He was as kind to me as if he had been my father." "I will try to supply his place," the king said gravely.

"He died in my service, and through my error.
"For my own sake, I am glad that you are here.

You have something of his temperament, and I can talk freely with you, too, whatever comes into my head." "I did not know whether I did rightly in coming to report myself direct to you, sire; but your kindness has always been so great to me that I thought it would be best to come straight to you, instead of reporting myself elsewhere, having indeed no fixed post or commander." "You did quite right.

By the way, Keith's brother, the Scottish Earl Marischal, is here." He touched a bell, and said to the officer who came in: "Will you give my compliments to Earl Marischal Keith, and beg him to come to me for a few minutes." Two minutes later Keith entered--a tall man, less strongly built than his brother, but much resembling him.
"Excuse my sending for you, Earl Marischal," the king said, "but I wanted to introduce to you your young cousin, Major Drummond; a very brave young officer, as you may well imagine, since he has already gained that rank, and wears our military order of the Black Eagle.

He tells me that he has not hitherto met you; but he came over here at your brother's invitation, was a very great favourite of his, and was deeply attached to him." "My brother mentioned you frequently, in his letters to me," Keith said, holding out his hand to Fergus.