cottish regiment of
musketeers. I suppose that there must be an official to act as my agent
when I am away, and to act as castellan, but in any case the captain of
my troop will be in charge of all matters connected with its defence.
Now, old friend, the post is yours if you like to take it. As a soldier,
none can be better fitted for the post than a sergeant of the Scottish
regiment; as a man, there is no one I could rely on better than you.
Your duties would not be heavy, your position an honourable one. The
castle would be your home as well as mine, and when I am there you would
have the four troopers to crack with."

"Your offer is a most kind one," the sergeant said, "but I must think
it over in all lights before I answer. I should miss the company of the
lads, but already many of my old comrades are gone; most are still in
Paris earning with difficulty their bread, some are under the sod, some
have returned home. Every year the number who rode with me lessens. They
will be countrymen, but no longer comrades. Certainly I have no thought
of returning to Scotland, the people are ower gude for me; besides,
the country is all in a stir and the folks are flying at each other's
throats. I wudna go back, not if they offered me a barony. Then, on the
other hand, I misdoubt me how I should feel among strangers--I don't say
foreigners, for I have been so long here that as far as tongue goes I
am as much French as I am Scottish. Still, I would rather be forming
troopers in your service than drawing stoups of wine, and the young
soldiers do not regard me as the old ones did, and grumble if I will
draw them no more. Most of all, I should like to be with you and in your
service, and to know that I had a home in my old age."

"That you will have whenever you come to claim it, MacIntosh, whether
you accept my offer or not. However, I think that what you say is best,
and that it would be well for you to think the matter well over and give
me no answer until I return. I should be sorry indeed if, after giving
up your place here and going down to Poitou, you should regret the
exchange. Therefore, we will leave it so. And now I must be going; we
must postpone our chat over old times and the regiment until I return."

On returning to Conde's hotel Hector found Paolo awaiting him.

"Paolo, you must go out and buy six horse cloths and five housings; let
them be fairly handsome. I have taken four old soldiers into my service,
and shoul