"He was a good-looking, dashing sort of fellow," said he, "that could sing French love songs to the piano and jodle 'Tyroler Lieder' for the women. My daughter took a great fancy to him, and wore his sword-knot for many a day after, till we found that he had cheated and betrayed us. Even then, however, I don't think she gave him up, though she did not speak of him as before. This is the fellow's writing," added he, producing a much-worn and much-crumpled scrap of paper from his old pocket-book, "and there's his name. I have never been able to make out clearly whether it was Thierray or Lierray." "I know something about him," said I, "and, with your permission, will keep the document, and pay the bill. Your daughter is alive still?" "Ay, and married, too, at Bruck, ten miles from this." "Well, if she has thrown away the old sword-knot, tell her to accept this one in memory of the French captain, who was not, at least, an ungrateful rogue;" and I detached from my sabre the rich gold tassel and cord which I wore as a general officer. This little incident I may be pardoned for interpolating from a portion of my life, of which I do not intend to speak further, as with the career of the Soldier of Fortune I mean to close these memoirs of Maurice Tiernay. CHAPTER XLIX. "A LUCKY MEETING." The reader will probably not complain if, passing over the manifold adventures and hair-breadth 'scapes of my little party, I come to our arrival at Ingoldstadt, where the head-quarters of General Vandamme were stationed. It was just as the recall was beating that we rode into the town, where, although nearly eight thousand men were assembled, our somewhat singular cavalcade attracted no small share of notice. Fresh rations for "man and beast" slung around our very ragged clothing, and four Austrian grenadiers tied by a cord, wrist to wrist, as prisoners behind us, we presented, it must be owned, a far more picturesque than soldierlike party. Accepting all the attentions bestowed upon us in the most flattering sense, and affecting not to perceive the ridicule we were exciting on every hand, I rode up to the "Etat Major" and dismounted. I had obtained from "my prisoners" what I deemed a very important secret, and was resolved to make the most of it by asking for an immediate audience of the general. "I am the officier d'ordonnance," said a young lieutenant of dragoons, stepping forward; "any communication you have to make must be addressed to _me_." "I have taken four prisoners, Monsieur le Lieutenant," said I, "and would wish to inform General Vandamme on certain matters they have revealed to me." "Are you in the service?" asked he, with a glance at my incongruous equipment. "I have served sir," was my reply. "In what army of brigands was it then," said he, laughing, "for, assuredly, you do not recall to my recollection any European force that I know of?"