Page:The Necromancer, or, The Tale of the Black Forest Vol. 2.djvu/155

 twenty years older than I really was, and thus escaped being known by my former acquaintances; I soon became famous under the name of Father Francis, bought houses in several towns, and every body took me for what I appeared to be, an old harmless man. Yet I was known at length by one of my former messmates, when in the Hn service, who was recruiting in the empire, and forced me to assist him in his business."

"The cunning rogue had not forgotten my skill in executing deceitful plots, and his expectation, that I should be of great service to him by my artifices, did not deceive him. I never spread my nets in vain when I wanted to catch a well made young fellow, and we had enlisted within a short time a great number of recruits. How easy I could remove every obstacle I will prove by a single instance, which will give you a true notion of my intricated artifices."