He was soon furnished from the wardrobes of the officers with a
suit of clothes, and although his craftsman attire had served him
well he was glad to don again the uniform of the Scottish brigade.
"You have cut your narrative strangely short at the end, Graheme,"
Colonel Hamilton said when Malcolm brought his story to a conclusion.
"How did you get away from Pilsen at last, and from whom did you
steal that splendid charger on whom you rode up to the door?"
"That is not my own secret, colonel, and I can only tell you at
present that Wallenstein himself gave it to me."
A roar of incredulous laughter broke from the officers round the
table.
"A likely story indeed, Graheme; the duke was so fascinated with
your talents as a watchmaker that he bestowed a charger fit for
his own riding upon you to carry you across into our lines."
"It does not sound likely, I grant you," Malcolm said, "but it is
true, as you will acknowledge when the time comes that there will
be no longer any occasion for me to keep the circumstances secret.
I only repeat, Wallenstein gave me the honour of an escort which
conducted me to the crest of the hill two miles away, where, if
your sentries and outposts had been keeping their eyes open, they
might have seen them."
It was late before the party broke up, but soon after daylight
Malcolm was again in the saddle, and with Thekla as before on the
pillion he continued his journey, and in three hours reached the
town where his regiment was quartered.
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