He
avers that he was present at the affair, and arrived in camp with
the rest of the beaten force only yesterday. We cannot make it
out, as we know that there are no Swedish troops anywhere in that
direction."
Malcolm burst into a hearty laugh, to the surprise of his fellow
officers.
"I can explain the matter, colonel," he said. "It was my detachment
that had the honour of representing the Swedish army at Mansfeld."
"What on earth do you mean, Malcolm?" the colonel asked.
"Well, sir, as you know I went with a detachment to the village
where I had before been well treated, and had earned the gratitude
of the people by teaching them how to destroy a party of marauders.
After having been there for a month I was on the point of marching,
for the men were all perfectly restored to health; and indeed I
know I ought to have returned sooner, seeing that the men were fit
for service; but as I thought you were still at Old Brandenburg,
and could well dispense with our services, I lingered on to the
last. But just as I was about to march the news came that a party
of Imperialist horse, three hundred strong, was about to attack
Mansfeld, a place of whose existence I had never heard; but hearing
that its count was a staunch Protestant, and that the inhabitants
intended to make a stout defence, I thought that I could not be
doing wrong in the service of the king by marching to aid them,
the place being but twenty-four miles away across the hills.
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