"We cannot. This is a busy time with us in the field; we must plough and sow.”

But, directly your backs are turned the enemy will come back! Besides, what are you going to do with all your prisoners?"

"I'll think of it on my pillow," said Hofer. Now, supper."

For he was true to the saying his wife quoted of him. "One thing at a time will last the longer." And besides, the Wirth of the "Goldener Adler" was not Speckbacher; and he had no mind to tell him all his plans before he had digested them.

"Well, and so you've been to the play," said Stumff, slicing away at a ham, and hospitably loading Hofer's plate. "How did you like it?"

Some things I liked; others I liked not." "What did you like?"

'The house was beautiful as a dream-but where was the good of it? Directly the play is over all

melts away, like a day's frost!"

All? what?"

Why, the impression.'

"Oh! well, but we can renew the impression

every night; and we do not want it all day."

"Truly no," said Hofer.

"And I doubt its

being good to renew it every night."

"Why?"

"Too softening and enervating."

Stumff laughed a jolly laugh.

"Did not you like the music, Sandwirth?” cried Alouise.

"Too much," said he, sighing. "It made my heart ready to burst."

getting too grave and steady, at your time of life ; but you would have liked it when you were young."

"Perhaps I should-perhaps I should not; but that would not have made it good or bad."

Then, the ladies' dresses, Sandwirth?'

"Ah!” with a grimace.

Stumff laughed.

What of them?" said he.

"Too little dress-too much exposure."

Why, there's no satisfying you, Sandwirth.”

'Oh, yes," said he, smiling. "One play has satisfied me- -I don't want to go again.”

"Your daughter would like it," said Alouise, decisively.

"I should not wish to give her a taste for such things," said Hofer. She is perfectly content as

she is."

And that's more than I can say of my girl sometimes," said Stumff, with a smile and a shrug, as Alouise left them for a few minutes.

"I wonder," said Hofer, after a short silence, that you let her go to the theatre."

"I should be considered quite a bear, not only by her, but by all Innsbruck, if I denied her," said Stumff. "No, no, Sandwirth,-we town-folks are not quite the same with you village-folks,-it does our girls no hurt, I believe—or, if it does, we can't help it. And now, as you seem tired, I'll show you your bed. What! you must take your dearlybeloved rifle along with you, hey? Ha, ha!"

WH

HEN Michael Stumff came down to breakfast the next morning, he looked round for his guest in vain.

"Half way to the Brenner, I suppose," said Alouise. “Why, father, you must have slept heavily, if you did not hear the uproar this morning! The alarm-bells began to ring before it was light, and a dozen country fellows came running down the street, bawling Sandwirth! Sandwirth !' Open flew the Sandwirth's window; he gives a jödel' that might be heard a mile off, which makes them stop short. Here I am, my boys,' cries he, what's the matter?' The next moment they were all under his window. Speckbacher took Halle yes

6

terday!' cries one. 'Hurra!' cries Hofer.

'Aha! then

the French and Bavarians are coming down upon us from the Brenner,' cries another. we'll go to meet them,' cries Hofer; I'll be with

1 A wild mountain cry.

you this minute.' And his door flew open. I just popped my head out of mine, and said, Sandwirth, I'll be down directly, if you will wait for some breakfast.' No time, thank you,' replied he, running along the gallery. Just one cup of coffee!' cried I. No, dear; we are going to breakfast on gunpowder,' says he, laughing: and so off. Dear me, it quite set my heart a-beating; it was all in such a moment. Who knows? Perhaps the Bavarians may be masters of Innsbruck again, before nightfall, father?"

"There's no knowing, child."

I don't know that I could have done less than ask the Sandwirth home, father, when I saw him last night, standing about in the lobby, looking quite puzzled."

"Certainly not, child. The poor, simple fellow"said Stumff, with an air of complacent superiority"" I would have come to mischief of one sort or another, for he knows as little as a child. A brave, honest heart, and a good marksman, Alouise; and when you've said that, you've said all. Give me my breakfast quick, child, that I may go out and look about me a little."

Alouise poured out his coffee, and gave him a slice of bread, and then hurried to the house door, calling eagerly to one or two persons who were hurrying along, to ask them what was going forward. They