down to honest labour and respect of law who have for years been leading a life like his, or it may be tenfold worse, for I fear me there be many far more cankered than Josenhans, who, after all, has something that takes you about him."

"So much the worse!" said Dorner, with a groan; "but for that my men and maids would not heed him. To think that a household used to peaceable, godly ways all these years should be thus upset by one man's coming into it!"

"Perchance it is to show how far such ways have been truly learned and laid to heart. Those who stand firm will be all the stronger, and for the weak who fall, it is well for them and others to know how hollow was their seeming strength," said Faber.

The two talked long, and though Faber could give small help, it was a comfort to Dorner to have thus poured out his troubles, even if he had to acknowledge that, as long as Dame Martha resolutely shut her eyes to all offences on the part of Josenhans and backed him up, and he chose to stay at Tannenhof, he could hardly be turned out, unless for some such flagrant misdemeanour as Dorner could not bear to think of. There was, however, the likelihood that he would grow weary of such a quiet life, and take himself off of his own accord, and this seemed the best hope. Bribe him again to go Dorner neither could nor would

CHAPTER XV.

"Aroint thee, witch!"

-SHAKESPEARE.

HILE Dorner was absent at Alsdorf consulting his friend, Josenhans was taking the opportunity to cajole Dame Martha out of any little savings

which she might have made since his last visit. Finding her alone he threw himself down in the deep window-seat, crossed his long legs, and said coaxingly-

"So the old mother thought of her lad while he was away in the wars ? He has not come home any the richer for all the hard blows he has given and taken. There was a golden brooch meant for the little mother, but he had to sell it to a little Jew who did business in the camp-served as my lord general's spy, and bought any matters of booty the men had to sell; and when pay stopped and rations ran short what was one to do? So the brooch went. I knew the good old mother would be glad to have me back, even if I came empty-handed.”

"Yes, yes, my boy," said the old woman, tenderly, “I would I had aught to give thee, but it is little I can lay

aside now; there is no selling our wares, and I have scarce earned a penny these last years."

"How!" said Josenhans, with unconcealed disappointment. "I thought there were some little matters which went into your own pocket; it used to be so, I know,” he added, suspiciously—and he had good reason to know it; every thaler which she had accumulated having sooner or later passed into his possession.

"And so there were, and whenever I could lay aside a penny I said to myself, 'This is for my boy; he will need it one day.' But, seest thou we live on what the farm gives us and lack nothing, but there is scarce any selling to be done; Stahleck, which took our wool, has no longer a trade, and Erfurt, where we sent our wheat, is far off, and the danger of having it and the horses and waggon seized by the way is so great that we have ventured none thither for two seasons; 'tis scarce worth while to plant it."

"Then you have nought to give me?"

"Not a thaler, my lad, and grieved am I to say it.”

"I had done better to take another service; there is mostly booty to be had even if not much pay, and that is sometimes best in these kipper and wipper* times," said Josenhans, using the name which had arisen to express the debasing and clipping of coin which was one of the many unhappy results of the Thirty Years' War. "I think I will be off and serve Max of Bavaria."

* From the words in the dialect of Upper Saxony—“ kippen,” to cut off; "wippen," to weigh.

"Nay, nay, my son," protested Dame Martha, hastily and aghast, "thou wilt not serve under the cruel persecutors of thy brethren; that will I never believe of son of mine."

"A soldier knows nought of fellow-believers; he serves under the colours which pay best," said Josenhans, with a careless laugh; and he broke into a popular song which had been raised by many a watch-fire

"Let parson and statesman go prate of the right—

My trade is a soldier's, I ask but to fight.

For Union or League I will strike any day;

That cause is the best one which gives the best pay!'

"My son!" said Dame Martha, deeply shocked, and hurt in what was her tenderest point, "such jesting is not seemly in any, least of all in one who is the son of men like thy forefathers, who have gone to prison and to death sooner than yield a tittle of their faith."

"More fools they!" muttered Josenhans; but Dame Martha proceeded unheeding

"And therefore has a blessing ever rested upon them and on their labours."

"It would seem that the blessing is running short as to thalers. But there should be a gold chain somewhere

"I cannot give thee that," said Dame Martha, hastily. "My mother-in-law gave it me when I married, and she had it from hers; it ever goes to the wife of the eldest son. By rights Gertrude should have had it, but I thought to give it her when I died, and she never made as if she

desired it. It is scarce mine to give to any but Hanslein's wife."

"The brat is five years old, or six, perchance! Nay, long before he has a wife to need it" Josenhans stopped short; even he could not quite say to his mother, “An old woman like you will be in your grave." He tried another tack. "See here, good mother," he said, assuming a serious tone, "when a man has debts, he must pay them. You ever taught us so."

"Surely, son."

"Then must I take service and earn wherewith to do so, for debts have I, not a few, and paid they must be."

"Right, my boy, but wherefore not return to your old regiment? You would then serve the good cause, for, by what you told me, they were to march north against the Imperialists, and join the Swedish general, Bauer.”

"I liked not my captain. Rittmeister Pfilze is a hard man, and an ungodly," said Josenhans, who had his reasons for avoiding his old company, which he had found it safest to leave in the night, without giving notice to any one. "No, I will go serve the Elector of Saxony."

"Name not the renegade, son Josenhans!" exclaimed Dame Martha, rearing up her tall figure even more erectly than usual, while a red flush came to her withered cheek at the name of that John George of Saxony who had made a separate peace, and obtained Lusatia as a compensation for his expenses in the war, at the price of deserting the Reformed cause. "Let me not hear it spoken under this roof!