per class; and
since the civil troubles began, such numbers of Scottish gentlemen
were forced either to shelter in France, or to take service in the
French or other foreign armies, that a knowledge of the language
became almost a matter of necessity. In one of his short letters
Keith had told her that, of all things, it was necessary that the
lad should speak French with perfect fluency, and master as much
German as possible. And it was to these points that his education
had been almost entirely directed.

As to French there was no difficulty and, when she recovered a
portion of the estate, Maggie Drummond was lucky in hearing of a
Hanoverian trooper who, having been wounded and left behind in
Glasgow, his term of service having expired, had on his recovery
married the daughter of the woman who had nursed him. He was
earning a somewhat precarious living by giving lessons in the use
of the rapier, and in teaching German; and gladly accepted the
offer to move out to Kilgowrie, where he was established in a
cottage close to the house, where his wife aided in the housework.
He became a companion of Fergus in his walks and rambles and, being
an honest and pleasant fellow, the lad took to him; and after a few
months their conversation, at first somewhat disjointed, became
easy and animated. He learned, too, much from him as to the use of
his sword. The Scotch clansmen used their claymores chiefly for
striking; but under Rudolph's tuition the lad came to be as apt
with the point as he had before been with the edge, and fully
recognized the great advantages of the former. By the time he
reached the age of sixteen, his skill with the weapon was fully
recognized by the young clansmen who, on occasions of festive
gatherings, sometimes came up to try their skill with the young
laird.

From Rudolph, too, he came to know a great deal of the affairs of
Europe, as to which he had hitherto been profoundly ignorant. He
learned how, by the capture of the province of Silesia from the
Empress of Austria, the King of Prussia had, from a minor
principality, raised his country to a considerable power, and was
regarded with hostility and jealousy by all his neighbours.

"But it is only a small territory now, Rudolph," Fergus said.

"'Tis small, Master Fergus, but the position is a very strong one.
Silesia cannot well be invaded, save by an army forcing its way
through very formidable defiles; while on the other hand, the
Prussian forces