“I know, I know.  But you see,” he stammered, “I am new to these servants.  I know them to be faithful, and that’s all.  Forgive me; I feared from your tone one of them—­Duncan perhaps ...”

He did not finish his sentence, but broke into a hurried walk and led me towards the house.  A minute later, as we approached it, he began to discourse half-humorously on its more glaring features, and had apparently forgotten his perturbation.

I too attached small importance to it, and recall it now merely through unwillingness to omit any circumstance which may throw light on a story sufficiently dark to me.  After breakfast our host walked down with us to the loch-side, where we found old Donald putting the last touches on his job.  With thanks for our entertainment we shook hands and pushed off:  and my last word at parting was a promise to remember his ambition and write any news of my success.

II

I anticipated no difficulty, and encountered none.  The Gazette of January, 1815, announced that David Marie Joseph Mackenzie, gentleman, had been appointed to an ensigncy in the —­th Regiment of Infantry (Moray Highlanders); and I timed my letter of congratulation to reach him with the news.  Within a week he had joined us at Inverness, and was made welcome.

I may say at once that during his brief period of service I could find no possible fault with his bearing as a soldier.  From the first he took seriously to the calling of arms, and not only showed himself punctual on parade and in all the small duties of barracks, but displayed, in his reserved way, a zealous resolve to master whatever by book or conversation could be learned of the higher business of war.  My junior officers—­though when the test came, as it soon did, they acquitted themselves most creditably—­showed, as a whole, just then no great promise.  For the most part they were young lairds, like Mr. Mackenzie, or cadets of good Highland families; but, unlike him, they had been allowed to run wild, and chafed under harness.  One or two of them had the true Highland addiction to card-playing; and though I set a pretty stern face against this curse—­as I dare to call it—­its effects were to be traced in late hours, more than one case of shirking “rounds,” and a general slovenliness at morning parade.

In such company Mr. Mackenzie showed to advantage, and I soon began to value him as a likely officer.  Nor, in my dissatisfaction with them, did it give me any uneasiness—­as it gave me no surprise—­to find that his brother-officers took less kindly to him.  He kept a certain reticence of manner, which either came of a natural shyness or had been ingrained in him at the Roman Catholic seminary.  He was poor, too; but poverty did not prevent his joining in all the regimental amusements, figuring modestly but sufficiently on the subscription lists, and even taking a hand at cards for moderate stakes.  Yet he made no headway, and his popularity diminished instead of growing.  All this I noted, but without discovering any definite reason.  Of his professional promise, on the other hand, there could be no question; and the men liked and respected him.