Four, five hours elapsed, and yet no tidings. Generally, when there was work astir on the frontier, messages came fast and frequent. All the couriers on their way to L----, passing through Wilicza, would halt in the village with their news, for a few minutes, at least. To-day these communications seemed suddenly cut off. Waldemar paced uneasily up and down his room, trying to think of Pawlick's prolonged absence as a favourable sign. The old man had certainly come up with Leo, and would stay by him so long as the young Prince remained on German soil. Perhaps they were both lying in hiding in the forester's house. At length, late on in the afternoon, the steward appeared. He came in hastily, without waiting to be announced.
"Herr Nordeck, I must beg of you to come over to the manor-farm," he said. "Your presence there is urgently needed."
Waldemar looked up. "What is it? Has anything happened to one of the wounded?"
"No, not that," said Frank, evasively; "but I must entreat you to come yourself. We have had news from the border. There has been a decisive engagement out at W----. A regular battle was fought this morning against the Morynski corps."
"Well, with what issue?" asked Nordeck, in extreme suspense and anxiety.
"The insurgents have suffered a terrible defeat. It is said there had been treason at work, that they were taken by surprise. They defended themselves desperately, but were forced to succumb to superior numbers at last. The survivors are scattered to all points of the compass."
"And their leader, Count Morynski?"
The steward looked down.
"Is he dead?"
"No; but seriously wounded, and in the enemy's hands."