I had a hand in remaking a kingdom and putting a fresh king upon a great throne the very year that I came of age.

_Mon Dieu_, I have lived my life!" That was the most that I ever heard him confess of his past life, and he only shook his head and laughed when we tried to get something more out of him.

There were times when we thought that he was but a clever impostor; for what could a man of such influence and talents be loitering here in Berwickshire for?
But one day there came an incident which showed us that he had indeed a history in the past.
You will remember that there was an old officer of the Peninsula who lived no great way from us, the same who danced round the bonfire with his sister and the two maids.

He had gone up to London on some business about his pension and his wound money, and the chance of having some work given him, so that he did not come back until late in the autumn.
One of the first days after his return he came down to see us, and there for the first time he clapped eyes upon de Lapp.

Never in my life did I look upon so astonished a face, and he stared at our friend for a long minute without so much as a word.