aking young to the business of
soldiering abroad. Bravery is excellent in its way; but youth and
bravery, combined with good looks, are irresistible to the female
mind. I am heartily glad that one of our kin should have won
something more than six feet of earth by his sword.

"Count Eulenfurst is one of the few men everyone speaks well of.
There is no man in Saxony who stands higher. In any other country
he would have been the leading statesman of his time, but the
wretched king, and his still more wretched minister, held in
disfavour all who opposed their wanton extravagance and their
dangerous plans.

"It is an honour indeed to be connected with such a family, putting
aside all question of money; but indeed, in this respect nothing
could be more satisfactory. His daughter is the sole heiress of his
wide estates, and as her husband you will have a splendid position.

"I am very glad, lad, that the count has no objection to your
passing a portion of your time in Scotland. They say, you know,
that much as Scotchmen boast of their love of their country, they
are always ready to leave it to better themselves; and that it is
very seldom they ever return to it. Such was, unhappily, the case
with my brother; such will probably be the case with myself; but I
am glad that you will be an exception, and that you will still keep
up your connection with your old home.

"I hope, lad, that you will have more than one son. The first, of
course, will make Saxony his home; but bring up the second as a
Scotchman, send him home to be educated, and let him succeed you in
the glens. If he has the family instinct for fighting, let him go
into the British army--he can go into no better--but let your
people have some one who will be their own laird, and whose
interests will be identified with their own."

Fergus smiled at the old man's earnestness.

"That is rather looking ahead, sir," he said. "However, it is
certainly what I should like to do, myself; and if, as you say, I
have more than one son, I will certainly give the second the
training you suggest, and make a Scotchman of him. Certainly, if he
has fighting instincts, he will see that he will have more
opportunities of active service, in the British army, than he could
have in that of Saxony; which has been proved unable to stand
alone, and can only act as a small ally to either Prussia or
Austria. Even putting aside my nationality, I would rather be
fighting under Clive, in In