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112 your friendship, and honour your esteem too highly to regard both only as ladders to 'place'?

The minister stretched his hand out to him with one of those warm silent gestures of acknowledgment, very uncommon with him, but very eloquent. Too sweet and sunny a temper to be a "good hater," he was a cordial Mend; how true and steadfast a friend those only knew who knew him in private life.

"Well, the State at least owes you something," he said, after a pause. "You must let us pay oar debt. Messengerships never do lead to anything, but that is no reason why they should not in your person. There are many half civil half military appointments for which your life has fitted you, and which you yourself would fill better than any man I know; the govenorship of some good island, for instance."

Erceldoune was silent a moment, leaning against the marble.

"I thank you sincerely, but I want nothing, and I have too much of the nomad in me to care to relinquish my wandering life in saddle. Give me no credit for asceticism, or renunciation; it is nothing of the kind. I should have been born a desert chief; I have never been happier than in the