me well ever
since I left Paris, and I am grieved indeed to lose it."

"So am I, master; it was a good beast, but I think that either of these
is as good, though it will be long before I get to like them as I did
Scotty. We shall want housings for this second horse, master."

"Yes; there will be no difficulty about that. There are scores of dead
horses on the field; choose one without any embroidery or insignia. You
may as well take another pair of holsters with pistols."

Riding across to the spot where Enghien and his officers were forming up
the prisoners, talking courteously to the Spanish officers and seeing
to the wounded, Hector, leaving Paolo to find his fallen horse and shift
his trappings to the one that he rode, cantered up to the spot where
Enghien's white plume could be seen in the midst of a group of officers,
among whom was General Gassion. He saluted as he came up.

"I am glad indeed to see you, Captain Campbell," Enghien said warmly,
holding out his hand; "I feared that you were killed. Some of my friends
told me that you were struck down in the third charge, and that they had
not seen you since and feared that you were slain."

"My horse was killed, prince, and in falling pinned me to the ground,
and being within thirty yards of the Spanish square, I lay without
movement until you came back again and broke them. Then some soldiers so
far lifted my horse that I could get my foot from under it, my servant
found and caught a riderless German horse, and here I am unharmed."

"Well, sir, at the time that you came up General Gassion was just
telling these gentlemen that had it not been for you things might have
gone very differently. Had you not discovered that ambush their fire
would have been fatal to us, for we fell back, as you know, farther than
the copse, and a volley from a thousand muskets would have played havoc
among us, and after so terrible a repulse might well have decided the
day against us. For this great service, rendered by you voluntarily and
without orders, I as commander-in-chief of this army, with the full and
warm approval of General Gassion, appoint you to the rank of colonel,
a rank which I am sure will be confirmed by the queen's minister when I
report to him my reasons for the promotion. General Gassion reports
that the man who accompanied you on this reconnaissance was the same who
followed you in the expedition to Turin. As he is not a soldier I cannot
promote him, but I will