,,the ,,angel ,,of ,,his ,,presence ,,by ,,grace ,,livingston ,,hill ,,author ,,of 8,in the ,way10 8,lone ,point10 8,an ,unwilling ,guest10 etc4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,gabriel ,,the ,,acadian ,,by ,,edith ,m4 ,,nicholl ,,bowyer ,,philadelphia ,,american ,,baptist ,,publication ,,society #adbj ,chestnut ,street ,copyright #aijb by the ,,american ,,baptist ,,publication ,,society 99 99 99 99 99 ,published ,september1 #aijb ,from the ,society's own ,press ,contents ,the ,angel of ,his ,presence ,gabriel the ,acadian ,,the ,,angel ,,of ,,his ,,presence ,,by ,,grace ,,livingston ,,hill ,,the ,,angel ,,of ,,his ,,presence ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations 8#8,i have just discovered who you are and felt as if ,i would like to shake hands with you'0 #aa 8,she lingered as if transfixed before the picture0 #bc 8,he dropped it and it shivered into fragments at his feet0 #ch 8#8,who is it8' he asked sharply and suspiciously0 #de 8,she stood behind his big leather chair1 her hands clasped together against one cheek0 #ee 8,he threw away his cigar and disappeared behind the shrubbery0 #fg 8,the #8ladye of high degree' 4 4 4 saw them standing also0 #gi ,the ,angel of his presence saved them4 ,in his love and in his pity he redeemed them4 --,old ,testament ,,the ,,angel ,,of ,,his ,,presence ,,chapter ,i ,john ,wentworth ,stanley stood on the deck of an ,atlantic ,liner looking off to sea and meditating4 ,the line of smoke that floated away from his costly cigar followed the line of smoke from the steamer as if it were doing honest work to help get ,mr4 ,stanley to ,new ,york4 ,the sea in the distance was sparkling and monotonous and the horizon line empty and bright1 but ,mr4 ,stanley seemed to see before him the hazy outlines of ,new ,york as they would appear in about twenty-four hours more1 if all went well4 ,and of course all would go well4 ,he had no doubt of that4 ,everything had always gone well for him4 ,especially well had been these last two years of travel and study abroad4 ,he reflected with satisfaction upon the knowledge and experience he had gained in his own special lines1 upon the polish he had acquired1 and he glanced over himself1 metaphorically speaking1 and found no fault in ,john ,wentworth ,stanley4 ,he was not too ,parisian in his deferential manner1 he was not too ,english in his deliberation1 neither was he1 that worst of all traits in his eyes1 too ,american in his bluntness4 ,he had acquired something from each nation1 and considered that the combined result was good4 ,it is a comfortable feeling to be satisfied with one's self4 ,nor had he been shut entirely out of the higher circles of foreign society4 ,there were pleasant memories of delightful evenings within the noble walls of exclusive homes1 of dinners and other enjoyable occasions with great personages where he had been an honored guest4 ,when he thought of this1 he raised his chest an inch higher and stood just a little straighter4 ,there was also a memory picture of one1 perhaps more1 but notably of one 8ladye of high degree10 who had not shown indifference to his various charms4 ,it was pleasant to feel that one could if one would4 ,in due time he would consider this question more carefully4 ,in the near future this lady was to visit ,america4 ,he had promised himself and her the pleasure of showing her a few of his own country's attractions4 ,and1--well1 he might go abroad again after that on business4 ,his attention was not entirely distracted by his vision of the 8ladye of high degree0 from looking upon his old homeland and anticipating the scenes and the probable experiences that would be his in a few hours4 ,two years seemed a long time when he looked back upon it1 though it had been brief in the passing4 ,he would doubtless find changes1 but there had been changes in him also4 ,he was older1 his tastes were--what should he say--developed8 ,he would not take pleasure in the same way that he had taken it when he left1 perhaps4 ,he had learned that there were other things--things if not better1 at least more cultured and less old-fashioned than his former diversions4 ,of course he did not despise his up-bringing1 nor his homeland1 but he had other interests now as well1 which would take much of his time4 ,he had been from home long enough for the place he left to have closed behind him1 and he would have no difficulty in staying 8dropped out40 ,he expected to spend much of his time in ,new ,york4 ,of course he would make his headquarters at home1 where his father and mother were living1 in a small city within a short distance of ,america's metropolis4 ,his man--he had picked up an excellent one while traveling through ,scotland--had gone on ahead to unpack and put in place the various objects of art1 etc41 that he had gathered on his travels4 ,he had not as yet become so accustomed to the man that he could not do without him from day to day1 and had found it convenient to send him home on the ship ahead of his own4 ,he wondered what his home-coming would be like4 ,his father and mother would of course be glad to see him and give him their own welcome4 ,but even with them he could not feel that he was coming home to a place where he was indispensable4 ,they had other children1 his brothers and sisters1 married and living not far from home4 ,of course they would be glad to have him back1 all of them1 but they had been happy enough without him1 knowing he was happy4 ,but in town1 while he had friends1 there were none whom he eagerly looked forward to meeting4 ,he had attended school there of course1 and in later years1 after his return from college1 had gone into the society of the place1 the literary clubs and tennis clubs and1 to a degree1 into church work4 ,he had indeed been quite enthusiastic in church work at one time1 had helped to start a mission ,sunday-school in a quarter where it was much needed1 and acted as superintendent up to the time when he had gone abroad4 ,he smiled to himself as he thought of his 8boyish enthusiasm0 as he termed it1 and turned his thoughts to his more intelligent manhood4 ,of course he would now have no time for such things4 ,his work in the world was to be of a graver sort1 to deal with science and art and literature4 ,he was done with childish things4 ,he was interrupted just here by one of the passengers4 8,i beg your pardon1 ,i have just discovered who you are and felt as if ,i would like to shake hands with you40 ,the speaker was a plain1 elderly man with fine features and an earnest face4 ,mr4 ,stanley had noticed him casually several times and remarked to himself that that man would be quite fine looking if he would only pay a little more attention to his personal appearance4 ,not that he was not neatly dressed1 nor that his handsome1 wavy1 iron gray hair was not carefully brushed2 but somehow ,john ,wentworth ,stanley had acquired during his stay abroad a nice discrimination in toilet matters1 and liked to see a man with his trousers creased or not creased1 as the height of the mode might demand1 and classed him1 involuntarily1 accordingly4 ,but he turned in surprise as the stranger addressed him4 ,what possible business could this man have with him1 and what had he done that should make the man want to shake hands with him8 ,illustration3 8#8,i ,,have ,,just ,,discovered ,,who ,,you ,,are ,,and ,,felt ,,as ,,if ,i ,,would ,,like ,,to ,,shake ,,hands ,,with ,,you4'0 ,mr4 ,stanley was courteous always1 and he at once threw away the end of his finished cigar and accepted the proffered hand graciously1 with just a tinge of his foreign-acquired nonchalance4 8,my name is ,manning4 ,you don't know me4 ,i came to live at ,cliveden shortly after you went abroad1 but ,i assure you1 ,i have heard much of you and your good work4 ,i wonder ,i did not know you1 ,mr4 ,stanley1 from your resemblance to your mother10 the stranger added1 looking into the young man's eyes with his own keen1 gray ones4 ,he did not add that one thing which had kept him from recognizing his identity had been that he did not in the least resemble the ,mr4 ,stanley he had been led to expect4 ,mr4 ,manning owned to himself in the privacy of his stateroom afterward that he was just a little disappointed in the man1 though he was handsome1 and had a good face1 but he did seem to be more of a man of the world than he had expected to find him4 ,however1 no trace of this was written in his kindly1 interested face1 as ,john ,stanley endeavored to master the situation and discover what all this meant4 8,oh1 ,i know all about your work in ,cliveden1 ,mr4 ,stanley4 ,i have been interested in the ,forest ,hill ,mission from my first residence there1 and what ,i did not learn for myself my little girl told me4 ,she is a great worker1 and as she has no mother1 she makes me her confidant1 so ,i hear all the stories of the trials and conflicts of her ,sunday-school class1 and among other things ,i constantly hear of this one and that one who owe their ,christian experience to the efforts of the founder of the mission and its first superintendent4 ,your crown will be rich in jewels4 ,i shall never forget ,joe ,andrews' face when he told me the story of how you came to him ,sunday after ,sunday1 and said #8,joe1 aren't you ready to be a ,christian yet8' and how time after time he would shake his head1 and he says your face would grow so sad40 ,the elder gentleman looked closely at the clean-shaven1 cultured face before him to trace those lines which proved him to be the same man he was speaking of1 and could not quite understand their absence1 but went on1 8and you would say1 #8,joe1 ,i shall not give you up4 ,i am praying for you every day4 ,don't forget that4' ,and then when he finally could not hold out any longer and came to ,christ1 he says you were so glad1 and he cannot forget how good it was of you to care for him and to stick to him that way4 ,he said your face looked just as if the sun were shining on it the day he united with the church4 ,that was a wonderful work you did there4 ,it is marvelous how it has grown4 ,those boys of yours will repay the work you put upon them some day4 ,nearly all of the original members of your own class are now earnest ,christians1 and they cannot get done telling about what you were to them4 ,my little girl writes me every mail more about it40 ,john ,stanley suddenly felt like a person who is lifted out of his present life and set down in a former existence4 ,all his tastes1 his friends1 his pursuits1 his surroundings1 during the past two years had been utterly foreign to the work about which the stranger had been speaking4 ,he had become so engrossed in his new life that he had actually forgotten the old4 ,not forgotten it in the sense that he was not aware of its facts1 but rather forgotten his joy in it4 ,and he stood astonished and bewildered1 hardly knowing how to enter into the conversation1 so utterly out of harmony with its spirit did he find himself4 ,as the stranger told the story of ,joe ,andrews there rushed over him the memory of it all3 the boy's dogged face2 his own interest awakened one day during his teaching of the lesson when he caught an answering gleam of interest in the boy's eye1 and was seized with a desire to make ,jesus ,christ a real1 living person to that boy's heart2 his watching of the kindling spark in that sluggish soul1 and how little by little it grew1 till one night the boy came to his home when there were guests present1 and called for him1 and he had gone out with him into the dewy night under the stars and sat down with him on the front piazza shaded by the vines1 hoping and praying that this might be his opportunity to say the word that should lead the boy to ,christ1 when behold1 he found that ,joe had come to tell him1 solemnly as though he were taking the oath of his life1 that he now made the decision for ,christ and hereafter would serve him1 no matter what he wanted him to do4 ,a strange thrill came with the memory of his own joy over that redeemed soul1 and how it had lingered with him as he went back among his mother's guests1 and how it would break out in a joyous smile now and then till one of the guests remarked1 8,john1 you seem to be unusually happy to-night for some reason40 ,how vividly it all came back now when the vein of memory was once opened4 ,incident after incident came to mind1 and again he felt or remembered that thrill of joy when a soul says1 8,you have helped me to find ,christ40 ,mr4 ,manning was talking of his daughter4 ,john had a dim idea that she was a little girl1 but he did not stop to question4 ,he was remembering4 ,and there was a strange mingling of feelings4 ,his new character had so thoroughly impressed its importance upon him that he felt embarrassed in the face of what he used to be4 ,strangely enough the first thing that came to mind was1 ,what would the 8ladye of high degree0 think if she knew all this8 ,she would laugh4 ,ah6 ,that would hurt worse than anything she could do4 ,he winced almost visibly under her fancied merriment4 ,it was worse than if she had looked grave1 or sneered1 or argued1 or anything else4 ,he could not bear to be laughed at1 especially in his new rle4 ,and somehow his old self and his new did not seem to fit rightly together4 ,but then the new love of the world and his new tastes came in with all the power of a new affection and asserted themselves1 and he straightened up haughtily and told himself that of course he need not be ashamed of his boyhood4 ,he had not done anything but good4 ,he should be proud of that1 and especially so as he would probably not come in contact with such work and such people again4 ,he had more important things to attend to4 ,not that he said all this1 or thought it in so many words2 it passed through his mind like phantoms chasing one another4 ,outwardly he was the polished1 courteous gentleman1 listening attentively to what this father was saying about his daughter1 though really he cared little about her4 ,did ,mr4 ,stanley know that she had taken his former ,sabbath-school class and that there were many new members1 among them some young men from the foundries8 ,no1 he did not4 ,he searched in his memory and found a floating sentence from one of his mother's letters about a young woman who had consented to take his class till his return and who was doing good work4 ,it had been written1 perhaps1 a year ago1 and it had not concerned him much at the time as he was so engrossed in his study of the architecture of the south of ,france4 ,he recalled it now just in time to tell the father how his mother had written him about the class1 and so save his reputation as a ,sunday-school teacher4 ,it transpired that the daughter who had taken the class and the little girl the stranger so constantly referred to as writing him letters about things were one and the same4 ,he wondered vaguely what kind of a little girl was able to teach a class of young men1 but his mind was more concerned with something else now4 ,it appeared that the former mission where he had been superintendent had grown into a live ,sunday-school1 and that they were looking for his home-coming with great joy and expectation4 ,how could such a thing be other than disconcerting to the man he had become8 ,he had no time to be bothered with his former life4 ,he had his life-work to attend to1 which was not--and now he began to feel irritated--mission ,sunday-schools4 ,that was all well enough for his boyhood1 but now--and besides there was the 8ladye of high degree40 ,perhaps the man of experience saw the stiffening of the shoulders and the upper lip and divined the thoughts of the other4 ,his heart sank for his daughter and her boys1 and the mission1 and their plans for his home-coming1 and he made up his mind that secret or no secret1 this man must be told a little of the joy of sacrifice that had been going on for him1 for surely he could not have been the man that he had been1 and not have enough of goodness left in his heart to respond to that story1 no matter what he had become4 ,and so he told him as much of the story his daughter had written him as he thought necessary1 and ,john ,wentworth ,stanley thanked him and tried to show that he was properly appreciative of the honor that was to be shown him1 and tried not to show his annoyance about it all to the stranger1 and got away as soon as possible1 after a few polite exchanges of farewells for the evening1 and went to his stateroom4 ,arrived there he seated himself on the side of his berth1 his elbows on his knees1 his chin in his hands1 and sat scowling out of the porthole with anything but a cultured manner4 8,confound it all60 he muttered to himself4 8,i suppose it's got to be gone through with some way for mother's sake and after they've made so much fuss about it all4 ,i can see it's all that girl's getting up2 some silly girl that thinks she's going to become prominent by this sort of thing4 ,going to give me a present6 ,and ,i've got to go up there and be bored to death by a speech probably1 and then get up and be made a fool of while they present me with a pickle dish or a pair of slippers or something of the sort4 ,it's awfully trying4 ,and they needn't think ,i'm going back to that kind of thing1 for ,i'm not4 ,i'll move to ,new ,york first4 ,i wish ,i had stayed in ,france6 ,i wish ,i had never worked in ,forest ,hill ,mission60 ,oh1 ,john ,stanley6 ,sorry you ever labored and prayed for those immortal souls1 and wrought into your crown imperishable jewels that shall shine for you through all eternity6 ,,chapter ,,ii ,they stood in the gallery of one of ,new ,york's most famous art stores2 seven stalwart boys--young men1 perhaps1 you would call them--all with an attempt at 8dress up10 and with them ,margaret ,manning1 slender and grave and sweet4 ,they were chaperoned by ,mrs4 ,ketchum1 a charming little woman who knew a great deal about social laws and customs1 and always spoke of things by their latest names1 if possible1 and who took the lead in most of the talk by virtue of her position in society and her supposed knowledge of art4 ,there were also ,mrs4 ,brown1 a plain woman who felt deeply the responsibility of the occasion1 and ,mr4 ,talcut1 a little man who was shrewd in business and who came along to see that they did not get cheated4 ,these constituted the committee to select a present for the home-returning superintendent of the ,forest ,hill ,mission ,sunday-school4 ,it was a large committee and rather too heterogeneous to come to a quick decision1 but its size had seemed necessary4 ,margaret ,manning was on it1 of course4 ,that had been a settled thing from the beginning4 ,there would not have been any such present1 probably1 if ,margaret had not suggested it and helped to raise the money till their fund went away up above their highest hopes4 ,the seven boys were in her ,sunday-school class1 and no one of them could get the consent of himself to make so momentous a decision for the rest of the class without the other six to help4 ,not that these seven were her entire class by any means1 but the class had elected to send seven from their own number1 so seven had come4 ,strictly speaking1 only one was on the committee1 but he depended upon the advice of the other six to aid him4 8,now1 ,mr4 ,thorpe10 said ,mrs4 ,ketchum in her easy1 familiar manner1 8we want something fine1 you know4 ,it's to hang in his #8den4' ,his mother has just been refitting his den1 and we thought it would be quite appropriate for us to get him a fine picture for the wall40 ,the preliminaries had been gone through with4 ,mr4 ,thorpe knew the ,stanley family slightly1 and was therefore somewhat fitted to help in the selection of a picture that would suit the taste of one of its members4 ,he had led them to the end of the large1 well-lighted room1 placed before them an easel1 and motioned them to sit down4 ,the seven boys1 however1 were not accustomed to such things1 and they remained standing1 listening and looking with all their ears and eyes4 ,somehow1 as ,mrs4 ,ketchum stated matters1 they did not feel quite as much to belong to this committee as before4 ,what1 for instance1 could ,mrs4 ,ketchum mean by ,mr4 ,stanley's 8den08 ,they had dim visions of ,daniel and the lions1 and the man who fell among thieves1 but they had not time to reflect over this1 for ,mr4 ,thorpe was bringing forward pictures4 8,as it's a ,sunday-school superintendent1 perhaps something religious would be appropriate4 ,you might look at these first1 anyway10 and he put before them a large etching whose wonder and beauty held them silent as they gazed4 ,it was a new picture of the ,lord's ,supper by a great artist1 and the influence of the picture was so great that for a few moments they looked and forgot their own affairs4 ,the faces were so marvelously portrayed that they could but know each disciple1 and felt that the hand which had drawn the ,master's face must have been inspired4 8,it is more expensive than you wanted to buy1 but still it is a fine thing and worth the money1 and perhaps as it is for a church1 ,i might make a reduction1 that is1 somewhat1 if you like it better than anything else40 ,mrs4 ,ketchum lowered her lorgnette with a dissatisfied expression1 though her face and voice were duly appreciative4 ,she really knew a fine thing when she saw it4 8,it is wonderful1 and you are very kind1 ,mr4 ,thorpe2 but do you not think that perhaps it is a little1 just a little1 well--gloomy--that is1 solemn--well--for a den1 you know80 and she laughed uneasily4 ,mr4 ,thorpe was accustomed to being all things to all men4 ,with an easy manner he laughed understandingly4 8,yes8 ,well1 ,i thought so myself1 but then ,i didn't know how you would feel about it4 ,it would seem hardly appropriate1 now you think of it1 for a room where men go to smoke and talk4 ,well1 just all of you step around this side of the room1 please1 and ,i'll show you another style of picture40 ,they followed obediently1 ,mrs4 ,ketchum murmuring something more about the inappropriateness of the picture for a den1 and the seven boys making the best of their way among the easels and over ,mrs4 ,ketchum's train4 ,all but ,margaret ,manning4 ,she lingered as if transfixed before the picture4 ,perhaps she had not even heard what ,mrs4 ,ketchum had said4 ,two of the boys hoped so in whispers to one another4 8,say1 ,joe10 he whispered in a low grumble1 8,i forgot all about ,mr4 ,stanley's smoking4 ,she----0 with a nod toward the silent1 pre-occupied woman still standing in front of the picture1 8she won't like that4 ,maybe he don't do it any more4 ,i don't reckon 'twould be hard fer him to quit40 ,every one of those seven boys had given up the use of tobacco to please their teacher1 ,miss ,manning4 ,other pictures were forthcoming4 ,there were landscapes and seascapes1 flowers and animals1 children and wood nymphs1 dancing in extraordinary attitudes4 ,the boys wondered that so many pictures could be made4 ,they wondered and looked and grew weary with the unusual sight1 and wished to go home and get rested1 and did not in the least know which they liked4 ,they were bewildered4 ,where was ,miss ,manning8 ,she would tell them which to choose1 for their part of the choice was a very important part to them1 and in their own minds they were the principal part of the committee4 ,illustration3 8#8,i ,,have ,,just ,,discovered ,,who ,,you ,,are ,,and ,,felt ,,as ,,if ,i ,,would ,,like ,,to ,,shake ,,hands ,,with ,,you4'0 ,miss ,manning left the great picture by and by and came over to where the others sat1 looking with them at picture after picture1 hearing prices and painters discussed1 and the merits of this and that work of art by ,mrs4 ,ketchum and ,mr4 ,talcut1 whose sole idea of art was expressed in the price thereof1 and who knew no more about the true worth of pictures than he knew about the moon4 ,then she left the others and wandered back to the quiet end of the room where stood that wonderful picture4 ,there the boys one by one drifted back to her and sat or stood about her quietly1 feeling the spell of the picture themselves1 understanding in part at least her mood and why she did not feel like talking4 ,they waited respectfully with uncovered heads1 half bowed1 looking1 feeling instinctively the sacredness of the theme of the picture4 ,four of them were professed ,christians1 and the other three were just beginning to understand what a privilege it was to follow ,christ4 ,untaught and uncouth as they were1 they took the faces for likenesses1 and ,christ's life and work on earth became at once to them a living thing that they could see and understand4 ,they looked at ,john and longed to be like him1 so near to the ,master and to receive that look of love4 ,they knew ,peter and thought they recognized several other disciples1 for the ,sunday-school lessons had been of late as vivid for them as mere words can paint the life of ,christ4 ,they seemed themselves to stand within the heavy arch of stone over that table1 so long ago1 and to be sitting at the table1 his disciples1 some of them unworthy1 but still there4 ,they had been helped to this by what ,miss ,manning had said the first ,sunday she took the class1 when the lesson had been of ,jesus and of some talks he had had with his disciples4 ,she had told them that as there were just twelve of them in the class she could not help sometimes thinking of them as if they were the twelve disciples1 especially as one of them was named ,john and another ,andrew1 and she wanted them to try to feel that these lessons were for them2 that ,jesus was sitting there in their class each ,sabbath speaking these words to them and calling them to him4 ,the rest of the committee were coming toward them1 calling to ,miss ,manning in merry1 appealing voices4 ,she looked up to answer1 and the boys who stood near her saw that her eyes were full of tears1 and more than one of them turned to hide and brush away an answering tear that seemed to come from somewhere in his throat and choke him4 8,come1 ,margaret10 called ,mrs4 ,ketchum1 8come and tell us which you choose4 ,we've narrowed it down to three1 and are pretty well decided which one of the three we like best40 ,margaret ,manning arose reluctantly and followed them1 the boys looking on and wondering4 ,she looked at each of the three4 ,one was the aforementioned nymph's dance1 another was a beautiful woman's head1 and the third was a flock of children romping with a cart and a dog and some roses4 ,margaret turned from them disappointed1 and looked back toward the other picture4 8,i don't like any of them1 ,mrs4 ,ketchum1 but the first one4 ,oh1 ,i do think that is the one4 ,please come and look at it again40 8,why1 my dear10 fluttered ,mrs4 ,ketchum disturbedly1 8,i thought we settled it that that picture was too1 too--not quite appropriate for a den1 you know40 ,but her words were lost1 for the others had gone forward under the skylight to where the grand picture stood1 and were once more under the spell of those wonderful eyes of the pictured ,master4 8,it is a real nice picture10 spoke up ,mrs4 ,brown4 ,she was fond of ,margaret ,manning1 though she did not know much about art4 ,she had been elected from the woman's ,bible class1 and had been rather overpowered by ,mrs4 ,ketchum1 but she felt that now she ought to stand up for her friend ,margaret4 ,if she wanted that picture1 that picture it should be4 8,how much did you say you would give us that for1 ,mr4 ,thorpe80 said the sharp little voice of ,mr4 ,talcut4 ,mr4 ,thorpe courteously mentioned the figures4 8,that's only ten dollars more'n we've got10 spoke up the hoarse voice of one of the seven unexpectedly4 ,it was ,joe1 who felt that he owed his salvation to the young superintendent's earnest efforts in his behalf4 8,i say we'd better get it4 ,ten dollars ain't much4 ,we boys can go that much4 ,i'll go it myself somehow if the others don't40 8,well1 really1 ladies1 ,i suppose it's a very good bargain10 said ,mr4 ,talcut rubbing his hands and smiling4 8,then we'll take it10 said ,joe1 nodding decidedly to ,mr4 ,thorpe2 8,i'll go the other ten dollars1 and the boys can help1 if they like40 8,but really ,margaret1 my dear10 said ,mrs4 ,ketchum quite distressed1 8a den1 don't you know1 is not a place for----0 ,but the others were all saying it was just the picture1 and she was not heard4 ,mr4 ,talcut was giving the address and orders about the sending4 ,none of them seemed to realize that ,mrs4 ,ketchum had not given her consent1 and she1 poor lady1 had to gracefully accept the situation4 8,well1 it's really a very fine thing1 ,i suppose10 she said at last1 somewhat hesitatingly1 and putting up her lorgnette to take a critical look4 8,i don't admire that style of architecture1 and that table-cloth isn't put on very gracefully2 it would have been more artistic draped a little2 but it's really very fine1 and quite new1 you say1 and of course the artist is irreproachable4 ,i think ,mr4 ,stanley will appreciate it40 ,but she sighed a little disappointedly1 and wished she had been able to coax them to take the nymphs4 ,she would take pains to let ,mr4 ,stanley know that this had not been her choice4 ,the idea of having to give in to those great boors of boys6 ,but then it had all been ,margaret ,manning's fault4 ,she was such a little fanatic4 ,she might have known that it would not do to let her see a religious picture first4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,it was ,margaret ,manning's suggestion that it should be presented quietly4 ,some of the others were disappointed4 ,mrs4 ,ketchum was one of the most irate about it4 8,the idea6 ,after the school had raked and scraped together the money1 that they should not have the pleasure of seeing it presented6 ,it's a shame6 ,margaret ,manning has some of the most backwoods' notions ,i ever heard of4 ,it isn't doing things up right at all4 ,there ought to be a speech from some one who knows how to say the right thing2 my husband could have done it1 and would if he'd been asked4 ,but no1 ,margaret ,manning says it must be hung on his wall1 and so there it hangs1 and none of us to get the benefit4 ,i declare it is a shame6 ,i wish ,i had refused to serve on that committee4 ,i hate to have my name mixed up in it the way things have gone40 ,so said ,mrs4 ,ketchum as she sat back in her dim and fashionable parlor and sighed4 ,but the seven boys ruled things1 and they ruled them in the way ,miss ,manning suggested2 and moreover1 ,mrs4 ,brown and ,mr4 ,talcut had gone over to the enemy completely since the purchase1 the enemy being ,miss ,manning4 ,mr4 ,talcut rubbed his hands admiringly1 and said ,miss ,manning was an exceedingly shrewd young woman1 that she had an eye for business4 ,that picture was the best bargain in that whole store4 ,but ,margaret went on her way serenely1 not knowing her power nor enjoying her triumph4 ,albeit she was pleased in her heart with the picture1 and she thought that her seven boys had been the true selectors of it4 ,she wrote in her fine1 even hand1 that was like her in its lovely daintiness1 the words the committee told her to write--which she had suggested--on a white card to accompany the picture4 ,it read1 8,to our beloved superintendent1 with a joyous welcome home1 from the entire school of the ,forest ,hill ,mission40 ,the ,stanley home stood in fine1 large grounds1 with turf smooth as velvet and grand old forest trees all about4 ,the house was large1 old-fashioned1 and ugly1 but the rooms were magnificent in size1 and filled with all the comforts money could buy4 ,on one side1 just off the large library and connected with the hall1 had been built an addition1 a beautiful modern room filled with nooks and corners and unexpected bay-windows1 which afforded views in at least three directions because of the peculiar angles at which they were set4 ,in one corner was a carved oak spiral staircase by which one could ascend to the airy sleeping room over-head if he did not choose to go through the hall and ascend the common stair4 ,one side of the room and various other unexpected bits of wall were turned into bookcases sunk in the masonry and covered by glazed doors4 ,the bay-window seats were heavily upholstered in leather1 and so were all the chairs and the luxurious couch4 ,nearly one entire end of the room was filled by the great fireplace1 the tiling of which had been especially designed for it4 ,in a niche built for it with a fine arrangement for light1 both by day or night1 stood a large desk4 ,it was a model working room for a gentleman4 ,and this addition had been built by the senior ,mr4 ,stanley for his son when he should return to take up the practical work of architecture1 for which he had been preparing himself for some years4 ,it was here that the great picture was brought and hung over the fireplace1 where it could look down upon the entire room4 ,it was hung just the day before ,john ,wentworth ,stanley's man arrived with his master's goods and chattels and began to unpack and dispose things according to his best judgment4 ,john ,stanley's mother had come in to superintend the hanging of the picture and had looked at it a long time when she was left alone1 and finally had knelt shyly beside the great new leather chair and offered a silent little prayer for the home-coming son4 ,she was an undemonstrative woman1 and this act seemed rather theatrical when she thought of it afterward4 ,what if a servant had opened the door and seen her6 ,nevertheless she felt glad she had dedicated the room1 and she was glad that the picture was what it was4 ,with that ,ketchum woman on the committee she had feared what the result might be when she had had the scheme whispered to her4 ,somebody must have fine taste4 ,perhaps it was that dainty1 lily-faced young girl who seemed to be so interested in ,john's ,sunday-school class4 ,the mother was busy in her home world and did not go into church work much4 ,she was getting old and her children and grandchildren were all about her1 absorbing her time and thought4 ,the man came in from the piazza that surrounded the bay window and reached around to the long ,french window at the side1 where he had been unpacking a box4 ,he placed a silver-mounted smoking set on a small mahogany table4 ,then he stood back to survey the effect4 ,presently he came in with some fine cut glass1 a small decanter heavily mounted in silver and glasses to match4 ,he went out and came back with their tray4 ,having dusted them off carefully and arranged them on the tray1 he placed it first on the handsome broad mantel1 and as before stood back to take a survey4 ,he knew the set was a choice example of artistic work along this line4 ,it was presented to his master while he was visiting in the home of a nobleman in token of his friendship and to commemorate something or other1 the man did not exactly know what4 ,but he did not like the effect on the mantel4 ,he glanced uneasily up at the picture4 ,in a dim way he felt the incongruity4 ,he scowled at the picture and wondered why they put it there4 ,it should have been hung in the hall or some out-of-the-way place4 ,it was more suited for a church than anywhere else1 he told himself4 ,he placed the decanter tray on the little table at the other side of the fireplace from the smoking set1 and stood back again4 ,it looked well there4 ,he raised his eyes defiantly to the picture1 and met the full1 strong1 sweet gaze of the pictured eyes of the ,master4 ,the man lowered his eyes and turned away1 disturbed1 he knew not why4 ,he was not a man who cared about such things1 neither was he one accustomed to reason4 ,he went out to the piazza again to his unpacking1 trying to think of something else4 ,it wasn't his picture nor his decanter anyway1 and he whistled a home tune and wondered why he had come to this country4 ,he didn't seem to feel quite his usual pride this morning in the fact that he knew his business4 ,when he finally unpacked the wicker-covered demijohn of real old ,scotch whisky that had accompanied the decanter1 he carried it through the room and deposited it in the little corner cupboard behind the chimney1 shut the door and locked it with a click1 and went out again without so much as raising his eyes4 ,all that day he avoided looking at that picture over the mantelpiece1 and he grew quite happy in his work again and quite self-satisfied1 and felt with a sort of superstitious fear that if he looked at it his happiness would depart4 ,there were other rare articles that he had to unpack and dispose of1 and once he came to a large1 handsome picture1 a sporting scene in water colors by a celebrated artist4 ,that now1 would be the very thing to hang over the mantel in place of the picture already there4 ,he even went so far as to suggest to ,mrs4 ,stanley that he make the change1 but she coldly told him to leave the picture where it was1 as it was a gift1 and showed him the envelope to place on the mantel directly under the picture1 which contained the card from the donors4 ,so the man left the room at last1 somewhat dissatisfied1 but feeling that he had done the best he could4 ,the night passed1 the day came1 and with it the new master of the new room4 8,it's really a magnificent thing1 mother10 he said1 as he stood in front of the great picture after1 having admired the room and shown his delight in all they had done for him4 8,i'm delighted to have it4 ,i saw the original on the other side4 ,and it was good taste of them to give it quietly in this way too4 ,but there is a sense in which this is quite embarrassing4 ,they will expect so much1 you know1 and of course ,i haven't time for this sort of thing now40 8,well1 ,i thought something ought to be done1 my son10 responded the mother1 8so ,i sent out invitations for the whole school for a reception here next week4 ,that is1 ,i have them ready4 ,they are not sent out1 but are waiting your approval4 ,tuesday will be a free evening4 ,what do you think80 ,john ,stanley scowled and sighed4 8,oh1 ,i suppose that's the easiest way to get out of it now they've sent me this4 ,it will be an awful bore1 but then it'll be over4 ,i shall scarcely know how to carry myself among them1 ,i fear1 ,i've been out of this line so long1 and they fancy me so virtuous10 and he smiled and shrugged his handsome shoulders4 8,but ,john dear1 you mustn't feel in that way4 ,they really think a great deal of you10 said his mother1 smiling indulgently upon him4 8,oh1 it's all right2 go ahead1 mother4 ,make it something fine while you're about it4 ,give them quite a spread you know4 ,some of them don't get many treats1 ,i suppose10 and he sank down in one of the luxurious chairs and looked about him with pleasure4 8,this is nice1 mother10 he said2 8so good of you and father to think of it4 ,i can do great things here4 ,the room is an inspiration in itself4 ,it is a poem in architecture40 ,then the mother left him awhile to his thoughts and he began to piece together his life1 that portion he had left behind him across the water1 and this new piece1 a part of the old1 that he had come to take up again4 ,there hovered on the margin of his mind the image of the 8ladye of high degree10 and he looked out about on his domain with satisfaction at thought of her4 ,at least she would see that people in this country could do things as well as in hers4 ,then by some strange line of thought he remembered his worriment of yesterday about that present1 and how he had thought of her laugh if she should know of it4 ,a slight feeling of pleasure passed over him2 even in this she could find no fault4 ,it was fine and costly and a work of genius4 ,he need not be ashamed even if some one should say to her that the picture was presented to him by a mission class grateful for what he had done for it4 ,he began to swell with a sense of importance at the thought4 ,it was rather a nice thing1 this present1 after all4 ,he changed his position that he might examine the picture more carefully at his leisure4 ,the fire that his mother had caused to be lighted to take off the chill of the summer evening and complete the welcome of the room1 sent out a ruddy glow and threw into high relief the rich1 dark gloss of the frame and the wonderful picture4 ,it was as if the sombre1 stone-arched room opened directly from his own1 and he saw the living forms of the ,twelve gathered around that table with the ,master in the midst4 ,but the ,master was looking straight at him--at him1 ,john ,wentworth ,stanley1 self-satisfied gentleman of the world that he was1 looking at him and away from the other disciples4 ,down through all the ages those grave1 kind1 sad1 sweet eyes looked him through and through1 and seemed to sift his life1 his every action1 till things that he had done now and yesterday1 and last year1 that he had forgotten1 and even when he was a little boy1 seemed to start out and look him in the face behind the shadows of those solid stones of that upper chamber4 ,the more he looked the more he wondered at the power the picture seemed to have4 ,he looked away to prove it1 and he knew the eyes were following his4 ,the rosy glow of the firelight seemed to be caught and crystallized in a thousand sparkles on one side of the fire4 ,he looked in passing and knew what the sparkles were1 the fine crystal points of that cut glass decanter4 ,he had forgotten its existence until now1 since the day he had had it packed4 ,he knew it was a beautiful thing in its way1 but he had not intended that it should be thus displayed4 ,he hoped his mother had not seen it4 ,he would look at it and then put it away1 that is1 pretty soon4 ,now his eyes were held by the eyes of his ,master4 ,yes1 his ,master1 for he had owned his name and called himself a ,christian1 and no matter what other things had come in to fill his mind1 he had no wish to give up the 8name to live40 ,and yet he was conscious1 strangely1 abnormally conscious of that decanter4 ,his ,master seemed to be looking at it too1 and to be inquiring of him how he came to have it in his possession4 ,for the first time he was conscious1 painfully so1 that he had never given its donor any cause to think that such a gift would be less acceptable to him than something else4 ,his ,master had understood that too1 he felt sure4 ,he was annoyed that he could frame no excuse for himself1 as he had so easily done when the gift first reached him4 ,he had even been confident that he would be able to explain it to his mother so that she would be rather pleased with the gift than otherwise1 strong temperance woman though he knew her to be4 ,now all his reasons had fled4 ,the eyes of his ,master1 his kind1 loving1 sorrowing ,master were upon him4 ,he began to be irritated at the picture4 ,he arose and seized the decanter hastily1 to put it somewhere out of sight1 just where he had not thought4 ,now the officious ,thomas1 who knew his place and his work so well1 had placed in the new1 freshly washed decanter a small quantity of the rare old ,scotch whisky that had come with it4 ,thomas knew good whisky when he saw--that is1 tasted--it1 and he was proud of a master to whom such a gift had been given4 ,john ,stanley did not expect to find anything in his decanter until he put it there himself1 or gave orders to that effect4 ,he was new to the ways of a 8man0 who so well understood his business4 ,as he jerked the offending article toward him some of this whisky spilled out of the top that had perhaps not been firmly closed after ,thomas had fully tested the whisky4 ,its fumes so astonished its owner that1 he knew not how1 he dropped it and it shivered into fragments at his feet on the dull red tiles of the hearth4 ,annoyed beyond measure1 and wondering why his hand had been so unsteady1 he rang the bell for ,thomas and ordered him to take away the fragments and wipe the whisky from the hearth4 ,then he seated himself once more till it was done4 ,and all the time those eyes1 so sad and reproachful now1 were looking through and through him4 8,thomas60 he spoke sharply1 and the man came about face suddenly with the broom and dustpan in hand on which glittered the crystals of delicate cutting4 8,where is the rest of that--that stuff80 ,thomas understood4 ,he swung open the little door at the side of the chimney4 8,right here at hand1 sir6 ,shall ,i pour you out some1 sir80 he said1 as he lifted the demijohn4 ,illustration3 8,,he ,,dropped ,,it ,,and ,,it ,,shivered ,,into ,,fragments ,,at ,,his ,,feet40 ,john ,stanley's entire face flushed with shame4 ,his impulse was severely to rebuke the impertinence1 nay the insult1 of the servant to one who had always been known as a temperance man4 ,but he reflected that the servant was a stranger to his ways1 and that he himself had perhaps given the man reason to think that it would be acceptable by the very fact that he had these things among his personal effects4 ,then too1 his eyes had caught the look of the ,master as he raised them to answer1 and he could not speak that harsh word quite in that tone with ,jesus looking at him4 ,he waited to clear his throat1 and answered in a quieter tone1 though still severely3 8,no2 you may take it out and throw it away4 ,i never use it40 8,yes1 sir10 answered ,thomas impassively2 but he marveled4 ,nevertheless he forgave his master1 and took the demijohn to his own room4 ,he was willing to be humble enough to have it thrown away on him4 ,but as he passed the servant's piazza1 the cook who sat resting from her day's labors there and planning for the morrow's menu1 heard him mutter3 8,as shure as ,i live1 it's the picter4 ,it's got some kind o' a spell40 ,,chapter ,,iv ,after ,thomas had left the room with the demijohn1 his master seemed relieved4 ,he began to walk up and down his room and hum an air from the ,german opera4 ,he wanted to forget the unpleasant occurrence4 ,after all1 he was glad the hateful1 beautiful thing was broken4 ,it was no one's fault particularly1 and now it was out of the way and would not need to be explained4 ,he walked about1 still humming and looking at his room1 and still that picture seemed to follow and be a part of his consciousness wherever he went4 ,it certainly was well hung1 and gave the strong impression of being a part of the room itself4 ,he looked at it critically from a new point of view1 and as he faced it once more he was in the upper chamber and seemed to hear his ,master saying1 8,yet a little while1 and the world seeth me no more02 and he realized that he was in the presence of the scene of the end of his ,master's mission4 ,he walked back to the fireplace seeking for something to turn his thoughts away1 and passing the table where stood his elegantly mounted smoking set1 he decided to smoke4 ,it was about his usual hour for his bedtime smoke1 anyway4 ,he selected a cigar from those ,thomas had set out and lighted it with one of the matches in the silver match safe1 and for an instant turned with a feeling of lazy1 delicious luxury in the use of his new room and all its appliances4 ,unconsciously he seated himself again before the fire in the great leather chair1 and began to puff the smoke into dreamy shapes and let his thoughts wander as he closed his eyes4 ,suppose1 ah1 suppose that some one1 say the 8ladye of high degree10 should be there1 should belong there1 and should come and stand behind his chair4 ,he could see the graceful pose of her fine figure4 ,she might reach over and touch his hair and laugh lightly4 ,he tried to imagine it1 but in spite of him the laugh rang out in his thoughts scornfully like a sharp1 silver bell that belonged to some one else4 ,he glanced over his shoulder at the imagined face1 but it looked cold above the smoke4 ,she did not mind smoke4 ,he had seen her face behind a wreath of smoke several times4 ,it seemed a natural setting4 ,but the dream seemed an empty one4 ,he raised his head and settled it back at a new angle4 ,how rosy the light was as it played on the hearth and how glad he was to be at home again4 ,that was enough for to-night4 ,the 8ladye of high degree0 might stay in her home across the sea for this time4 ,he was content4 ,then he raised his eyes to the picture above without knowing it1 and there he was smoking at the supper table of the ,lord4 ,at least so he felt it to be4 ,he had always been scrupulously careful never to smoke in or about a church4 ,he used to give long1 earnest lectures on the subject to some of the boys of the mission who would smoke cigarettes and pipes on the steps of the church before service4 ,he remembered them now with satisfaction1 and he also remembered a murmured1 jeering sound that had arisen from the corner where the very worst boys sat1 which had been suppressed by his friends1 but which had cut at the time1 and which he had always wondered over a little4 ,he had seen no inconsistency in speaking so to the boys in view of his own actions4 ,but now1 as he looked at that picture he felt as though he were smoking in church with the service going on4 ,the smoke actually hid his ,master's face4 ,he took down his cigar and looked up with a feeling of apology1 but this was involuntary4 ,his irritation was rising again4 ,the idea of a picture upsetting him so6 ,he must be tired or his nerves unsettled4 ,there was no more harm in smoking in front of that picture than before any other4 8,confound that picture60 he said1 as he rose and walked over to the bay window1 8,i'll have it hung somewhere else to-morrow4 ,i won't have the thing around4 ,no1 it'll have to be left here till after that reception1 ,i suppose2 but after that it shall go4 ,such a consummate nuisance60 ,he stood looking out of the open window with a scowl4 ,he reflected that it was a strange thing for him to be so affected by a picture1 a mere imagination of the brain4 ,he would not let it be so4 ,he would overcome it4 ,then he turned and tramped deliberately up and down that room1 smoking away as hard as he could1 and when he thought his equilibrium was restored1 he raised his eyes to the picture as he passed1 just casually as any one might who had never thought of it before4 ,his eyes fell and he went on1 back and forth1 looking every time at the picture1 and every time the eyes of that central figure watched him with that same sad1 loving look4 ,at last he went to the window again and angrily threw up the screen1 threw his half-smoked cigar far out into the shrubbery of the garden1 saying as he did so1 8,confound it all60 99 99 99 99 99 ,it was the evening before the reception4 ,it was growing toward nine o'clock1 and ,john ,stanley had retired to his wing to watch the fire and consider what a fool he was becoming4 ,he had not smoked in that room since the first night of his return4 ,he had not yielded to such weakness all at once nor with the consent of himself4 ,he had thought at first that he really chose to walk in the garden or smoke on the side piazza1 but as the days went by he began to see that he was avoiding his own new room4 ,and it was all because of that picture4 ,he glanced revengefully in the direction where it hung4 ,he did not look at it willingly now if he could help it4 ,his elegant smoking set was reposing in the chimney cupboard1 locked there with a vicious click of the key by the hand of the young owner himself4 ,and it was not only smoking1 but other things that the picture affected4 ,there for instance was the pack of cards he had placed upon the table in their unique case of dainty mosaic design4 ,he had been obliged to put them elsewhere4 ,they seemed out of place4 ,not that he felt ashamed of the cards4 ,on the contrary he had expected to be quite proud of the accomplishment of playing well which he had acquired abroad1 having never been particularly led in that direction by his surroundings before he had left home4 ,was this room becoming a church that he could not do as he pleased8 ,then there had been a sketch or two and a bit of statuary1 which he had brought in his trunk because they had been overlooked in the packing of the other things4 ,that morning he brought them down to his room1 but the large picture refused to have them there4 ,there was no harm in the sketches1 only they did not fit into the same wall with the great picture1 there was no harmony in their themes4 ,the statuary was associated with heathenism and wickedness1 'tis true1 but it was beautiful and would have looked wonderfully well on the mantel against the rich1 dark red of the dull tiles1 but not under that picture4 ,it was becoming a bondage1 that picture1 and after to-morrow night he would banish it to--where8 ,not his bedroom1 for it would work its spell there as well4 ,just here there came a tap on the window-sill1 followed by a hoarse1 half-shy whisper3 8,mr4 ,stanley1 ken we come in80 ,he looked up startled4 ,the voice had a familiar note in it1 but he did not recognize the two tall1 lank figures outside in the darkness1 clad in cheap best clothes and with an air of mingled self-depreciation and self-respect4 8,who is it80 he asked sharply and suspiciously4 ,illustration3 8#8,,who ,,is ,,it8' ,,he ,,asked1 ,,sharply ,,and ,,suspiciously40 8,it's me1 ,mr4 ,stanley2 ,joe ,andrews4 ,you ain't forgot me yet1 ,i know4 ,and this one's my friend1 ,bert2 you know him all right too4 ,may we come in here8 ,we don't want to go to the front door and make trouble with the door bell and see folks2 we thought maybe you'd just let us come in where you was4 ,we hung around till we found your room4 ,we knowed the new part was yours1 #8cause your father told the committee1 you know1 when they went to tell about the picture40 ,light began to dawn on the young man4 ,certainly he remembered ,joe ,andrews1 and had meant to hunt him up some day and tell him he was glad to hear he was doing well and living right1 but he was in no mood to see him to-night4 ,why could he not have waited until to-morrow night when the others were to come8 ,was not that enough8 ,but of course he wanted to get a word of thanks all his own4 ,it had been on his tongue to tell ,joe he was unusually busy to-night1 and would he come another time1 or wait till to-morrow1 but the remembrance of the picture made that seem ungracious4 ,he would let them in a few minutes4 ,they probably wished to report that they had seen the picture in the room before the general view should be given1 so he unfastened the heavy ,french plate window and let the two in1 turning up as he did so the lights in the room1 so that the picture might be seen4 ,they came in1 lank and awkward1 as though their best clothes someway hurt them1 and they did not know what to do with their feet and the chairs4 ,they did not sit down at first1 but stood awkwardly in single file1 looking as if they wished they were out now they were in4 ,their eyes went immediately to the picture4 ,it was the way of that picture to draw all eyes that entered the room1 and ,john ,stanley noted this with the same growing irritation he had felt all day4 ,but over their faces there grew that softened look of wonder and awe and amaze1 and to ,john ,stanley's surprise1 of deep-seated1 answering love to the love in the eyes of the picture4 ,he looked at the picture himself now1 and his fancy made it seem that the ,master was looking at these two well pleased4 ,could it be that he was better pleased with these two ignorant boys than with him1 ,john ,stanley1 polished gentleman and cultured ,christian that he trusted he was8 ,he looked at ,joe again and was reminded of the softened look of deep purpose the night ,joe had told him beneath the vines of his intention to serve ,christ1 and now standing in the presence of the boy again and remembering it all vividly1 as he had not done before1 there swept over him the thrill of delight again that a soul had been saved4 ,his heart1 long unused to such emotions1 felt weak1 and he sat down and motioned the boys to do the same4 ,it would seem that the sight of the picture had braced up the two to whatever mission theirs had been1 for their faces were set in steady purpose1 though it was evident that this mission was embarrassing4 ,they looked at one another helplessly as if each hoped the other would begin1 and at last ,joe plunged in4 8,mr4 ,stanley1 you ben so good to us we thought 'twas only fair to you we should tell you4 ,that is1 we thought you'd like it1 and anyway1 maybe you wouldn't take it amiss40 ,john ,stanley's heart was kind1 and he had been deeply interested in this boy once4 ,it all came back to him now1 and he felt a strong desire to help him on1 though he wondered what could be the nature of his errand4 ,joe caught his breath and went on4 8,you see she don't know about it4 ,she's heard so much of you1 and she never heard that1 not even when they was talking about the den and all at the store1 she was just lookin' at the picture and ,him10 raising his eyes reverently to the picture on the wall1 8and we never thought to tell her afore1 and her so set against it4 ,and we thought anyway afterward maybe you'd quit4 ,some do4 ,we all did1 but that was her doin's4 ,but we thought you'd like to know1 and if you had quit she needn't never be told at all1 and if you hadn't1 why we thought maybe #8twouldn't be nothin' for you to quit now1 #8fore she ever knew about it40 ,the slow red was stealing up into the face of ,john ,stanley4 ,he was utterly at a loss to understand what this meant1 and yet he felt that he was being arraigned4 ,and in such a way6 ,so humbly and by such almost adoring arraigners that he felt it would be foolish and wrong to give way to any feeling of irritation1 or indignation1 or even offended dignity on his part4 8,i do not understand1 ,joe10 he said at last1 looking from one to another of the two boys who seemed too wretched to care to live longer4 8,who is she8 ,and what is it that she does not know1 and that you want me to #8quit'8 ,and why should it be anything to her1 whoever she is1 what ,i do80 8,why it's her1 ,miss ,manning--,margaret ,manning--our teacher40 ,joe spoke the name slowly1 as if he loved it and revered it2 8and it's that we want you to--that is1 we want her to--to like you1 you know4 ,and it's the--the--,i can't most bear to say it1 #8cause maybe you don't do it any more10 and ,joe looked up with eyes like a beseeching dog4 8,it's the smokin'10 broke in ,bert huskily1 rising4 8,come on1 ,joe1 we've done what we #8greed to do2 now #8tain't no more of our business4 ,i say1 come on60 and he bolted through the window shamefacedly4 ,joe rose and going up to ,mr4 ,stanley laid hold of his unwilling hand and choked out3 8,you won't take it hard of me1 will you8 ,you've done so much fer me1 an' ,i kind of thought ,i ought to tell you1 but now since ,i seen yer face ,i think maybe ,i had no business4 ,good-night10 and with a face that looked as if he had been caught in the act of stealing1 ,joe followed his friend through the window and was lost in the deep shadows outside4 ,john ,stanley stood still where the two had left him4 ,if two robbers had suddenly come in upon him and quietly stolen his watch and diamond stud and ring and left him standing thus1 he could not have looked more astonished4 ,where had been his usual ready anger that it did not rise and overpower these two impudent young puppies1 ignorant as pigs1 that they should presume to dictate to him1 a ,christian gentleman1 what habits he should have8 ,and all because some straitlaced old maid1 or silly chit of a girl1 who loved power1 did not like something4 ,where was his manhood that he had stood and let himself be insulted1 be it ever so humbly1 by boys who were not fit for him to wipe his feet upon8 ,his kindling eyes lifted unexpectedly to the picture4 ,the ,master was watching him from his quiet table under the arches of stone4 ,he stood a minute under the gaze and then he turned the lights all out and sat down in the dark4 ,the fire was out too1 and only the deep red glow behind the coals made a little lighting of the darkness4 ,and there in the dark the boy ,joe's face came back clearly and he felt sorry he had not spoken some word of comfort to the wretched fellow who felt so keenly the meaning of what he had done4 ,there had been love for him in ,joe's look and he could not be angry with him now he remembered that4 ,bit by bit the winter of his work for ,joe came back1 little details that he did not suppose he ever should recall1 but which had seemed filled with so much meaning then because he had been working for a soul's salvation and with the divine love for souls in his heart4 ,what joy he had that winter6 ,how sorry he had been to leave it all and go away4 ,now he came to think of it1 he had never been so truly happy since4 ,oh1 for that joy over again6 ,oh1 to take pleasure in prayer as he had done in those days6 ,what was this that was sweeping over him8 ,whence came this sudden dissatisfaction with himself8 ,he tried to be angry with the two boys for their part in the matter1 and to laugh at himself for being influenced by them1 but still he could not put it away4 ,a stick in the fire fell apart and scattered a shower of sparks about1 blazing up into a brief glow4 ,the room was illuminated just for an instant and the face of the ,christ shone out clearly before the silent man sitting in front of the picture4 ,then the fire died out and the room was dark and only the sound of the settling coals broke the stillness4 ,he seemed to be alone with ,christ1 face to face1 with his heart open to his ,lord4 ,he could not shrink back now nor put in other thoughts4 ,the time to face the change in himself had come and he was facing it alone with his ,god4 ,,chapter ,v ,it was the next evening1 and the ,forest ,hill ,mission had assembled in full force4 ,they were there1 from little ,mrs4 ,brown in her black percale1 even to ,mrs4 ,ketchum1 who had pocketed her pride1 and in a low-necked gown with a long train was making the most of her position on the committee4 ,she arranged herself to 8receive0 with ,john ,stanley and his mother1 though she ignored the fact that ,mrs4 ,brown and 8those seven hobbledehoy boys0 were also on the committee4 ,occasionally she deplored the fact that ,miss ,manning had not come1 that she might also stand in a place of honor1 but in her heart she was glad that ,miss ,manning was not present to divide the honors with herself4 ,it appeared that ,mr4 ,stanley was delighted with the picture1 had seen its original abroad1 and knew its artist4 ,such being the case1 ,mrs4 ,ketchum was delighted to take all the honor of having selected the picture1 and had it not been for those truthtelling1 enlightening seven boys1 ,john ,stanley might never have known to this day ,margaret ,manning's part in it4 ,none of the central group saw ,margaret ,manning slip silently in past the servant at the door1 as they stood laughing and chatting among themselves after having shaken hands perfunctorily with the awkward1 embarrassed procession headed by ,mr4 ,talcut and the young minister who had recently come to the place4 ,when ,margaret came down stairs she paused a moment in the hall2 but as she saw they were all talking1 she went quietly on into the new wing that had been for the time deserted by the company1 and placed herself in front of the picture4 ,she had spoken to ,mrs4 ,stanley1 who had been called upstairs to the dressing room for a moment just as she came in1 and so did not feel obliged to go and greet the group of receivers at once4 ,besides1 she wanted to have another good look at the picture before she should go among the people1 and so lose this opportunity of seeing it alone4 ,from the first view it had been a great delight to ,margaret ,manning4 ,she had never before seen a picture of her ,master that quite came up to her idea of what a human representation of his face should express4 ,this one did4 ,at least it satisfied her as well as she imagined any picture of him1 fashioned from the fancy of a man's brain1 could do4 ,and she was glad to find herself alone with it that she might study it more closely and throw her own soul into the past of the scene before her4 ,she had stood looking and thinking for some minutes thus when she heard a quick step at the door1 not a sound as of one who had been walking down the broad highly-polished floor of the hallway1 but the quick movement of a foot after one has been standing4 ,she looked up and saw ,john ,stanley coming forward with an unmistakable look of interest and admiration on his face4 ,he had made an errand to his library for a book to show to the minister in order to get a little alleviation from ,mrs4 ,ketchum's persistent monopolization4 ,he had promised to loan the book to the minister1 but there had been no necessity for giving it to him that minute1 nor even that evening4 ,as he walked down the hall he saw a figure standing in his library1 so absorbed in contemplating the picture that its owner did not turn nor seem to be aware of his coming4 ,she was slender and graceful and young4 ,he could see that from the distance1 but as he came to the doorway and paused unconsciously to look at the vision she made1 he saw that she was also beautiful4 ,not with the ordinary beauty of the ordinary fashionable girl with whom he was acquainted1 but with a clear1 pure1 high-minded beauty whose loveliness was not merely of the outward form and coloring1 but an expression of beauty of spirit4 ,she was dressed in white with a knot of black velvet ribbon here and there4 ,she stood behind his big leather chair1 her hands clasped together against one cheek and her elbows resting on the wide leather back4 ,there were golden lights in her brown hair4 ,her eyes were looking earnestly at the picture1 her whole attitude reminded him of a famous picture he had seen in ,paris4 ,he could but pause and watch it before either of them became self-conscious4 ,illustration3 8,,she ,,stood ,,behind ,,his ,,big ,,leather ,,chair1 ,,her ,,hands ,,clasped ,,together ,,against ,,one ,,cheek40 ,there was in her intent look of devotion a something akin to the look he had seen the night before in the face of the boy ,joe4 ,he recognized it at once1 and a feeling half of envy shot through him4 ,would that such a look might belong to his own face4 ,but the remembrance of ,joe brought another thought4 ,instantly he knew that this was ,margaret ,manning4 ,with the knowledge came also the consciousness that he stood staring at her and must do so no more4 ,he moved then and took that quick step which startled her and made her look toward him4 ,as he came forward1 he seemed to remember how he had sat in that chair smoking a few nights before1 and how the vision of the 8ladye of high degree0 had stood where this young girl now was standing1 only he knew somehow at a glance the superiority of this living presence4 ,a flush at the remembrance of his visitors of the night before and their errand crossed his face1 and he glanced instinctively toward the chimney cupboard to see if the door was safely locked4 8,i beg your pardon40 he said1 coming forward4 8,i hope ,i do not disturb you4 ,i came for a book4 ,this must be ,miss ,manning1 ,i think4 ,how comes it that ,i have not had the pleasure of an introduction8 ,they told me you had not come4 ,yes1 ,i met your father on the steamer coming over4 ,is he present this evening80 ,it was the easy1 graceful tone and way he had1 the same that had elicited the notice of the 8ladye of high degree10 only somehow now he had an instinctive feeling that it would take more than a tone and a manner to charm this young woman1 and as she turned her clear eyes upon him and smiled1 the feeling grew that she was worth charming4 ,he began to understand the admiration of those awkward boys and the feeling that had prompted their visit of the night before1 and to consider himself honored since he had a part in their admiration4 ,margaret ,manning was prepared to receive him as a friend4 ,had she not heard great things of him8 ,and she knew him at once4 ,there was a fine photogravure of him given by his mother at the request of the school--and unknown to himself--hanging in the main room of the ,forest ,hill ,mission4 ,their conversation turned almost immediately upon the picture4 ,john ,stanley told how he had seen the original and its artist abroad1 and how proud he was to be the owner of this copy4 ,the disagreeable experiences he had passed through on account of it seemed to have slipped from his mind for the time being4 ,she listened with interest1 the fine1 intelligent play of expression on her face which made it ever an inspiration to talk with her4 8,how you will enjoy reading over the whole account of the ,last ,supper right where you can look at that face10 she said wistfully1 looking up at the picture4 8,it seems to me ,i can almost hear him saying1 #8,peace ,i leave with you1 my peace ,i give unto you4'0 ,he looked at her wonderingly1 and saw the mark of that peace which passeth understanding upon her forehead1 and again there appeared to him in startling contrast his vision of the 8ladye of high degree10 and he pondered it afterward in his heart4 8#8,and this is life eternal1 that they might know thee1 the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ1 whom thou hast sent4' ,he said that in the upper room10 she mused1 and after a moment1 8was it then too1 that he said1 #8,for ,i have given you an example that ye should do as ,i have done to you'8 ,i can't quite remember10 and her eyes roved instinctively about the elegantly furnished room in apparent search for something4 ,he divined her wish at once1 and courteously went in search of a ,bible1 but in his haste and confusion could not lay his hand upon one immediately4 ,he murmured some apology about not having unpacked all his books yet1 but felt ashamed as soon as the words were uttered1 for he knew in his heart the young girl before him would have unpacked her ,bible among the very first articles4 ,at last he found a little1 old-fashioned1 fine-print ,bible tucked in a corner of a bookcase4 ,it had been given him when he was a child by some ,sunday-school teacher and forgotten long ago4 ,he brought it now1 and with her assistance found the place4 8,how ,i should enjoy studying this with the picture10 said the girl1 as she waited for him to turn to the chapter4 8,and why not80 he asked4 8,it would be a great pleasure to have you feel free to come and study this picture as often as you like4 ,and if ,i might be permitted to be present and share in the study it would be doubly delightful40 ,it was with the small open ,bible on the chairback between them that the file of awkward boys discovered them as they came down the hall1 hoping to find an empty and unembarrassing room where they might take refuge4 ,they paused as by common consent1 and stood back in the shadow of the hall portire1 as if the place were too sacred for them to more than approach its entrance4 ,their two earthly admirations were conversing together1 the ,bible between them1 and the wonderful picture looking down upon them4 ,they stole silent1 worshipful glances into the room and were glad4 ,then came ,mrs4 ,ketchum with rustling1 perfumed robes and scattered dismay into their midst and broke up the brief and pleasant tte--tte to her own satisfaction and the discomfiture of all concerned4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,they were all gone at last1 and the house was settling to quiet4 ,john ,stanley went to his room1 shut his door1 and sat down to think4 ,it had not been the unpleasant occasion to which he had looked forward4 ,he had not even been bored4 ,he was astonished to find himself regarding the evening not only with satisfaction1 but also with an unusual degree of exhilaration4 ,it did seem strange to him1 now that he thought about it1 but it was true4 ,new interests were stirring within him4 ,or were they old ones8 ,he had gathered that group of boys about him with their teacher1 after ,mrs4 ,ketchum had broken up his quiet talk with the teacher1 and had talked with them about the places he visited in the ,holy ,land1 dwelling at some length upon the small details of what he had seen in ,jerusalem1 and the probable scene of events connected with the picture4 ,he had grown interested as he saw the interest of his audience4 ,he realized that he must have talked well4 ,was it the intent gaze of those bright1 keen-eyed boys1 listening and glancing now and again toward the picture with new interest1 as they heard of the city and its streets where this scene was laid1 that gave him inspiration8 ,or had his inspiration come from that other rapt1 sweet face1 with earnest eyes fixed on the picture1 and yet showing by an occasional glance at the speaker that she was listening and liked it8 ,yes1 it had been a happy evening1 and all over too quickly4 ,he would have liked to escort ,miss ,manning to her home1 but her pony phaeton1 driven by a faithful old servant1 came for her1 so he missed that pleasure4 ,he found himself planning ways in which he might often meet this charming young woman4 ,and strange to say1 the mission with its various services stood out pleasantly in his mind as a means to this end4 ,had he forgotten his firm resolution of a few days agone1 that he would have no more to do with that mission in any capacity whatever8 ,if this question occurred to him he waived it without excuse4 ,he was pledged to attend the session of the school for the next ,sabbath anyway1 to give in more elaborate form the talk about the picture and the scenes in ,jerusalem of which he had spoken to the boys4 ,it had been ,miss ,manning's work1 this promise1 of course4 ,she had said how grand it would be to have him to tell the whole school what he had told her class1 and had immediately interviewed the present superintendent1 who had been only too delighted to accept the suggestion4 ,and now he sat by his fire1 and with somewhat different feelings from those he had experienced a few evenings before1 thought over his old life and his new4 ,strangely enough the 8ladye of high degree0 came no longer to his thoughts1 but instead there stood in shadow behind the leather chair a slender1 girlish figure with an earnest face and eyes1 and by and by he gave himself up to contemplating that1 and he wondered no longer that the boys had given up many things to please her4 ,he would not find it so very hard to do the same4 ,how earnest she had been6 ,what a world of new meaning seemed to be invested in the sacred scene of that picture after she had been talking about it4 ,he had followed up her desire to read the account with it in view1 and begged her most eagerly to come and read it and let him be a humble listener1 offering also in a wistful tone1 which showed plainly that he hoped she would accept the former1 to let her have the picture at her home for a time4 ,it would be very pleasant to read anything1 even the ,bible1 with this interesting young person and study the workings of her mind4 ,he could see that she was unusual4 ,he must carefully study the subject so as not to be behind her in ,bible lore1 for it was likely she knew all about it1 and he did not wish to be ashamed before her4 ,he reached over to the table where he had laid the little fine-print ,bible they had been consulting earlier in the evening4 ,it had been so long since he had made a regular business of reading his ,bible that he scarcely knew where to turn to find the right passages again1 but after fluttering the leaves a few minutes he again came to the place and read3 8,now when the even was come1 he sat down with the twelve4 ,and as they did eat1 he said1 ,verily ,i say unto you1 that one of you shall betray me40 ,the young man stopped reading1 looking up at the picture involuntarily1 and then dropped his eyes to the fire4 ,what was it that brought that verse home to himself8 ,had he in any sense betrayed his ,lord8 ,was it only the natural inquiry of the truthful soul on hearing those words from the ,master and on looking into his eyes to say sorrowfully 8,lord1 is it ,i80 or was there some reason for it in his own life that made him sit there1 hour after hour1 while the bright coals faded1 and the ashes dropped away and lay still and white upon the hearth8 ,thomas1 the man1 looked silently in once or twice1 and marveled to find his master reading what seemed to be a ,bible1 and muttered 8,that pictur10 to himself as he went back to his vigil4 ,at last he ventured to open the door and say in a respectful tone1 8,did you call me1 sir80 which roused the master somewhat to the time of night1 and moved him to tell his man to go to bed and he would put out the lights4 ,the days that followed were filled with things quite different from what ,john ,stanley had planned on his return voyage4 ,he made a good start in his business1 and settled into regular working hours1 it is true2 but in his times of leisure he quite forgot that he had intended to have nothing to do with the mission people4 ,he spent three evenings in helping to cover ,sunday-school library books and paste labels into singing books4 ,prosaic work and much beneath him he would have considered it a short time ago1 but he came home each time from it with an exhilaration of mind such as he had never experienced from any of the whist parties he had attended4 ,it is true there were some young men and young women also pasting labels whose society was uninteresting1 but he looked upon even those with leniency4 ,were they not all animated by one common object1 the good work for the mission8 ,and there was also present and pasting with the others1 with deft fingers and quiet grace1 that one young girl around whom all the others seemed to gather and center as naturally as flowers turn to the sun4 ,she seemed to be an inspiration to all the others4 ,john ,stanley had not yet confessed that she was an inspiration to himself4 ,he only admitted that her society was helpful and enjoyable1 and he really longed to have her come and read those chapters over with him4 ,just how to manage this had been a puzzle4 ,whenever he spoke of it the young lady thanked him demurely1 and said she would like to come and look at the picture some time2 but he had a feeling that she would not come soon1 and would be sure he was not at home then before she ventured4 ,this was right1 of course4 ,it was not the thing1 even in ,america1 for a young woman to call upon a young man even to read the ,bible with him4 ,he must overcome this obstacle4 ,having reached this conclusion he called in his mother to assist4 8,by the way1 mother10 he said the next evening at dinner1 8,i met a very agreeable gentleman on the voyage over1 a ,mr4 ,manning4 ,he is the father of the ,miss ,manning who was here the other evening1 ,i believe4 ,do you know them8 ,i wish you would have them to dinner some night4 ,i would like to show him some courtesy40 ,the mother smiled and assented4 ,it was easy for her to do nice little social kindnesses4 ,and so it was arranged4 ,after dinner it was an easy thing for ,john ,stanley to slip away to the library with ,margaret ,manning1 where they two sat down together before the picture1 this time with a large1 fine ,oxford edition of the ,bible to read from4 ,that was an evening which to ,john ,stanley was memorable through the rest of his life4 ,he had carefully studied the chapters himself1 and thought he had searched out from the best commentators all the bright new thoughts concerning the events that the imagination and wisdom of man had set down in books1 but he found that his companion had studied on her knees1 and that while she was not lacking either book knowledge or appreciation of what he had to say1 she yet was able to open to him a deeper spiritual insight4 ,when she was gone1 and he sat alone in his room once more1 he felt that it had been glorified by her presence4 ,he lingered long before that picture with searchings of heart that meant much for his future life1 and before he left the room he knelt and consecrated himself as never before4 ,in those days there were evening meetings in the mission and he went4 ,there was no question in his mind about going2 he went gladly1 and felt honored when ,mr4 ,manning was unable to escort his daughter and he was allowed to take his place4 ,there was a nutting excursion for the school1 and he and ,miss ,manning took care of the little ones together4 ,when it was over he reflected that he had never enjoyed a nutting party more1 not even when he was a care-free boy4 ,it came about gradually that he gave up smoking4 ,not that he had at any given time sat down and deliberately decided to do so1 at least not until he found that he had almost done so4 ,there was always some meeting or engagement at which he hoped to meet ,miss ,manning1 and instinctively he shrank from having her know that he smoked1 mindful of what his evening visitors had told him4 ,at first he fell into the habit of smoking in the early morning as he walked in the garden1 but once while thus engaged he saw the young woman coming down the street1 and he threw away his cigar and disappeared behind the shrubbery1 annoyed at himself that he was doing something of which he seemed to be ashamed4 ,he wanted to walk to the fence and speak to her as she passed by1 but he was sure the odor of smoke would cling to him4 ,little by little he left off smoking lest she would detect the odor about him4 ,once they had a brief conversation on the subject1 she taking it for granted that he agreed with her1 and some one came to interrupt them ere he had decided whether to speak out plainly and tell her he was one whom she was condemning by her words4 ,his face flushed over it that night as he sat before his fire4 ,she had been telling him what one of the boys had said when she had asked him why he thought he could not be a ,christian3 8,well1 ,i can't give up smokin'1 and we know ,he never would #8a' smoked40 ,that had seemed a conclusive argument to the boy4 ,illustration3 8,,he ,,threw ,,away ,,his ,,cigar ,,and ,,disappeared ,,behind ,,the ,,shrubbery40 ,was it true that he was sure his ,master never would have done it8 ,then ought he1 a professed follower of ,christ8 ,he tried to say that ,miss ,manning had peculiar views on this subject and that those boys were unduly influenced by her2 and he recalled how many good followers of ,christ were addicted to the habit4 ,nevertheless1 he felt sure that no one of them would advise a young man to begin to smoke and he also felt sure about what ,jesus ,christ would do4 ,it had been a long time since he had tried himself and his daily walking with that sentence1 8,what would ,jesus do80 ,he did not realize that he was again falling into the way of it4 ,if he had it might have made him too satisfied with himself4 ,there came to be many nights when he sat up late looking into the fire and comparing his life with the life of the ,man whose pictured eyes looked down so constantly into his own4 ,it was like having a shadow of ,christ's presence with him constantly4 ,at first it had annoyed him and hung over him like a pall1 that feeling of the unseen ,presence which was symbolized by the skillful hand of the artist4 ,then it had grown awesome1 and held him from many deeds and words1 nay even thoughts1 until now it was growing sweet and dear1 a presence of help1 the eyes of a friend looking down upon him in all his daily actions1 and unconsciously he was beginning to wonder whenever a course of conduct was presented to his mind whether it would seem right to ,christ4 ,at last the happy winter was slipping away rapidly4 ,he had scarcely stopped to realize how fast1 until one night when letters had come in on the evening mail1 one from ,england brought vividly to his mind some of his thoughts and resolves and feelings during that return voyage in the fall4 ,he smiled to himself as he leaned back in the great leather chair and half-closed his eyes4 ,how he had resolved to devote himself to art and literature and leave religion and philanthropy to itself6 ,and he had devoted himself to literature1 in a way4 ,had not he and ,miss ,manning and several others of the mission spent the greater part of the winter in an effort to put good pictures and books into the homes of the people of the mission1 and also to interest these people in the pictures and books8 ,he had delivered several popular lectures1 illustrated by the best pictures1 and had assisted at readings from our best authors4 ,but would his broad and cultured friends from the foreign shore1 who had so high an opinion of his ability1 consider that a strict devotion of himself to art and literature8 ,and as for the despised mission and its various functions1 it had become the center of his life interest4 ,he glanced up at the picture on his wall4 ,had it not been the cause of all this change in actions1 his plans1 his very feelings8 ,nay1 had not its central figure1 the ,man of ,sorrows1 become his friend1 his guide1 his ,saviour in a very real and near sense8 ,and so he remembered the first night he had looked upon that picture and its strange effect upon him4 ,he remembered some of his own thoughts minutely1 his vision of that 8ladye of high degree0 with whose future his own seemed likely to be joined4 ,how strange it seemed to him now that he could have ever dreamed of such a thing6 ,her supercilious smile seemed even now to make him shrink4 ,the prospect of her trip to ,america in the spring or early summer was not the pleasant thing he had then thought it4 ,indeed1 it annoyed him to remember how much would be expected of him as guide and host4 ,it would take his time from things--and people--more correctly speaking1 one person who had grown very dear4 ,he might as well confess it to himself now as at any other time4 ,margaret ,manning had become to him the one woman in all the earth whose love he cared to win4 ,and looking on his heart as it now was1 and thinking of himself as when he first returned from abroad1 he realized that he was not nearly so sure of her saying 8,yes0 to his request that she would give her life into his keeping1 as he had been that the 8ladye of high degree0 would assent to that request4 ,why was it8 ,ah6 ,of this one he was not worthy1 so pure and true and beautiful a woman was she4 ,while the other--was it possible that he had been willing to marry a woman about whom he felt as he did toward this other haughty woman of wealth and position8 ,to what depths had he almost descended6 ,he shuddered involuntarily at the thought4 ,by and by he arose and put out the light preparatory to going upstairs for the night1 humming a line of an old song3 8,the laird may marry his ladye1 his ladye of high degree-- ,but ,i will marry my true love10 and then his face broke into a sweet smile and he added aloud and heartily1 8if ,i can0--and hummed the closing words1 8,for true of heart am ,i10 as he went out into the hall1 a look of determination growing on his face and the vision of ,margaret ,manning enshrined in his heart4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,the visit of the 8ladye of high degree0 to ,america was delayed by wind and tide and circumstance until the late fall1 and in the meantime the people of ,america had not stood still for her coming4 ,among other things that had been done1 there had been put up and fully equipped a sort of club-house belonging to the ,forest ,hill ,mission4 ,it does not take long to carry out such schemes when there are two earnest persons with determination and ability to work like ,john ,stanley and ,margaret ,manning4 ,the money for the scheme had come in rapidly and from unexpected sources4 ,margaret declared that every dollar was an answer to prayer4 ,the house itself was perfectly adapted for the carrying out of their plans of work4 ,there were reading-rooms and parlors where comfort and a certain degree of refinement prevailed4 ,there was a gymnasium in which the privileges and days were divided equally between men and women1 and where thorough instruction was given4 ,there were rooms in which various classes were carried on evenings for those who had no chance otherwise1 and there were even a few rooms for young men or young women1 homeless and forlorn1 where they could get good board for a time1 and the whole was presided over by a motherly1 gray-haired woman and her husband1 whose hearts were in the work1 and whose good common sense made them admirably fitted for such a position4 ,but amid all these plans and preparations for better work ,john ,stanley had found opportunity to speak to ,margaret ,manning the words which had won her consent to make his home bright by her presence and his heart glad with her love4 ,their wedding cards had traveled across the ocean1 passing midway the steamer that carried a letter from the 8ladye of high degree10 saying that she was about to embark on her trip to ,america and rather demanding ,john ,stanley's time and attention during her stay near his home4 ,she had been used to this in the days when he was near her home1 and he had been only too glad to be summoned then4 ,his letter waited for him several days while he was away on a short business trip1 and it came about that he opened it but three days before his wedding day4 ,he smiled as he read her orders4 ,he was to meet her at the steamer on the fifteenth4 ,ah6 that was the day when he hoped to be a hundred miles away from ,new ,york1 speeding blissfully along with ,margaret by his side4 ,he drew a sigh of relief as he reached for pen and paper and wrote her a brief note explaining that he was sorry not to be able to show her the courtesies he had promised1 but that he would be away on his wedding trip at the time4 ,he afterward added an invitation from his mother1 and closed the note and forgot all about the matter4 ,and so it was that the 8ladye of high degree10 instead of being met with all the devotion she had expected1--and which she had intended to exact to its utmost1--found only a brief note with a paltry invitation to his wedding reception4 ,she bit her lips in vexation and spent a disagreeable day in a ,new ,york hotel1 making all those who had to do with her miserable4 ,then she hunted up the names of other acquaintances in ,america1 noted the date of that reception1 and made up her mind to make her haughty best of it2 at least1 when she returned home there was the laird and the earl and the poor duke1 if worst came to worst4 ,the ,stanley home was alight from one end to the other1 and flowers and vines did their best to keep up the idea of the departing summer indoors that night when ,john ,stanley brought home his lovely bride4 ,it was a strange gathering and a large one4 ,there were present of ,new ,york's best society the truest and best of men and women1 whose costumes and faces showed that their purses and their culture were equally deep4 ,and there were many people1 poor and plain1 in their best clothes it is true1 but so different from the others that one scarcely knew which costume was more out of place1 that of the rich or of the poor4 ,it had been ,john ,stanley's idea1 and ,margaret had joined in it heartily1 this mingling of the different classes to congratulate them in their new life4 8,they will all have to come together in heaven1 mother10 ,john had said in answer to ,mrs4 ,stanley's mild protest at inviting ,mrs4 ,cornelius ,van ,rensselaer together with ,joe ,andrews and the mill girls from the mission4 8,that is1 if they all get there1 and in my opinion ,joe ,andrews stands as good a chance as ,mrs4 ,van ,rensselaer4 ,what is the difference8 ,it will only be a little in their dress4 ,i think all of our friends are too sensible to mind that4 ,let them wear what they please1 and for once let us show them that people can mingle and be friends without caring for the quality of cotton or silk in which each one is wrapped40 ,the mother smiled and lifted her eyebrows a little4 ,she could imagine the difference between those mill girls and the ,new ,york ladies1 and she knew her son could not1 but her position was established in the world1 and she was coming to the age when these little material things do not so much matter4 ,she was willing that her son should do as he wished4 ,she only said in a lingering protest1 8,but their grammar1 ,john4 ,you forget how they murder the king's ,english40 8,never mind1 mother10 he said1 8,i shouldn't wonder if we should all have to learn a little heavenly grammar when we get there before we can talk fittingly with the angels40 ,and so their friends were all invited1 and none belonging to the ,forest ,mission were omitted4 ,mrs4 ,ketchum1 it is true1 was scandalized4 ,she knew how to dress1 and she did not like to be classed among the 8rabble10 as she confided to a few of her friends4 8,however1 one never knew what ,margaret ,manning would do1 and of course this was just another of her performances4 ,if ,john ,stanley wasn't sorry before very long that he married that woman of the clouds1 she would miss her guess40 ,she took it upon herself to explain in an undertone to all the guests1 whom she considered worthy of the toilet she had prepared1 that these 8other people10 as she denominated the ,forest ,hill ,mission1 pointing to them with her point lace fan with a dainty sweeping gesture1 were protgs of the bride and groom1 and were invited that they might have the pleasure of a glimpse into the well-dressed world1 a pleasure probably that none of them had ever had before4 ,the 8ladye of high degree0 was there1 oh1 yes6 ,her curiosity led her1 and her own pique4 ,she wanted to see what kind of a wife ,john ,stanley had married1 and she wanted to see if her power over him was really at an end4 ,the rich elegance of her wonderful gown1 ablaze with diamonds and adorned with lace of fabulous price1 brushed aside the dainty white of the bride's and threatened to swallow it up out of sight in its own glistening folds4 ,but the bride1 in her filmy white robes1 seemed in no wise disturbed1 neither did her fair face suffer by contrast with the proud1 handsome one4 ,the 8ladye of high degree10 standing in the shadow studying the sweet bride's face1 was forced to admit that there was a superior something in this other woman that she did not understand4 ,she turned to ,john ,stanley1 her former admirer1 and found his eyes resting in undisguised admiration on the lovely face of his wife1 and her eyes turned again to the wife and saw her kiss the wrinkled face of an elderly ,scotch woman with beautiful1 tender brown eyes and soft waving hair4 ,the neat1 worn brown cashmere dress that the woman wore was ornamented only by a soft ruffle about the neck4 ,the hair was partly covered by a plain1 brown bonnet with an attempt at gala attire in a bit of white lace in front1 and the wrinkled1 worn hands were guiltless of any gloves1 but one of those bare hands was held lovingly between the bride's white gloves1 and the other rested familiarly about the soft white of the bride's waist4 ,there was a beautiful look of love and trust and appreciation in both faces1 and instinctively this stranger was forced to ask the other onlooker1 8,who is she80 8,one of ,god's saints on earth10 came ,john ,stanley's voice in answer4 ,he had been watching the scene and had forgotten for the moment to whom he was talking4 ,not that he would have disliked to speak so to the 8ladye of high degree0 now1 for he was much changed1 but he would not have thought she would understand4 8,she is just a dear woman in the church whom my wife loves very much4 ,she is a natural poet soul1 and you may be sure she has been saying something to her which would be worth writing in a book1 and which she will always remember40 ,and then the 8ladye of high degree0 turned and looked at her old acquaintance in undisguised astonishment4 ,john ,stanley must have noticed this and been embarrassed a moment1 but ,mrs4 ,ketchum came by just then to be introduced1 and she proved to be the kindred spirit for whom this stranger had been searching4 ,from her was gained much information1 some of which astonished her beyond belief4 ,she made one or two more attempts to rally her power over ,john ,stanley later in the evening1 but she too had fallen under the spell of the lovely woman whose eyes her husband's followed wherever she went1 and she finally gave it up4 ,the final surprise came to the stranger guest late in the evening1 as she was making her way through ,john ,stanley's study to the cloak room4 ,she had been told by the voluble ,mrs4 ,ketchum that this room was ,mr4 ,stanley's 8den40 ,she had also noticed during the evening at different times that people stopped opposite the picture that hung on the wall over the mantel4 ,she had not before been in a position to see what this picture was for the crowd1 but she had supposed it some master-piece that ,mr4 ,stanley had brought home from his travels4 ,her curiosity1 or her interest1 or both1 led her to pause now alone1 and to look up4 ,as others were held under its spell1 so was this woman for a moment4 ,the beauty and expression of the work of art caught her fancy1 and the face of the ,master held her gaze1 while her soul recognized and understood the subject4 ,in great astonishment she glanced around the room once more and back4 ,could it be that ,john ,stanley kept a picture like this in his den8 ,it was not like the ,john ,stanley she had known4 ,and then a soft1 little1 white-gloved hand rested on her shoulder1 and a sweet1 earnest voice said3 8,isn't it wonderful8 ,i'm so glad to be where ,i can look at it every day as much as ,i wish40 ,illustration3 8,,the #8,,ladye ,,of ,,high ,,degree' 4 4 4 ,,saw ,,them ,,standing ,,also40 ,turning she saw the bride standing by her side4 ,she scarcely knew how to answer1 and before she could do so she noticed that another had entered the room1 and she knew instinctively that ,mr4 ,stanley had come4 8,that is one of my treasures4 ,are you admiring it80 he said in the strong voice that seemed so unlike his old one1 and the guest murmured something about the picture1 and looking about uneasily excused herself and slipped away4 ,they stood a moment before the picture together1 the husband and wife4 ,they were tired with the evening's talk1 and a sight of this refreshed them both and gave the promise of future joy4 ,the 8ladye of high degree10 passing through that hall1 having purposely come by another route from the cloak room rather than through the study1 saw them standing also1 and understood--that she did not understand1 and went out into the night with a lonely longing for something1 she knew not what4 ,as the two stood together the husband said3 8,do you know1 dear1 that picture has made the turning point in my life4 ,ever since it came in here ,i have felt that his presence was with me wherever ,i went4 ,and ,i have you to thank for it all4 ,and through it ,i have gained you1 this richest1 sweetest blessing of my life4 ,do you know1 ,i found a verse in my ,bible to-day that it seems to me fits me and that picture4 ,it is this3 #8,the angel of his presence saved them4 ,in his love and in his pity he redeemed them4'0 ,,gabriel ,,the ,,acadian ,,by ,,edith ,m4 ,,nicholl ,,bowyer ,,gabriel ,,the ,,acadian ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations 8#8,it is a heretic name6' exclaimed ,le ,loutre0 #c 8,suddenly the girl raised her head0 #bg 8,m4 l',abb commands0 #db 8,but ,gabriel had neither eyes nor ears for the priest0 #fi 8#8,wild ,deer2 tell ,wild ,deer'0 #hb 8,far away at the mouth of the inlet 4 4 4 lay three small ships0 #ia 8#8,and thou wilt make me a traitor too6' he cried0 #abj 8,they sat down side by side before the empty hearth0 #aca ,illustration3 8#8,it is a heretic name6' exclaimed ,le ,loutre40 ,there is a history in all men's lives1 ,figuring the nature of the times deceased2 ,the which observed1 a man may prophesy1 ,with a near aim1 of the main chance of things ,as yet not come to life2 which in their seeds ,and weak beginnings lie intreasured4 --,shakespeare1 ,henry ,,iv4 ,,gabriel ,,the ,,acadian ,,chapter ,i 8,it is the name my mother called me by10 quoth ,gabriel sturdily4 ,for a moment there was silence1 save for a murmur of horror that ran through the assembled ,acadians at the daring of a boy who thus defied the fierce priest2 yet his bearing was perfectly respectful4 8,it is a heretic name60 exclaimed ,le ,loutre4 8,pardon1 ,m4 l',abb1 but it is said not4 ,my father also bare it1 and his father before him4 ,never willingly will ,i be called by any other4 ,did not my mother swear on the crucifix to my dying sire that his child should bear his name8 ,and to break a holy vow--is not that of all things the most sinful1 ,o mon pre80 8,thy father died unshriven40 8,my father was of the ,protestant faith10 rejoined the boy quickly4 8,he died faithful to his own1 though far from the land of his birth4 ,he would have carried my mother to join the colonists in ,virginia1 where abide many of his kindred1 but the prospect of leaving our ,acadian land did not please her1 and he loved her more than kin or country4 ,my father was a good soldier and brave1 monsieur2 he was but true to the flag he served1 and to which all we of ,acadia have sworn allegiance1 and daily break our vows60 ,he raised his eyes of ,english blue1 and looked straight into those of the ,abb ,le ,loutre1 black and angry as a thundercloud4 ,a fine figure of a seventeen-year-old lad he was4 ,at his age many an ,acadian youth was beginning to dream of wife and home all his own4 ,tall and strongly built1 his light curls tossed back from a brow whose tell-tale fairness showed through the ruddy bronze left by the suns and storms of ,acadia4 ,this time the exclamations of horror rose louder than before1 and above them was heard the piteous remonstrance of the village cur1 8,ah1 mon fils1 submit thyself to the good abb40 ,gabriel's fearless glance swept the rows of dull ,acadian faces4 ,it seemed to him as if in actual bodily fear the villagers crouched before the enraged priest1 who drove1 rather than led1 his timid1 ignorant flock1 and the gentle cur1 his subordinate4 ,and the whip with which he goaded them was none other than the ferocious band of ,micmac ,indians1 to whom he had been sent by the ,french government1 nominally as missionary1 but in reality that he might keep the ,acadians1 by fair means or foul1 in a continual state of rebellion to their easy-going ,english rulers4 ,the murmurs died away into awed silence4 ,then1 with a scornful lift of the hand1 ,le ,loutre turned from the boy and faced the trembling villagers4 ,his address at first was in the usual strain1 only1 if possible1 more intolerant and fanatic than at his last visit1 and ,gabriel soon pushed impatiently out of the crowd1 and flung himself down upon the river's bank4 ,presently1 however1 he found himself listening intently4 ,here were threats more terrible1 even1 than of old4 ,gabriel was brave2 his father's blood did not run in his veins for naught2 but for once he wondered not that his countrymen cowered beneath the lash of that fierce tongue4 8,the people of ,acadia are the people of my mother10 he often said1 8and ,i love them4 ,but they are cowards40 ,and when he looked forth from the harbor mouth of ,chebucto and swept with his eyes the wide ,atlantic1 there burned in his young bosom a fire that would have amazed his placid kinsmen had they known of it1 content1 as they were1 with the daily round of humble submission to the priests1 petty legal quarrels or equally petty gossip with the neighbors1 and daily tilling of the soil--a fire that was kindled a hundred years before in one who sailed the seas with ,raleigh1 and which burned anew in this young scion of an ancient race4 8,i want to go1 to see1 to do60 he would cry1 flinging wide his arms4 ,but now1 as he gave unwilling ear to ,le ,loutre1 his boyish heart sank4 ,could the abb in truth fulfill these threats of driving the people to ,french soil1 whether they would or no8 ,could he force them1 in the name of ,god and the king1 to forsake their pleasant homes in which the ,english1 whatever might be their crimes against the ,french1 at least allowed the ,acadians to live in peace1 unpunished too during all these years for their want of loyalty to sworn allegiance8 ,gabriel's eyes traveled beyond that dominant figure1 and dwelt upon the savage band of 8converts0 gathered behind the priest4 ,yes1 he could1 and would6 ,wrapt in his own thoughts1 ,gabriel noticed neither the dispersion of the people nor the ominous fact that his grandfather1 ,pierre ,grtin1 was accompanied on his homeward way by ,le ,loutre himself4 ,his eyes were upon the flowing river1 and the light step of his ,cousin ,margot failed to arouse him4 ,her sweet face was close to his1 and her small hand on his shoulder ere he stirred4 8,gabriel1 ,i have somewhat to say to thee40 8,what is it1 ma mie80 8,wilt thou not depart to-night to thy friends whom thou dost sometimes visit without the walls of the new ,halifax1 by the harbor called of us ,chebucto8 ,there lives that ,english priest who taught thee discontent with our blessed religion and with our beloved cur40 8,not with our cur1 ,margot4 ,he is good2 he makes all religion beautiful and true4 ,but wouldst thou blame me because my heart turns to the faith of my father8 ,that in which my mother might have found courage to rear me had she lived80 8,no1 mon cousin1 no1 not blame4 ,but grievous danger threatens all who defy the abb1 and thee more than others1 because of thy hated ,english blood4 ,but listen1 ,gabriel2 dost thou indeed love ,margot as though she were thine own sister80 ,the boy was silent a moment1 then he answered simply3 8,that ,i cannot tell thee1 ,margot1 seeing that ,i never had a sister4 ,but ,i love thee as ,i love none other besides40 8,that is well10 she said with equal simplicity1 8because to save thy life for my sake thou must act contrary to thy nature40 ,he sprang to his feet1 his blue eyes flashing so that for a moment ,margot quailed before him4 8,you would not have me play the coward and liar80 he cried4 8,that ,i cannot do1 even for thee4 ,i am an ,acadian--yes4 ,yet neither of these things will ,i be60 8,i too am an ,acadian10 replied the young girl with quiet dignity1 8yet am ,i not false4 ,timid ,i may be1 for such is the wont of my sex40 8,pardon1 ma cousine1 pardon10 exclaimed ,gabriel remorsefully4 8,thou knowest how it is with me2 my heart beats1 and the words rush1 and it is all over40 8,wilt thou never learn prudence80 she retorted1 smiling4 8,we ,acadians have learned it in nigh forty years of lying helpless like a lamb betwixt two snapping wolves40 8,prudence1 dost thou call it1 ,margot8 ,my father called it by a harsher name2 and even my mother said that was a poor thing we did1 to live1 a free people1 under one flag2 untaxed1 ministered to by our own priests1 the very necessaries of life supplied to us1 and yet intriguing1 forever intriguing1 with those of the other flag40 8,the flag under which we live is an alien flag10 said gentle ,margot4 8,that may be2 but have we ever been called upon to fight for it8 ,and now that we are summoned to swear the full oath of allegiance1 we have richly deserved this mild rebuke4 ,the ,french are cruel2 we go with them only through fear of the ,indians40 8,the gran'-pre1 he goes with none10 interposed the girl with a flash of spirit4 8,he tills the soil in peace1 meddling not with ,french or ,english40 8,ah1 but even he will have to choose ere many days are past2 the abb does not bring here his flock for naught4 ,and10 cried the lad1 clenching his fists1 8who would be a neutral8 ,not ,i60 ,then more quietly3 8,hast thou not heard them tell1 ,margot1 how when ,france yielded ,acadia to ,england we were free1 all of us1 to move within the year to ,french soil if we would8 ,but we would neither go nor remain and take the oath of fealty2 nevertheless we were permitted to stay unsworn for seventeen years1 intriguing then even as we do now4 ,at last the oath was won from us1 and more than twenty years since then have come and gone1 and once again1 because of our untruth and the cruelties practised upon ,english settlers1 the word has gone forth that we must swear anew4 ,what kind of a people1 then are we1 ,margot1 to be thus double-faced8 ,thirteen thousand souls1 and withal afraid of priests and ,indians6 ,not daring1 not one of us1 to play the man and come out boldly for the one flag or the other4 ,oh1 we are cowards--cowards all60 ,he flung himself upon the ground and covered his face with his hands4 ,to simple1 yet wise little ,margot these bursts of passion on the part of her cousin were almost incomprehensible4 ,her nature was a still1 clear pool1 whilst his was as the young torrent leaping down the rocks1 unconscious of its own power1 but eager to join the strong and swelling stream beneath1 upon whose bosom the great ships float down to the deep sea4 ,but although she did not understand1 love gave her sympathy4 ,she kneeled beside him1 and once more laid her hand upon his shoulder2 but the words she would have uttered died in her throat1 and instead she exclaimed in accents of terror3 8,o ,gabriel1 ,gabriel1 arise4 ,it is the gran'-pre who calls1 and with him is still the abb40 ,in an instant the lad was on his feet4 8,gabriel1 mon fils60 ,the thin1 cracked voice floated across the meadows from the door of the small hut1 which was considered by even prosperous ,acadians like ,grtin all-sufficient for the family needs4 ,without a moment's hesitation ,gabriel took his cousin's hand1 and led her1 half crying now1 toward their home1 where the tall form of the priest was plainly visible1 towering over that of the grandfather4 99 99 99 99 99 ,these were stirring times for ,acadie4 ,lord ,cornwallis was governor of the province--the ,cornwallis described by ,walpole as 8a brave1 sensible young man1 of great temper and good nature40 ,he needed to be all this and more1 for the ,acadians were a difficult people to deal with4 ,vacillating1 ignorant1 and priest-ridden1 it was the easiest thing in the world for the ,french to hold them in actual fact1 while by treaty ceding them to ,england1 an alien power and race4 ,fear1 however1 played a large part in ,french influence2 and this was invariably the case throughout the long dissensions betwixt ,france and ,england4 ,indian savagery was winked at1 even encouraged1 by ,french authorities in their dealings both with ,english and ,acadians2 and the fair escutcheon of ,france was defaced by many a stain of blood cruelly1 wantonly1 treacherously shed4 ,that the ,acadians should be in sympathy with ,france rather than with ,england was natural2 their wrong-doing consisted not in that1 but in their readiness to accept ,english protection while plotting steadily with the ,french against the flag to which they had sworn fealty rather than move to ,french soil4 ,they were now in a somewhat sorry plight4 ,the long-patient ,english government1 through ,cornwallis1 was requiring of them a fresh oath1 and better faith in keeping it1 if they continued to reside in the province1 whilst the governor of those ,french possessions1 now called ,cape ,breton and ,prince ,edward's ,island1 was using every means in his power1 hideous threats included1 to induce them to come definitely under the ,french flag4 ,what those means might eventually be even such young creatures as ,margot and ,gabriel knew only too well4 ,the cousins found their grandfather looking troubled and distressed1 and the priest still wearing the menacing air which had all that day awed his village audience4 8,it is full time you of ,port ,royal bethought you of your duty to your religion and your king instead of forever quarreling among yourselves1 and enriching pettifogging men of law4 ,but for thee1 ,grtin1 though special indulgence has ever been shown thee1 it will be well that thou shouldst take thought for thy family before it is too late4 ,thou knowest my flock of old10 alluding to his savage converts1 8and the kind of lambs they are4 ,homes await the loyal subjects of ,god and the king on the ,isle of ,st4 ,jean and ,isle ,royale1 and if they see not what is best for their own souls' good ,i have the means to make them see it60 ,grtin was both morally and intellectually the superior of those among whom he lived1 and he was also braver than his neighbors1 but of what avail is superiority when a man stands alone8 ,it was for this reason1 combined with the habit of subjection to priestly authority1 that he replied hastily3 8,yes1 ,m4 l',abb1 it is even as you say4 8,this boy must be disciplined10 continued the priest sternly4 8,yes1 ,m4 l',abb1 so it must be40 ,it was at this moment that 8the boy0 presented himself1 his head erect1 his face pale1 and holding the hand of his cousin4 8,drop the maiden's hand and follow me60 was the abb's harsh salutation4 8,i have that to say which is not for feminine ears40 ,gabriel obeyed1 but there was something in his air which1 though promising submission1 meant submission within definite limits4 ,le ,loutre entered the hut and closed the door on the peaceful1 pastoral scene without1 lit up by the rays of the declining sun4 ,then seating himself on a bench1 rude and plain as were the furnishings of all the homes of the frugal and industrious ,acadians1 however rich in land and stock1 he addressed ,gabriel standing respectfully before him4 8,what is thine age80 8,i shall be eighteen at the ,christmastide40 8,humph6 a well-grown youth6 ,dost thou call thyself boy or man80 ,an irrepressible smile curled ,gabriel's fresh lips1 but he answered demurely3 8,neither1 mon pre40 8,dare not to trifle with me1 son of a heretic60 broke out the priest1 his imperious temper rising4 ,accustomed to see all men cringe before him1 this lad's fearless demeanor was particularly galling to ,le ,loutre4 ,he controlled himself again1 however1 and proceeded with that persuasiveness of which when it suited him he was master3 8,it is as man1 not boy1 ,i call upon thee this day to serve ,god and the king1 and to prove thyself worthy of the confidence ,i would repose in thee4 ,i give thee thy just due1 thou hast a good courage1 and it is men of such mettle that ,louis requires1 men1 hearest thou80 ,gabriel's frank1 yet searching1 gaze was riveted on the priest's face2 and so keen were those blue eyes that ,le ,loutre shifted his1 momentarily disconcerted4 ,for perhaps the first time in his remarkable career he was conscious of difficulty in explaining the righteousness1 according to his creed1 of 8doing evil that good may come40 ,not that he himself doubted2 he was too honest a zealot for that2 but in this case explanation was somehow not easy4 8,thou knowest10 he said at length1 8of this new oath that the heretics would extort from ,god's people4 ,to keep them in the fold and preserve their souls alive at any cost is my priestly duty2 but in order to accomplish this ,i must have loyal aid4 ,my ,micmacs waver1 they have even made a treaty with the ,english4 ,this cannot be permitted to endure4 ,it is therefore the king's wish that they be secretly encouraged to break it1 and to this end loyal ,acadians in disguise must accompany them when they go to ,halifax4 ,later these same faithful subjects will continue their work for the holy cause in the old way40 ,le ,loutre paused and regarded ,gabriel fixedly4 ,the boy's face was alight with sudden comprehension4 ,it was not the priest's custom to speak openly of his plans1 but he was fully aware that he was now dealing with no ordinary dull-witted ,acadian peasant4 ,what an invaluable ally this half-heretic lad would be could he only mold him to his will4 ,gabriel had not lived his brief span of life in ,port ,royal for nothing4 ,he already knew that ,le ,loutre was quite capable of using force to drive the ,acadians from their thriving farms to make new homes for themselves on ,french soil1 rather than that they should pledge their word to the ,english again1 even though that pledge might be broken as before4 ,and there was evidently some scheme more serious in process of hatching than the well-worn one of painting and disguising ,acadians and sending them out with the ,micmacs to plunder and slay ,english settlers4 ,the ancient farce of 8,indian warfare0 was to wear a new face4 ,the existence of peace between the two countries had never been any hindrance to ,french scheming4 ,gabriel had only too vivid recollections of the fate of certain ,acadians1 who had been cajoled or frightened into joining those ,indian war-parties1 and who1 when taken prisoner by the ,english1 had been disowned by the ,french and declared to have 8acted of their own accord40 ,the lad's heart was heavy within him4 ,if he defied the priest and refused to stoop to that which in his eyes was baseness and treachery1 his life would be made a torment1 nay1 perhaps forfeited1 none could foretell where ,le ,loutre would stop4 ,and worse1 far worse than this1 the gran'-pre1 hitherto well regarded by the bigoted priest and granted many indulgences1 would be ruthlessly hunted from the dear home to the bleak1 uncleared shores of ,isle ,royale1 or1 as the ,english named it1 ,cape ,breton4 ,the gran'-pre--he was old--he would certainly die without the strong grandson to help him4 ,and ,margot8 ,ah1 it was too bitter6 ,in spite of himself ,gabriel covered his eyes with his hand as if to shut out the frightful vision4 ,the face of ,le ,loutre glowed with triumph4 ,he had not expected so easy a victory4 ,to his present scheme this youth1 with his knowledge of the ,english tongue and the customs of the fort1 was well-nigh indispensable2 moreover1 his intelligence and his sense of honor were alike keen1 and once pledged to him1 the priest knew that he would never turn traitor4 ,under pretense of trading in furs a ,french vessel had brought to ,acadie guns and ammunition enough to arm both ,acadians and ,indians1 and the latter were already being secretly bribed by the ,intendant at ,louisburg through ,le ,loutre2 for a signal act of treachery was now required of them4 ,but the priest had triumphed too soon4 ,when at length ,gabriel raised his head1 though his young face looked almost ghostly in the dying light1 his eyes were shining with high resolve4 ,not that the path of duty was as yet perfectly clear before him1 or that he knew whither it might lead1 but he was resolute to take no other4 ,nevertheless he understood that mere defiance would not help either himself or those far dearer than self4 ,therefore he controlled himself and said quietly3 8,m4 l',abb has without doubt heard of that prtre from the ,new ,england who instructs a flock outside the walls of ,halifax80 ,le ,loutre scowled darkly4 8,art thou a heretic already8 ,i feared as much40 8,no1 ,m4 l',abb10 replied the boy in the same restrained tones2 8yet ,i confess that the faith of my fathers holds much of interest for me4 ,and he is good1 monsieur1 oh1 good6 like our own beloved cur40 ,here he hesitated2 then took courage1 and went on rapidly3 8,he bade me always to remember1 even if ,i should not in the end turn to my father's faith1 that one of its noblest commands is3 ,never do evil that good may come4 ,also that my father obeyed that command4 ,o mon pre1 choose some one else for thy purpose2 one who is not divided in heart as ,i1 but who hates the ,english as my blood will not let me do1 and to whom the ,holy ,catholic ,church is the only church60 ,for a moment it seemed as though the priest would strike the pleading face upturned to his1 so fierce a flame of wrath swept over him1 but instead he said with a sneer3 8,and thou wouldst thrust the words of a heretic down the throat of a priest of ,god and the king8 ,there is but one explanation1 boy1 thou art a coward60 ,the hot blood surged into ,gabriel's cheeks4 ,all his prudence was tossed aside beneath the lash of that tongue4 ,flinging back his head he confronted ,le ,loutre with an air which compelled1 as it never had failed to do1 the reluctant admiration of the man to whom courage seemed the best of ,god's gifts to mortals4 8,m4 l',abb10 said the boy1 in the low tones of an unbending resolve1 8,i am no coward2 but ,i should be both coward and liar were ,i to do your bidding40 ,for a breathing space the two pairs of eyes held one another like wrestlers4 ,then3 8,as thou wilt10 rejoined the priest coldly4 8,but forget not that no traitors to ,god and the king can dwell at ease in ,acadie4 ,mine are no empty threats40 ,he flung wide the door and called to the waiting ,micmacs4 ,as they stepped out of the surrounding gloom1 the pine torches carried by them illuminated their ferocious countenances4 ,margot sprang forward and cast herself upon her knees before the priest4 8,o mon pre1 mon pre1 do with me what you will1 inflict on me any penance that seems unto you good2 but spare1 oh1 spare my cousin1 if only for the sake of the gran'-pre60 ,the girl's agonized pleading rang out into the night4 ,then1 in a voice rendered tremulous by years and infirmity1 but still not devoid of dignity1 ,grtin himself spoke4 8,m4 l',abb10 he said1 8the boy is of heretic blood--yes4 ,but also is he of my blood--mine1 who am a faithful servant of the true church4 ,if he has been led astray1 ,i myself will see to it that he returns to the fold4 ,for he is a good lad1 and the prop and staff of my old age40 ,le ,loutre turned on the gran'-pre his piercing eyes4 8,thou hast reason1 ,grtin4 ,thou hast indeed been a faithful servant of the church1 but art thou that now8 ,do not thy religion and thy king demand of thee that thou shouldst leave1 with all that is thine1 the air breathed by pestilential heretics1 and dost thou not still linger1 battening in their green pastures1 yea1 feeding from their hand8 ,art thou1 therefore1 fit to be the guide of erring youth8 ,it may be too1 that thou wilt have to suffer for his sin if he repent not40 ,the old man bowed his head1 and a low moan escaped him4 8,hurt not the lad10 he murmured4 8,he is as the very apple of my eye40 8,my ,micmacs will look to his repentance10 retorted the priest grimly4 8,in the saving of the soul the body may have to endure somewhat1 but holy church is merciful to the penitent40 ,as he spoke ,gabriel sprang from the detaining hands1 of the ,indians1 and kneeling at the feet of the old man1 lifted the shriveled fingers and laid them upon his own fair head4 8,bless me1 even me1 ,o mon pre10 he cried4 ,but the gran'-pre fell upon his neck and wept4 8,oh1 ,gabriel1 my son1 my son60 ,before he could so much as speak to ,margot1 the ,indians1 at a sign from ,le ,loutre1 relentless always in the performance of what he believed to be his duty and now enraged by defeat1 seized the youth and disappeared with him into the forest4 ,lingering only to make the sign of the cross over the helpless and bereaved pair1 ,le ,loutre himself followed4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,gabriel1 hurried along through 8brake1 bush1 and brier10 each arm grasped by a brawny ,micmac1 had no time for thought4 ,a grown man of settled convictions might have found his situation a very labyrinth of difficulty4 ,how much more1 then1 a growing lad1 unavoidably halting betwixt two nationalities and two forms of religion8 ,after what seemed endless hours1 but which in reality was but a short time1 the party arrived at the settlement of wigwams on the bank of the ,shubenacadie4 ,the priest was no longer to be seen4 8,am ,i then to be left to the mercy of these savages80 thought ,gabriel4 ,yet close on the heels of the thought flashed the consciousness that the ,indians' violence had considerably slackened since the disappearance of ,le ,loutre4 ,the bonds with which they had tied their prisoner were so loose that he easily slipped out of them1 and approaching the squaws who were gathering wood for the fires1 he addressed them in their own language and proceeded to help them4 ,the braves merely turned their heads and glanced at him indifferently4 8,not enough gold60 he heard one mutter to another4 ,he had already heard that the ,micmacs had grown shrewd enough to put their own price on the harassing of recalcitrant or timid ,acadians1 and the taking of ,english scalps2 and like all ignorant or savage races had quickly learned to overestimate their services and become insatiate in their demands4 ,gabriel's chances1 therefore1 depended to some extent on the condition of the priest's treasury2 also on the fact that he was personally acquainted with certain members of the band1 to whom by reason of his skill in woodcraft and familiarity with the habits of the forest game he had not only occasionally been of service1 but whose respect he had won4 8,this is the white boy who knows even as does the red man the lair of the wild deer and where in the noonday heat they turn their steps to drink10 observed one to the other1 as ,gabriel1 restraining every symptom of fear1 quietly joined the group around the now blazing fire and helped himself out of the common pot4 8,yes10 he put in coolly1 8and ,i can tell you more than that if you will40 ,there are natures1 those of women as well as of men1 whose vitality quickens in the face of actual danger4 ,they may be even cowardly in the mere anticipation1 but the trumpet-call of duty1 honor1 or sacrifice1 or the less high-sounding clarion of self-preservation1 sets them on their feet1 face forward to the coming foe4 ,in ,gabriel all these forces were at work1 though ,margot's sweet1 pale face and the gran'-pre's bowed gray head1 were the strongest influences4 ,and behind all these was that irrepressible spirit of adventure1 never wholly absent from the normally healthy young mind4 ,drawing on his store of woodland stories1 and occasionally pausing to give ear to those furnished by the now interested ,micmacs1 an hour passed in total oblivion by the captors of the commands laid on them concerning their prisoner2 and when at last a tall dark form suddenly appeared within the circle of light1 and a well-known terrible voice broke forth in objurgation2 it was plain that the owner of both was scarcely more welcome to his 8lambs0 than to the prisoner4 8,what is that ,i behold80 exclaimed ,le ,loutre4 8,where is your ,christian service1 vowed to ,god and the king8 ,instead1 ,i find feasting and foolish gabbling1 with a traitorous captive in the midst60 ,the faces of the ,indians clouded in sullen silence4 ,the lash of the priest's tongue went unsparingly on4 ,at length the leader growled out1 8,the pale faces from over the sea bring no more gifts4 ,the red men grow weary of taking the scalps of friendly white men who are at war with your people but who do the ,indian no wrong4 ,they at the new fort have treated us well4 ,and as for this boy1 you give us not enough to take the scalp of so mighty a hunter and true a tracker40 ,le ,loutre's face paled with baffled rage4 ,true it was that owing to some at present unexplained delay the customary large remittances from ,france for the bribing of ,indians who were friendly to the ,english were not forthcoming1 and with a heart-leap of joy ,gabriel saw the truth written in his eyes4 8,fools6 ,did ,i bid you take his scalp8 ,did ,i not bid you rather to chasten him for his faithlessness and force him back to his duty8 ,this you know well enough how to do without my guiding presence4 ,yet ,i come to find----0 ,with a gesture of unutterable scorn he waved his black-robed arm4 ,but his personal influence was on the wane1 and he knew it4 ,it was money1 gifts1 that were needed1 and for these he must wait4 ,yet were there still a few whose greed was of the kind that will take anything rather than nothing1 and on these he depended1 and not in vain4 ,stealthily1 like dark spirits1 two or three ,indians glided from behind their companions1 and took up their station beside the priest4 ,strengthened by these mute allies he once more faced the group at the fire1 and proceeded to pour forth in fervid eloquence alternate persuasion1 threat1 and glowing promise of future reward4 ,gabriel soon discovered that he was not the central figure in this tirade--that larger projects than the fate of one boy were being held before the now attentive ,indians1 who uttered guttural notes of assent or dissent4 8,a hundred livres for each scalp--a hundred livres1 mark you6 ,this boy knows1 as you cannot do1 the plan of the fort at ,halifax1 and the number of its defenders4 ,if he be so mighty a tracker1 let him track these ,english dogs to their lair and fire them out of it1 or in it1 it matters not which1 so that to ,god and the king are restored what is rightly theirs4 ,but remember1 a hundred livres is yours for every ,english scalp6 ,my people may not do this thing1 for they have signed a peace with their enemies1 but for your people it is otherwise40 8,have we too1 not set our totems to a solemn treaty80 growled one dissenting voice4 ,once more from the priest that gesture of contempt4 8,and what is that for such as you80 he said4 8,what is a broken treaty to the ,indian80 ,gabriel1 unable longer to contain himself1 sprang to his feet4 8,mon pre60 he cried1 his heart in a flame1 a blaze of sudden illumination in his soul4 8,nay1 never more mon pre6 ,m4 l',abb1 is this1 then1 the ,christianity1 the fealty to ,god and the king1 to which you would have me faithful8 ,then1 ,god willing1 faithless will ,i be40 ,for a long minute there was dead silence1 broken only by the quick breathing of the excited boy4 ,the ,indians1 though not fully understanding the words1 realized their daring1 and gazed upon him with all the admiration of which their anger was capable4 8,do your work10 said ,le ,loutre at last coldly1 signing to the ,micmacs at his side4 ,in a moment ,gabriel was thrown to the ground1 his arms bound to his side1 his feet tied4 ,a hole was dug in the ground1 a post placed in it1 and around the post fresh logs were heaped4 ,such scenes1 alas6 were not uncommon under the despotic rule of ,abb ,le ,loutre1 and though no instance is recorded of actual sacrifice of life1 owing perhaps almost as much to ,acadian timidity as to priestly forbearance1 much terror and temporary suffering were caused by his blind fanaticism4 ,but in this boy of mixed race there was stouter stuff to deal with1 and his ,english blood was to the priest as a thing accursed4 99 99 99 99 99 ,days passed1 and ,pierre ,grtin and his granddaughter could obtain no news of ,gabriel4 ,tossed and torn by conflicting emotions1 communal as well as personal1 the old man's strength seemed to be ebbing from him4 ,yet never did he need it more4 ,the village of ,port ,royal 7now ,annapolis71 nay1 all ,acadie1 was in the confusion of helpless distress4 ,what should they do1 these poor ignorant habitans8 ,to whom should they listen8 ,in their hearts they knew that every word of ,cornwallis' proclamation was true1 that under ,english rule they had enjoyed freedom1 both secular and religious4 ,on the other hand1 ,le ,loutre swept down upon them continually with the firebrand of his eloquence4 8,come to ,french soil10 he cried1 8seek new homes under the old flag6 ,for three years le bon roi will support you4 ,you are ,french at heart--what have you to do with these ,english8 ,refuse1 and the consolations of religion will be denied you and your property shall be given over to the savages40 ,true1 they were ,french at heart1 the most of them1 but not all2 and their tranquil1 sluggish lives had drifted so peacefully on the broad river of the ,english governor's indulgence4 ,it was almost worth while to renew the oath of allegiance to these foreigners and sleep quietly once more under their own rooftrees4 ,but would they sleep quietly8 ,ah1 there was the rub6 ,le ,loutre had ever been a man of his word4 ,therefore it came to pass that ,french ships passing to ,isle ,st4 ,jean1 now called ,prince ,edward ,island1 and ,isle ,royale1 now ,cape ,breton1 had for two years many hundred ,acadians for passengers1 some willing1 more reluctant1 destined to semi-starvation and unutterable misery in the new and desolate country in which their small stock of courage was to be so grievously tried1 and in which few of them plucked up spirit sufficient to clear new land for their subsistence1 but existed1 or ceased to exist1 on such meagre supplies as the ,french government furnished them4 8,gran'-pre10 said ,margot one evening1 as bereft of most of their near neighbors they clung almost alone to their humble home1 8mon gran'-pre1 what think you1 has become of our ,gabriel80 ,her eyes were heavy with weeping1 her round cheeks pale4 ,grtin1 in yet worse case1 had scarce strength to take his turn with her behind their yoke of oxen at the plow4 ,he sat on a bench at the door of the hut1 both hands leaning heavily on his staff4 ,for a while he answered nothing1 but his sunken gaze wandered along the banks of the river1 from one desolated home to another4 ,in scarcely more than two or three still burned the sweet fires of home1 and those that were forsaken had been plundered by the ,indians1 fresh traces of whose presence were daily visible4 ,the good village cur1 beloved of all1 and the influence of whose noble life and teachings represented all that was best in the ,catholic church1 was gone too4 ,torn by contending duties he had decided that the forlorn exiles needed his ministrations more than those still remaining in their homes1 and had followed them to ,french soil4 8,le bon ,dieu knows1 my child60 ,grtin answered at last1 in the dull tones of hopeless old age4 8,surely ,m4 l',abb would not permit that--that----0 her voice broke4 8,that his fair young life should be destroyed by those savages8 ,no1 my child1 no--that can ,i not believe4 ,moreover1 ,jean ,jacques1 ,paul ,pierre--they were his friends among the ,micmacs4 ,and ,m4 l',abb--no1 he would bend but not break the boy40 ,there was a long silence4 ,the evening dews1 tears of the soil for the banishment of her children1 sparkled on the wide meadows beneath the now rising moon4 8,margot1 we can no longer resist the priest's will10 he said again1 8and alone we are not able to till the land1 so that it may bring forth crops for our sustenance40 ,but a burst of tears from the girl interrupted him4 ,flinging herself at his feet1 she threw her arms around him and hid her face in his breast4 8,gran'-pre1 mon gran'-pre60 she cried1 8,i will work6 ,i can plow--,i can dig6 ,i am young it is true1 and small1 but we women of ,acadie are strong4 ,you shall care for the house--it is ,i who will till the land4 ,let us not leave ,acadie4 ,gabriel may return--sick1 wounded1 who knows8 and we gone1 the house desolate6 ,if ,m4 l',abb sets his ,micmacs on us to drive us forth1 ,i will plead with them4 ,they have hearkened to me before now1 they will again4 ,if not1 then we must go forth indeed1 but not yet1 not yet60 ,illustration3 8,suddenly the girl raised her head40 ,weeping they clung together4 ,suddenly the girl raised her head4 ,a moment more she was on her feet1 gazing intently into the black depths of the forest4 8,gran'-pre10 she whispered1 8do you hear80 8,only the night-hawk1 my daughter40 8,ah1 but the night-hawk6 ,many a time have ,i heard my cousin call thus in the woods in our happy play times4 ,there1 again60 ,like an arrow from a bow she was gone1 speeding through the long grass1 but keeping well in the shadows4 ,the old man rose with difficulty4 ,he was weary and cramped with the long day's work1 of which since his grandson began to grow toward manhood his share had until these evil days been slight4 ,as the minutes crawled by and ,margot did not return1 anxiety swelled to terror4 ,the ,indians--they did not all know her4 ,with shaking hand he took his ancient-fowling piece from the peg where it hung4 ,his vision was dim1 and as he started blindly on his way1 he found himself arrested1 gently pushed back into the hut1 the door barred1 the small windows shuttered4 ,all was done quickly and quietly1 as by an accustomed hand4 ,pine cones were thrown upon the half-dead fire1 there was a blaze of light1 and ,pierre ,grtin fell into the arms of his grandson4 ,but joy sobered as ,grtin and ,margot surveyed their recovered treasure by the additional illumination of home-made tallow dips4 ,gabriel1 indeed1 was but the ghost of his former buoyant1 radiant self4 ,only the blue1 brave light in his eyes betrayed the old ,gabriel4 ,his cheeks were hollow1 his frame gaunt1 his home-spun clothing torn to rags4 8,that ,i can soon remedy10 said the little housewife to herself1 as she thought of the new suit in the oaken chest1 set aside for his first communion4 ,strange scars were on his legs and hands1 and these ,margot soon fell to examining1 a growing dread in her face1 though he strove to draw his fingers from her clasp4 8,heed them not1 ma cousine10 he said tenderly4 8,i have weightier matters to speak of with thee and with the gran'-pre40 8,speak on1 my son40 8,nay10 said the girl quickly1 8let him rest and eat first40 ,glancing into the pot1 which hung1 ,french fashion1 over the fire1 she added to it shredded meat and vegetables until the whole was a savory mess4 ,while she prepared it1 the boy sat with his head in his hands1 a man before his time4 ,the meal ended and the kitchen restored to its wonted order1 ,margot1 in whom1 as in all ,acadians1 the frugal spirit of the ,french peasant prevailed1 extinguished the tallow dips2 then1 taking her seat on a cricket at her grandfather's knee1 she eagerly awaited ,gabriel's story4 ,this story of ,gabriel's was no easy one to tell2 this he felt himself4 ,in the brief time that he had been absent from his home1 brief in actual duration1 but to himself and to his loved ones so long1 life had acquired for him a wholly different meaning4 ,hitherto his nature had been as plastic material prepared for some mold1 the selection of which had not as yet been made known4 ,he knew now for what he was destined1 and was conscious that the boy was rapidly hardening into the man he was intended to be4 ,the fanaticism permitted in one of its most potent instruments had upset his faith in the form of religion in which he had been reared1 and he was too young for the tolerance that is often the fruit of a larger experience4 ,moreover1 strange as it may seem1 there was in this generous1 tender-hearted youth elements not unlike those in the relentless and vindictive priest4 ,the fanatic and the enthusiast not seldom spring from the same root4 ,but how to explain to these two1 who1 dear to him as they were1 could not be expected to share his convictions8 ,at last he roused himself4 8,first1 dear gran'-pre10 he said1 8,i must learn how it fares with you and with ma cousine4 ,god grant that you be left here in peace60 ,there was a pause4 ,they too had their difficulties4 ,how could they tell him that ,le ,loutre might even yet have spared them their home had it not been for what he called 8the contumacy of that young heretic08 ,margot's woman's wit1 however1 came to the rescue and she told simply and truthfully the tale of the gradual banishment of their people4 8,we still are spared10 she concluded1 8but it cannot be for long40 8,then my sins were not visited on your head10 said ,gabriel eagerly4 8,as others fare1 so must we in the end10 was the somewhat evasive reply4 8,but come1 my cousin1 to thy tale40 ,so ,gabriel began1 but when he came to the scene of the torture1 hesitated4 ,margot's indignant sympathy1 however1 divined what he would not tell4 8,was it very bad1 dear cousin80 she cried1 the tears in her dark eyes1 as she pressed his hand4 8,no1 not so very bad10 he replied with forced lightness4 8,the friendly ,micmacs rebelled1 and ,i do not believe ,m4 l',abb ever pushes things to extremes at first4 ,he strove only to scare me into submission to his will1 and ,i have got a bit of tough ,english oak somewhere in me that doesn't bend as do tender ,acadian saplings40 ,he smiled down into his cousin's wet eyes4 8,don't weep1 little cousin4 ,see1 ,i am well2 none has hurt me40 8,oh1 but thou art thin1 thou art pale1 thou art changed10 she cried1 breaking down completely4 8,oh1 mon gran'-pre1 is it that we must love and obey so cruel a priest80 ,the old man's trembling hand smoothed her hair2 he could not speak yet4 8,mon gran'-pre1 ,margot10 ,gabriel said bravely1 8,i have that to tell you which may grieve your hearts2 but my mind is made up4 ,i have1 indeed1 changed since we parted4 ,i am no longer a ,christian as your church holds such40 8,your church60 ,this could mean but one thing--their ,gabriel was then1 in truth1 a heretic6 ,but the low-breathed 8,helas1 mon fils10 which escaped the old man was not echoed by his granddaughter4 ,she raised her head and looked at her cousin1 who had sprung to his feet and was pacing the floor like a young lion4 8,no10 he cried4 8,if to do such in the name of the ,father and the gentle mother of a gentle ,saviour is to be a ,christian1 then am ,i none6 ,if to be a missionary of the church is to spur poor savages on to be more cruel1 more treacherous1 than in their ignorance they were1 then heaven grant that no holy church may ever receive them6 ,if to be false to every given vow1 to strike the enemy in the back1 to hate even as do the devils in hell1 is to be a ,christian1 then no ,christian am ,i60 ,he returned to the fireside1 and sinking upon the high-backed settle1 relapsed into reverie so profound as to become oblivious of his surroundings4 8,and if thou dost proclaim thyself a heretic1 mon fils10 observed ,grtin at length fearfully1 8what is to become of us80 8,alas1 at best what can ,i do for you1 honored gran'-pre8 ,is not even now that vindictive priest on my track8 ,and may it not be that he may yet take my life because ,i will not aid him in his treacherous plot8 ,i have escaped him once1 but only by the aid of ,jean ,jacques1 and now that gold has come from ,france1 ,jean ,jacques will love ,french crowns better than my life40 8,m4 l',abb never takes lives1 my son10 said the old man rebukingly4 8,and why not1 mon gran'-pre8 ,may it not have been because none dared oppose him80 ,grtin sighed heavily1 but made no reply1 and ,gabriel continued3 8,all here are his tools1 the ,acadians from fear1 the ,indians for gold4 ,i am no tool1 and for that1 if needs be1 ,i must suffer4 ,but you--ah1 my beloved and dear60 ,he sank impulsively upon his knees1 and throwing his arm around his cousin and leaning his head on his grandsire's knees1 yielded himself to an abandonment of grief4 ,finally ,margot spoke1 quietly and decisively4 8,dear ,gabriel1 thou canst indeed do nothing for us and thou art in peril here4 ,thou must make thy way with all speed to thy friend1 the ,new ,england prtre2 he will succor and aid thee4 ,thou art like the ,huguenots and the ,puritans2 thou wilt have to suffer for conscience' sake40 ,she smiled bravely1 but her lips trembled4 8,but you10 ,gabriel groaned1 8you60 ,the poor boy was passing through that bitterest trial of all1 experiencing what to all martyrs is worse than any fiery stake1 the helpless1 incomparable anguish of bringing suffering on those dearer to him than life4 ,what if in the saving of his own soul alive he should have to trample over the bodies of the beloved8 ,might not his course be the very acme of self-seeking8 ,what recompense could the martyr's crown confer for this mortal agony of vicarious suffering8 ,but ,margot's steady1 quiet voice went on2 her soft touch was on his head4 ,timid she might be1 but ah1 brave1 brave too6 8,he will not hurt us1 the abb10 she said4 8,do not fear1 my cousin4 ,if thou dost stay with us1 thou wilt have to act a lie every day4 ,even should he refrain from pressing thee into his schemes1 he will watch thee1 and not one single ordinance of our church wilt thou be permitted to elude4 ,he can be very hard1 our abb4 ,no1 dear ,gabriel1 vain is it to strive to serve two masters2 if of our faith1 thou must remain here and profess it2 if of the other1 thou must go40 ,she averted her head and further speech failed her4 ,at that moment there was a violent knocking on the door4 ,gabriel was on his feet at once1 alert1 resolute once more4 8,i knew he would track me10 he said1 8but ,i had hoped not to be found here1 and neither will ,i4 ,adieu1 mon gran'-pre4 ,god in very truth keep you6 ,margot1 the small door into the cowpen40 ,at a word from the girl1 ,grtin crept into his covered bed in the wall1 while she and ,gabriel slipped noiselessly away through a back entrance4 8,let us go with thee1 dear cousin10 implored ,margot1 as they paused for an instant among the cows1 her fears for him making her once more timid4 8,ma chrie1 no6 ,ah1 my best beloved60 ,he clasped her to his breast1 kissed her passionately1 as never before1 on brow1 cheek1 and lips1 and was gone4 ,on the house door the knocking continued1 and the gran'-pre's voice was heard in the accents of one aroused from sleep4 ,margot1 hastily composing her features and trusting that the traces of tears would not be visible in the light of the dying fire1 re-entered the kitchen and1 after much fumbling and delay1 opened the door4 ,without stood ,le ,loutre1 accompanied as usual by his 8lambs40 ,without deigning to address her1 he snatched a torch from one of the ,indians and1 striding into the small house1 explored every corner4 ,even the cowpen was not left unsearched4 ,on pretense of arranging the bed-covering1 ,margot bent over her grandfather4 8,delay him if you can10 she breathed2 8every moment is precious40 ,but the priest was already at her side4 8,where is the malicious heretic1 at last avowed80 he thundered4 8,ah1 where is he1 ,m4 l',abb80 exclaimed ,grtin1 raising himself on his elbow1 endued with a sudden excess of courage at the thought of ,gabriel wandering alone through the perils of the forest4 8,where is the boy1 the son of my loved and only daughter1 my heart's treasure8 ,where is he1 ,gabriel1 staff of my old age80 ,for a moment the furious priest was confounded4 ,the color mounted to his dark cheeks and he hesitated4 ,the old man's aspect was almost threatening1 and if fanaticism had left ,le ,loutre a conscience1 it surely spoke then4 ,but the momentary weakness passed4 8,and thou wouldst shelter a heretic10 he said sternly1 8recusant son of ,mother ,church that thou art6 ,but she chastens1 if in love1 yet she chastens4 ,hope not for further grace4 ,as for the boy1 he must be brought back into the fold4 ,this ,i have ere now told thee1 and ,i repeat it4 ,me1 the chosen instrument of ,god and the king1 he cannot escape4 ,faithless as thou mayst be1 thou canst not keep him from me4 ,this very night he shall be forced back to his duty4 ,as for thyself and the girl----0 ,he paused1 the terrible look in his eyes4 ,but it was enough4 ,further words were unnecessary4 ,and as the torches danced away like fireflies into the forest shades1 ,margot1 now completely exhausted1 flung herself down beside the old man and1 with an arm about his neck1 wailed3 8,gran'-pre1 my gran'-pre1 they will find him60 ,and the hopeless response came3 8,ma fille1 they cannot fail to do it4 ,let us pray40 ,feebly he arose1 and hand in hand the helpless pair kneeled before the image of the sorrowing ,christ4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,concealed in the branches of a wide-spreading oak1 ,gabriel hoped against hope to remain hidden from the ,micmac trailers1 now close on his heels4 ,white men his woodcraft would enable him to elude1 but ,indians hardly4 ,his very breathing seemed as if it must betray him4 ,listening thus1 every nerve an ear1 he heard a slight sound in the deep glade beneath4 ,to the novice it might mean anything or nothing2 to his practised understanding it was the crack of a twig beneath a human foot4 ,carefully he surveyed his position4 ,the moon1 though near its setting1 still afforded light sufficient to betray him should its rays fall on face or hands4 ,then1 for the first time1 he perceived that1 as he lay face downward on a branching limb1 the hand with which he sustained himself was palely illuminated2 the moon1 in her swift course1 had penetrated the sheltering foliage4 ,what should he do8 ,to move meant certain discovery4 ,he resolved to lie still1 the chances being slightly in favor of absolute stillness4 ,then he became aware that some one was standing beneath the tree4 ,now in actual fact he held his breath2 for though his sight could not pierce the leaves1 every other sense told him that it was an ,indian4 ,but his hopes were vain4 ,another moment and he knew the tree was being climbed4 ,as the green grasshopper clings1 even after detection1 blindly to the leaf that it so closely resembles1 so ,gabriel clung instinctively to his branch1 and even when a sinewy hand grasped his ankle1 made no sign4 ,the forest-bred boy obeyed the instinct of all woodland creatures2 besides1 there was one hope left1 faint as it was1 and were he to move or speak he might lose even that4 8,wild ,deer80 8,jean ,jacques80 ,wild ,deer was the name by which the friendly ,micmacs called him4 ,now for the test4 ,was the ,indian true8 8,wild ,deer1 the great medicine man of your tribe is on the trail40 8,i know4 ,what wilt thou do8 ,betray me to him80 ,the low-breathed question and answer swept quickly back and forth4 8,the red man betrays not him who is skilled as himself40 8,what wilt thou do then80 8,let ,wild ,deer descend and follow his friend40 ,gliding to the ground with a noiselessness and rapidity equal to that of the ,indian1 ,gabriel1 at a sign from his companion1 followed him on his sinuous track4 ,was he his friend8 ,he had dwelt too long with the red men not to dread the treachery which is the inevitable consequence of centuries of savage and relentless warfare1 tribe with tribe1 red man with white man4 ,nevertheless1 he pushed on2 what else could he do8 ,the gray dawn peered beneath a veil of cloud before they paused on the edge of the forest4 ,gabriel's powers were well-nigh spent2 ill treatment and privation had sapped his young strength4 ,the spot where they had halted was the last camping-ground of the ,micmacs4 ,going to a hollow tree1 ,jean ,jacques drew from it some strips of sun-dried beef and a few dried leaves1 which ,gabriel recognized as those of the coca plant1 on which1 when unable to obtain food1 the red man makes arduous journeys1 lasting for days together4 8,eat10 he said with native brevity2 8then put these leaves in thy mouth and chew them as we go4 ,the strength of the pale face will come back to him as that of the young eagle40 ,gabriel obeyed1 imitating the taciturnity of the ,indian4 ,when at length1 refreshed and strengthened1 he arose to prosecute his attempt to reach ,halifax1 ,jean ,jacques1 with a grunt1 declined not only to be thanked1 but to leave him4 8,i too go to the new fort10 he remarked calmly4 8,thou wilt go80 ,a sudden suspicion overwhelmed him4 ,could it be that his apparent rescue was one of the priest's deep laid plots8 ,that ,jean ,jacques1 heavily bribed with ,french gold1 was but carrying out some scheme of treachery which should involve the defenders of the fort as well as himself8 ,the supposition was an only too plausible one1 given such a man as ,le ,loutre and such lucre-lovers as the ,micmacs4 ,the ,indian's impervious countenance revealed nothing4 ,to question him would be vain4 ,well1 he must go forward and hope for the best2 no other course was open to him4 ,silently1 at the steady ,indian dog-trot1 the pair pressed on4 ,as mile after mile was covered1 ,gabriel's strength seemed to renew itself1 even1 indeed1 as that of the young eagle2 hope revived within his breast1 ministering to his keen vitality2 and when at last the ,indian paused1 and kneeling1 examined in ominous silence a bent twig here1 a crushed blade of grass there1 and finally laid his ear to the ground1 ,gabriel was inclined to scout ,jean ,jacques' fears and his own suspicions4 8,feet have passed this way10 muttered ,jean ,jacques1 8feet of red men1 with them a white man4 ,let ,wild ,deer put his head to the ground1 and he will hear them yet4 ,but our trail they have lost4 ,they wander1 seeking it40 ,striking in the opposite direction1 they proceeded cautiously4 ,then again the ,indian stopped and listened after his manner4 8,they come10 he said1 as he once more arose1 8many of them4 ,they go to the fort2 but they will not go until they find ,wild ,deer to carry him with them4 ,but ,jean ,jacques will be his guide1 he shall escape them40 ,at nightfall they crept beneath a pile of brush and leaves1 concealing the deserted lair of a gray fox1 and ,gabriel1 worn out now1 and happy in the thought of at sunrise being free to abandon the circuitous route and making straight for the fort1 but a few miles distant1 soon fell asleep4 ,but there is many a slip1 etc4 ,it seemed to him that he had slept but five minutes when he was aroused by a flash of light in his eyes1 and he opened them to find himself in the grasp of half a dozen ,micmacs1 behind them ,le ,loutre4 ,jean ,jacques was nowhere to be seen4 ,speechless1 he looked from one dark face to another2 every one of them he knew to be unfriendly1 or at least corrupted by ,french gold4 ,his young heart felt nigh to bursting4 ,so near the goal and to be thwarted thus6 ,so near the new life1 in which1 in his youthful enthusiasm1 he believed he could be true to the highest that was in him1 true to his grandfather and ,margot1 vaguely but ardently hopeful that he could save them4 ,and ,jean ,jacques8 ,had he indeed betrayed him8 ,it was one of those moments of discouragement in which even the falsity of an untutored savage can pierce the very soul4 8,bind him1 and bring him on60 was the priest's stern command4 ,bewildered by fatigue1 sick with disappointment1 ,gabriel offered no resistance1 uttered no word4 ,he was dragged about a mile and then dropped rudely by the embers of a camp-fire4 ,waving his 8lambs0 to a distance1 ,le ,loutre addressed him in accents cold as steel and merciless as the hand that drives it home4 8,have ,i not told thee that thou canst not escape me1 ,i1 the chosen instrument of ,god to bring stragglers back into the fold8 ,my duty is clear4 ,he who will not bend must break40 ,he paused1 but his hearer made no sign4 8,thou knowest what is demanded of thee4 ,this day my converts go on a friendly mission to the new fort4 ,must ,i instruct thee yet again in thy duty80 ,he waited for the response that came not4 ,gabriel lay as if life itself were already crushed out of him2 every drooping finger of his strong1 right hand nerveless1 hopeless4 ,yet must there have been something of tacit resistance in his air1 for ,le ,loutre continued in tones of exasperation3 8,opposition will avail thee nothing1 and for thy grandfather and cousin it will mean suffering and privation beyond their wildest dreams4 ,every ,acadian is rewarded according to his loyalty to the king and to the true church4 ,hitherto ,i have spared them1 but it is ,i alone who have the ordering of their going1 and of the new home to which they journey4 ,the gran'-pre is old1 ,margot more tender than is the habit of ,acadian maidens1 yet must the church not stay her hand when the saving of souls is in the balance4 ,she must make example1 she must discipline4 ,i am no man meting out man's justice10 continued the fanatic1 raising his hands solemnly1 8but chosen of the church to execute her righteous will4 ,this being so1 thou wilt find me relentless in my duty40 ,gabriel's benumbed senses1 together with the spirit that in some natures never slumbers long1 were reawakening4 ,he found himself wondering why this autocratic priest1 before whom all trembled1 should find it necessary to explain his conduct to a mere boy4 ,then1 as mental vigor returned more fully1 he drew his exhausted body into a sitting posture1 and said3 8,m4 l',abb commands that ,i shall go with these savages80 8,converts to the true church10 interrupted ,le ,loutre imperiously4 8,who dares call baptized ,christians savages80 8,i name them according to their deeds10 continued ,gabriel1 with a certain manly dignity which had come to him of late4 8,holy water on the brow does not change the heart40 8,it doth not60 cried the priest in the same tone4 8,jean ,jacques is a pervert--perverted by thyself from the true faith40 8,yet he has played me false10 exclaimed ,gabriel bitterly4 8,dull-witted boy6 ,knowest thou no better than that80 ,could it be8 ,was ,jean ,jacques faithful8 ,not only that1 but free to help him again8 ,hope kindled once more within his breast4 ,then he rose to his feet and looked straight into the eyes of ,le ,loutre4 ,illustration3 8#8,m4 l',abb commands----4'0 8,it is the will of ,m4 l',abb10 he said again1 8that ,i should go to ,halifax on this #8friendly' mission8 ,the ,micmacs will camp without the fort1 ,i shall be received within1 and can then learn more than ,i know already of its defenses and of the habits of its defenders4 ,the ,indians1 being friendly1 will pass in and out with me1 two or three perhaps only2 ,i am to guide them with what secrecy ,i may from one portion of the stronghold to another1 and they in turn will pass on their knowledge to the waiting horde concealed within reach1 and then at a given signal the attack is to be made1 and1 they and ,i alike familiar with the weak points of the fort and other matters1 they will easily gain entrance1 and put all to fire and sword8 ,is this the will of ,m4 l',abb80 ,le ,loutre looked back at him consideringly4 ,keen-sighted1 as he was1 he scarce knew what to make of this boy4 ,then he said3 8,you swear it in the name of the ,holy ,mother of ,god80 8,i promise nothing10 said ,gabriel steadily4 8,then10 cried the priest with a sudden burst of fury1 8remember this3 ,if thou dost play the traitor----0 8,he can be no traitor10 ,gabriel interposed1 with a calm which compelled a hearing1 8who gives no promise1 except that if it be within his power he will defeat the plot laid40 8,no matter what thou art10 burst forth ,le ,loutre again1 8thou art false to the faith in which thou hast been reared4 ,but forget not that thy course will be watched1 and that if my commands are not obeyed thy grandfather and cousin will pay the forfeit--yes1 with their very lives4 ,dost hear me80 ,gabriel1 pale before1 whitened now to the lips4 ,but he kept his steadfast eyes on the priest's face as he replied3 8,i hear1 ,m4 l',abb40 99 99 99 99 99 ,the blue waves of the harbor of ,chebucto leaped gayly landward before the strong south wind4 ,on the wooden ramparts of ,halifax the sentinels kept watch1 specks of scarlet betwixt the blue of sea and sky1 moving1 automaton-like1 on their appointed rounds4 ,but the automatons possessed eyes1 nevertheless1 and those directed north were riveted on a band of ,indians who1 since sunrise1 had been busy getting into camp about half a mile from the post4 ,the ,british colony at ,halifax was now1 counting those within and without its walls1 over three thousand strong1 and though the settlers without had been sorely harassed by ,indians--whom the governor was beginning at last to suspect were set on by the ,french1 despite the peace nominally existing between the two nations--they continued to thrive and increase4 ,the ,indians at present camping so near were soon recognized as ,micmacs1 who had made a solemn treaty with the ,british the previous year1 consequently their appearance created but slight interest4 ,in his own simple apartments the 8brave1 sensible young man1 of great temper and good nature10 was writing1 with what for him was unusual irascibility1 a letter to the ,bishop of ,quebec4 ,but his patience had been sorely tried4 8,was it you10 he wrote1 8who sent ,le ,loutre as a missionary to the ,micmacs8 ,and is it for their good that he excites these wretches to practise their cruelties against those who have shown them every kindness8 ,the conduct of the priests of ,acadia has been such that by command of his majesty ,i have published an order declaring that if any one of them presumes to exercise his functions without my express permission he shall be dealt with according to the laws of ,england40 ,having finished his letter he gave orders that the ,french priest1 ,girard1 should be invited to a final audience4 ,obedient to the summons1 an elderly man1 of strong and gentle countenance1 made his appearance4 ,bidding him be seated1 ,cornwallis addressed him courteously in ,french4 8,m4 le ,cur10 he began1 8you know that you are one of very few who have been required to take the oath to do nothing contrary to the interests of the country ,i serve4 ,is not that so80 ,the priest bent his head with quiet dignity4 8,i believe now that of you it was not necessary to exact it40 8,pardon1 ,m4 le ,gouverneur1 of me it was not exacted4 ,i rendered it40 8,pardon1 ,m4 le ,cur1 you are in the right4 ,i owe you an apology40 8,monsieur has nothing for which to make amends4 ,he is all honor and generosity40 ,cornwallis bowed in acknowledgment of the compliment1 then continued3 8,there are many1 however1 of whom it would be as well for these simple ,acadians as for helpless ,english settlers that the oath of allegiance to my king were demanded4 ,this ,abb ,le ,loutre1 for example1 he is a very firebrand4 ,nay1 rather a wolf in sheep's clothing1 working havoc in the poor1 silly flock4 ,know you him1 ,m4 le ,cur80 ,the priest lowered his eyes4 8,m4 le ,gouverneur10 he replied in a constrained tone1 8it is contrary to the habit of my order to say of our superior1 ,he is wrong or he is right40 8,once more1 pardon60 cried the younger man frankly4 8,i made an error4 ,tell me1 ,m4 ,girard1 on your return to ,cobequid1 what course will you pursue80 8,in accordance with my oath1 ,m4 le ,gouverneur1 ,i shall inform ,m4 ,longueuil that ,i can make no effort to prevent my people from submitting to you1 according to their own desires40 8,and what1 think you1 your governor will reply80 8,i know not1 monsieur1 but it is probable that ,i shall be compelled to retire from my position40 ,the two men1 of different creed and antagonistic blood1 looked each other full in the face4 ,then1 with manifestations of mutual respect1 clasped hands4 8,adieu1 ,m4 le ,cur40 8,adieu1 ,m4 le ,gouverneur4 ,the saints have you in their holy keeping1 and bring you to the shelter of the true fold40 ,but as ,girard turned to go1 ,cornwallis spoke again3 8,m4 ,girard1 there is a lad here1 half ,acadian1 half ,british1 know you aught of him80 8,gabriel--ah1 the hard name6 ,i cannot call it40 8,yet did the name and he that originally bore it sail once with your own conquering ,william from the land of your birth4 ,champernowne--it is a ,norman name--and you1 you yourself come from la belle ,normandie1 is it not so1 ,m4 le ,cur80 8,it is true1 monsieur4 ,but this boy1 ,i have heard of him from the cur at ,port ,royal4 ,he is a good boy1 though1 alas1 no longer of our faith40 8,he is to be trusted80 8,so ,i have been assured1 monsieur40 ,meanwhile another scene was being enacted under the eastern rampart4 8,in the name of the ,father1 the ,son1 and the ,holy ,ghost1 ,gabriel1 ,i baptize thee40 ,the brief ceremony was at an end1 and the few witnesses departed4 ,feeling somehow encouraged by this open profession of his inward convictions to thread the difficult maze that lay before him1 ,gabriel joined the ,new ,england minister at his frugal meal1 and then at his advice betook himself to an upper chamber to rest his weary body4 ,but rest to aching heart and tired brain would not come4 ,in whom should he confide8 ,what should he do8 ,even his knowledge of the ,english tongue was limited1 though it fitted readily to his own1 and he felt that he would soon be master of it4 ,of but one thing was he certain2 come what would1 he must now cast in his lot with his father's race4 ,there were ways by which he could earn his bread--he1 active and vigorous and accustomed to labor4 ,and the colonists1 they would need defenders2 he could handle a musket with the best1 and endure long marches4 ,then1 with a groan he turned his face to the wall4 ,margot--the grandfather6 ,like a knife turning in his heart the harrowing dread would not be stilled4 ,nothing could be done1 no revelation of intended treachery made1 until these two were beyond the reach of ,le ,loutre and his terrible threats4 ,and the days would slip past as the hours were slipping now4 ,could1 would1 the ,english governor help them8 ,then slowly1 like swallows sailing circlewise ever nearer and nearer their resting place1 his revolving thoughts settled down upon their nest4 ,yes1 there was one hope4 ,he sprang from the bed and was out of the house in less time than it takes to write the words4 8,m4 ,girard1 ,m4 ,girard10 he said to himself as he hastened along4 ,but when he arrived at the priest's lodging1 he was informed that ,m4 le ,cur had started two hours before for ,cobequid4 ,the woman of the house1 mother herself of stalwart sons1 felt her heart stir in pity for this splendid-looking youth1 with the 8air noble0 and the sad face4 ,she was a former parishioner of ,m4 ,girard1 an ,acadian come hither from ,cobequid4 8,but see10 she said1 following him out of the door1 8,m4 le ,cur was to tarry awhile at the ,indian camp4 ,maybe he is still there40 ,with a word of thanks ,gabriel hastened away4 ,yet back to the ,indian camp1 that nest of traitors4 ,there was1 however1 no help for it4 ,in any case he would have to return to the camp at nightfall1 for he was closely watched1 and his plans were not yet ripe for defying his dusky guardians1 two or three of whom on the morrow expected to be conducted within the walls of ,halifax4 ,to obtain private speech with the cur would no doubt be difficult1 but it must be done4 ,fortune favored him4 ,as he skirted the low hills to the eastward of the camp1 watching his opportunity1 he beheld a man in priestly garb1 escorted by some ,cobequid ,acadians1 who had voluntarily visited ,halifax to take the new oath of allegiance1 making his way across the levels in the direction of the forest4 ,girard's adieu to ,le ,loutre's 8lambs0 was1 then1 made4 ,weary and spent as he was1 ,gabriel put forth his last remaining strength and ran swiftly forward to intercept the party4 ,he accomplished his object1 and standing respectfully before the priest returned his gentle greeting4 8,and who art thou1 my son80 8,my name1 mon pre1 is ,gabriel1 grandson of ,pierre ,grtin1 habitan of ,port ,royal40 ,a long-drawn 8,ah60 escaped ,m4 ,girard's lips4 ,then taking the boy by the arm he led him out of earshot1 and seating himself on a small hillock1 said kindly3 8,rest1 my son4 ,the sun is yet some hours high1 and thou art weary1 and hast a tale to tell40 8,oh1 mon pre60 cried ,gabriel1 then stopped1 unable to proceed4 ,this son of a mixed race could be steadfast as well as brave1 but that intense vitality which sends the warm life-blood coursing through the veins like a torrent instead of as a calm and sluggish stream1 even while acting as a spur to noble endeavor and keeping the heart forever young1 exacts also its penalties4 ,now that the moment had arrived on which all his hopes hung1 ,gabriel was past speech4 ,he lay face downward on the short turf1 struggling with a burst of passionate tears that would not be repressed4 8,weep1 my son1 weep10 said the kind old man1 laying his hand on the fair head1 8thou hast endured much1 and thou art but a lad4 ,moreover1 thou hast this day solemnly abjured thy mother's faith4 ,i reproach thee not1 but for a youth such as thou1 thou didst take upon thyself a grave responsibility40 ,but ,gabriel was pulling himself together1 and presently he sat up and shook the curls back from his eyes4 8,mon pre10 he said1 still clinging to the old loved title familiar to him from earliest childhood1 8that ,i know2 ,i considered long2 and forget not that the faith to which ,i have turned was the faith of my father4 ,but it is not of myself ,i would speak1 it is of those dearer to me than life40 ,then briefly he narrated the events that had occurred1 his forced abandonment of his grandfather and cousin1 their desolate and helpless condition1 and the abb's threats should he fail in the task demanded of him4 8,and this task ,i cannot and will not fulfill10 concluded ,gabriel firmly2 8then should ,i be traitor indeed40 ,m4 ,girard's face had grown very sad4 ,the conduct of ,le ,loutre had caused him and many another gentle-hearted priest much sorrow4 ,yet he was the superior2 his authority could not be questioned4 ,he remained silent for a while2 then spoke1 not without hesitation4 8,my son10 he said1 8there is a way1 but even that way is not without difficulties4 ,thy cousin--,margot--our ,acadian youth are often householders at thine age4 ,yes1 ,i know1 those of ,english blood are more backward in such matters1 but there must be true affection betwixt you1 and for thy wife she is altogether suitable4 ,thus thou couldst protect her and the gran'-pre also4 ,the saints forbid that ,i should encourage a union betwixt a heretic and a daughter of the church were there any other way1 and did ,i not hope much from her influence4 ,wives have brought erring husbands back to the true fold ere now1 and thou art scarce experienced enough to have embraced for reasons that will endure another faith4 ,it was resentment1 not conviction1 that led thee astray4 8,among the ,acadians protected by the fort the followers of the ,holy ,catholic ,church dwell in peace1 ministered to by priests who have taken the oath of allegiance to the ,english king4 ,there1 with ,margot for thy wife1 thou wilt return to the true faith40 ,the good old priest1 pleased with the future his imagination had created1 rambled on4 ,but after the first ,gabriel hardly heard him4 ,margot his wife6 ,the hot blood flamed to cheek and brow1 then the flash faded1 leaving him paler than before4 ,who was it that dared thus to handle the sweet familiar affection1 from whose leaves the delicate bud1 destined in the fullness of time to expand into the radiant flower of a strong man's love1 peeped forth so timidly that he himself had not yet ventured to do more than glance at it and then avert his eyes8 ,when had he first known that those cool1 green leaves held for him such a pearl of price8 ,it was at his last parting from ,margot1 when forced to flee and leave those so helpless and so dear to the mercy of ,le ,loutre4 ,the remembrance of this parting had never left him1 despite danger1 suffering1 dread1 not for one little hour4 ,but that any one should speak of that of which he had never yet spoken to himself6 ,gradually1 however1 the sense of shock1 of desecration1 faded2 and when after a long and patient waiting ,m4 ,girard addressed him almost in the very words once used by the abb1 but with very different intention1 his answer this time was prompt and decisive4 8,mon fils1 art thou boy or man80 8,i am a man1 mon pre40 8,well1 think on what ,i have said40 ,the priest gathered up his skirts and arose4 8,but1 ,margot1 mon pre8 ,her desires may be quite other----0 ,gabriel's cheeks were hot again4 ,he faltered in his speech4 ,the old man looked him up and down4 ,yes1 he was a goodly youth4 ,a queer little smile flickered on the priest's thin-lipped mouth1 but all he said was3 8,my son1 these things arrange themselves40 ,he turned to go4 ,gabriel stood where he had left him1 dreamy-eyed and quiet4 ,then1 with a start he came to himself4 ,he was allowing ,m4 ,girard to go1 and nothing was settled4 ,this was no time for dreams impossible of immediate fulfillment2 there was work to be done1 and that quickly4 ,with one bound he had overtaken the priest and laid his hand on his arm4 8,but soon--in a day1 two days--the abb will know me disobedient here10 he cried4 8,i cannot go to ,port ,royal1 neither can the gran'-pre endure the toilsome journey hither4 ,o mon pre1 advise1 counsel me40 ,the priest paused1 irresolute4 8,my son1 in this matter of the fort ,i cannot advise thee4 ,for the gran'-pre and the little ,margot ,i will give them what protection ,i may4 ,m4 l',abb visits ,cobequid on matters concerning the oath ,i have taken1 and ,i will represent to him that thou art one whom to drive is vain1 but that thou canst be led4 ,put thy faith in the ,holy ,mother1 mon fils1 she will intercede for thee and thine4 ,ah1 ,i had forgotten1 thou art no longer of the faith4 ,adieu1 then1 poor youth40 ,with a cold chill at his heart1 and a sense of desolation such as never in his young life he had felt before1 ,gabriel watched the figure of him who represented his last hope disappear into the now darkening shades of the forest4 ,but sometimes it happens that hope is never so near us as when we deem her fled4 ,as ,gabriel slowly bent his steps toward the settlement by the way that he had come1 a dusky form glided out from the hills and confronted him4 8,i have sought ,wild ,deer long10 said a well-known voice1 8and at last ,i find him40 8,jean ,jacques40 8,it is he4 ,but say not that ,jean ,jacques was faithless to the paleface boy4 ,he was not4 ,let ,wild ,deer clasp hands with the ,micmac1 and all may yet be well40 ,,chapter ,,iv ,night had closed in around the new fort of ,halifax and upon the houses clustered about its walls4 ,with a beating heart ,gabriel leaned against the postern1 waiting for the expected summons from the lambs of ,le ,loutre4 ,what if his plans should fail8 ,what if the governor's trust in the word of a mere boy should falter8 ,what if the feet of ,jean ,jacques should waver ere the goal was reached8 ,gabriel had followed that rarely misleading impulse which impels one soul of honor to confide in another1 no matter what the dividing line between them1 whether of sex1 age1 or degree4 ,cornwallis knew all1 and ,jean ,jacques was on his way to remove the gran'-pre and ,margot to a place of safety1 if yet there might be time4 ,time6 ,yes1 time was all that ,gabriel needed for the escape of those whom he loved1 happen what might to himself4 ,yet on his own safety theirs in part depended1 he thought4 ,how should the riddle be solved8 ,the peace and well-being of those two once secured1 he would spread his untried wings and do more than merely dream of a new life beyond the bars of the narrow cage in which his life had hitherto been passed4 ,he longed to lead a man's life1--worthy of ,margot1 worthy of his dead father1--not that of a dull steer hitched to a plow6 ,he had not told ,cornwallis that among the ,micmacs incited to this deed of treachery there were in all probability some of his own countrymen disguised as ,indians4 ,it was the policy of ,le ,loutre to induce by threats or bribes the more or less reluctant ,acadians to perform such services4 ,it was easy for the priest to protest in case of the capture of the ,acadians that it was not the ,french who had broken the peace1 but the inhabitants themselves1 of their own free will4 ,the ,acadians were useful for the encouragement of the ,indians2 therefore were they used4 ,gabriel reasoned that not until the presence of the ,acadians was discovered would the time arrive to plead for them4 ,the governor was a man of kind heart as well as of good sense1 and the boy would represent to him the simplicity and ignorance of these his country-people1 who1 although not loving those of alien blood1 would assuredly have lived peaceably under their rule1 had it not been for their priest's threats and their terror of eternal damnation4 ,gabriel knew1 but would never add1 that the cowardice of weak natures was allied with its almost inevitable comrades1 deceit and untruthfulness4 ,whilst ,gabriel waited without1 ,cornwallis sat in his room1 the tallow candles in the silver sconces brought from ,england shedding their flaring light upon his bowed head4 ,he had dismissed his council and was alone with his secretary4 ,his kind1 manly face was clouded with dejection4 ,his term of service was drawing to a close1 and despite his efforts1 the ,acadians were no better off than before4 ,presently he arose and began pacing the floor4 8,poor1 unhappy people60 he exclaimed4 8,why cannot they understand that ,france but uses them as in the ancient fable the monkey used the cat8 ,they were contented enough before this priest came to scare their small wits out of them40 8,yet1 my lord10 put in the secretary1 8,i have heard that the ,acadians were ever a contentious race1 given to petty strife and over fond of the law40 ,the governor smiled4 8,and who would deny them those simple joys in their dull lives8 ,their harmless disputes kept the sluggish blood moving in their veins and serious trouble was rare4 ,now all is changed4 ,if by their vacillation they drive us to stern courses1 sad1 alas1 will be their fate4 ,we have borne much treachery1 but the end is at hand40 8,it will be well for them1 my lord1 if your successor is as forbearing as yourself10 observed the secretary gathering up his papers4 ,there was a knock at the door1 and ,gabriel's fair head appeared4 8,they are here1 my lord10 he said in a low voice4 8,do you retire1 then1 my son10 replied the governor2 8your safety demands that you should not know too much if it be that you still desire to go with these savages40 8,it is my only hope1 my lord40 8,and if you fail80 ,cornwallis added1 laying his hand kindly on the boy's shoulder4 8,what then8 ,remember1 that if you find neither ,jean ,jacques nor those dear to you1 the country to whom your father proved his allegiance owes you in turn something40 8,whether my quest be vain or no10 and ,gabriel's voice faltered1 8,god sparing me1 ,i shall return to serve under the flag for which my father fought and died1 and in the faith that was his40 8,god keep you1 then10 said the governor fervently1 and turned aside4 ,great1 indeed1 was the astonishment of ,jean ,baptiste ,cope1 the favorite chief of ,le ,loutre1 when he found himself ushered into the presence of the governor4 ,he knew that the priest had commanded ,gabriel to take advantage of his knowledge of the fort and of the habits of the sentries to admit the ,micmacs into the building at the dead of night1 while all save the sentries slept2 yet here was the dead of night and here stood the governor himself1 cool and grave1 and the fort was alive with wakeful and armed men4 ,cornwallis held in hand a treaty of peace1 to which these same ,micmacs had solemnly affixed their totems less than one year before4 ,he was empowered by his government to go to almost any length in the matter of bribes and presents to bind the ,indians to peace1 as by such means alone was peace for the whole unhappy country to be secured4 ,le ,loutre1 deprived of his lambs1 would be practically powerless to stir up strife4 ,already ,cornwallis foresaw the tragic outcome of this long-continued trouble4 ,the vacillations and treachery of the wretched ,acadians rendered justice1 law1 and order alike impossible1 and peace and prosperity were out of the question so long as they hesitated betwixt two masters4 ,that ,le ,loutre was well paid for his services ,cornwallis was assured4 ,as the ,french minister wrote to ,prvost1 the intendant at ,louisbourg1 a ,french possession in ,acadie3 8,the fear is that the zeal of ,le ,loutre and ,maillard10 another equally bigoted priest1 8may carry them too far4 ,excite them to keep the ,indians in our interest1 but do not let them compromise us4 ,act always so as to make the ,english appear as aggressors40 ,bearing these things in mind1 ,cornwallis bent all his energies to winning over the ,micmac lambs1 and after a long pow-wow1 the pipe of peace was again smoked and 8,major0 ,cope1 as he called himself1 swore for his tribe allegiance to the ,english government4 ,laden with gifts and escorted by the governor in person1 they forsook their camp the following afternoon and embarked on a small schooner1 manned by an ,english crew which outnumbered the little band of savages4 ,with them went ,gabriel4 ,four weeks later ,prvost wrote to the ,french minister3 8,last month the savages took eighteen ,english scalps1 and ,m4 ,le ,loutre was obliged to pay them eighteen hundred livres1 ,acadian money1 which ,i have reimbursed him40 ,and the gran'-pre and ,margot1 where were they8 ,jean ,jacques1 with the subtlety of his race1 did not go direct to ,annapolis4 ,he was aware that many of the ,acadians had been induced by ,le ,loutre to leave the river valley and had betaken themselves to the larger settlement of ,beaubassin2 and later rumors had reached him that the ,english were about to lay claim to their own and send a small force under ,lawrence--destined to be governor of the province--to quell the constant disaffection created by the ,french troops at ,beausjour1 across the ,missaguash4 ,it was to ,beaubassin1 then1 that the ,micmac turned his steps4 ,he arrived to find a scene of wild terror2 that which has been termed the first expulsion of the ,acadians was in full progress4 ,it was evening1 and the western sky was dark with clouds1 but as ,jean ,jacques1 at the rapid ,indian dog-trot1 stole swiftly toward the settlement1 he observed to himself that the villagers would have scant need of their tallow dips that night4 ,in huddled groups--the women and children wailing1 the men almost equally demoralized--the unfortunate ,acadians watched the destruction of their homes2 not only so1 but what was worse to the many devout among them1 the same devouring flames consuming their church4 ,and the moving spirit of this tragic scene was their own abb--he whom they had revered and wholly feared4 ,the imposing figure of ,le ,loutre stood out in bold relief against the blazing edifice4 ,crucifix held aloft1 he incited his ,micmacs1 genuine and spurious alike1 to the dreadful deed4 ,jean ,jacques mingled unremarked with his tribe4 8,it is for the good of your souls1 my people60 thundered the enthusiast4 8,you refused to obey the gentle voice of the true church and follow where she leads4 ,now your salvation must be wrought for you2 to live at ease under the protection of heretics will bring damnation on your souls40 8,charlot1 what does the priest to the palefaces80 ,at the sound of his own name the ,acadian1 disguised in paint and feathers1 started violently1 but peering into the face of ,jean ,jacques his fears were quieted4 8',tis for the good of their souls10 he repeated1 as a sullen boy reciting a lesson4 ,seizing him by the arm1 the ,micmac drew him out of the throng4 ,a brief colloquy ensued1 punctuated by ,jean ,jacques with grunts of disapproval2 then1 releasing the ,acadian1 he made his way unheeded in the commotion toward a small hut1 as yet beyond the reach of the flames4 ,pushing open the door1 he entered4 ,upon a couch of moss in a corner lay an old man1 evidently dying4 ,beside him knelt a priest performing the last sacred offices of the ,catholic ,church1 and a young girl1 the tears upon her pale1 worn cheeks4 ,at a glance the ,indian perceived that he had found those he sought--,pierre ,grtin1 ,margot1 and the good priest of ,cobequid1 ,m4 ,girard4 ,had the priest not been too much absorbed in his solemn duty to notice the newcomer1 the significant fact that the so-called #8convert' failed to cross himself would not have passed unobserved4 ,jean ,jacques kneeled down1 however1 reverently enough4 ,all that night the circle of fire slowly widened1 spreading ever more slowly because the clouds broke in heavy showers2 but at length1 soon after the poor old man had breathed his last and the bright dawn was illuminating the clearing sky1 ,jean ,jacques saw that another place of refuge must be sought from the fire4 ,gathering up the few articles the miserable hut contained1 he sped with them to the shelter of the near-by woods1 and then returning he wrapped1 with characteristic taciturnity1 the body of the gran'-pre in the blanket and1 followed by the priest and the weeping ,margot1 bore it also away4 8,for the sainted gran'-pre there is no consecrated ground60 moaned the girl1 casting a backward glance at the smouldering ruins of the church4 8,weep not for that1 my daughter10 said the priest in soothing tones1 as he led her forward1 8for the faithful servant holy ground shall be found40 ,he drew from beneath his robe a tiny vial of holy water and in due form consecrated the spot of earth in the forest in which the gran'-pre was to rest4 ,then seizing one of the two mattocks brought from the hut1 he set to work with the ,indian4 ,few1 indeed1 were the tools or other possessions ,pierre ,grtin had contrived to save in their compulsory flight from the pleasant home in the ,annapolis ,valley--a flight which had taken place shortly after ,gabriel's departure4 ,even then they might have held on longer had not an ancient grudge on the part of a neighbor served to keep their obstinacy ever before the eyes of ,le ,loutre2 for it has been said that the ,acadians were a people given to petty squabbles4 ,at ,beaubassin they had found refuge with many others of their race1 but on ,english ground1 and it was on this account that the bigoted priest sought to remove them4 ,long had the ,acadians tacitly resisted1 not out of love for the ,english1 but out of love for the peace so dear to their sluggish natures and which they were permitted to enjoy under ,british rule1 so long1 at least1 as they refrained from meddling or from bearing arms4 8,no coffin1 mon pre80 said ,margot timidly at last4 ,for answer the priest stuck his spade into the ground2 the work was done4 ,then he pointed to a white sail upon the waters of ,chignecto ,bay4 8,the ,english60 she murmured awestruck2 and then again1 8,and no coffin1 ,m4 le ,cur80 8,the ,english are heretics1 my daughter1 but they do not desecrate graves4 ,the body of ,god's servant will be as safe here as in his loved ,annapolis40 ,then ,jean ,jacques and ,m4 ,girard laid the body in the grave1 and as the priest took out his breviary and began to read the first words of the office for the dead1 the ,micmac slipped away to the hut1 thence to remove the scanty remains of ,margot's possessions4 ,the short service over1 ,margot herself helped ,m4 ,girard in the filling of the grave4 ,but even as they worked the mingled sounds of lamentation and exultation drew nearer1 and just as the grave was filled1 the imperious figure of ,le ,loutre1 his face alight with religious fervor1 stood beside it4 8,what doest thou here1 brother80 he said sternly4 8,what thou seest1 ,m4 l',abb4 ,i lay in consecrated earth the remains of this our brother in the faith40 8,in consecrated earth10 cried ,le ,loutre4 8,what earth is consecrated trod by the feet of heretics8 ,m4 ,girard1 ,i exhort thee1 in the name of the holy mother of ,god1 to remove to uncontaminated soil the body of this servant of the true church40 ,he pointed as he spoke to the crowd of hurrying fugitives pressing across the water in boats and on rafts4 ,m4 ,girard faced his superior calmly4 ,well he knew that when1 for the sake of his flock as also for the sake of right1 he had taken that oath at ,halifax1 he had incurred the suspicion1 nay anger1 of his clerical superiors2 but in the mild eyes which he raised to the fierce ones of the abb there was no fear--only the firmness which has led many as gentle a martyr to the stake4 8,m4 l',abb knows10 he said quietly1 8that the ground consecrated by a priest of the church becomes holy ground1 and that to disturb the dead laid therein is profanation40 ,it seemed a long time to the anxious ,margot before the silent duel was decided1 for some moments elapsed ere either spoke again4 ,then the hand of ,le ,loutre slowly fell1 and he averted his eyes4 ,not even his arrogance could forswear the tenets of the church for which he fought so zealously4 8,but this maiden80 ,he spoke with forced indifference4 8,she would go under my protection to ,cobequid40 8,that shall never be60 exclaimed ,le ,loutre violently4 8,is not one of the most rebellious of my flock her near kinsman1 and shall that dangerous and seditious youth have access to her8 ,if thou dost desire so great a wrong1 ,m4 le ,cur----0 ,but before ,m4 ,girard could reply ,margot was on her knees4 8,m4 l',abb10 she cried1 8only tell me that ,gabriel--mon cousin--is alive and well1 and ,i will ask nothing further40 ,le ,loutre looked down upon the girl in silence1 a contemptuous pity in every line of his strongly marked features4 8,if he is alive8 that ,i cannot tell thee1 maiden4 ,one last chance have ,i given the would-be renegade lest he become ere his time an outcast4 ,how he hath borne himself1 ,i as yet know not40 ,but ,m4 ,girard laid his hand kindly on the bowed dark head4 8,my daughter1 it is the wish of ,m4 l',abb that thou shouldst seek the ,french shore4 ,louis ,herbes1 thy neighbor1 crosses even now with his wife2 it would be well for thee to go with these kind friends40 8,and may ,i not pray one little hour beside the grave of him who was all of father and mother ,i ever knew80 said ,margot in stifled tones4 ,le ,loutre shrugged his shoulders2 then crossed himself piously4 8,as thou wilt1 daughter4 ,one little quarter of an hour will ,i give thee40 ,he linked his arm in that of the cur and walked away with him4 ,scarcely had the priestly pair disappeared than the bushes at ,margot's side rustled and ,jean ,jacques crept into view4 ,seizing her wrist in his sinewy fingers he led her toward the shore1 close to which was now anchoring the ,english ship4 8,the ,micmac will find thee a refuge1 maiden10 he said4 8,follow ,jean ,jacques1 and all will be well40 ,but the timid ,acadian girl shrank from the ,indian4 8,to go among those redcoats--and alone1 ,jean ,jacques8 ,oh1 ,i cannot40 8,did not ,jean ,jacques swear to ,wild ,deer that he would save his kinswoman from the cruel priest80 said the ,indian with stoicism1 8and will he not do it even with the strength of his arm8 ,neither do the white braves harm women40 8,yes--no--oh1 ,i know not10 faltered ,margot2 8oh1 leave me1 ,jean ,jacques6 ,yet tell me first1 where is ,gabriel80 ,the ,indian grunted4 8,the ,great ,spirit knows1 not ,i4 ,but1 maiden1 while we waste words the priest comes1 and ,jean ,jacques is no longer of his faith2 the faith of the ,micmac is the faith of the ,wild ,deer4 ,wilt thou come1 or no80 ,margot started4 8,then ,gabriel is in truth a heretic60 ,whilst she hesitated1 ,jean ,jacques1 who was in no mood for delay1 led her deeper into the woods4 ,now ,margot1 though1 as we know1 possessed of that kind of courage which will bravely choose and do the right1 and even be physically brave for those she loved1 was naturally timid1 and now she was worn and exhausted and scarcely mistress of herself4 ,her inborn terror of ,indians got the upper hand1 and she uttered a piercing shriek1 promptly stifled by the ,micmac's hand upon her mouth4 ,then he suddenly released her4 8,maiden10 he said1 8,jean ,jacques can do no more4 ,thou wilt not seek safety8 ,so be it then4 ,the priests come--,jean ,jacques goes40 ,the girl made a great effort1 and though still very pale1 held out her hand with a smile to the ,indian4 8,forgive me1 ,jean ,jacques10 she said in tones which would have won forgiveness anywhere2 8my heart is sick1 ,i know not what ,i do4 ,take me whither thou wilt--whither ,wild ,deer wills40 8,and it shall not be to the redcoat braves10 said the ,indian1 as together they sped through the undergrowth4 8,down beside the crimson ,missaguash there are homes in which thy race still dwells in peace1 even as those who remain beside the ,annapolis4 ,thither will the ,micmac take the maiden of ,wild ,deer40 8,halt60 thundered a familiar voice4 8,a straying lamb1 indeed--a lamb in sore need of chastisement40 ,but for once the fierce priest had reckoned amiss4 ,quicker than the lightning's flash the hand of the ,indian went to his tomahawk1 his eyes glittering balefully4 ,with a motion almost as rapid the whistle wherewith ,le ,loutre summoned his lambs was at his lips1 while with his disengaged hand he held a crucifix aloft4 ,but that almost might have ruled betwixt life and death had not ,margot sprung forward and placed her slight body as a shield for the priest4 8,jean ,jacques10 she cried1 8is this thy new faith8 to strike the anointed of ,god80 ,the upraised tomahawk dropped1 and the ,indian grunted sullenly4 ,but ,le ,loutre1 the full violence of whose fanaticism was aroused by the #8perversion' of one of his lambs1 was not to be so easily pacified1 though life itself were at stake2 and the influence of the paleface maiden might not have availed to save him1 so irritating was the language he used toward the already enraged ,micmac1 had not ,margot1 aghast at the prospect of beholding the abb murdered before her very eyes1 hastily promised to go with him whither he would1 if so be he would permit the ,indian to depart in peace4 8,swear upon the crucifix10 insisted ,le ,loutre1 8that you will follow me back to the true fold40 ,scarcely realized by herself1 the girl's heart and sense1 and perhaps also the recollection of ,gabriel's persecution1 were combining to lead her in spirit away from that fold2 and now she drew back4 8,i will take no oath1 mon pre10 she said gently1 8but ,i promise to go with thee now2 more ,i cannot promise40 ,then she turned to ,jean ,jacques1 holding out her hand in grateful farewell4 ,illustration3 8,but ,gabriel had neither eyes nor ears for the priest40 8,seek thine own safety10 she said hurriedly1 8and if mon cousin lives1 tell him----0 ,her voice broke1 and she started to follow the already moving priest4 8,if ,gabriel lives60 cried another voice1 and in a moment she was in the arms of its owner4 ,what matter that he wore the scarlet coat of the ,british soldier1 that he had forsworn the faith of their common forefathers8 ,was he not ,gabriel still1 the playmate of her childhood1 and now1 as she suddenly understood1 the lover of her youth8 ,it was but for a moment1 and then the priest tore them asunder4 8,heretic boy60 he exclaimed1 regardless of the ,micmac1 who once more approached threateningly1 8release this maiden1 unworthy as thou art to touch the hem of her garment40 ,but ,gabriel had neither eyes nor ears for the priest4 ,he freed ,margot from his embrace indeed1 but held her hand firmly in his1 and flushed and smiling gazed upon the small1 downcast face bright with rapture4 8,it is with me thou comest1 is it not so1 ma cousine80 he said softly1 bending over her4 ,she lifted her dark eyes1 and for a long minute they rested on his1 heedless of the objurgations of ,le ,loutre4 ,then she remembered1 and her face grew suddenly so pale that its wanness struck ,gabriel with a great fear4 ,how much1 ah1 how much1 she had suffered4 ,he seemed to see it all now4 8,i have promised--,i dare not break my sacred word40 ,her voice was barely audible4 8,it is true10 cried the priest1 thrusting himself so abruptly betwixt the cousins as to compel ,gabriel to drop the hand of the girl1 8she has promised to return to the true fold1 and as the daughter of mother church the touch of the heretic is defilement40 ,gabriel lifted his fair head with the old fearless air that had ever exasperated the priest1 while winning his reluctant admiration4 8,it may be that ,i am no longer a boy10 he said coolly1 8at least ,i am no longer of your church2 and by all laws human and divine1 she being my next of kin1 this maiden has a right to my protection4 ,also1 ,m4 l',abb1 you are upon ,english ground40 ,he pointed to the thin line of redcoats deploying upon a low hill some distance away4 ,the face of ,le ,loutre was convulsed with hatred4 8,the more reason that we swiftly depart10 he said4 8,come1 daughter1 bear in mind thy vow40 ,gabriel's blue eyes flashed as ,margot had so often seen them do in the past4 ,she pressed by the abb1 and taking her cousin's outstretched hands1 said in a low1 persuasive voice3 8,gabriel1 mon ami1 it is even so4 ,i promised to go with ,m4 l',abb in order to save his life2 there was no other way4 ,but the promise was only for the day2 ,i would make no further vow40 ,le ,loutre watched the girl uneasily1 for had she not refused to swear upon the cross1 and what was a mere promise without some appeal to superstition8 ,he could not comprehend the force of a higher influence than that of mere symbolism4 ,pale now as ,margot herself ,gabriel moved aside with her1 holding her hands1 and looking down into the pathos of those dark eyes which possessed1 even as in the days when they were children together1 power to still the tumult in his breast--the rebellion of a nature more passionate than her own4 8,it is but for this one day1 mon ,gabriel10 she murmured4 8,but for this one day60 he repeated4 8,and our force is small1 and ,god alone knows where we may be on the morrow4 ,margot1 must it be80 8,gabriel1 it was thou who didst first tell me1 when thy heart began to change toward our church1 that to break the promised word was to lie1 and that to lie was deadly sin4 ,oh1 mon cousin1 dost thou not remember80 8,i do1 ,i do60 he groaned1 passing his hand over his eyes in unbearable anguish4 8,the priest will not harm me10 she went on1 8and ,i shall be with friends--,louis ,herbes and his good wife4 ,they will build them a hut close beside the water1 so that if chance offer they may return to ,english soil--dost hearken1 ,gabriel80 ,gabriel's face cleared4 8,yes1 yes1 sweet cousin4 ,i will take a boat--to-morrow--toward the sunsetting--remember40 8,it is well4 ,but1 ,gabriel1 go4 ,see the lambs--they come40 8,i fear them not10 he cried1 the warrior spirit awake in an instant2 8let them come4 ,have ,i not baffled them already many times8 ,i would bear thee through a host of them1 my ,margot40 8,go1 ,i beseech thee60 she implored1 a prayer in her eyes4 8,god keep thee in his holy keeping then1 until we meet again10 and seizing her in his arms he pressed his lips to her brow1 and was gone1 followed by ,jean ,jacques4 ,,chapter ,v ,in that hurried meeting and parting ,margot had been unable to learn from ,gabriel the history of his life since they had looked upon one another last4 ,of his conversion to the ,protestant faith she already knew1 and of his sojourn in the fort of ,halifax1 but of the rest nothing4 ,most of all1 nothing of his miraculous escape from the treacherous ,micmacs during the voyage from ,halifax4 ,le ,loutre1 too well acquainted with his lambs to repose trust in them1 and writhing under the knowledge that he could not bend the white boy to his will1 had made use of a well-known half-breed spy to keep him informed of the doings at the fort4 ,this man was instructed1 should the murderous plot fail or the ,micmacs be once more won over to the ,english1 to offer the savages yet higher bribes1 so that they should at the last moment turn again to ,france4 ,these higher bribes of course prevailed1 and reinforced by members of their own tribe1 who boarded the vessel under cover of the darkness1 the ,english crew was overpowered1 and all1 with one exception1 massacred4 ,the exception1 needless to say1 was ,gabriel4 ,when the priest heard of the boy's escape he scarce knew whether to mourn or to rejoice2 for1 until he had seen him actually in ,english uniform1 he had still hoped to win over this choice spirit to his service4 ,gabriel1 being an expert swimmer1 had contrived to make his way to the shore1 and from thence by a toilsome route to the fort4 ,arrived there1 all hesitation was at an end4 ,once and forever he threw in his lot with his father's race2 and chiefly in the hope of rescuing the gran'-pre and ,margot1 but also because his natural bent was to a soldier's career1 he offered his services to the government4 ,cornwallis accepted them gladly1 placing him advantageously from the first1 and recommending him strongly to his successor1 to make way for whom he shortly after crossed the ocean4 ,cornwallis carried with him at best a heavy heart1 but it was in some degree lightened by the gratitude of the many to whom he had shown kindness4 ,it is doubtful whether the ,french government invariably approved of the lengths to which the zeal of ,le ,loutre carried him4 ,at all events1 the home ministers occasionally found it advisable to shut their eyes to his method of interpreting their instructions2 which were1 in brief1 to keep ,acadie at any price1 or rather to keep their share of the unhappy country and take all the rest that was not theirs4 ,when ,jean ,jacques told ,gabriel of the gran'-pre's death1 and of the privations he and the girl had endured1 even the new hope for ,margot could not keep back the tears4 ,for ,gabriel had loved and revered the good old man2 therefore he wept and was not ashamed4 ,but doubly necessary was it now to carry ,margot away1 though where to bestow her in the ,english camp he hardly knew--only he felt sure that a way would be opened4 ,major ,lawrence was acquainted with his story and would certainly aid him4 ,moreover1 the smallness of the force caused him to believe that their stay on the ,missaguash would be brief1 and once at ,halifax1 ,margot would find refuge with her country-people assembled there4 ,perhaps there too1 she might learn to love his faith and be turned wholly from the ,romish ,church1 and then perhaps--perhaps--who could say8 ,but ,gabriel's daydreams were rudely dispelled1 and the struggle betwixt love and duty was not yet at an end4 ,the very next day1 when he1 with the aid of the faithful ,micmac1 was about to carry out his carefully laid scheme1 ,major ,lawrence1 having satisfied himself that his force was too small for the work it would have to accomplish1 gave orders for immediate re-embarkation4 8,the fortunes of war1 my lad10 he said1 with a shrug1 and gave the matter no further thought2 for ,lawrence was made of very different stuff from ,cornwallis1 as the ,acadians were to discover when he became governor of the province soon after4 ,not by nature a patient man1 such patience as he had acquired soon vanished when appointed to direct a people who1 it must be confessed1 were not without trying characteristics4 ,already he marveled at the leniency of ,cornwallis4 ,to plead with ,lawrence for a few hours grace1 therefore1 ,gabriel knew to be unavailing2 probably it would have been so with ,cornwallis also1 for after all 8discipline must be maintained40 ,but at least the governor would have shown some sympathy4 ,there came a moment when the young soldier was inclined to rebel1 then duty triumphed1 and he had learned his hardest lesson in self-restraint1 which if a man fails to learn he becomes little better than a castaway4 ,so duty and honor prevailed1 and ,gabriel confided his cousin to the care of ,jean ,jacques for as long a time as the ,protestant convert dared to remain in that dangerous neighborhood2 thereafter1 if possible1 the ,indian was to convey the girl to the fort at ,halifax1 where were gathered many of her countrymen4 ,nevertheless1 ,gabriel leaned with straining eyes and an almost breaking heart over the bulwarks of the vessel that bore him rapidly away from all he loved best on earth1 his only consolation being that he was keeping faith and doing his duty1 and that the ,god of love and faith would not forsake either him or ,margot4 ,and1 indeed1 he was to be yet further tried4 ,upon his arrival at ,halifax he found great changes4 ,cornwallis had departed1 and his place was already taken by ,hopson1 his immediate successor4 ,in the excitement of new arrangements1 heightened by the information that the ,french were invading the colonies1 the recruit was suddenly plunged into another existence4 ,by the special recommendation of the late governor he was attached to a lately arrived regiment marching south1 and thereupon his boyhood's dreams of escaping from the dull ,acadian round1 and of making himself of some account in the world1 began to show signs of future fulfillment4 ,courage1 fidelity1 and intelligence1 were virtues then as now sure to make their mark4 ,the day came when the young soldier served under ,washington himself1 sharing with him the failure that made the fourth of ,july1 #aged1 the darkest day1 perhaps1 of his whole eventful life4 ,but ,gabriel's relations with the ,father of his country belong to a part of his career with which ,acadie had nothing to do1 and which therefore does not belong to this story4 ,for him the long separation was in truth less hard than for the girl4 ,he at least could drown the torturing sense of powerlessness to aid her in constant activity1 and in a succession of duties and dangers2 and the hours of his saddest thought were often interrupted by some stirring call to arms4 ,far other was poor ,margot's lot4 ,hers was that of endurance--the hardest of all4 ,the day of her parting from ,gabriel went heavily by2 and when in the waning afternoon she crouched in the long marsh grass while the tide fell lower and lower and still no craft appeared upon the waters1 she wrung her hands in helpless anguish1 knowing that in two short hours neither boat nor canoe could pass up or down the river2 for of the ,missaguash nothing would remain but deep red mud4 ,yet ,gabriel came not1 and the precious minutes flew4 ,the ,herbes and herself1 pressing far into the woods in the hope of returning ere long to peaceful ,english soil1 had missed the weighing of the anchor at early dawn and the skimming seaward of the white-winged ship bearing ,margot's fondest hope with it4 ,so the girl crouched in the grass and waited1 while the wife of ,louis built a fire upon the firmer land and cooked from their scanty store of provisions4 ,then at last1 breasting the falling tide1 a canoe came creeping up the ,missaguash2 and though it came not down1 as it should have done from the ,english camp1 ,margot rose to her feet1 and shading her eyes from the westering sun1 watched it with beating heart and a prayer on her lips4 ,nearer and nearer--but that was no bright head bending over the paddle1 but a dark and swarthy one--the head of an ,indian2 and it was ,jean ,jacques who presently grounded his little vessel1 and slipped through the long grass toward ,margot1 who was waiting sick at heart4 ,the ,micmac spoke first4 8,maiden10 he said1 8,wild ,deer has sailed toward the setting of the sun4 ,the braves of his nation commanded and it was for ,wild ,deer to obey4 ,but the ,micmac has found for thee a shelter until the youth comes again4 ,let us go quickly1 ere the river too follow the sun40 ,bitter indeed was the disappointment1 but ,margot faced it bravely4 ,after all1 though their fashion of faith was no longer the same1 were not she and ,gabriel both in the hands of the one ,god8 8,i will go with thee1 ,jean ,jacques10 she said1 after a moment's struggle with her grief2 8but ,louis and ,marie1 they too desire to go4 ,whither do we follow thee80 ,the ,indian pointed down the ,missaguash1 where upon the opposite shore1 removed from the burned settlement some two or three miles and concealed from it by a bend in the river1 pleasant farmhouses and cultivated acres brooded in the hush of evening4 8,and those good people will receive me80 ,the ,indian nodded4 8,and ,i can work10 she added eagerly4 8,i can work well1 ,jean ,jacques40 ,it was true4 ,the slender1 dark-eyed maiden1 though of a frailer build than the majority of ,acadian women1 possessed the ambition they so often lacked4 8,come1 then10 urged ,jean ,jacques4 8,the white man and his squaw they must wait4 ,the waters of the ,missaguash droop in their bed40 8,wilt thou come for the white man and his wife at the rising of the tide80 ,the ,indian grunted in acquiescence4 8,and thou1 ,jean ,jacques1 whither wilt thou go80 ,he pointed southward4 8,ah1 to the new fort6 ,there thou wilt be safe40 8,and thither am ,i to bear thee1 maiden1 when the trail is safe for thee40 8,it is well4 ,and now1 wait but the flashing of an arrow10 cried the girl1 and was gone4 ,then1 as ,jean ,jacques squatted in the marsh grass1 there was borne to him a sound which caused him to fall prone upon his stomach and crawl as the snake crawls toward the woods4 ,for the sound was the cry of the paleface maiden1 and had not ,wild ,deer delivered her into the faithful keeping of the ,micmac8 ,now it was not sweet to the heart of ,jean ,jacques to turn his hand against those of his own tribe1 well as he knew that the lambs of ,le ,loutre1 with whom he had before his conversion1 slain and pillaged many a time1 were in disposition rather birds of prey than lambs4 ,on the edge of the marsh he paused1 lifting his head and gazing4 ,to see was to act4 ,with the swift and silent motion of the true ,indian the arrow was on the string1 and in a moment more buried in the heart of the feathered brave with whom ,margot was struggling4 ,in the background knelt a woman1 clasping a crucifix to her bosom2 beside her the prostrate form of a white man--,louis ,herbes and ,marie1 his wife4 ,as ,jean ,jacques sprang forward ,marie screamed again1 whilst ,margot uttered a cry of joy4 8,jean ,jacques6 ,it is our good ,jean ,jacques6 ,hasten1 ,marie6 ,we will lift ,louis1 and bear him to the river4 ,he is but wounded1 he is not dead40 ,with the taciturnity of his race at a crisis ,jean ,jacques spoke not4 ,wiser than ,margot1 he knew that the ,micmacs never hunted singly1 and that if their coveted prey reached the river in safety--well1 the attempt could at least be made4 ,as for the wounded man1 he also knew that1 though enjoined by ,le ,loutre to do the ,acadians no injury1 the lambs constantly employed means more in keeping with their savage natures than persuasion4 ,motioning to the women to take the feet of ,louis1 who was unconscious1 he raised him by the shoulders1 and the small party began a hurried retreat through the marsh grass4 ,instinctively they all stooped as they walked1 and well it was for them that they did so1 for more than one arrow whistled over their heads4 8,the brave is now alone10 grunted ,jean ,jacques in tones of satisfaction4 8,alone he fears ,jean ,jacques40 ,margot1 panting and breathless1 made no reply1 but she rejoiced1 knowing that the ,indian spoke truth4 ,so doughty a warrior as he would not be attacked single-handed4 ,the canoe was already stranded by the falling tide1 and the red mud was over ankle deep4 ,plunging into it1 ,jean ,jacques1 ably assisted by the strong1 thick-set ,acadian ,marie1 laid ,louis in the canoe1 and all three proceeded to push it toward the sluggish1 ever-narrowing river4 8,god and the ,holy ,mother be praised10 ejaculated ,marie1 as impelled by the paddle of the ,indian the little vessel glided at last down the stream4 ,the words had scarcely left her lips when the air at her ear was cut by an arrow1 which swept on to bury itself in the back of ,jean ,jacques4 ,the women uttered an exclamation of dismay1 but the ,indian1 though his swarthy face went ashen gray1 said not a word2 only when ,marie would have extricated the arrow1 muttered1 8,touch it not40 ,fortunately there was a spare paddle in the canoe1 and both women in turn put their whole strength into the work1 so that aided by the tide they made rapid progress4 ,and well that so it was1 for as the canoe bore up against a green promontory1 upon which houses and groups of people were visible1 ,jean ,jacques fell forward on his face1 the life-blood gushing from his nose and mouth4 ,willing arms lifted him and laid him upon the green turf1 for the habitans had for some time been anxiously watching the approaching canoe1 and were ready with their aid4 ,but ,margot's first and only thought was for the faithful ,micmac4 ,carefully as the arrow was withdrawn1 the shock was too great2 and as the girl bent weeping over him1 it was but glazing eyes he raised to hers4 8,wild ,deer2 tell ,wild ,deer40 ,then he fell back upon her arm and spoke no more4 ,faithful unto death1 indeed1 was this poor ,indian4 ,and1 heretic though he was1 they laid him in consecrated earth1 blessed by one of the priests who1 ,french assertions to the contrary notwithstanding1 were always permitted to minister to their flocks upon ,english soil1 unless detected in acts of treachery4 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration3 8#8,wild ,deer2 tell ,wild ,deer4'0 ,so for a time poor1 little1 hunted ,margot found peace and a refuge with her country people1 but only for a time4 ,when in a few months news of ,lawrence's return with a larger force reached the ears of ,le ,loutre he sent forth his ,micmacs to destroy the cluster of homes yet remaining on the ,english side of the water4 ,the ,acadians1 caring not much for fighting any one1 refused to obey his mandate and take arms against the redcoats1 so fled in helpless terror1 some to ,halifax and ,annapolis1 but the larger number across the ,missaguash4 ,whether ,le ,loutre honestly desired to found a settlement in this locality1 or merely desired to vent his hatred for the ,english1 cannot be rightly known2 at all events his calculations were at fault regarding a new settlement4 ,the ,french shore was already crowded1 and if he really entertained hopes of filling up the marsh and turning it into fertile land for the benefit of the refugees1 these hopes were defeated by the corrupt practices of his own government1 which cared not at all for the welfare of the unhappy ,acadians1 but used them merely as tools4 ,half clothed and half starved1 the men were at once put to hard1 labor1 with scanty or no remuneration4 ,the strong new fort of ,beausjour1 built in opposition to the less imposing one of ,fort ,st4 ,lawrence1 was the handiwork of ,acadian refugees4 ,even then they might not have fared so ill had the supplies actually sent by the ,french government ever reached their rightful destination1 but this was far from being the case4 ,official corruption1 bad as it was throughout ,new ,france1 was worse1 probably1 at ,beausjour than elsewhere4 ,one of the most incompetent and unworthy of the numerous 8office seekers10 to use a modern term1 was in command there1 and the 8spoils system0 was at its height upon the shores of the ,missaguash4 ,vergor1 the commandant1 applied but a small portion of the food and clothing to the uses for which they were intended1 and sent the large remainder back to ,quebec1 or to ,louisbourg1 where his confederates sold them1 greatly to his and their profit1 but not at all to that of the poor ,acadians4 ,terrified at ,le ,loutre1 ,vergor1 the ,micmacs1 and ,french soldiers1 not naturally loving the foreign race across the water1 yet craving peaceful homes with them1 the refugees dragged on a miserable existence1 finding themselves becoming daily more of a burden to their countrymen in the settlements about ,chipody4 ,at length they resolved to inquire secretly of the ,english whether they would be allowed to return to their homes1 could they make their escape8 ,the answer was that they could return if they renewed the oath of fealty to the ,english crown1 the oath they had so often broken in their weakness and vacillation4 ,they would not be required by ,english law to bear arms1 but if on the contrary they were found fighting for1 or aiding the ,french1 they would be dealt with as traitors4 ,among those who joined in this request were ,margot's guardians1 the ,herbes1 also the family with whom the fugitives had found shelter on the south bank of the ,missaguash close to the ,pont--,buot4 ,furious1 indeed1 was the anger of the abb when he heard of the backsliding of his people4 ,his ravings were rather those of a lunatic than of an anointed priest1 as he flung himself hither and thither in the pulpit1 calling down the wrath of ,god upon his recreant flock4 ,and ,le ,loutre was a man who never stopped at mere words4 ,so one night two things happened2 one1 however1 which had nothing to do with him4 ,the people for whom ,margot worked in return for bare sustenance were not unkind1 but they found ,louis and ,marie of more service to them1 being stronger and stouter1 and little ,margot1 in losing heart and hope1 was losing physical strength too4 ,that night1 as she crossed the meadows behind the home-going cows1 she was very sad4 ,slowly1 very slowly1 her faith in the church of her fathers was being dragged up by the roots1 and the fury of the abb1 his cruel words in the sacred building a few hours since1 had uprooted it yet more4 ,yet she had no other spiritual guide but him--none to direct her in new1 untrodden ways4 ,gabriel1 who could have helped her1 was far away4 ,m4 ,girard she had not seen since the burning of ,beaubassin1 and she feared that the good old man was in trouble4 ,it was working and waiting in the dark for ,margot4 ,as she neared the marsh a sound struck on her ear4 8,tst60 ,she glanced around fearfully1 and her eyes fell on the head of an ,indian1 stealthily upreared4 ,terror of the ,micmacs amounted to an inborn instinct among the ,acadians1 and common sense alone intervened to stay ,margot's flying feet4 ,perhaps the man had some message for her1 a message from him who was ever in her thoughts4 ,she paused1 therefore1 with as fair a show of courage as she could muster4 8,be not afraid1 maiden10 said the ,indian in broken ,french4 8,come nearer4 ,bent ,bow carries a message for thee from one whom ,jean ,jacques called #8,wild ,deer4'0 ,margot's eyes brightened1 and oblivious of fear she approached the ,indian1 who she now perceived was no ,micmac4 ,he held toward her a little billet which she eagerly took4 ,now the good cur at ,annapolis1 at ,gabriel's earnest entreaty1 had taught the cousins to read and write1 and never was ,margot more thankful than at this moment for the blessed privilege1 though she had often times found the lesson hour a toilsome one4 8,ah60 she cried4 8,i have nothing to give thee1 ,bent ,bow1 to reward thy faithfulness4 ,the poor ,acadians have not so much as a handful of beads40 8,it is enough that ,i bring thee the billet10 replied the ,indian1 8and that ,i serve ,wild ,deer4 ,together1 many moons from here1 we drove before us the foreign devils1 and there came a night on which the paleface youth saved the life of the ,indian brave40 8,wilt thou see him again80 cried the girl eagerly4 ,bent ,bow shook his head1 and with a sign of farewell began to crawl away through the marsh grass4 8,is it well with ,wild ,deer80 she called after him4 8,it is well40 ,and she saw the messenger no more4 ,still walking behind the cows1 she read the precious letter3 ,,ma ,,cousine3 ,would that ,i knew it was as well with thee as it is with me4 ,but1 alas6 this ,i cannot know4 ,yet ,jean ,jacques is faithful1 and he has vowed to care for my pearl of price4 ,long ere this he will have told thee why ,i failed to meet thee4 ,margot1 ,i have for leader one of the noblest young men ,god ever created4 ,it was a happy day for me when1 through my father's name1 ,i was appointed to serve under such an one4 ,sad it is that a soldier's life takes me far from thee1 but ,i shall come again1 sweet cousin1 to find thee safe and sheltered beside the ,missaguash1 far from the cruel priest4 ,the family to whom ,jean ,jacques was to carry thee are known by me1 and will protect and cherish thee4 8,ah1 ,gabriel10 said ,margot to herself1 the tears upon her cheeks1 8well is it that so much is hid from thee40 ,for ,i am coming back4 ,little is said1 but ,washington himself thinks that some great move is to be made1 and that the men of ,new ,england are gathering1 and that the governor of ,massachusetts and the governor of our poor distraught country are planning alike against the ,french4 ,then ,i and others who came southward with me will return4 ,till then1 ma cherie1 mon amie1 adieu4 ,in ,english1 though ,i have grown to like my father's tongue1 methinks these words are not so sweet4 ,,gabriel4 ,and all the way along the meadows her heart sang1 8,he is coming back40 ,but at home a scene of confusion and distress awaited her4 ,le ,loutre1 not content with thunders from the pulpit1 had been making a house to house visitation of those whom he considered the most rebellious members his flock4 ,among these were classed ,louis ,herbes and his host1 ,franois ,marin4 ,banishment to ,isle ,st4 ,jean1 where many exiled ,acadians were already in a fair way to starve1 was the priest's usual punishment2 and should any man refuse to obey1 refusal was met by a threat to permit the ,micmacs to carry off1 and possibly kill1 his wife and children4 ,a yet worse fate than banishment awaited ,herbes and ,marin4 ,that morning in the church ,le ,loutre had assured the signers of the two documents of appeal--to the ,french and to the ,english governments--that if they did not take their names from both papers they should 8have neither sacraments in this life nor heaven in the next40 ,what could the poor1 hunted ,acadians do but obey8 ,and even with obedience came banishment for many4 ,as for ,herbes and ,marin1 they were given the grievous permission to proceed to ,quebec as deputies on behalf of the ,acadians who desired to return to the ,english side of the river4 ,grievous permission1 indeed6 ,for even slow-witted ,acadians were bright enough to understand that the abb would prepare the way before them in such a manner as to make their mission not only useless1 but terrifying4 ,and truly they were correct in their anticipations1 for after the visit ,duquesne1 the governor1 wrote ,le ,loutre as follows3 8,i think that the two rascals of deputies whom you sent me will not soon recover from the fright ,i gave them40 ,such was the heartlessness with which this unhappy race was treated4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,the last sad scenes in the sad story of the ,acadians in ,acadie are now drawing near4 ,possibly had those two patient gentlemen1 ,cornwallis and ,hopson1 continued in command of the country1 such scenes might never have come to pass1 or at least might have been long delayed4 ,but1 as we know1 ,governor ,lawrence was soon worn out by what he described as 8the obstinacy1 treachery1 and ingratitude0 of the ,acadians1 and he and ,shirley1 the governor of ,massachusetts1 determined to settle this troublesome affair once and for all4 ,the two governors knew1 moreover1 that the ,french were merely waiting for a good excuse to attack the ,english1 whose defenses in ,acadie were of the feeblest1 and that if they hoped to be successful they themselves must strike the first blow4 ,the result of their decision was an act which has been well described as being 8too harsh and indiscriminate to be wholly justified10 but which is explained by the fact that the ,acadians 8while calling themselves neutrals1 were an enemy encamped in the heart of the province40#a ----- #a 8,montcalm and ,wolfe40 ,francis ,parkman4 ,the first step was to lay siege to ,beausjour2 and to the aid of the regulars flocked volunteers under the command of that warlike farmer1 ,john ,winslow4 ,these men enrolled themselves under the orders of ,general ,monckton1 having responded to the call of the ,new ,england governor4 ,it was the afternoon of a ,june day when the two deputies wearied1 cowed1 and helpless returned home4 ,their passage through the settlements had been greatly delayed by the questions showered upon them by anxious habitans1 and it was late ere they arrived4 ,then again the tale of failure had to be told1 and listened to with tears and lamentations4 8,if the ,acadians are miserable1 remember that the priests are the cause of it10 wrote a ,french officer to a ,french missionary4 ,news had quite recently come to ,chipody1 the adjacent settlement1 that many of the ,acadians banished by ,le ,loutre to ,isle ,st4 ,jean had found their way to ,halifax1 had taken the oath of allegiance to the ,british1 were reinstated in their former homes1 and were being provided temporarily with supplies by the ,english government4 ,yet it was not love for the ,english that had drawn them back again--simply the love of home and peace4 ,the returned deputies had scarcely finished their tale when the women began to try and persuade them to remove to ,halifax1 immediately if possible4 ,margot alone neither wept nor argued4 ,there was a hope within her breast that would not die1 a hope aroused by ,gabriel's letter4 ,she stole away from the clatter of tongues down to the edge of the marsh-grass4 ,the sun was near its setting1 as it had been when she had waited in vain for ,gabriel so long1 so very long1 as it seemed to her1 ago4 ,where was he now8 ,when would he---- ,then suddenly her heart stood still1 to beat again with mingled dread and expectation4 ,illustration3 8,far away1 at the mouth of the inlet 4 4 4 lay three small ships40 ,far away1 at the mouth of the inlet1 where it broadens into ,chignecto ,bay1 lay three small ships1 ,english beyond a doubt4 ,for a minute ,margot lingered1 giving herself up to speculation4 ,then like a bird she flew back to one of the rude and simple dwellings of the kind which even in happier days fulfilled the frugal ,acadian's highest idea of home4 ,flinging open the door without ceremony she cried1 8,english ships in the bay60 and sped upon her homeward course4 ,herbes and ,marin and their wives were still planning and discussing1 but the words on their lips were checked by ,margot's breathless ejaculation4 ,in silence they gazed at one another1 with the characteristic slowness of their race4 ,what was now to be done8 ,margot1 whose mind moved more swiftly than those of most of her country-people1 soon spoke again1 with as much impatience as the habit of respect for her elders permitted4 8,what shall we do1 you say8 ,oh1 good friends1 let us escape to the ,english ships1 they will help us to ,halifax6 ,but oh1 quick1 quick60 8,you forget1 maiden10 said ,marin with pompous rebuke4 8,there is the oath of allegiance in the way40 8,and what of that80 cried all three women this time4 ,marie ,herbes continuing3 8,what hurt did the oath do us in the past8 ,did we not till our own land and gather in our crops unaffrighted and undisturbed8--untaxed too8 ,did not our own priests minister to us80 ,a crafty gleam crept into the little eyes of ,marin4 8,yes10 he said1 8and if we broke faith with our rulers for our good or advancement1 why--pfui6 ,what matter60 ,he shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands4 8,a small matter6 ,let the habitan take the oath anew1 said the governor4 ,but now--now it is otherwise4 ,as we came through the settlement the new proclamation was made known to us4 ,should the ,french--and verily are they not of our own blood8 make fair offers1 such1 for instance1 that under their rule too1 we should live in peace1 and it became the duty of a good habitan to give ear to them1 what then8 ,then would we be called traitors1 and meet the fate of such60 ,marie lifted her eyebrows1 and made a little sound of dissension in her throat4 8,it is true10 he persisted doggedly4 8,the good friend is in the right10 put in ,herbes1 speaking for the first time4 8,this ,governor ,lawrence is not as the others1 he is not to be cajoled40 8,but why should we break faith with the ,english80 ,it was ,margot who spoke in a low voice4 8,with the ,acadians the ,french have never yet kept faith40 8,what knows a young maid of great affairs such as these80 growled ,marin2 while his wife added with a taunting laugh3 8,but thou must remember1 mon ami1 that the child has an ,english lover2 what wouldst thou1 then80 ,the color dyed ,margot's cheek1 then fled1 leaving her very pale4 ,but she was1 as we know1 no moral coward1 so she quickly controlled herself1 and replied quietly3 8,pardon1 madame1 thou hast forgotten that my cousin's mother was an ,acadian1 even as we are1 and that he himself was my cousin ere he was my lover4 ,the country of his birth is dear to him1 though whether he be yet alive ,i know not1 or whether ,i shall ever see him more40 ,her voice choked1 and her dark eyes filled4 ,the good ,marie clapped her briskly on the shoulder crying vehemently3 8,be of a better courage1 mon enfant6 ,thou and thy heretic will meet again1 never fear60 8,sometimes it misgives me that our ,margot is already part heretic herself10 said ,louis with a suspicious glare4 8,shame on thee1 shame on thee60 protested his wife4 8,and hast thou so soon forgotten to be grateful8 ,could the maiden not have left us that day on the banks of the ,missaguash--you a mere helpless burden hindering her flight80 ,then1 while ,louis hung his head in abashed silence1 she hastily brought the conversation back to its former subject4 ,it was finally decided that the whole party should proceed to the house of the neighbor whom ,margot had warned of the arrival of the ships1 there to discuss the advisability of further action4 ,thus slowly did the minds of ,acadians work4 ,the result was that the commandant at the fort received no notice of the enemy's approach until the small hours of the morning4 ,the attacking force was then at the very doors1 and all was confusion and alarm4 ,messengers were sent in hot haste to ,louisbourg for aid1 and by alternate threats and promises the poor ,acadians1 who so much preferred to have their fighting done for them1 were forced either to assist in the defense of the fort1 or worse still1 oppose the enemy in the open4 ,it was a case of ,english regulars and provincials against ,french regulars and ,acadians--on the one side the whole heart1 on the other but half a heart2 for the ,french soldiers corrupted by corrupt officials1 were no match either in resolution for the stout ,new ,englanders1 or in discipline for the ,british troops4 ,the ,acadians and ,indians sent out of the fort were as mere puppets in the path of ,monckton's army1 and the second night beheld the invaders safely across the river and encamped within a mile of ,beausjour4 ,herbes and ,marin had of course been pressed into the service1 but unlike their neighbors had decided to leave their families in the farmhouse instead of hiding them in the woods4 ,the crafty ,marin declared that the home was far enough from the scene of the conflict to insure safety1 but in truth he depended far more upon the almost certain hope that ,margot's ,english lover would take care that she1 therefore they1 would not be molested4 ,by this it may be seen how vague were his notions concerning army regulations1 discipline1 and so forth4 ,depending on this hope1 however1 the women and the two half-grown sons of ,marin were left behind1 to listen to the distant roar and rattle of the bombardment of ,beausjour1--for the attack was not long in beginning4 ,the wives told their beads1 weeping and praying for the safety of their husbands1 while ,margot1 pale and still1 and alternating betwixt hope and fear1 turned now consciously in her petitions to the faith of him whom she loved4 ,for ,margot's nature like that of ,gabriel1 was clear and straightforward2 and now that the forms of the ,catholic religion were getting to mean little to her1 she faced the knowledge bravely1 dropping these forms one by one1 striving to wait patiently until light and help should come2 and this lonely waiting amounted to heroism in a timid ,acadian maid4 ,but the length of the loneliness1 the yearning for counsel and support1 was forming the girl's character1 and ripening it as the seed ripens within the pod4 ,it was ,margot1 the woman1 who now awaited the return of ,gabriel1 and such a woman as she might never have become had she led the effortless1 unaspiring existence of the average ,acadian peasant1 without mental struggle or any higher object than that of living from day to day4 ,news of the siege came but fitfully to the three women1 bereft as they were of neighbors and the usual neighborly gossip2 for the inhabitants of the scattered houses1 or rather huts1 within reach had all fled to the shelter of the woods4 ,now and then some head of a family1 wearied of what seemed to him profitless combat1 having succeeded in eluding the unwelcome task1 paused at the farmhouse to drink a cup of milk on his way to rejoin wife and babes1 and shake his head over the news he brought2 or a fugitive ,indian1 prowling along the river's bank1 bade the paleface squaws make ready for flight1 declaring that the great medicine-man could not much longer induce the braves to hold the fort against the foe4 ,but secure in their simple faith that ,marin would contrive to see ,gabriel1 and that ,gabriel would protect them1 the women refused to face the perils of the forest4 ,the day was the sixteenth of ,june4 ,for several days they had heard nothing1 and growing hourly more anxious1 the three would once and again drop their household tasks1 and stepping one by one to the door1 call to the boys perched upon the tall trees to know if aught might be seen or heard4 ,when at last a shout went up1 it chanced that all the women were in the house4 ,as they ran out into the open1 young ,franois cried3 8,they come1 they come6 a host of them60 8,who come80 inquired his mother impatiently4 8,speak1 boy60 8,i cannot yet tell1 ma mre2 but yes1 yes60 ,and little ,jules took up the cry3 8,yes1 yes6 ,it is our own dear ,acadians4 ,and they laugh1 they are glad1 they carry bundles and shout60 8,and see the bon pre1 ,jules2 he waves his cap1 he espies us60 ,and sliding down the tree1 ,franois was off and away1 deaf to his mother's calls and commands1 followed as promptly as the shortness of his legs would permit by his little brother4 ,what did it all mean8 ,the three women left behind looked into one another's eyes1 with the unspoken query on their lips4 ,then1 with an air of determination1 the wife of ,marin threw her homespun apron over her head and went after her sons4 ,marie ,herbes dropped upon the rude bench before the door1 and began rapidly telling her beads1 tapping her foot upon the ground meanwhile in an agony of impatience and anxiety4 ,and ,margot8 ,for the lonely girl how much was now at stake6 ,leaning against the wall of the house1 her hands idle for the reason that she no longer owned beads to tell1 her dark lashes resting on her pale cheeks1 and a prayer in her heart for resignation if the worst was to be1 she waited4 ,then it was that for the first time she fully understood that she was ever hoping and praying for the success of the alien race2 that she had ceased merely to tolerate them for the sake of the peace they gave1 but that she had in very truth gone over1--as a few others of her race had done1 and were doing1--heart and soul to the enemy4 ,undoubtedly the siege of ,beausjour was at an end2 the question trembling on the lips of the waiting women was1 ,in whose hands was the victory8 ,for peaceful ,acadians1 released from the perils and toils of war1 would for the moment rejoice in either victory or defeat2 both would sound alike to them4 ,without1 the sun burned more and more hotly4 ,within1 the soup in the iron pot1 hung above the crackling sticks1 boiled--presently boiled over4 ,none heeded4 ,half an hour dragged by1 the minutes ticking slowly along in the old clock in the corner4 ,then ,marie sprang to her feet4 8,they come60 she cried4 ,verily they came--a strange spectacle4 ,out of the woods and across the bridge poured a little horde of ,acadians--all ,acadians1 ,margot saw in one swift glance1 many of them excited by the red ,french wine1 but every man of them singing and shouting1 as they tramped along laden with what was evidently plunder from the fort4 8,beausjour has fallen--has fallen60 ,thus they sang1 as if exulting in the defeat of an enemy4 ,the wife of ,marin1 almost as wild as the men1 had loaded herself down with part of her husband's burden1 and her voice rang shrill above the tumult in response to ,marie's vociferous queries3 8,beausjour has fallen1 ,i tell thee4 ,and the ,english have pardoned our men because they said they but fought under compulsion4 ,all is well40 8,but whence came this1 and this80 persisted the more practical ,marie1 pointing to the motley collection of food1 wearing apparel1 wines1 and even furniture1 with which the ground was now littered4 ,questions for long brought no coherent reply1 and it was not until late in the afternoon1 their comrades having scattered in search of their respective families1 that either ,herbes or ,marin was able to give a clear account of all that had happened4 ,it was significant of the religious dependence and docility of the ,acadian nature that one of the first questions asked and answered should be concerning the fate of ,le ,loutre4 ,at the query the two men1 who since their vain trip to ,quebec had wavered somewhat in their allegiance to the tyrannical abb1 shrugged their shoulders and spread their hands as those who knew nothing4 8,but1 ,louis10 ,marie cried1 8it is important that we know1 for without him are we not but lost sheep in the wilderness80 8,as to that1 good wife1 ,i cannot tell thee10 answered ,louis4 8,when we left that villainous fort ,m4 l',abb was nowhere to be seen4 ,depend on it1 he was with the commandant4 ,all was hurry and confusion from the moment the shell fell upon the officers' table while they sat at meat1 killing six of them1 yes1 six60 ,here he crossed himself1 shuddering1 and ,marin took up the tale3 8,yes1 and the bon ,dieu alone knows how great was the wonder of the ,english1 who expected to fight many more days1 when the white flag flew from the ramparts4 ,m4 l',abb ,i beheld everywhere then4 ,he ran from one to the other1 pleading that the flag of the coward1 for so our brave abb called it1 be taken in4 ,well1 we ,acadians know that he hath the gift of speech1 but now it was in vain4 ,the ,french were glad to cease this foolish killing of men for naught1 glad even as we were4 ,so presently it was arranged that they should march out with the honors of war1--whatever honor there be in slaying and quarreling1--and proceed at once to ,louisbourg4 ,then the officers fell to drinking and plundering ere they departed1 and we gathered up what little we could lay hands on1 and so took leave with our pardon4 ,of the priest ,i saw no more4 ,that is all that has happened40 ,margot1 who during this recital had been leaning forward with clasped hands1 at last ventured timidly1 addressing ,louis ,herbes3 8,and mon cousin2 of him you saw nothing80 8,no1 little one10 replied ,louis kindly2 8but1 ,i learned that one ,gabriel1 with another name that cracks the jaws even to think of1 was much spoken of during the attack by reason of his valor1 and that he fought well4 ,rather he than ,i10 he concluded with a grimace4 ,margot fell back and said no more4 ,she had all for which she had dared to hope2 again she must wait1 it was true1 but this time not wholly uncheered4 ,the sun sank and the moon rose and the wearied household was wrapped in slumber1 all but ,margot1 who leaned from the window of the shedroom she occupied apart from the common sleeping apartment1 which according to ,acadian custom also served for a kitchen4 ,she had tried to sleep and had failed4 ,secure in the pardon granted them by the ,english1 heedless of the future1 the ,acadians were once more collected under their own rooftrees1 and as ,margot's eyes roamed along the banks of the ,missaguash they rested with a sense of sympathetic peace upon the little farmhouses containing so many re-united families4 ,yet it was strange how constantly on this night of apparent peace her mind reverted to the relentless priest who had caused herself and others so much misery4 ,involuntarily her mind strayed backward to the days when they had all hung on every glance of that strong1 imperious man1 whose word was law to a weak and vacillating people1 and who represented to the simple villagers salvation here and hereafter4 ,now1 in his hour of defeat1 how would it be8 ,his influence had already waned1 she thought4 ,her window was raised only a few feet from the ground and1 unseen by her1 a figure came gliding along in the shadow of the wide eaves4 ,another moment and her quick ear had caught the sound of hushed steps1 but before the flashing thought had had time to concentrate in the cry1 8,gabriel60 a grasp of iron was laid upon her shoulder and a hand crushed down upon her mouth4 ,there was a hideous interval before a word was spoken1 after her terrified eyes had taken in the fact that she was in the clutches of one of the dreaded ,micmacs4 ,then1 was it with increased horror or with relief that she recognized the voice which at last spoke8 8,margot6 maiden60 ,the whisper was harsh4 8,it is thy priest and father in ,god who commands thy service40 ,the shock temporarily deprived the girl of power to reply1 but finding that she made neither struggle nor outcry1 ,le ,loutre1 for it was indeed he1 released her4 ,this man was her enemy1 so ran her swift thought2 he had robbed her of all that made life dear4 ,now ,margot1 though gentle in heart and deed1 was human and intolerant1 as the young usually are4 ,forgiveness of cruel wrong could only come through prayer and striving4 ,she remembered the destroyed and abandoned home1 made desolate by this man2 the beloved gran'-pre1 dead from exposure and want2 the beloved cousin1 an outcast and a wanderer2 and it was this man who had done it4 ,yes1 she guessed what the priest wanted4 ,he was a hunted fugitive4 ,but why did he come to her1 whom he had so greatly wronged8 ,then she remembered also the words ,gabriel had once read to her from an ancient printed page treasured by his mother as having been the property of his father3 8,forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us40 ,she was so long silent that the voice of ,le ,loutre had in it a quaver of apprehension when he again addressed her1 and when she looked up and saw1 even in the moonlight1 how almost craven were the glances the once arrogant priest cast over his shoulder into the dim1 wide-stretching woods1 compassion as well as higher emotions was aroused1 and her resolve taken4 8,m4 l',abb10 she said simply1 8there are none here who would harm their priest1 even should they awake4 ,as for me1 ,i will do what ,i can1 and ,god will teach me to forgive you40 ,at the sound of such words from one of the least of his flock1 the priest's imperious temper sprang to his lips4 ,but the situation was too perilous for anger4 ,none here who would harm him8 ,he was not over sure of that4 ,the men1 did not they both believe he had harmed them8 ,yet all that he had done had been for their souls' good4 ,and of a surety he knew his dear ,acadians1 who for the sake of peace and freedom from alarms would hesitate1 even though the life of the guardian of those souls were at stake4 ,but this maiden1 with her it was otherwise4 ,true1 she was half-heretic1 but she was made of sterner stuff than most of her compatriots4 ,her he felt sure that he might trust4 ,minds work quickly in hours of danger1 and it was but a minute before he replied3 8,i will pray for the salvation of thy soul1 maiden1 if yet it may be won4 ,but now10 his voice in spite of him trembling with anxiety1 8where wilt thou conceal me until such time as my trusty ,cope arrives to go with me to ,baye-,verte8 ,there tarries my brother in ,god1 ,manach1 and together we seek safety at ,quebec40 ,at the name of ,jean ,baptiste ,cope1 the ,micmac at whose hands ,gabriel had endured so much1 ,margot's heart contracted with something like hatred4 ,there was a short1 sharp struggle within her4 ,this1 then1 was what forgiving your enemies meant8 ,oh1 it was hard1 hard6 ,and this priest and this ,indian had injured so many1 was it right to help them to escape8 ,little did she guess the thoughts pouring forth from the abb's fertile imagination as he watched her--new thoughts1 new ideas4 ,anxiety for the maiden's soul1 he would have said1 was the mainspring of his intended actions1 the desire to make one final effort to save her from perdition4 ,like many another too sure of his own holiness1 the taint of personal malice1 personal revenge1 ran like a dark and dirty thread through the whiteness of his own soul's garment4 ,le ,loutre was as honest with himself as he was able to be1 and certainly his fanaticism was real and true4 ,yet he judged ,gabriel entirely by himself1 by his own capacity for righteous 787 hatred3 ,gabriel was at the head of the party searching for him betwixt ,beausjour and ,baye-,verte1 and it was for this reason that he had made a wide dtour1 appointing the meeting with his factotum1 ,cope1 at a house where dwelt one who could be depended upon not to betray him4 ,her influence over the young heretic1 he believed1 could also be depended upon1 should the fugitives be intercepted by him in their flight4 ,honor1 loyalty to duty1 counted for nothing in the estimation of the religious fanatic4 8,it is for her soul's salvation10 he repeated to himself with pious emphasis4 ,from the woods near by floated the quavering cry of a night owl4 8,await me here1 ,margot10 exclaimed the priest authoritatively1 and stepping backward was lost in the shadows4 ,force of habit was strong1 and still leaning from the window she instinctively obeyed4 ,a few minutes elapsed1 and then the terrifying ,indian1 who no longer had terrors for her1 re-appeared4 ,but this time no words passed4 ,a brawny arm seized her by the waist1 while at the same time a cloth was pushed into her mouth4 ,unable to utter a sound1 she was dragged from the window1 and borne away4 ,,chapter ,,vii ,when ,gabriel1 two or three days later1 rode up to rejoin ,monckton's command under the walls of ,beausjour1 his heart--despite his failure to capture the fugitive priest--beat high with joyful anticipation1 for ,monckton had promised that upon his return he should be given a few hours to visit his cousin and assure himself that all was indeed well with her4 ,the general himself was subject to the orders of ,governor ,shirley1 and ,gabriel had come to him with a letter of recommendation from ,george ,washington4 ,washington1 himself a ,virginian1 rightly guessed that the young soldier1 of ,english birth and bound to ,virginia by ties of blood and sympathy1 would not harmonize comfortably with the ,new ,england ,puritans under ,winslow4 8,the maiden were best at ,halifax10 had been ,monckton's comment on hearing ,gabriel's briefly told tale4 8,there abide many of her people40 ,best6 ,yes1 how far best6 ,but wishes were vain4 ,the general1 when ,gabriel arrived in camp1 was busy in his tent1 and merely waved his hand hurriedly as the young man saluted and began to make his report4 8,i know1 ,i know60 he exclaimed4 8,the rascally priest has slipped through our fingers1 disguised as one of his infernal ,micmacs1 ,i understand4 ,well1 the country is well rid of him4 ,i shall soon have other work for you40 ,chancing to glance up1 something in his lieutenant's face struck him--something in the tense eagerness of the fine1 soldierly figure4 8,speak10 he said kindly1 8what is it80 ,then suddenly he remembered1 and a smile illumined his anxious1 rather worn face1 while that of ,gabriel flushed in response4 8,ah1 ,i bethink me4 ,well1 rest and eat1 and then go to the house on the ,missaguash where dwells the cousin4 ,ere long ,i will have less pleasant work for you40 ,the color ebbed from ,gabriel's face4 ,he longed to inquire further2 to ask if the rumor were true that in consequence of persistent refusal to take the oath of allegiance the ,acadians were to be expelled from ,english soil1 from the places of refuge still left them by the ,french after forcing them from their former homes4 ,poor1 unhappy people2 driven like sheep before the wolves6 ,but discipline forbade anything but prompt and silent obedience4 ,and1 as an hour or two later1 he swung at a gallop toward the home of ,herbes and ,marin1 of whose precise locality he had been informed by a friendly ,acadian1 his high hopes of the morning were tinged with gloomy forebodings4 ,one by one the ,french forts were falling into ,english hands1 and in a few days ,acadia would once more be an ,english province4 ,already the land over which he rode--called the ,chignecto district--belonged no more to ,france4 ,across the bridge he thundered1 and there in the midst of the meadows stood the rough cabin and outlying sheds inhabited by those he sought4 ,faster and faster flew the horse1 conscious of his rider's impatience1 and ,marin1 lolling on a bench before the door1 arose in mingled alarm and curiosity4 ,to the women and children1 crowding to the front at the sound of galloping hoofs1 the young soldier was a splendid apparition as he sprang from his excited steed and greeted them bareheaded1 the glory of the ,may sun in his ruffled blonde curls1 and his eyes shining blue as the waters of far ,chignecto ,bay4 ,then of a sudden knowledge came to ,marie4 8,ah1 the cousin60 she ejaculated2 and then could say no more4 ,how could she tell him8 8,yes10 he cried1 8,i am ,gabriel4 ,where is ,margot80 8,ah1 la pauvre petite6 ,who knows80 ,and the kind-hearted woman threw her apron over her head and burst into loud sobs1 in which she was joined by ,julie1 the wife of ,marin4 ,frantic as he was with anxiety1 ,gabriel could extract nothing coherent from either the women or ,marin1 the latter a stupid fellow at best1 with just enough brains to be suspicious and obstinate2 but fortunately ,louis ,herbes arrived on the scene1 and from him the sad tale was forthcoming4 8,nevertheless he was no ,indian10 concluded ,louis shrewdly1 glancing over his shoulder and speaking in a whisper2 8it was ,m4 l',abb himself40 8,how knowest thou that80 growled ,marin4 8,i do know it10 asserted ,herbes with quiet confidence4 8,there were some who also knew and told4 ,i have spoken aloud and sorely of the loss of our ,margot40 8,yes1 bon ami10 sneered ,marin4 8,now tell it all4 ,give le bon prtre into the hands of the heretics40 8,whom ,i may trust1 that also ,i know10 exclaimed ,louis vehemently1 turning upon his friend4 4 4 ,then more calmly1 8,no matter for that4 ,m4 l',abb is out of ,acadie ere now1 and we1 say ,i1 are well rid of him4 ,only grief and trouble did he bring us40 ,he glanced around defiantly1 but the little group remained passive4 ,gabriel stood apart1 his face hidden in his horse's mane4 ,at length he spoke3 8,and thou knowest no more1 good ,louis8 ,thou hast no clue80 8,this only3 that from ,baye-,verte ,m4 l',abb1 and his brother priest made sail for ,quebec1 and it was said that he would leave our ,margot at ,isle ,st4 ,jean1 where is a goodly colony of our people1 driven out of ,acadie long since and living miserably40 ,gabriel groaned4 ,julie stepped forward and laid a kindly hand upon his shoulder4 8,better that than the ,indians10 she exclaimed in the sanguine tones habitual to her4 8,and something tells me that la petite escaped4 ,who knows8 ,she may have made her way to ,halifax40 8,impossible60 returned ,gabriel sadly4 8,all alone1 those many leagues80 8,but10 put in ,herbes confidently1 8there was a party of our country people landed at ,baye-,verte from that melancholy isle1 on their way to ,halifax to take the oath of allegiance4 ,one party had already done so1 with the result that they were reinstated in their old homes and furnished by the heretic ,english with provisions for the winter4 ,this second party looked for the same indulgence1 if not too late4 ,who knows8 the maiden may have joined them4 ,one coming hither from ,baye-,verte vowed that he saw her not with the priests40 8,and ,i80 exclaimed ,gabriel1 in a sudden burst of anger with himself1 8why did not ,i capture that man1 who over and over again has brought misery into my own life and the lives of all dear to me8 ,from ,beausjour to ,baye-,verte it is but twelve miles1 and meseemed ,i rode with my company over every inch of it1 yet saw neither priest nor ,indian40 ,the face of ,louis took on a peculiar expression4 8,m4 le ,capitain10 he said1 8it hath been related of us that we1 the ,acadians1 love gold4 ,and why not80 shrugging his shoulders and spreading his hands4 8,gold1 it is good1 and we are poor4 ,m4 l',abb has gold always1 and so there are those who would hide and help him1 even though he be shorn of his strength4 ,also1 is he not our father in ,god80 ,here his expression became devout1 and he crossed himself4 8,also1 there are some who have wearied of his rule--worse1 say ,i1 than that of a dozen kings--and would speed him in his flight40 ,but ,marie interrupted her husband3 8,yes1 ,halifax10 she cried1 whirling on the two men2 8and was it not your wife1 she who knows nothing1 and the wife of the good friend1 and la petite herself1 women all1 who gave you the wise counsel to go to ,halifax while yet there was time1 and take the honorable oath of allegiance1 and live in peace in the fair ,annapolis meadows1 and you would not8 ,what have the ,french done for us1 ,i ask thee once more8 ,what matter the flag8 ,i tell thee once again4 ,give us peace in the homes of our fathers40 ,and at the thought1 ,marie wiped the tears of memory from her eyes4 ,louis continued silent1 and ,marin it was that answered with a shrug4 8,no need to weep1 bonne femme6 ,there is yet time4 ,the ,english are a dull race4 ,they permit themselves to be deceived once and yet again40 8,but not again10 put in ,gabriel sternly4 8,look you1 ,marin1 and you too1 friend ,herbes1 you would have done well to listen to the sage counsel of your wives1 and of the little ,margot10 here his voice faltered1 8who was ever wise1 and for whose safe keeping so long ,i owe you all thanks which may not be measured4 ,yet ,i tell you1 ,england's lion may sleep long1 but he wakes at last2 so hath it ever been4 ,our governors1 ,cornwallis1 ,hopson1 were men of large and tender heart2 they forgave and forbore4 ,with this governor it is otherwise2 with ,governor ,shirley is it also otherwise2 these are men who will not forbear2 they strike1 and they strike hard4 ,greatly ,i fear me that naught will avail you now2 yet ,i know nothing absolutely40 ,he mounted his horse1 and held out his hand to the group1 all the brightness gone from his young face4 ,but they clung to him1 unwilling to part from their last hope1 beseeching him to intercede for them1 promising that if he succeeded they would start for ,halifax at once1 searching constantly for the maiden by the way4 8,alas1 good friends60 replied the young man sadly1 8,i am insignificant4 ,no word of mine has weight with general or governor1 although it is true that ,monckton favors me somewhat4 ,my time1 my person1 are at the disposal of my superiors4 ,i cannot even go myself to search for and rescue the beloved6 ,even with you1 my friends1 ,i have lingered too long40 ,he pressed each hand in turn4 8,but you will try1 ,m4 le capitain80 they cried in chorus4 8,i will try4 ,but ,i am not even a captain60 ,he smiled kindly upon them1 but in his eyes was a sorrow akin to despair4 ,another moment1 and the thunder of his horse's hoofs sounded upon the bridge4 ,it was as he foretold4 ,the long years of indulgence were at an end4 ,the storm so slow in gathering broke at last with the fury of the long-delayed4 ,winslow and ,monckton1 the ,new ,england and the ,british generals1 their tempers ruffled by distasteful duty1 were already inclined to fall out2 and ,gabriel soon saw that in order to intercede successfully for his ,acadian friends he must bide his time4 ,but the peremptory orders sent by ,governor ,lawrence neither general was in a hurry to carry out2 and so it happened that one day ,gabriel perceived his chance and seized it4 8,they are friends of yours1 you say80 said ,monckton1 8and cared for the cousin in her time of need8 ,how came it1 then1 that they gave her not better protection now8 ,they tell you she is safe1 but how know they8 ,how know you80 8,ah1 if ,i did but know60 broke from the young soldier involuntarily4 ,then controlling himself1 he proceeded3 8,general1 the women of the household have long striven with the men that they should return to live under the ,english flag4 ,herbes and ,marin were among those who signed the petition to the ,french and ,english governments that they should be allowed to do so1 thereby grievously displeasing ,le ,loutre1 so that he selected these men to go to ,quebec as deputies1 well knowing the reception that awaited them there4 ,thus did he punish them2 and my lord can guess that it was punishment indeed60 ,monckton half smiled2 then rubbed his forehead in weariness and perplexity4 ,finally he said3 8,well1 lieutenant1 go6 ,but bid them do quickly that which they desire4 ,the order has gone forth1 and in a day or two at farthest ,i may spare none40 ,so once more ,gabriel flew across the ,missaguash1 and although he could hear nothing more of ,margot1 he at least had the consolation of feeling that he had saved her benefactors1 and that there was always hope she might be found at ,halifax1 whither the party started that same night in their ox-wagons1 driving their milch-cows before them4 ,,chapter ,,viii ,and now followed bitter days indeed4 ,a merciless guide and shepherd might ,le ,loutre have been1 but at least in him the helpless flock had found a leader2 he had forsaken them1 and like silly sheep they ran hither and thither1 halting more than ever betwixt two opinions4 ,looking vainly to the ,french for assistance1 they shilly-shallyed too long with the oath of allegiance to the ,english government1 and began to reap the terrible harvest accruing from long years of deceit and paltering with honor4 ,it has been written that a man may not serve two masters1 and too late the unhappy ,acadians realized the truth of these words4 ,gabriel gave thanks that it was the ,new ,england troops that were sent out from ,beausjour1 re-christened ,fort ,cumberland1 to gather in all the male ,acadians in the vicinity1 since but a small proportion had obeyed the summons to report themselves at the fort4 ,but he rejoiced too soon4 ,winslow was soon ordered to the ,basin of ,mines1 and especially requested that the lieutenant who had distinguished himself during the siege might accompany him with a few regulars4 ,the entire ,basin of ,mines1 including the village of ,grand ,pr1 having been left comparatively undisturbed by ,le ,loutre and his 8lambs10 still continued to be prosperous ,acadian settlements2 and it was therefore upon them that the storm broke most destructively1 and it was there1 perhaps1 that the saddest scenes in this sad history took place4 ,yet it was here too1 that the people had benefited most by the lenient ,english rule1 and had shown themselves most unreliable and treacherous2 or1 to speak more accurately1 had yielded with the greatest weakness to the abb's instigations1 in particular as regarded the disguising of themselves as ,indians that they might plunder ,english settlements4 ,by this means they had saved their own skins1 so to speak1 and had been spared many persecutions at the hands of ,le ,loutre4 ,and now these unhappy peasants1 too dull of brain to thoroughly understand what they were bringing upon themselves1 refused to sign the oath of allegiance 8until after further consideration40 ,already six years of such 8consideration0 had been granted them by the indulgence of former governors2 and instead of considering1 they had been acting1--acting the part of traitors4 ,as has been said1 the present governors of ,new ,england and ,nova ,scotia were in no mood for longer dalliance1 even had they been able to afford it4 ,if more time were given1 the ,french1 whose forces were the stronger1 might regain all they had lost4 ,the ,acadians were aware of the superior strength of ,france1 and this knowledge was one of the causes of their suicidal tardiness4 ,it was with a gloomy brow1 therefore1 that ,gabriel stood one bright ,september morning at the window of the vicarage at ,grand ,pr1 gazing forth upon the rich farms and meadowland spread before him1 backed by the azure of mountain and water4 ,winslow was a thorough soldier1 if a rough man2 and1 like every officer1 regular or colonial1 loathed his task1 though convinced of its necessity4 ,at ,fort ,edward1 farther inland1 he had found both sympathy and good fellowship in the ,english lieutenant stationed there2 but sociabilities had to end now1 although a friendly intercourse was kept up1 ,winslow and ,murray remaining on the best of terms throughout their detested work4 ,the two officers had decided not to interfere with the farmers until the crops were gathered2 but as ,winslow's force was greatly outnumbered by the ,acadians1 he put up a palisade around the church1 graveyard1 and vicarage1 thus making a kind of fort4 ,before doing so1 however1 he had directed the ,acadians to remove from the church all sacred emblems lest through the bigotry and fanaticism of the ,puritan soldiers these revered treasures should be destroyed4 ,the ,new ,englander expressed his own feelings thus1 in a letter to his commanding officer3 8,although it is a disagreeable path of duty we are put upon1 ,i am sensible it is a necessary one1 and shall endeavor strictly to obey your excellency's orders40 ,winslow and ,murray arranged to summon the habitans at the same day and hour1 in order that the stunning blow might fall on their respective districts at once4 ,a natural antipathy1 needless to say1 existed betwixt the ,puritan soldiers of ,new ,england and the habitans of ,acadia4 ,the former1 moreover1 were hardened by a life of struggle and difficulty in a climate and with a soil less genial than that of ,acadie2 and these soldiers belonged to the same age and race that put to death helpless women for witchcraft and hanged harmless ,quakers for the crime of refusing to leave the colony of ,massachusetts4 ,yet even they must at times have felt some pity for the unfortunate peasants1 driven from their peaceful homes4 ,le ,loutre1 however1 had felt none during all the years he had been at the same work4 ,when the hour arrived in which the assembled ,acadians were to be told that they were prisoners1 ,gabriel had begged of ,winslow's clemency that he might be absent from the church2 and now1 as he stood sadly at the window of the vicarage parlor1 the door of the room was softly pushed open1 and ,marin stood before him4 ,his little eyes were restless with fear1 and his naturally crafty countenance was drawn and pale4 ,gabriel uttered an exclamation1 and sprang forward4 8,tchut60 ,the peasant put his finger to his lips4 8,i was in ,halifax1 eh1 ,m4 le ,capitain80 he whispered4 8,nay1 but here am ,i at ,grand ,pr--and so much the worse for a good ,catholic6 ,i said1 ,i have tricked these heretics before and ,i will trick them again4 ,it is a good deed--but this time the holy saints were not with me40 ,the young officer made a gesture of despair and disgust4 8,but1 friend ,marin1 what of thy given word8 ,didst thou not promise me that if ,i obtained permission for thee to go to ,halifax1 thither thou wouldst go80 ,the man shrugged his shoulders4 8,assuredly4 ,but what of that8 ,one more or less--what matters it8 ,at ,grand ,pr no foolish oath was then required--at ,halifax1 yes60 8,but how didst thou escape from the church80 8,oh1 that was not difficult4 ,we were caught1 we men1 as rats in a trap2 but the general yielded to our tears and prayers1 and we are to choose daily twenty to go home and console the wives and children4 ,i am among the first lot chosen1 and----0 ,gabriel interrupted him impatiently4 8,but ,louis ,herbes1 is he also at ,grand ,pr80 8,alas1 no6 the wife1 she was too strong4 ,they proceeded to ,halifax4 ,i too desire to go thither now if thou1 who art of ,acadie1 wilt aid me40 8,when thou needest help before1 ,i was of the hated ,english10 retorted the young man grimly4 8,but be ,i what ,i may1 ,english or ,acadian1 ,i serve honor first--and so bethink thee60 8,honor8 ,assuredly1 ,m4 le ,capitain6 ,yet listen40 ,he came nearer1 lowering his voice to a whisper4 8,i come not back1 hearest thou80 8,and what of thy countrymen here8 ,of a certainty they will be held answerable for thy treachery40 8,that will be thy part to arrange10 observed ,marin coolly4 ,gabriel1 ever quick to act1 sprang upon the peasant and seized him by the collar of his blouse4 ,for a moment anger deprived him of the power of speech4 ,then-- 8,and thou wilt make me traitor too60 he cried4 8,almost ,i could wish that no blood of ,acadie ran in my veins60 8,and ,margot--is she not ,acadian80 ,marin was quite unabashed1 and there was a leer in the small eyes he turned up to the young giant who held him as a mastiff holds a rat4 ,at the name of ,margot1 ,gabriel loosed the man1 covered his eyes with his hands and sank into a chair4 8,ah1 ,margot60 he groaned4 8,yes1 ,margot1 ,i say again4 ,thou wilt let me go1 and thou wilt swear that thou knowest of a truth that ,i overstayed my time1 and was drowned in the marshes hurrying hither in the darkness of the night1 that thou didst strive to save me and failed4 ,the salt marshes receive the dead1 and cover them kindly4 ,all this thou dost know1 and my good character also4 ,who will doubt the word of a brave soldier80 8,a clumsy plot1 indeed1 even were ,i willing to forswear my honor for thee60 ,gabriel had his friend by the collar again4 8,release me1 or ,i will not tell thee what ,i know60 ejaculated ,marin sullenly4 8,tell1 and be done60 ,the young man let go of his prisoner so suddenly that the fellow nearly fell upon the floor4 8,not so fast1 my brave capitain60 ,marin was eying him now from a safe distance4 8,not a word of the belle cousine dost thou win from me until ,i have thy promise to aid me to escape40 ,illustration3 8#8,and thou wilt make me traitor too1' he cried40 ,gabriel was silent4 8,it is as ,i say4 ,i know where ,margot is to be found1 but----0 ,marin paused expressively4 ,gabriel still did not answer4 ,when at last he spoke1 his voice was low and stern4 8,marin1 ,i owe thee somewhat in that thou didst open thy doors to my cousin and her friends in their time of stress4 ,thou hast said that ,i am ,acadian4 ,true6 ,but also am ,i ,english1 and an ,english soldier and a ,protestant4 ,there is my faith and my honor--both forbid a lie4 ,not even for ,margot can ,i do this thing40 ,his voice broke1 and he turned away4 ,well1 he knew the combined obstinacy and ignorance of the typical ,acadian peasant1 such as in some sort ,marin was1 and he hoped nothing4 ,marin1 on the contrary1 not understanding the situation1 would not give up1 and1 in the few remaining minutes left uninterrupted1 worked his hardest4 ,the temptation was sore indeed1 and by the time his tormentor was summoned to accompany the deputies1 ,gabriel's young face was pale and drawn with the struggle4 8,tell me but one thing10 he said ere they parted1 8is it well with her80 8,well8 ,how know ,i80 retorted the ,acadian1 surveying the result of his work with mingled complacency and disgust4 8,perhaps60 ,but for the tremendous pressure already being put upon his unhappy commander by the events of this fifth day of ,september1 ,gabriel would have gone directly to him1 and despite his gratitude to ,marin for past services1 would have requested that he be detained until he should reveal the whereabouts of ,margot4 ,but ,winslow1 ,new ,england ,puritan though he might be1 was finding1 in common with his ,english brother-in-arms at ,fort ,edward1 8things very heavy on his heart and hands02 so ,gabriel forebore to trouble him with his own matters4 ,and if his superior's heart was heavy1 how much heavier was his--born and reared an ,acadian of the ,acadians1 and now with personal loss and grief added to his other sorrows6 ,marin1 though crafty and self-seeking1 had not the daring to break his word1 unsheltered as he was by ,gabriel from the righteous wrath of his compatriots2 so night saw him back within the stockade4 ,he kept his secret1 nevertheless1 and neither persuasion nor threats prevailed with him4 ,the rest of the prisoners were all strangers to ,gabriel1 and had never heard of him before2 and for reasons of his own1 ,marin kept their previous acquaintance dark4 ,as the days went on1 and the prisoners increased in number both at ,fort ,edward and ,grand ,pr1 the commanding officers grew uneasy4 ,the transports that were to bear away the ,acadian families with their household goods were slow in arriving1 and it would have been easy for the prisoners1 had they been men of courage and resolution1 to overpower their guards and escape4 ,unfortunately the ,acadian character possessed none of those qualities necessary for the preservation of freedom1 or for the reclaiming of it if lost4 ,gabriel's duties kept him constantly within the stockade2 and the small force having no horses with them1 and the village of ,grand ,pr1 together with the other settlements1 straggling for many miles1 he had never been within a league of the house of ,marin or encountered any chance acquaintance4 ,the times were too strenuous1 the crisis too tremendous1 to permit of the least relaxation on the part of a loyal officer4 ,but although the transports delayed1 ships from ,boston came and anchored in the ,basin4 ,winslow thereupon resolved to place about half of his prisoners upon these ships1 and keep them there for better security until the transports should arrive4 ,to ,gabriel1 because of his complete understanding of the language and the nature of his fellow-countrymen1 the general left the hard task of explaining to the prisoners what was required of them1 and of persuading them to submit quietly4 ,all were very silent as they stood in the churchyard guarded by soldiers4 ,winslow himself kept rather in the background1 leaving his subordinate to enact the part of principal in this trying scene4 ,the general1 though a good soldier and popular with his men1 had hitherto passed for a person somewhat ignorant and over-much addicted to self-satisfaction4 ,but in the last few weeks he had had little opportunity for satisfaction even with himself4 8,this affair is more grievous to me than any service ,i was ever employed in60 was his constant lament4 ,and now1 as he stood quietly watching ,gabriel1 he observed for the first time the change in the young man4 ,he was pale and wan1 and his eyes wore the look of one who is forever seeking and never finding4 ,in a low1 clear voice he announced the decision of the general1 assured them of their perfect safety1 and also that the wives and children of the married would soon be restored to them4 ,for a while a great murmuring prevailed1 which ,gabriel was powerless to subdue2 it seemed as if1 despite every effort1 bloodshed must be the result of the manifesto4 ,the ,new ,england soldiers1 as has been said1 had little sympathy with the 8idolaters10 and were ready at a word to make short work of them4 ,but ,winslow was reluctant to say that word1 and ere long ,gabriel had the prisoners once more under control4 ,a given number of unmarried men were then selected1 these being sent off under guard to the ships2 after them were to follow a smaller number of married men4 ,gabriel stood like a figure carved in stone at the head of his handful of soldiers1 whilst the commanding officer himself selected the ,acadian husbands and fathers4 ,suddenly1 before the guard could interfere1 a figure hurled itself out of the chosen group and precipitated itself upon ,gabriel1 while a voice shrieked3 8,thou1 thou who art an ,acadian1 thou canst save me6 me1 who took the cousin into my house and fed and sheltered her6 ,answer1 dost hear80 ,but ,gabriel was on duty1 and made as though he neither heard nor saw4 ,shaking ,marin from his arm1 he motioned to his men to replace him in the ranks4 ,winslow's curiosity1 ever active1 was1 however1 aroused1 and seizing his opportunity1 he drew his subordinate to one side and questioned him4 ,gabriel replied with his customary brevity and straightforwardness4 8,and why did you not come at once to me1 sir80 rejoined ,winslow1 puffing and mopping his fat1 red face4 ,the young man stated his reasons1 adding that though ,marin might possibly know where ,margot was1 no reliance was to be placed upon the word of a man who was concerned only for his own comfort and had no respect for truth4 8,that may be1 that may be10 fussed the kind-hearted general4 8,but1 lieutenant1 you will now conduct these men to the ships4 ,their women will of a surety line the way along which you have to pass4 ,assure them of my permission to visit their men-folk daily until this troublesome job be at an end--as ,god grant it may be ere long4 ,your eyes may be on the women as well as on your duty1 eh8 ,you are young1 yet ,i have proven you worthy of trust40 ,so saying1 the general bustled off1 and shortly after the gates of the stockade were again opened and the procession started for the shores of the ,basin4 ,for one of ,gabriel's years and position the task set him1 though kindly intentioned1 was a heartbreaking one4 ,but a few miles distant1 near the mouth of the ,annapolis ,river1 he and ,margot had been born and reared4 ,in spite of his manhood1 or perhaps because he was so true a man1 the hot tears rose to his eyes1 kept from falling only by the might of his iron will2 for all along the wayside toward the water's edge kneeled or stood the wives and children of the men tramping beside him through the late summer's dust1 gazing as they passed not merely on those wives and children1 but upon the wide and fertile meadows whose harvests they should never gather more4 ,at intervals as he walked ,gabriel proclaimed the general's behests and promises2 and one or two women1 who knew now for the first time of his presence in the neighborhood and recognized him1 pressed forward to clasp his hands and cover them with tears1 and plead with the man who1 as a little babe1 they had held upon their strong knees and pressed to their broad ,acadian bosoms4 ,unable longer to endure in silence1 on his own account he at length called a halt1 and in loud1 ringing tones spoke these words3 8,fellow-countrymen1 ,i serve my general1 and him ,i must obey4 ,but his heart1 even as my own1 is heavy for your sufferings1 and again ,i tell you that your husbands and fathers are not being borne away from you4 ,they will remain on the ships but a short distance from the shore1 and every day you can visit them until such time as the transports arrive and you all sail away together1 you and your children and your household goods4 ,grieve not1 then1 for loss which is not yours40 ,concluding his brief address he stepped down from the low mound upon which he had mounted1 and confronted the wife of ,marin4 ,evidently she belonged to the class of women whose indifference had so greatly astonished the ,english lieutenant2 for her face was calm1 and she smiled as she met ,gabriel's eyes4 ,it was impossible for him to pause longer1 but although her husband's malevolent gaze was riveted upon her1 ,julie extended her hand and caught that of the young officer as he swung past on the march4 8,look for me at the church10 she whispered1 8at the hour of vespers40 ,gabriel's impulsive heart leaped within him1 and in an instant a thousand wild hopes and imaginings were seething in his brain2 and the women1 being appeased and many of them hurrying homeward to prepare meals to carry to the ships1 he was left unmolested4 ,he concluded his task without further difficulty1 and returned to the church4 ,the general1 relieved from pressing anxiety1 was in a mood to satisfy his natural curiosity1 and having received his lieutenant's formal report1 began to ply him with questions respecting his personal affairs4 ,gabriel answered without reserve4 8,mark me1 sir60 exclaimed ,winslow delightedly1 8the maiden comes hither this night with the woman4 ,then will we have some romance in these melancholy times40 ,and forgetting his dignity1 he clapped his subordinate violently on the shoulder4 ,and ,gabriel found nothing to say4 ,,chapter ,,ix ,but ,winslow was in error4 ,the wife of ,marin came alone1 and ,gabriel's yearning eyes traveled in vain beyond the sturdy figure of the ,acadian peasant woman for the slight one of his cousin4 ,the meeting took place in the general's private parlor4 8,ah1 you expected la petite60 began ,julie volubly1 8but that may not be--not yet40 8,where is she1 friend ,julie80 interrupted the young man impatiently4 8,how did she escape from the priest8 ,is she well8 ,is she happy8 ,does she think of me8 ,only tell me40 8,but that is much to tell1 my brave boy10 laughed ,julie4 8,listen now to me1 who am indeed thy friend4 ,thou shalt see her1 and she shall answer those many questions with her own lips1 but on one condition3 the marriage must be at once--on the instant4 ,otherwise1 ,marin----0 she shrugged her shoulders expressively4 8,it is not well1 seest thou1 to fall out with a husband4 ,now1 ,marin is a prisoner1 therefore am ,i a weak woman left alone to deal with a young man of violence1 seest thou8 ,thou dost seize thy bride1 thou dost carry her to thy priest1 who am ,i8 ,but shouldst thou delay1 and ,i bring la petite to visit thee once1 twice1 many times1 ,marin1 he will say1 #8,thou1 bonne femme1 wast the guardian of this child1 and thou didst take her to visit a heretic1 allowing her also to neglect the duties she owes thee4' ,but once thy wife1 ,m4 le ,capitain1 and all is over40 ,gabriel listened to this harangue with eyes upon the ground and the red color slowly flushing to his fair face4 ,he continued silent so long that the woman lost patience4 8,mon ,dieu60 she ejaculated under her breath1 8is it the ,english blood that makes him so dull80 ,at last he spoke hesitatingly3 8,good friend1 thou sayest1 #8,seest thou8' ,i reply1 #8,seest thou not also8' ,there has been no talk of marriage betwixt ,margot and myself4 ,truly do ,i desire it10 his eyes flashed1 and he raised his head4 8,i desire it with all the strength that is in me1 but with ,margot1 the maiden1 it may be otherwise40 ,again the wife of ,marin laughed4 ,so loudly did she laugh that the general1 pacing the vicarage garden1 paused at the open window to acquaint himself with the cause of her mirth4 8,it is the brave garon1 my general4 ,he knows nothing4 ,let him but arrange for the marriage1 and ,i1 even ,i1 ,julie1 will answer for the maiden40 ,then1 on being questioned by ,winslow1 she went over her tale once more1 and the two gossips would have promptly settled the whole affair out of hand had not one of the principals interposed4 8,let me but see her once--only once--first10 implored ,gabriel4 ,the general1 promptly won over to the side of ,julie1 hesitated1 in such haste was he for the pleasurable excitement of a wedding2 but finally it was resolved that the young lover should go the following morning to ,julie's little cabin1 and there win his fair young bride for himself4 ,as ,julie drew on her hood preparatory to departure1 ,winslow inquired of her how it fared with the women1 remarking that she herself seemed to bear her fate with much cheer4 8,for the others--well1 while many lament1 all do not4 ,for myself ,i care not4 ,i weary of the ,french rule and the fighting and wandering and the savage ,indians4 ,anywhere ,i go willingly where there is peace1 and the soil is fruitful--v' l tout60 ,so she went2 and the early sun was glistening on meadows yet dewy when ,gabriel1 forgetful for the moment of the sorrows around him and his own distasteful duties1 strode along the same dusty road he had traversed the previous day1 arriving in the course of an hour or so at the small hut inhabited by the ,marins4 ,julie1 hastening forth to milk1 greeted him with a broad smile1 and waved to him to enter4 ,enter he did1 and in a second1 neither knew how1 he held ,margot close to his heart4 ,it was long before a word was spoken4 ,it was enough that they were together2 and when at length ,gabriel found voice1 it was at first only for expressions of pity and endearment for the frail little creature who seemed lost within his large embrace4 ,illustration3 8,they sat down side by side 4 4 4 before the empty hearth40 8,but ,i am not so frail1 mon cousin10 she protested4 8,i can work and endure1 ah1 thou knowest not how much60 8,but never again1 chrie60 was ,gabriel's reply2 and grown strangely and suddenly bold1 he added3 8and remember1 it must be #8mon cousin' no longer1 for from this very day there shall be an end of #8cousin'--it will be #8wife' and #8husband4' ,hearest thou80 ,yes1 ,margot heard1 but had nothing to say4 ,finally she remarked in a low voice3 8,i would be baptized into thy faith first40 8,what80 cried ,gabriel joyfully4 8,is that really so1 my ,margot8 ,what glad news6 ,now is all indeed well with us6 ,there is a chaplain at ,fort ,edward2 he will baptize thee1 and marry us40 ,they sat down side by side upon the rude bench before the empty hearth1 and talked and made plans as lovers have done since lovers first began4 ,gabriel's mind1 as we know1 worked quickly1 and he soon had beautiful schemes mapped out for being transferred to ,washington's command in ,virginia1 that rising young general having been recently appointed commander-in-chief of the army there4 8,my noble captain is now stationed at ,winchester10 he concluded1 8and with him is that grand old soldier ,fairfax1 the lord lieutenant of the county4 ,they are engaged in subduing the ,indians4 ,at ,winchester we will live1 and then shall ,i be ever at hand to protect my wife40 ,news traveled slowly in those days1 and ,gabriel had heard nothing of the panic at ,winchester1 and with the confidence and faith of youth believed that his hero1 ,george ,washington1 could accomplish even the impossible4 ,but duty called1 and ,julie returned1 and ,gabriel had to depart2 yet not before it was arranged that1 with ,winslow's permission1 assured in advance1 ,julie should bring ,margot that evening to the church1 there to meet the chaplain from ,fort ,edward1 who would perform the two sacraments of baptism and marriage4 ,winslow1 naturally of a cheerful disposition1 rejoiced in this break in the monotony of misery1 hastily dispatched a messenger to ,fort ,edward1 and but for ,gabriel's entreaties would have made the marriage as jovial an affair as ,puritanical principles admitted of4 ,discipline forbade that a woman could be received as an inmate of a fortified camp1 neither could ,gabriel be spared often from duties destined to become daily more onerous and troublesome2 but to the two1 scarcely more than boy and girl1 who stood that evening with bowed heads before the chaplain1 there was more than common comfort in the solemn words3 8,those whom ,god hath joined together let no man put asunder40 ,joy and thankfulness1 deep and unutterable1 swelled the heart of the young husband as1 from the gate in the stockade1 he watched the slight form of his girl-wife disappear into the gathering shades of night4 ,she was his now--his to claim1 to protect1 to have and to hold till death did them part4 ,in the excitement and rapture of meeting1 ,gabriel had hardly bethought him to ask her how she had escaped from ,le ,loutre4 ,the fact that she had escaped1 that she was alive and well and with him1 filled his mental horizon4 ,the tale1 however1 was short4 ,the priest1 hard pressed1 had been compelled to give her up to a party of fugitives hastening to ,halifax to take the oath4 ,this party had come upon the ,marins1 and thinking they also were bound for ,halifax1 ,margot had willingly joined them1 finding out when it was too late ,marin's change of view4 ,in those last sad days for her country-people ,margot showed of what stuff she was made4 ,consoling1 upholding1 encouraging1 she seemed to have arrived suddenly at a noble womanhood4 ,this1 however1 was not the case4 ,she had been growing toward it slowly but surely through years of adversity4 ,the continued delay in the coming of the transports bred trouble betwixt the soldiers and the ,acadians4 8,the soldiers10 we are told1 8disliked and despised them10 the ,acadians1 and the general found it necessary not only to enforce discipline more sternly among his troops1 but to administer the lash also on occasion4 ,at last1 one ,october day1 ,winslow had four transports at his disposal4 ,orders and counter-orders1 lamentation and weeping1 disturbed the clear1 still air4 ,villages had to be arranged to go together in the same transport as well as families2 and this1 with so few troops at his command1 was no easy task for the general1 who naturally was possessed of very little experience as regarded organization4 ,gabriel1 who while under ,washington had received of necessity some training1 was his right hand man4 ,the male prisoners were removed from the ships to land while the mustering went forward4 ,as the women filed past the spot where for a moment the harassed general and his subordinate had come together1 and the pair gazed upon the melancholy confusion of young and old1 and household belongings in carts1 ,winslow groaned3 8,i know they deserve all and more than they feel2 yet it hurts me to hear their weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth60 ,at ,fort ,edward1 as well as at many other places in the province1 the same terrible scenes were being enacted--those in command1 without one single authentic exception1 carrying out the stern decree as mercifully as possible4 ,beside the long train of women walked the priest of each village1 encouraging and upholding his flock4 ,a few of these priests accompanied the exiles1 but most of them returned to ,canada4 ,not all the women1 however1 were 8weeping and wailing40 ,some1 as has been remarked1 appeared to be wholly undisturbed4 ,among these latter was ,julie1 in the cart with whom was ,margot1 bound to see the last of her benefactress4 ,as they passed1 both women waved their hands to the two officers1 ,julie calling gayly to ,gabriel3 8,it is well1 ,m4 le mari6 ,our ship goes to ,virginia1 where we shall again meet4 ,is it not so80 ,for weary weeks the misery was prolonged1 and it was the close of the year before ,winslow's and ,murray's bitter task about the ,basin of the ,mines was completed4 ,but improved organization rendered even difficult things easier1 and by the last of ,october the general was able to part1 though with extreme reluctance1 with his most efficient subordinate4 ,gabriel1 promoted to a captaincy1 set sail with his wife on one of the transports for ,virginia4 ,the poor exiles1 with comparatively few exceptions1 were scattered around in the various ,states from ,massachusetts southward1 meeting with no cruelty certainly1 but also with no welcome from the struggling colonials1 and only in ,louisiana thriving and becoming a permanent colony4 ,canada1 and even ,france and ,england1 were also forced to receive them1 and in ,canada1 among the people of their own faith1 their lot was the hardest4 ,help in their own church they found none1 and indeed in many instances implored to be taken back to the ,english ,colonies1 where at least they were not treated with actual inhumanity4 ,the war at last at an end1 many1 the ,herbes amongst the number1 found their way back to their own country4 ,a large portion of the fertile province lay waste1 however1 for years1 the ,new ,england soldier-farmers refusing either part or lot in it1 and ,english settlers finally being brought from over sea4 ,it is doubtful if the ,acadians ever learned the fate of their leader and tyrant4 ,captured on the ocean by the ,english1 ,le ,loutre died in prison1 after having been nearly assassinated by one of the soldiers of the guard1 who swore that the holy father had once in ,acadie tried to take his scalp6 ,and ,gabriel and ,margot8 ,their lives were happy1 although the pain of separation was sometimes theirs1 and they were often exposed to perils and dangers4 ,as an officer under ,washington through stirring times1 both in the ,indian wars and the war of the ,revolution1 ,gabriel's could not be other than the life of sacrifice and self-devotion demanded by the life of a true patriot4 ,margot seconded him bravely1 cheering him on at the trumpet-call of duty and never restraining him by selfish fears and interests4 ,she kept around her a few of her country people2 and there in ,virginia she reared a family of brave boys to follow in their father's steps4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,list of ,illustrations for ,gabriel the ,acadian was moved from the front of the book to the start of the novel4 ,a few obvious punctuation and typesetting errors have been corrected without note4 ,a cover has been created for this ebook and is placed in the public domain4 ,end of ,the ,angel of ,his ,presence by ,g4,l4 ,hill and ,gabriel the ,acadian by ,e4,m4,n4 ,bowyer