The preceding chapter embraces a period of fourteen years, of which it however records but little, and strangely enough omits all reference to two events of that time, both of which must have had considerable influence on "Litte Mac's" character and daily life. 

The first of these was his challenging a brother officer for some insulting speech, which, cutting to the quick, was more than our impulsive young friend could thole.   The other  man was an acknowledged bully who probably irritated Macdonell intentionally to this pitch.  But at all events, the challenge was given and accepted, and who knows how the affair might have ended, if at this point the kindly old doctor of the regiment had not taken the trouble to step into the breach.   He had taken a fancy to the high-spirited little highlander, and to save him from the consequences of his rash action, exerted himself to the utmost.   While quite acknowledging that the bully was the one most in fault, he yet urged on Macdonell the fact, that this man was his senior officer, and therefore when the affair got to the ears of the authorities, the one to get into serious trouble would not be the man who was most to blame, but the junior.   The consequences would certainly fall on him, - and that heavily.   He would lose his commission, - was the affair worth that price?  With these and other arguments the kindhearted old man at length persuaded Macdonell to apologise;  which, sorely against the grain, he did.   His enemy, perhaps realising how he had to conquer himself to make this apology, seemed to genuinely regret the part he played in the affair and did all he could to make up the difference between them, and after a time the two became friendly again.

The second event was Macdonell's marriage on 12th October 1844 to Mary Johnstone, daughter of Alexander Johnston of  Morayshire, who had come out to visit a married sister in the Punjab.   At this time the regiment was commanded by a man who seemed to take a delight in refusing his officers all leave of absence, whatever the reason;  and always in the same words, - "I have INSUPERABLE objections".   And on the occasion of his marriage Macdonell fared no better at the Colonel's hands than when he had begged for a few days' shooting.   "Have you any objection sir," he asked ,"to my being absent from parade tomorrow?"   "I have INSUPEREABLE objections" emphatically declared the irascible old colonel.   So the young man had to attend parade on his wedding morning as on any other day.   A little later however he rode off to church, was married, and quietly returned to his bungalow with his bride.   Five or six years afterwards Mrs. Macdonell died of erysipelas, at Kartarpur, on 9th June 1852..

A few years after his wife's death Macdonell obtained his long-coveted step.    For his brevet-captaincy he had nothing to pay, but in June 1842, when he became full captain, he paid     R 39.1.7.   What incredibly slow promotion this seems compared with that of modern times!   But in the days of the H.E.I.C.S. subalterns of twenty years' standing were not unknown.