lenty of time to get your things from home; and that, in some
respects, it would be much more convenient for you to be married
here than at Dresden. Your marriage, with one who had so lately
left the service of Prussia, would hardly be a popular one with the
Austrians in Dresden. So that, altogether, the plan would be
convenient. We can set the milliners to work at once and, in
another fortnight, get your bridal dress ready, and such things as
are absolutely necessary.

"Of course, if you would rather remain single for another three or
four months, your father and I would not wish to press you unduly."

"It is not that, mother," she said shyly; "but it does seem so very
quick."

"If a thing is good, the sooner it is done the better," the count
said; and Thirza offered no further objection.

The next day an order appeared, that Colonel Fergus Drummond had
been advanced another step in the order of the Black Eagle,
following which came:

"Colonel Fergus Drummond, having lost an arm at the battle of
Torgau, has resigned his commission; which has been accepted with
great regret by the king, the services of Colonel Drummond having
been, in the highest degree, meritorious and distinguished."

The king, having heard from the Earl Marischal that Fergus was to
be married at Leipzig before leaving for Scotland, took great
interest in the matter; and when the time came, was himself present
in the cathedral, together with a brilliant gathering of generals
and other officers of the army in the vicinity, and of many Saxon
families of distinction who were acquainted with Count Eulenfurst.
Fergus had obtained Karl's discharge from the army--the latter, who
had long since served his full time, having begged most earnestly
to remain in his service.

On the following day Fergus started with his wife for Scotland,
drove to Magdeburg and, four days later, reached Hamburg; where
they embarked on board a ship for Edinburgh, Karl of course
accompanying them.

It was a day to be long remembered, in the glen, when Colonel
Drummond and his Saxon wife came to take possession of his father's
estates; where his mother had now been established for upwards of a
year, in the old mansion. It was late when they arrived. A body of
mounted men with torches met them, at the boundary of the estate;
and accompanied them to the house, where all the tenants and
clansmen were assembled. Great bonfires blazed, and scores of
torches added to the pictur