rds, faintly and with difficulty.

"It is nothing. You must not be troubled for me, my good friends.
It is as it should be--as I would have it."

Then his head drooped forward, and Madame Drucour hurried the
soldiers onward to the house where she now lived; Colin running on
in advance to give notice of their approach, and if possible to
find Victor Arnoux, that the wounded man might receive immediate
attention.

The surgeon was luckily on the spot almost at once, and directed
the carrying of the Marquis into one of the lower rooms, where they
laid him on a couch and brought some stimulant for him to swallow.
He was now quite unconscious; and the young surgeon, after looking
at the wound, bit his lip and stood in silent thought whilst the
necessary things were brought to him.

"Is it dangerous?" asked Madame Drucour, in an anxious whisper, as
she looked down at the well-known face.

"It is mortal!" answered Victor, in the same low tone. "He has not
twelve hours of life left in him."

Chapter 2: Surrender.

"Is the General yet living?" asked the Abbe an hour or two later,
entering the house to which he knew his friend had been carried, a
look of concentrated anxiety upon his face.

Madame Drucour had heard his step even before she heard his voice.
She was already beside him, her face pale and her eyes red with
weeping.

"Ah, my brother," she cried, "thou art come to tell us that all is
lost!"

"All would not be lost if the army had a head!" answered the Abbe,
with subdued energy. "We could outnumber the enemy yet if we had a
soldier fit to take command. But the Marquis--how goes it with
him?"

"He lives yet, but he is sinking fast. He will never see the light
of another day!" and the tears which had gathered in Madame
Drucour's eyes fell over her cheeks.

"My poor friend!" sighed the Abbe; and after a pause of musing he
added, "Is he conscious?"

"Yes; he came to himself a short while ago, and insisted upon
knowing how it was with him."

"He knows, then?"

"Yes--Victor Arnoux told him the truth: but I think he knew it
before."

"And what said he?"

"That it was well; that he should not live to see the surrender of
Quebec; that his work was done on earth, and he ready to depart."

"Then he thinks the cause is lost?"

"Those are the words he used. Perchance he knows that there is no
one now to lead or direct them. You know, my brother, that the
brave Senezergues lies mortally wounded. He m