dition to your bravery you possessed all the
qualities that we could desire. You were modest, frank, and
natural. So far from making much of the service you had rendered
us, you were always unwilling to speak of it; and when that could
not be avoided, you made as little of it as possible.

"I spoke several times of you to Marshal Keith, and he said that he
regarded you almost as a son, and spoke in the highest terms of
you. We saw, or fancied we saw, in the pleasure which Thirza
betrayed when you returned after each of your absences; and in the
anxiety which she evinced when battles had taken place, until I
could ascertain that your name was not among the lists of killed
and wounded; that what we had thought likely was taking place, and
that she regarded you with an interest beyond that which would be
excited by gratitude only.

"As to yourself, and your thoughts on the subject, we knew nothing.
We never saw anything in your manner to her that showed that your
heart was affected. You chatted with her as freely and naturally as
to us and, even since you have been here this time, we have
observed no change in you. And yet, it seemed to us well-nigh
impossible that a young soldier should be thrown so much with a
girl who, though it is her father who says so, is exceptionally
pretty and of charming manners, and continue to regard her with
indifference; unless, indeed, he loved elsewhere, which we were
sure in your case could hardly be. I had however, like yourself,
determined to speak on the matter before you left us; as, had you
not felt towards her as we hoped, the countess and I agreed that it
would be better, for her sake, that we should not press you to come
to stay with us again until she was married.

"I am truly glad that the matter stands as we had hoped. I can only
repeat that there is no one to whom we could intrust her happiness
so confidently as to you."

"I will do my best to justify your confidence, count," Fergus said
warmly.

"Now I will go into the house and tell my wife, and then we can
acquaint Thirza. It is the custom here, at least among people of
rank, for the parents first to acquaint their daughter with a
proposal that has been made for her hand, and of their wishes on
the subject. Parental control is not carried to the point, now,
that it used to be; and maidens sometimes entertain different
opinions to those of their parents. Happily, in the present case,
there is no reason to fear that Th