"You have done her all the good in the world," said the more experienced priest, drawing the young man away. "The people tell me that she has never shed one tear in all her troubles. She will weep the burden from her heart, and sleep to-night in peace. 'Tis a pity the poor soul is a heretic. She might else find comfort in the offices of the Church." "Like our royal host," said Count Maurice, with a shrug of his shoulders and as much of a sneer as his amiable face was capable of. "It is to be hoped he will spend some of the money he got of the king of England for these same offices for the benefit of his soldiers killed in America." "For heretics?" asked the priest, apparently more amused than shocked at his companion's remark. "When people send heretics to war, it seems to me that they should pay the damage," answered Count Maurice, lightly; and then, in a graver tone, "Say what we may, this selling of one's own subjects to be butchered for money is a horrible business." "I agree with you there." "Then you won't report the poor woman's wild words to His Serene Highness?" said Count Maurice, rather anxiously. "Not I," answered the priest, with some emphasis, "nor yours, either." "Oh, as to that, my princely cousin knows my mind on the subject. We all but quarrelled on the point some years ago; and only to please my father, I should not be here now. But as the prince's confessor—" "I am not his confessor," interrupted the priest; "and if I were, confessors are not all-powerful. I shall do nothing to injure yonder poor soul, you may be sure. But what to do with this money. I dare not return it lest he should ask questions. I believe the best way will be to give it to some religious house to pray for the soul of the poor innocent who was buried to-day." "And much good that will do him!" thought Count Maurice. But he had too much real respect for his companion to treat his opinions with contempt, however far they might be from his own, and the two walked back to the lodge in silence. CHAPTER II. _IN THE CHURCHYARD._ THOSE of my readers who have read any history of the American Revolution are familiar with the fact that George III., at that time king of England, hired many German soldiers to help fight his battles, and that these soldiers were usually known as Hessians. These men were not always or often enlisted of their own free will. They were simply hired, or rather bought, at so much a head from their native sovereigns, the princes of the smaller German states.