The young man pondered over his friend's proposal for some time; he carefully weighed all the reasons for and against it; he considered whether it was not against his honour, to be in the neighbourhood where the war would in all probability be carried on, instead of retiring from the theatre of it. But when he reflected upon the mild manner in which the commanders of the League had received his retreat from their cause, and the easy conditions which they had laid on him; but above all, when he called to his memory the unhappy position of his beloved Bertha, his inclination to proceed to Würtemberg turned the scale. "I will see and speak with her once more," thought he to himself.----"Well, then," he called to the countryman, "if you will promise never to say a word to me about joining the Würtemberg cause, and assure me that I shall not be looked upon as a partizan of your Duke, but merely a guest of Lichtenstein, I will follow you." "As far as lies in me, I can safely promise you," said his companion; "but it is impossible for me to answer for what the knight of Lichtenstein might propose. He is the Duke's warmest friend, and it is not unlikely he may endeavour to persuade you to join his cause." "I already know the terms you are upon with him, that you often visited him in Ulm, and brought him secret intelligence of all kinds. He has confidence in you, and therefore I wish to put you on your guard, not to acquaint him with the state of my affairs; for I have my reasons to keep them as yet unknown to him." The fifer of Hardt eyed the young man some time with a look of astonishment. "Where did you learn that I had been the bearer of secret intelligence to the knight of Lichtenstein? But it signifies little to me what my persecutors may have told you. I have a debt to pay, and until it is fully discharged, I call not my life my own. My death, I hope, will absolve me from my creditor." With these portending words, he promised to follow Albert's wishes to the letter, and added, "Now mount your horse, whilst I lead on, and you shall be welcome in the castle of Lichtenstein." CHAPTER XIII. The herdsman says, "If you will trust in me And follow boldly, I will bring you free;-- A secret path there is, to man unknown, And trodden by the mountain goat alone." L. UHLAND.