Chapter 10 - Page 2

area within the fort, and sometimes in another. On the present
occasion, he had made a halt near the centre; and there he was
found by his subordinate, who was admitted to his presence without
any delay or dancing attendance in an ante-chamber. In point
of fact, there was very little difference in the quality of the
accommodations allowed to the officers and those allowed to the
men, the former being merely granted the most room.

"Walk in, Sergeant, walk in, my good friend," said old Lundie
heartily, as his inferior stood in a respectful attitude at the door
of a sort of library and bedroom into which he had been ushered;
-- "walk in, and take a seat on that stool. I have sent for you,
man; to discuss anything but rosters and pay-rolls this evening. It
is now many years since we have been comrades, and 'auld lang syne'
should count for something, even between a major and his orderly,
a Scot and a Yankee. Sit ye down, man, and just put yourself at
your ease. It has been a fine day, Sergeant."

"It has indeed, Major Duncan," returned the other, who, though he
complied so far as to take the seat, was much too practised not to
understand the degree of respect it was necessary to maintain in
his manner; "a very fine day, sir, it has been and we may look for
more of them at this season."

"I hope so with all my heart. The crops look well as it is, man,
and you'll be finding that the 55th make almost as good farmers
as soldiers. I never saw better potatoes in Scotland than we are
likely to have in that new patch of ours."

"They promise a good yield, Major Duncan; and, in that light, a
more comfortable winter than the last."

"Life is progressive, Sergeant, in its comforts as well as in its
need of them. We grow old, and I begin to think it time to retire
and settle in life. I feel that my working days are nearly over."

"The king, God bless him! sir, has much good service in your honor
yet."

"It may be so, Sergeant Dunham, especially if he should happen to
have a spare lieutenant-colonelcy left."

"The 55th will be honored the day that commission is given to Duncan
of Lundie, sir."

"And Duncan of Lundie will be honored the day he receives it. But,
Sergeant, if you have never had a lieutenant-colonelcy, you have
had a good wife, and that is the next thing to rank in making a
man happy."

"I have been married, Major Duncan; but it is now a long time since
I have had no drawback on the love I bear his majesty and my duty."

"What, man! not even the love you bear that active little round-limbed,
rosy-cheeked daughter that I have