n the last kink of
his pre-destined hair-rope. While I wondered, off and on, in this
sense, and our small world of Corgarff drifted uneventfully on, a
much-worn, salt-sprayed letter reached me, and I recognized in it the
Black Colonel's writing.

What account had he to give of himself?

_XV.--News from Somewhere_

"Quebec," the Black Colonel had written above the first sheet of his
letter and he had forgotten to put any date, so I was left to guess how
long it had taken to reach me. Nor did it bear any form of address to
myself, but just began abruptly, "I do not suppose you will be
specially glad to hear of me in this land of New France. There was,
however, an understanding that I should write you, and I am doing it by
a sure and confidential messenger." Then it went on as follows, for I
transcribe it fully, as is needful for the conveyance of its atmosphere
and even a certain quality of elegance natural to the writer:

"No man is happy who has had disappointments like me, but, at least, I
survive and am usefully occupied. If I may say it, my not
inconsiderable fame in our native Highlands had gone ahead of me to
this country. That made it easy to secure service in one of the French
corps in Quebec, for I speak the language, as you know, with no undue
stranger accent, and it always brings me gay memories of hours in Old
France.

"The regimental wages are not great, and they are not paid with exact
punctuality, because there are too many empty hands waiting between his
French Christian Majesty's coffers and his soldiers in Canada. But
that, to a man like myself who wants little of the so-called comforts
of life, and has, moreover, other sources, is no great hardship, and
there are comfortings, sometimes, in unexpected quarters.

"The French, who know the art of romance, and how to spin it to the
last drop without getting to the dregs, have already peopled this new
land of theirs with colour, but I doubt me if it will last, which is
their affair, not mine, or yours. King Louis himself is indulgent to
the human colouring of his dominion, in that he sends out shipments of
wives from the Old Country for the French settlers.

"Therefore they are called 'King's girls,' and being flowers of a
kingdom which has bloomed rarely with women, they are in much demand.
It is a joke, when a ship-load arrives, that the plumpest are married
first, and this, I gather, for two reasons: Being less active, it is
though