"_En route_, I believe, for Ciudad Rodrigo, where Lord Wellington means to give battle to Marmont. The troops are marching from all points to join him, and we may soon have the glory of being actors in a general engagement." "Well; and this place Merida—" "Is possessed by three or four troops of French lancers: I saw them enter last night. You have acted most prudently in halting here, as a skirmish with so numerous a party was well avoided. But we shall probably have the pleasure of seeing them prisoners of war, when our people come up in the course of to-morrow. I shall make a tour round the sentries in a few minutes, and see that they are on the alert, and then retire to roost under that laurel bush: I feel quite worn out with my last night’s affair." "You must act for yourself now, Stuart. Should any thing occur, you of course take command of the party," replied Louis drily, and in a tone totally different from that of his late observations. "Ay, Louis; I am a senior sub, you know," said Ronald, colouring at the other’s tone. "What sort of man is Cameron of Fassifern?" asked Louis abruptly, after a long pause. "A true soldier every inch; and a prouder Highlander never drew a sword." "Fierce and haughty, is he not?" "Yes, but a perfect gentleman withal. You will find the most of ours very fine fellows,—young men of birth and blood, fire and animation; and you will be charmed with the appearance of the regiment. ’Tis indeed a splendid corps." Another long and perplexing pause ensued, while an expression of doubt and perturbation began to cloud the faces of both. Need I say that Alice,—Alice Lisle, of whom neither had yet spoken, was the cause? Although until now he had disguised it, Lisle’s indignation was bitterly aroused to find that Ronald conversed on a variety of topics with an air of lightness, and asked a thousand questions about friends at home in Perthshire, yet that never once had the name of Alice passed his lips. His pride was roused, and consequently he determined not to be the first to speak of his sister, and the anger which was swelling in his heart caused him to assume a distant and haughty behaviour towards his friend, who considered it but a confirmation of the report which he had seen in the _Edinburgh Journal_; and _his_ mountain pride and indignant feelings were likewise roused, making him, in turn, display a cold distance of manner to one whom he had ever regarded as his earliest and dearest, almost only friend and companion,—as his very brother. And this was the happy meeting to which both had so ardently looked forward as a source of pleasure for some time past! * * * * * "Truly," thought Ronald, "my father’s old-fashioned prejudices were not without a cause; these Lisles of Inchavon are not endued with either the sentiments of affection or honour."