know me much either, that's all. You're a gentleman--a right
on rare thing that is--and being a gentleman, a-course you'd be too
generous and too proud like not to behave well to me, whether I was
a-serving you as I've always served you, or a-insulting of you by riding
over your head in that way as we're speaking on. But I know my place,
sir, and I know yours. If it wasn't for that ere Black Hawk--damn
him!--I can't help it, sir; I will damn him, if he shoot me for
it--you'd been a Chef d'Escadron by now. There ain't the leastest doubt
of it. Ask all the zigs what they think. Well, sir, now you know I'm a
man what do as I say. If you don't let me have my own way, and if you do
the littlest thing to get me a step, why, sir, I swear, as I'm a living
being, that I'll draw on Chateauroy the first time I see him afterward,
and slit his throat as I'd slit a jackal's! There--my oath's took!"

And Cecil saw that it would also be kept. The natural lawlessness
and fiery passion inborn in Rake had of course not been cooled by
the teaching of African warfare; and his hate was intense against the
all-potent Chief of his regiment; as intense as the love he bore to the
man whom he had followed out into exile.

Cecil tried vainly to argue with him; all his reasonings fell like
hailstones on a cuirass, and made no more impression; he was resolute.

"But listen to one thing," he urged at last. "Can you not see how you
pain me by this self-sacrifice? If I knew that you had attained a higher
grade, and wore your epaulettes in this service, can you not fancy I
should feel pleasure then (as I feel regret, even remorse, now) that I
brought you to Africa through my own follies and misfortunes?"

"Do you sir? There ain't the least cause for it, then," returned Rake
sturdily. "Lord bless you, sir; why this life's made a-purpose for me!
If ever a round peg went trim and neat into a round hole, it was when
I came into this here Army. I never was so happy in all my days before.
They're right on good fellows, and will back you to the death if so be
as you've allays been share-and-share-alike with 'em, as a zig should.
As a private, sir, I'm happy and I'm safe; as a officer, I should be
kicking over the traces and blundering everlastingly. However, there
ain't no need to say a word more about it. I've sworn, and you've heerd
me swear, sir, and you know as how I shall keep my oath if ever I'm
provoked to it by being took notice of. I stuck that Spa