e colour came into the boy's face at his aunt's words, for although
she did not so mean it, her question seemed to imply that he was
forgetting his former home and the dear ones he had lost.

"I do like it here," he replied, lifting his big brown eyes to hers.
"It is very different from La Rochelle, I know, but----" and here he
hesitated so long that Constance with a smile took up the sentence.

"But you'd rather live in the woods than in the city--that's it, isn't
it, Raoul? I quite understand, and I don't blame you in the least.
You're fond of adventure, and you're glad to be where there's apt to be
plenty of it. How would you like to go with me to Cape Sable?"

"I'm ready to go with you anywhere, Aunt Constance!" was the prompt and
hearty response. "But why are you going to Cape Sable?"

It was now Constance's turn to blush, and very charming she looked as
she answered in a low tone with her face turned away:

"I am to be married soon, Raoul, to Monsieur La Tour, and he is going
to take me to Cape Sable, where he has his fort."

Raoul sprang to his feet excitedly. The idea of his beloved aunt
belonging to somebody else hurt him cruelly. It filled his heart with
jealousy, and he exclaimed in a tone of passion:

"You're going to be married, Aunt Constance, and to leave us all! What
is that for? Why couldn't you stay with us? We are so happy here."

Constance smiled with pleasure at the vigour of his speech, and putting
her arm about his neck affectionately, said:

"You surely would not have me live and die an old maid, would you,
Raoul? And Monsieur La Tour will make such a good husband for me!"

Raoul sighed as he warmly returned his aunt's caress. His protest was
foolish, of course, and, after all, if she was going to take him with
her to her new home, what would be the difference?

"Oh, yes, I suppose so," he answered. "But I didn't know. Please tell
me all about it."

So Constance went into particulars, Raoul listening with profound
interest.

Charles de la Tour, who was also a Huguenot, had now been for a number
of years in Acadia, carrying on an extensive business in fishing and
fur-trading, and had just built a strong fort at Cape Sable, which he
called Fort St. Louis. Of this establishment he had invited Constance
to become the mistress, and she had given her consent. Yet, although
she loved de la Tour, who was a handsome, genial, daring man such as
easily win a woman's heart, she di