tion, but the king told me that he
had had it done, in the present case, in order that you might have
a record of the exploit for which you have been promoted. You will
see it is set down inside that, although but six weeks in service,
you were promoted to the rank of lieutenant for a deed of
extraordinary gallantry. You had attacked and killed, with your own
hand, six marauding soldiers; who had entered the chateau of Count
Eulenfurst, well-nigh murdered the count, killed six of his
servants, and were occupied in plundering the house. In token of
his thankfulness, that the life of so distinguished and enlightened
a nobleman had been saved by you; as well as of approbation for the
gallantry of your conduct, his majesty promoted you to the rank of
lieutenant.

"You should keep that paper, Fergus, and pass it down to your
descendants, as an heirloom. I congratulate you, my boy, with all
my heart; and feel some satisfaction on my own account, for such an
action as this shows those who are inclined to grumble, at what
they may consider the favour shown to Scotchmen, that at any rate
the favour is not misplaced. A general order to the army has been
issued this morning saying that, some scoundrels, having disgraced
their uniform and brought discredit upon the army, by a murderous
and wicked attack upon the house of Count Eulenfurst, the king
reiterates and confirms his previous order that any man caught when
engaged in pillaging, or upon whose person any stolen goods are
found, will be summarily hung by the provost marshal, or by any
general officer before whom he may be brought.

"The king himself has ridden to the count's chateau, this morning,
to make personal inquiries into his state, and to express his deep
regret at the outrage that has taken place. It is a politic action,
as well as a kind one. Of course, the event has occasioned great
excitement in the city."

"And may I ask how the count is going on, sir?"

"The last report of the surgeons is a favourable one. He has partly
recovered consciousness, and at any rate recognizes his daughter,
who has divided her time between his bedside and her mother's. The
latter has fallen into a deep sleep of exhaustion; but will, I
doubt not, recover. The girl came down into the hall when the king
called. She bore herself well, they tell me, and would have
retained her composure, had it not been for the king himself. She
came down the grand staircase, with four of her maids be