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 dif…
ference 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 atti…
tude 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 re…
ceives 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
seen in the fort these last few days！ Out upon you； Ser…
geant！ old fellow as I am； I could almost love that little
lassie myself； and send the lieuteuant…colonelcy to the
devil。〃
〃We all know where Major Duncan's heart is； and that
is in Scotland； where a beautiful lady is ready and willing
to make him happy； as soon as his own sense of duty shall
permit。〃
〃Ay； hope is ever a far…off thing； Sergeant；〃 returned
the superior； a shade of melancholy passing over his hard
Scottish features as he spoke； 〃and bonnie Scotland is a
far…off country。 Well； if we have no heather and oatmeal
in this region； we have venison for the killing of it and
salmon as plenty as at Berwick…upon…Tweed。 Is it true；
Sergeant that the men complain of having been over…
venisoned and over…pigeoned of late？〃
〃Not for some weeks； Major Duncan； for neither deer
nor birds are so plenty at this season as they have been。
They begin to throw their remarks about concerning the
salmon； but I trust we shall get through the summer
without any serious disturbance on the score of food。 The
Scotch in the battalion do； indeed； talk more than is pru…
dent of their want of oatmeal； grumbling occasionally of
our wheaten bread。〃
〃Ah； that is human nature； Sergeant！ pure； unadul…
terated Scotch human nature。 A cake； man； to say the
truth； is an agreeable morsel； and I often see the time
when I pine for a bite myself。〃
〃If the feeling gets to be troublesome； Major Duncan；
in the men； I mean； sir； for I would not think of saying so
disrespectful a thing to your honor； but if the men ever
pine seriously for their natural food； I would humbly
recommend that some oatmeal be imported； or prepared in
this country for them； and I think we shall hear no more
of it。 A very little would answer for a cure； sir。〃
〃You are a wag； Sergeant； but hang me if I am sure
you are not right。 There may be sweeter things in this
world； after all； than oatmeal。 You have a sweet daughter；
Dunham； for one。〃
〃The girl is like her mother； Major Duncan； and will
pass inspection；〃 said the Sergeant proudly。 〃Neither
was brought up on anything better than good American
flour。 The girl will pass inspection； sir。〃
〃That would she； I'll answer for it。 Well； I may as well
come to the point at once； man； and bring up my reserve
into the front of the battle。 Here is Davy Muir； the
quartermaster； disposed to make your daughter his wife；
and he has just got me to open the matter to you； being
fearful of compromising his own dignity； and I may as
well add that half the youngsters in the fort toast her； and
talk of her from morning till night。〃
〃She is much honored； sir；〃 returned the father stiffly；
〃but I trust the gentlemen will find something more
worthy of them to talk about ere long。 I hope to see her
the wife of an honest man before many weeks； sir。〃
〃Yes； Davy is an honest man； and that is more than can
be said for all in the quartermaster's department； I'm
thinking； Sergeant；〃 returned Lundie； with a slight smile。
〃Well； then may I tell the Cupid…stricken youth that the
matter is as good as settled？〃
〃I thank your honor； but Mabel is betrothed to an…
other。〃
〃The devil she is！ That will produce a stir in the fort；
though I'm not sorry to hear it either； for； to be frank
with you； Sergeant； I'm no great admirer of unequal
matches。〃
〃I think with your honor； and have no desire to see my
daughter an officer's lady。 If she can get as high as her
mother was before her； it ought to satisfy any reasonable
woman。〃
〃And may I ask； Sergeant； who is the lucky man that
you intend to call son…in…law ？〃
〃The Pathfinder； your honor。〃
〃Pathfinder！〃
〃The same； Major Duncan； and in naming him to you；
I give you his whole history。 No one is better known on
this frontier than my honest； brave； true…hearted friend。〃
〃All that is true enough； but is he； after all； the sort of
person to make a girl of twenty happy？〃
〃Why not； your honor？ The man is at the head of his
calling。 There is no other guide or scout connected with
the army who has half the reputation of Pathfinder； or
who deserves to have it half as well。〃
〃Very true； Sergeant； but is the reputation of a scout
exactly the sort of renown to captivate a girl's fancy？〃
〃Talking of girls' fancies； sir； is in my humble opinion
much like talking of a recruit's judgment。 If we were to
take the movements of the awkward squad； sir； as a guide；
we should never form a decent line in battalion； Major
Duncan。〃
〃But your daughter has nothing awkward about her：
for a genteeler girl of her class could not be found in old
Albion itself。 Is she of your way of thinking in this
matter？ though I suppose she must be； as you say she is
betrothed。〃
〃We have not yet conversed on the subject； your honor；
but I consider her mind as good as made up； from several
little circumstances which might be named。〃
〃And what are these circumstances； Sergeant？〃 asked
the Major； who began to take more interest than he had
at first felt on the subject。 〃I confess a little curiosity to
know something about a woman's mind； being； as you
know； a bachelor myself。〃
〃Why； your honor； when I speak of the Pathfinder to
the girl； she always looks me full in the face； chimes in
with everything I say in his favor； and has a frank open
way with her； which says as much as if she half considered
him already as a husband。〃
〃Hum！ and these signs； you think； Dunham； are faith…
ful tokens of your daughter's feelings？〃
〃I do； your honor； for they strike me as natural。 When
I find a man； sir； who looks me full in the face； while he
praises an officer； for； begging your honor's pardon； the
men will sometimes pass their strictures on their betters；
… and when I find a man looking me in the eyes as he
praises his captain； I always set it down that the fellow is
honest； and means what he says。〃
〃Is there not some material difference in the age of the
intended bridegroom and that of his pretty bride； Ser…
geant？〃
〃You are quite right； sir； Pathfinder is well advanced
towards forty； and Mabel has every prospect of happiness
that a young woman can derive from the certainty of pos…
sessing an experienced husband。 I was quite forty myself；
your honor； when I married her mother。〃
〃But will your daughter be as likely to admire a green
hunting…shirt； such as that our worthy guide wears； with a
fox…skin cap； as the smart uniform of the 55th？〃
〃Perhaps not； sir； and therefore she will have the merit
of self…denial； which always makes a young woman wiser
and better。〃
〃And are you not afraid that she may be left a widow
while still a young woman？ what between wild beasts；