"Yes, Highness."
She plied him with a number of questions; how many battles they had fought in, how many times they had been wounded, how they lived in camp, and so forth; and which was the more powerful engine of war, the infantry or the cavalry.
"The cavalry, Highness," said Hans, without hesitation.
She laughed. "If you had been a foot-soldier, you would have said the infantry; of the artillery, you would have sworn by the cannon."
"That is true, Highness. The three arms are necessary, but there is ever the individual pride in the arm one serves in."
"And that is right. You speak good English," she remarked.
"I have lived more than sixteen years in America, Highness."
"Do you like it there?"
"It is a great country, full of great ideas and great men, Highness."
"And you will go back?"
"Soon, Highness."
The mare, knowing that this was the way home, grew restive and began prancing and pawing the road. She reined in quickly. As she did so, something yellow flashed downward and tinkled as it struck the ground. Grumbach hastened forward.
"My locket," said her highness anxiously.
"It is not broken, Highness," said Grumbach; "only the chain has come apart." Then he handed it to her gravely.
"Thank you!" Her highness put both chain and locket into a small purse which she carried in her belt, touched the mare, and sped up the road, Carmichael following.
Grumbach returned to the parapet. He followed them till they passed out of sight beyond the gates.
"Gott!" he murmured.
His face was as livid as the scar on his head.