He ordered the count to be treated with the greatest rigour, and declared all his estates and those of his wife forfeited, the latter part of the sentence being at present inoperative, her estates being in a part of the country far beyond the range of the Imperialist troops.

The waiting maid was after some weeks' detention released, as there was no evidence whatever of her complicity in the affair.
Malcolm continued his journey quietly towards the frontier of Bavaria; but, on arriving at a small town within a few miles of Pilsen, he learned that Wallenstein had fallen back with his army to that place.
Much alarmed at the news he determined to turn off by a cross road and endeavour to avoid the Imperialists.

He had not, however, left the place before a party of Imperialist horse rode in.
Malcolm was at once stopped, and was told that he must accompany the troops to Pilsen, as they had orders to requisition all carts for the supply of provisions for the army.

Malcolm knew that it was of no use to remonstrate, but, with many loud grumblings at his hard lot, he moved to the marketplace, where he remained until all the wagons in the place and in the surrounding country had been collected.
Loud and bitter were the curses which the peasants uttered at finding themselves taken from their homes and compelled to perform service for which the pay, if received at all, would be scanty in the extreme.

There was, however, no help for it; and when all were collected they started in a long procession guarded by the cavalry for Pilsen.