ng, and you will then be able to tell
Mazarin that we were just setting out when you left us."

"As it will be some time before I shall rejoin my regiment, may I ask
you to appoint Captain de Thiou as second colonel? He has now served as
senior captain of the regiment for three years. He aided me heartily and
cordially in organizing it. He has seconded me throughout in a manner
of which I cannot speak too highly, and distinguished himself greatly
at Freiburg, and on every occasion in which we have been in contact with
the enemy. I think it very desirable that there should be an officer of
rank superior to the others while I am away; and both for the sake of
the regiment, and as a reward for the merit and conduct of Captain de
Thiou himself, I should be very glad were he promoted and should feel
that the regiment would in no way deteriorate during my absence."

"Certainly, Campbell, I will carry out your recommendation. He has
fairly earned his promotion, and as you say, it is better in your
absence that the regiment should be led by an officer of rank above the
others, and not by a captain having but a very slight seniority to some
of them. Doubtless you will be saying goodbye to the officers tonight.
I authorize you to inform de Thiou that he will be placed in orders
tomorrow morning as second colonel of the regiment."

"I did not think that we were likely to be back in Paris before next
winter, master," Paolo said rather discontentedly when Hector told him
that they were to start early next morning.

"Nor did I, Paolo, and I should very much rather have remained with the
regiment; but as the marshal is good enough to consider that my presence
there may be of advantage to him, I have of course nothing to say
against it."

There was great regret among the officers when they heard that their
colonel was not going to lead them, but all were pleased that de Thiou,
who was a general favourite, had obtained promotion. That officer was at
once surprised and gratified at the news, for it was not often that men
without strong family interest rose to the rank of colonel.

"I know that this is your doing," he said gratefully. "I never expected
to get above my present rank, and I am sure that I should never have
done so had it not been for you."

"You thoroughly deserve it, de Thiou, for it was by your support that
I was enabled, when I first joined, to introduce reforms, and get the
officers to take upon themselves more wo