ening," he began, "as I was learning
from the Governor the state of the stores here. I should like to have
a talk with you. May I ask you, in the first place, how you have so
early attained the rank of captain? My aide-de-camp tells me that you
said you had attracted the notice of the King of France. It must have
been by some singular action, and as I have an hour to spare, before
I ride out, I shall be glad if you can tell me some particulars about
yourself; unless, indeed, they are of a private nature."

"Not at all, sir. The story is generally known to members of the
court at Versailles, and indeed to all Paris;" and he then related
to the earl the story of his release of Anne de Pointdexter from
her imprisonment, the journey to the south, the attack on the
party by the Vicomte de Tulle, and her second rescue from him.

"Thank you, sir," the general said, when he had concluded. "I am
not surprised that, after so romantic an adventure, the King of
France took notice of an officer who had shown such courage and
intelligence. You see, sir, that you and I are, to a certain
extent, in a similar position. From motives of religion,
principally, you Irish have left your country, and are fighting
for a foreign monarch. I, as you are doubtless aware, belong to a
French Huguenot family, and, being forced to leave France by the
severe edicts, entered the service of Holland, and followed the
fortunes of King William, and am now fighting against the troops
of the country of my birth. In other respects, there is a
similarity. We have both lost a hand in the service of our adopted
countries; I at the siege of Badajos, and you at--?"

"Oudenarde, sir."

"I have been thinking it over," the general went on. "I might, of
course, send you to Lisbon as a prisoner, but one extra prisoner
would not largely benefit my government. You have not been taken
in action. Your papers have saved me an immense deal of trouble,
for we are no more able to rely upon the information given by the
Portuguese than, I should think, the Duke of Orleans can upon that
of the Spaniards.

"Therefore, sir, I think that, in the present case, I can make an
exception to the rule. In an hour I shall mount and ride down the
road to Badajos, and I shall there restore your liberty to you,
and permit you to recross the frontier. It would be a thousand
pities that so young and gallant an officer should waste, perhaps,
some years of his life in an English prison, for