"And now a long farewell to Rohallion!" he exclaimed, as he reached the ivied arch of the haunted gate. "Not so fast, Quentin," said a voice, and the rough hand of the worthy quartermaster grasped his. "John Girvan," said Quentin, with emotion. "I thought it would come to this. So you are really about to take French leave of us--to levant in the night, and without beat of drum?" "Yes," "To go out into the wide world?" "Yes." "I knew it would be thus, for I knew your spirit, Quentin, and so have been keeping guard here at the gate." "Guard--for what purpose? To stop me?" "No." "What then?" "To aid and help ye, Quentin, laddie," said Girvan, placing a heavy purse in his hand. "I have saved something here, forty guineas or so, off my half-pay, take them and use them cautiously, wi' an auld man's blessing--an auld soldier's, if you like it better." "Girvan--John Girvan," said Quentin, with a very troubled voice; "I cannot--I cannot----" "What?" "Deprive you of what I may never be able to repay." "Ye must and ye shall take the money, or I'll fling it into the Lollard's Linn!" said the other, impetuously. "It was I who laid your father's head in the grave, laddie, in the auld kirkyard yonder in the glen, and ill would it become auld John Girvan, of the 25th, to let his son go forth to seek his fortune in this cold hard world, portionless and penniless, while there was a shot in the locker--a lad I love, too!" "But the repayment, John Girvan, the repayment." "Heed not that--it will come time enough; and if it never comes I'll never miss it; but ye'll write to me from the next burgh-town, won't ye, Quentin, laddie?" "I shall, John--I shall," replied Quentin, now so softened that he sobbed with his face on the old man's shoulder. "God bless ye, my bairn--God bless ye!" "And you, John." "You'll think o' me sometimes." "Oh, could I ever forget?" "Sorely will _she_ repent this at my lord's homecoming," said Girvan, bitterly. "My father was an ill-starred wanderer, and perished miserably, poor man! What right have I to hope for, or to look for, a better fate than he? My mother, too..... Do they see me now, and know of all this? .... And Flora--dear Flora, whom I shall see no more!" "Take a dram ere you go, laddie, for the night is dark and eerie," said Girvan, producing a flask from his pocket; "'a spur in the head is weel worth twa on the heels,' says an auld Scots proverb." "You will bid the dominie good-bye for me." "That shall I, laddie--that shall I." "And tell--tell _her_, that I have gone forth to seek my fortune, and--and----" His voice failed him, so he slung his little portmanteau on his shoulder, and wrung the hand of his kind friend for the last time. Hurrying away, he disappeared in the darkness, and, as he did so, a sound that followed on the wind made him pause, but for an instant. It was the old quartermaster sobbing like a child. * * * * So, thus went Quentin Kennedy forth into the world.