companion, whose abbreviated stature had only gained admittance
to the service through high heels and a powerful influence. "Did you
notice that Sir William addressed your 'young savage' as Hester?"

"Oh, by Jove! Yes; now that you mention it," cried the other, with an
accent of despair. "And you said her name was Hester, too. The
adorable little Rothsay to whom I had even proposed to propose. If
this is a sample of her family though! But, of course, it can't be.
It would be too incredible. She is an angel; while he--well, he isn't,
and therefore cannot be even a remote connection."

Just here the door was again opened, and Sir William, followed by the
subject of their conversation, re-entered the room.

"Well, general!" began the ever-impatient Bullen. "I trust you are not
going to detain us here much longer. It is of the utmost importance
that I should reach Detroit as speedily as possible."

"Ah, yes," replied the general, who knew that Paymaster Bullen had
obtained his present detail solely for the sake of furthering certain
schemes of his own. "I understand that you are going to investigate
the unaccountable disappearance of a red blanket and a plug of tobacco
from the quartermaster's stores at Detroit."

"Not only that, Sir William, but I am to make a very thorough inquiry
into the unaccounted-for disappearance of a great many red blankets,
and a great many plugs of tobacco, and a great many other things as
well," answered the little paymaster, warmly.

"Very well, sir," replied the general. "If that is the sole object of
your journey, you need not go beyond this room to acquire all necessary
information. I can tell you what became of the goods in question, and
who is responsible for their disappearance. I am indirectly; though my
very dear friend, Major Graham Hester, recently in command at Detroit,
acting by my advice, was the agent through whom they were distributed
in the shape of presents to the warlike western tribes. By this means,
and through his most excellent judgment in Indian affairs, Major Hester
has succeeded in averting, until now, a bloody war, which has been
imminent at any time during the last three years. Now, owing to a
parsimony that withholds those few paltry dollars' worth of presents
and the criminal stupidity of some of our newly arrived officers, we
are on the eve of the most serious native outbreak this country has
ever witnessed. As it is under the leadership of Pon