I ask how is it that you, who cannot be more than twenty, come to
be a colonel, and in command of a regiment?"

"I have been five years an officer, and was fortunate on two occasions
to obtain the approval, once of Monsieur de Turenne, and once of
the Duc d'Enghien."

"I congratulate you, sir. It is seldom indeed that so young an
officer has opportunities of distinguishing himself. I myself
had seen well nigh thirty years service before I came to command
a regiment. And now, sir, will you give me your parole not to
attempt to escape?"

"Certainly, sir," Hector replied promptly. He knew that should he
refuse four or five troopers would be set to watch him, and even
if he evaded these, which was well nigh impossible, he might be
recaptured on the following morning, as detachments of the Bavarian
horse would be sure to be pressing hard upon Turenne's troops.
The pursuit was indeed taken up again during the night, but Turenne
succeeded in keeping his pursuers at bay, and reaching the frontiers
of Hesse. There he found the infantry and cavalry who had not been
engaged already assembled, for they had received orders to march
instantly to that spot. He had now with him some four thousand
horse and two thousand foot, and was joined by six thousand troops
from Hesse and four thousand Swedes. He was thus soon in a position
to advance with a much stronger force than that which he commanded
before the battle of Marienthal.

The Bavarian cavalry that had followed him rejoined General Merci
at Kirchheim. Hector was with Paolo taken to that place, and upon