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"That young man of yours will have enough on his hands one day," the earl said to Helen. "He lives an easy life now, and little thinks what hard work he is coming to. As Mr. Menteith once told me, the owner of Cairnforth has no sinecure, nor will have for the next quarter of a century." "You expect a busy life, then?" "Yes; and I must have that boy to help me till he comes to his own.
Now, a common sympathy, nay, more, a common grief for something beyond sympathy, keen personal regret, was evidently felt by both for the departed earl and countess made them suddenly familiar. "Is the child doing well?" was Mr. Cardross's first and most natural question; but it seemed to puzzle Mr. Menteith exceedingly. "I suppose so indeed, I can hardly say.
When cannons are roaring, and bullets are flying, The lad that would have honour, boys, must never fear dying. "Captain Dalgetty," said Lord Menteith, "the time is come that we must part, or become comrades in service." "Not before breakfast, I hope?" said Captain Dalgetty. "I should have thought," replied his lordship, "that your garrison was victualled for three days at least."
Coming events cast their shadows before. At an early hour in the morning the guests of the castle sprung from their repose; and, after a moment's private conversation with his attendants, Lord Menteith addressed the soldier, who was seated in a corner burnishing his corslet with rot-stone and chamois-leather, while he hummed the old song in honour of the victorious Gustavus Adolphus:
Lord Menteith accordingly resumed the conversation, which had been interrupted by the difficulties of the way.
"I did so," said Lord Menteith; "you will see the man to-morrow; in the meantime I wish you good-night."
The appearance of the piequeted horses, feeding in this little vale the forms of the soldiers, as they sate, stood, or walked, in various groups in the vicinity of the beautiful river, and of the bare yet romantic ranges of rock which hedge in the landscape on either side, formed a noble foreground; while far to the eastward the eye caught a glance of the lake of Menteith; and Stirling Castle, dimly seen along with the blue and distant line of the Ochil Mountains, closed the scene.
Other circumstances of evidence, which it is unnecessary to quote, brought the fullest conviction not only to Menteith, but to the unprejudiced mind of Montrose, that in Annot Lyle, an humble dependant, distinguished only by beauty and talent, they were in future to respect the heiress of Ardenvohr.
It is strange how easily some men are deceived by flattery. The agent got from Menteith one or two bits of news by pretending a disbelief in his sources of intelligence, and then, when the fool had committed himself, threatened to denounce him to the police unless he took service with him altogether. Money, of course, passed, but not very much.
Menteith, just see 'Captain Ernest Henry Bruce. What an odd coincidence!" "Coincidence, indeed!" repeated the lawyer, skeptically. "Let me see the card." "Earnest Henry! was that the name of the young man whom you sent out to India?" "How should I remember? It was ten or fifteen years ago. Very annoying! However, since he is a Bruce, or says he is, I suppose your lordship must just see him."
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