"And at your old trade, I perceive," said Colonel Sutherland--"hey, Kennedy?--you will never forget your cockade and bunch of ribbons; but I rather think you're out a little here." "Ay, sir, ay--I said as much mysel' wan moment afore. The young master, Cornel, he's aboove my hand," said the sergeant, promptly; "but youth, sir, youth will not hearken to a good advice. So I bid to tell him as he desired; he's all for the cap and the feather, Cornel, and it's not for an ould sodger to balk a gentleman, in especial as it was information Mr. Roger sought; and I well rec'klet, Cornel, that ye aye liked a lad of spirit yoursel'." "This is a mistake, however," said the young man, hurriedly; "I'm not a gentleman seeking information. Go on, Kennedy; I want pay and bread--don't be afraid, sir, there's nobody belonging to me to break their hearts if I enlist. Let him say out what he has to say." The Colonel cast kindly eyes upon the young man, and saw his nervous haste of manner, and the impatient way in which he roused himself out of his half abstraction to deny the inferences of the sergeant--which, indeed, were entirely foreign to the address which Kennedy had just been delivering; and his benevolent heart was interested. "I also am an old soldier," he said, with his kind stoop forward, and his smile; "perhaps I am a safer adviser for a young man of your appearance than Kennedy. Eh? Do you prefer the sergeant? Very well! But you must understand that the good fellow romances, and that rising from the ranks, even in India, is not so easy as he would have you suppose. Very true, I have nothing to do with it; but don't be persuaded to enlist with such an idea. I wish you good morning, young gentleman. You can come to me, sergeant, at the inn in an hour or so. I am here only for a few days." And Colonel Sutherland had turned away, and was once more descending the road, wondering a little, perhaps, that the young fellow did not eagerly seek his offered advice on a subject which he knew so much better than the sergeant, when he heard himself called from behind, and, looking back, found the youth following. As he came up, the Colonel remarked him more closely. He was of brown complexion and athletic form, though only about twenty--already a powerful though so young a man. He was dressed entirely in black--a somewhat formal suit, which almost suggested the clerical profession, though, in fact, it meant only mourning, and had a mingled look in his face of grief and mortification, sincere sorrow, and a certain affronted, indignant, resentful aspect, which raised a little curiosity in the mind of the Colonel. He came up with a bold, firm, straightforward step, which Colonel Sutherland could not help contrasting unawares with that of Horace, and with the colour varying on his cheek.