"I was made a captain nine months ago," he said, "for a little service
that I performed to his satisfaction."

"Turenne would not have promoted you unless it had been an important
service, I am sure," she said with a smile. "He does great things
himself, and expects great things from others."

"It was the affair of carrying the message to the garrison of the
citadel of Turin urging them to hold out, as he would come to their
relief soon," the duke said. "Do you not remember that he wrote us an
account of it?"

"I remember it perfectly. Turenne said a young officer, but I did not
imagine that it could have been but a lad. However, Captain Campbell, I
will not detain you here talking, or you will begin by considering me to
be a very bad nurse. Directly I received the letter I ordered a chamber
to be prepared for you. By this time all will be in readiness, and a
lackey ready to disrobe you and assist you to bed."

"I do not need," he began, but she held up her finger.

"Please to remember, sir, that I am head nurse here. You will go to
bed at once, and will take a light repast and a glass of generous wine.
After that our surgeon will examine you, and remove your bandages, which
have been, I doubt not, somewhat disarranged on your journey; then he
will say whether it will be advisable that you should keep your bed for
a time, which will, I think, be far the best for you, for you will be
much more comfortable so than on a couch, which, however good to be sat
upon by those in health, affords but poor comfort to an invalid. Have
you brought a servant with you?"

"Yes, madam. He is a very faithful lad, and accompanied me on that
enterprise that you have been speaking of. He is a merry fellow, and
has proved himself a good and careful nurse. He sat up with me for many
nights when I was first hurt, and has ever since slept on the floor in
my room."

"I will give him in charge of my majordomo, who will see that he is well
taken care of, and we can have a pallet laid for him at night on the
floor of your room."

She herself led the way to a very comfortable apartment where a fire was
burning on the hearth; a lackey was already in waiting, and after a few
kind words she left him.

"I have fallen into good hands indeed," Hector said to himself. "What
would Sergeant MacIntosh say if he knew that I was lodged in a ducal
palace, and that the duke and duchess had both spoken to me and seen
after my comfort as if I had been a