that mademoiselle votre cousine was your fiancée. We have been thrown much together, and we have learned to love each other so, that it seems hard to be parted for ever."

Poor Louis! He was very young, and in love for the first time. Do not despise him utterly for the large tears which gathered in his bright hazel eyes, and which he resolutely dashed away.

Hans, from the depth of his own sorrow so silently endured, pitied the poor young fellow.

You really love her, Sévier, truly and faithfully ?" he asked, gazing steadily at the young man.

'Why ask me, monsieur? Before heaven I love her better than my own life," exclaimed Louis, impetuously.

'Well, I am going to release her to set her free if such be her wish. I can see now that our betrothal was a mistake. Marriage would bring us no happiness, for it would not do for all the love to be on one side," and Hans smiled rather bitterly.

'Oh, Stürmer, will you really do this ?" cried Louis, so delighted that he forgot his ordinary politeness, "how good, how noble you are. How can I and Natalie ever thank you enough? Forgive me, monsieur, for the pain I must have caused you."

"This inter

Shake hands

No more of that, Monsieur Sévier, that is my business," retorted Hans sharply, (he had been very quiet and calm until now, and perhaps he feared lest his composure should forsake him.) view is not very pleasant to me, we will not lengthen it. with me, and let us never mention the subject again." hands. "And now, Monsieur Sévier, you have only to take care not to get shot," said Hans, laughing a little, "perhaps you will ask my cousin Natalie to come to me. I cannot talk half as well in the house."

They shook

Sévier was off in a moment. He found Natalie in the dairy; she looked up as he entered, astonished at the happiness visible in every feature of his telltale face.

"Nata, your cousin wants you to go and speak to him directly in the orchard."

66

Oh, Louis, what is it, what is the matter?" asked Natalie, half frightened.

Nothing bad, my darling, so don't delay a moment. Here, I will

go on with your work for you whilst you are gone," and suiting the

action to the word, Louis began to scour the shining milkpans, which really already looked clean enough to dispense with such rough treatment from him.

In spite of her lover's cheering assurance, Natalie went to speak to her cousin in some trepidation, and with a sad feeling at her heart, she rather dreaded the interview, fearing that some explanation was coming. She was a loving, tender-hearted little thing, and she could not bear to give Hans pain. He smiled at her as she came up.

"Well, Natalie, here I am, on my feet again, as you see, and not so very lame either. Don't you feel proud of your patient ?"

Such a jovial tone was rare with Hans at any time, and Natalie was surprised.

"I'm very glad to see you about again, Hans," she said, rather timidly; now you can get out into the fresh air, you will soon be

well."

66

"I hope so. Well, little one, I don't think you and I have been much like betrothed lovers this time, eh?"

Natalie blushed crimson, her eyes filled with tears, and she could not speak.

"Poor little thing," said Hans, tenderly. (He loved her so thoroughly that in his compassion for her he quite lost for the time all recollection of his own sorrow.) "I begin to think I have treated you hardly. I know now that you don't really care for me, Natalie, and I will give you back your promise. Indeed I would not marry you, for though God knows I would have made you a loving husband, tender and true, dear one, yet you love some one else now,-Monsieur Louis Sévier, is it not so ?"

my

"Oh, cousin, dear cousin Hans, do pray forgive me." Natalie's tears were flowing fast enough now, and somehow Hans could not help drawing her towards him, and supporting her. “I have been very unhappy since your return, indeed I have felt miserable for a long time. I have been wicked, and base, and treacherous, for I have learnt to love Louis so, Cousin Hans, I don't know how or why, that I really feel I ought not to marry you; but oh, I know I have been very faithless, though indeed I did not mean to be. I had better give up the idea of marriage altogether and go to live in a convent, I think,” and Natalie's tears burst out afresh at the idea.

"No, no, little one, don't fret about it. It was all a mistake of

mine-don't reproach yourself at all, dear Natalie,-I don't say that it is no disappointment to your stupid old cousin Hans, but he will try and get over it as well as he can. I was stupid and uninteresting, I know, and Louis Sévier is much better suited to such a bright little fanciful bird as you are. Sévier is a good fellow, I hope you will be very happy with him, little one. One more kiss, dear Natalie, and then only look upon me as your faithful old cousin Hans, who would give his life to serve you."

Natalie still clung about his neck, sobbing as if this were indeed a final parting. Human nature is proverbially perverse, and Natalie had never loved Hans so well as now when she felt that she had lost him for ever.

"I never knew," she murmured, "Louis never spoke to me until the first night you came home, and then I felt that I must tell him of my betrothal to you. I would not have broken my promise to you, Hans dear," she continued pleadingly.

No, little cousin, but you would only have married me without love for me, which would have been far worse,-I would not have you commit a sin so grievous, and therefore, Natalie, you are free. I have spoken to M. Sévier, and we need mention the subject no more. I have also told M. Sévier that when he returns to Strasbourg it will be safer for him to go with me. There will be less risk." "Oh, cousin," whispered Natalie, unconsciously echoing Sévier's words, "how noble and generous you are."

"Hush, Natalie," said Hans, sternly. "Now leave me. God bless you, my little one," and he kissed her in a curious half paternal manner, and sent her away. He could not have borne the interview much longer.

Now his greatest trial was over, and neither mitrailleuses nor French bullets had any terrors for him; he quite reckoned on the time when he should return to the army.

The next two days passed away without any particular event. Old Jacob was informed of the affection subsisting between Natalie and Sévier, and at first decidedly objected to their betrothal, but in consequence of Hans's representations an unwilling consent was at last extorted from the old man. Hans was quieter than usual, but no looker on could have imagined that a cruel disappointment had so lately fallen on his hopes. Sévier and Natalie alone knew and wondered, but during these last days they were wrapped up in themselves with the

selfishness common to young lovers, and hardly noticed anything else.

Day by day the sounds of war became more imminent, both young soldiers were anxious to return to their duties, and they hailed the arrival of the night on which they were to start for Strasbourg with mingled feelings of hope and fear. The weather was showery; the moon, then nearly at the full, obscured by clouds, and the rain falling at intervals. They set off just after dark, a large party. Hans and Sévier were to proceed to Strasbourg by the main road, whilst Natalie and Frau Stürmer were to join Franz Kehler and his wife and go for the night to the house of the innkeeper's brother, who lived at a short distance from Strasbourg. An old apple-loft at the top of his house commanded a good view of the town. As those nearest and dearest to both the women were engaged in the terrible struggle there, they naturally felt anxious to see what they could of the siege. At the cross roads the party divided-Hans and Louis Sévier, the latter wrapped in a long foraging coat, went on together, whilst the women joined Franz Kehler and his wife in the village, and proceeded with them to the old Schloss-haus, as their place of destination was called. Once there, the incessant boom from the mortar batteries soon arrested their attention, and they eagerly climbed up into the apple-loft to gaze upon the scene of ruin.

It was indeed an awful time for those 80,000 inhabitants of Strasbourg. The fortifications, unlike most of those of modern times, came up close to the houses, and as the only way of taking the town was by firing incessantly at its fortifications, the shells fell crashing into the houses of peaceful inhabitants, or burst in the streets, scattering death and destruction wholesale. This evening the noise of war was terrific,-battery answering battery,-and unintermittent, and loud even at the Schloss-haus. Every now and then the affrighted women covered their ears with their hands, as if to shut out the fearful sounds. The scene that met their eyes was no less awful. An eye-witness has thus described it.

"From all sides leap tongues of flame, and the rush as of a steam engine through the air told that each one propelled a messenger of fire and death. Occasionally the shells explode in the air, but this is seldom, the accuracy of the firing being remarkable. Now there is a terrific vomiting forth of flame to the left with a deafening sharp report, and up rises, apparently right up to the stars which are looking