“Well, young sir, the viscount rewarded you for the great service that you rendered him at Turin; the Duc d’Enghien has similarly rewarded you for your service to him at Rocroi; but it is ours to reward you for your services to France; and Cardinal Mazarin will, in my name, hand you tomorrow the estate of de la Villar, in Poitou, which carries with it the title of Baron de la Villar.  A soldier who has rendered such service to us cannot be allowed to remain a soldier dependent on his pay, and I am sure that should need arise you will do me as good service as you have rendered to Turenne and Enghien.”

“Your majesty is too good and gracious,” Hector stammered, overcome by this sudden and unexpected reward; “but be assured, madame” —­ and he recovered himself, and his voice was steady —­ “should there be need, I will willingly lay down my life in your majesty’s service, and in that of the king, your son.”

“Which means also,” the queen said gently, “in that of my minister, who may need faithful friends even more than we do, and under whose advice we have now acted.”

“Assuredly, madame.  Cardinal Mazarin is your minister, and as long as he possesses your confidence he represents France in my eyes, and I will render as faithful service to him as to yourself.”

“Well spoken, baron,” the queen said graciously.  “Henceforth I shall count you as among my friends.”  She held out her hand for him to kiss, as did the little king, and after a deep bow to them and to the cardinal, Hector left the audience chamber still almost bewildered by the honours bestowed upon him.

Hector made his way through the crowd to the side of Colonel Maclvor, the general verdict of those who watched him being that he had not met with the same good fortune as those who preceded him, but that for some reason or other he had been reprimanded.

“Well, lad,” the colonel said, “what fortune have you met with?  Judging by your face, either the queen or the cardinal have failed to recognize the service that you have rendered.”

“Upon the contrary, colonel, they have so heaped favours upon me that at present I can scarcely realize my good fortune, and feel almost humiliated that so much should have been given for what was a mere matter of duty and attended by no great peril.”

“What have they done, then, Campbell?”

“Well, colonel, absurd as it seems even to myself, the queen has graciously bestowed upon me the estate of la Villar, by which gift she says I become as its owner the Baron de la Villar.”

“That is fortunate indeed, my dear Campbell,” the colonel said, heartily shaking him by the hand.  “It shows that the duke and Gassion were of the same opinion that we expressed, namely, that your discovery of that ambush was the chief factor in bringing about the victory of Rocroi.”

“But it was such a simple thing,” Hector said.  “It was merely a reconnaissance, such as I have made scores of times in Italy.”