the French, nor to preserve any control over his own people. Distrust, cold, and hunger, reduced the whole army to despair. They retired from Milan in detached parties; pillaged, burnt, and murdered wherever they went; and whoever refused to join in these outrages, ran the risk of being put to death by his own people. Such scenes as these, I hope never again to witness. Believe me, Bathönier, it has always been a bad business for us to meddle with foreign affairs. For my part, I will never risk my life for any strange potentate whatever; and I thoroughly despise those who are mean enough to hire themselves out to any one of them. What signifies the Edict*, we all swore to observe, twelve years ago, at Coire, when not a single man has been true to his oath. But what displeases me more than all, is, that Conrad Beeli of Davos is now raising troops and enlisting our young men, before the confederate government has issued orders for another campaign." "What, is Beeli then recruiting?" asked Then Oswald found out

Peter, in a tone of surprise.

this before I did?"

"You surely will not let your only son engage in such a war as this? said the knight. "You cannot have forgotten how your Heini fell. It is

* In order to prevent the ill consequences likely to arise from the propensity of the Grisoners for enlisting in foreign armies, an edict, called the pension-brief, was issued by the government; prohibiting, under a severe penalty, the practice of receiving pay from any foreign master, or enlisting into any foreign wars. This edict, however, was never attended to.

only in the defence of his native country, that glory can be won by a brave confederate. This it is which makes such a proud token of that broad scar on your forehead, which you received in the Suabian war on St. Agatha's day*. You ought to think yourself wonderfully fortunate, that you were not left there lying amongst the slain. But for Uli, who sacrificed his own life for yours, you certainly were a lost man. "What Uli? whom can you mean, Sir ?" said the astonished Peter. Why, Uli Halder, to be sure, your neighbour in Stürvis," answered the knight; you surely must know how he carried you off the field." 'Holy Mother of God! Uli!" exclaimed Peter, "I never heard one word of it. When I awoke from my swoon, I found myself at Flesch, but I had no idea how I had got there. "Is it possi ble?" answered the knight. "But I think I can tell When we had stormed the Pass, and were

how it was.

driving the Suabians over the boundaries by St. Cathe rine's Spring t, there were no other Stürvisers with me in

*The first success obtained by the confederates in the Suabian war of 1499, was achieved on St. Agatha's Day, near Luciensteig, where 800 Suabians were surprised in their entrenchments, and put to the sword. On the following day, the victors, with a reinforcement of 1000 of their allies, made themselves masters of the town of Mayenfeld, and four citizens, who had treacherously given admission to the enemy, were taken and beheaded. Some time afterwards, 8000 confederates gave battle to 15,000 Suabians at Malserhaide, and came off completely victorious.

↑ A stone boundary, placed by the side of St. Catherine's Spring, a little below the high road, still marks the frontiers of

advance, but Uli and yourself. A great stone hit you on the head, and you fell to the ground, apparently lifeless. Uli, hot as he was in pursuit of the enemy, threw away his bloody morgenstern, and cried out, We must not leave the brave Bathönier lying here. Perhaps he may

yet be saved; but here, in the road, he will be trodden under foot. Upon this, he lifted you up, and drew you along to the spring; but just as he was sprinkling some water in your face, a bullet passed through his neck, and instantly struck him dead. This I saw with my own eyes; and I heard afterwards, that some of our followers had carried you safely to Flesch. The next day, when we and our allies had driven the enemy out of Mayenfeld, and punished the traitors who had let them into the town, you were brought here to my house, and my wife nursed you till you were quite recovered. Meanwhile, I was fighting in the Engadine and Münsterthale, and got wounded myself at Malserhaide; and since then, there have been so many wars and commotions, and wounds and bruises have been so common, that you and I never thought of talking any more about ours. However, it is most true, that Uli saved your life, and that he lost his own in doing so." "Gracious God!" cried Peter, clasping his hands in agony; "Oh, Sir! you know not

the Grisons, on the side of Suabia. This stone bears on the north side, the arms of Prince Lichenstein; and on the south those of the Grisons, around which is this inscription: Alt Fry Rhenzien, (Old Free Hhætia).

"Clara is a com

how you are heaping coals of fire upon my grey head! Ungrateful man that I am! Not only have I never done any thing for the poor widowed Goutta, but I have even set my face against having Uli's child for my daughterin-law. 'Is Oswald inclined towards her, then?" asked the knight, Every body says she is a good and a pretty girl. What fault can you find with her?" "Oh, my noble patron! I have been led astray by that foul fiend, Ambition," answered Peter, "and I was coming this very day to ask your advice about getting the miller's daughter, Clara, for a wife for Oswald." "That would have been a pretty bargain, indeed, for your son, said the knight, laughing. plete good-for-nothing; and her father, who has run through the whole of his property, is so deeply in debt, that he has just been obliged to mortgage the last meadow he had left, and will very soon be turned out of "Can it be possible? is it indeed so?" cried Peter, at length, when he had a little recovered from the surprise, which had rivetted his eyes to the ground. "Surely I must have been struck with blindness! And then Oswald, has gone off before day-break this morning, and has carried away my halberd with him, because yesterday I refused to let him marry Elly. He said something, moreover, about Beeli, and I should not at all wonder if he were to march off with him to Milan." "Well, this is lucky enough," said the old knight, acci

his mill."

dently looking out into the street.

"Here comes Os

wald, walking along with Beeli's black Balz*. I will send and call him here directly." Having dispatched one of his followers to fetch Oswald, the knight asked Bathönier what he intended to do, when his son should arrive? "I will give him leave, in God's name, to marry Elly," answered Peter. "I owe it to Uli, who now lies in his grave, to be a father to his child, since he gave up his life for mine; and if I am obliged to stay in Stürvis to the end of my days, I must e'en make the best of it.” "Oh! so you would have liked to have come down to Mayenfeld, and lived at the mill, with your son?" said the knight Von Moos. "The Stürvisers are all beginning to turn their thoughts towards the valley. There are Luke Gansner, the two Enderlis, and several others, have often complained to me, that in winter, they feel, up there, as if God and the whole world had forsaken them, and that they would be very glad to negociate some exchange with the Mayenfelders. Who knows but that this may be brought about, if we have but a little peace and quiet to settle it in? Your pastures would make a nice summer alp for our township. We will talk more of this another time."

He

Oswald's step was now heard on the stairs, and a moment afterwards he was ushered into the room. seemed a good deal surprised at the sight of his father; but quickly recovering himself, and saluting the knight

* Balz, Balthasar.