ne to stir up a noise
for the occasion.

It was a great day for Vincennes. The volatile temperament of the
French frontiersmen bubbled over with enthusiasm at the first hint of
something new, and revolutionary in which they might be expected to
take part. Without knowing in the least what it was that Father Gibault
and Oncle Jazon wanted of them, they were all in favor of it at a
venture.

Rene de Ronville, being an active and intelligent young man, was sent
about through the town to let everybody know of the meeting. In passing
he stepped into the cabin of Father Beret, who was sitting on the loose
puncheon floor, with his back turned toward the entrance and so
absorbed in trying to put together a great number of small paper
fragments that he did not hear or look up.

"Are you not going to the meeting, Father?" Rene bluntly demanded. In
the hurry that was on him he did not remember to be formally polite, as
was his habit.

The old priest looked up with a startled face. At the same time he
swept the fragments of paper together and clutched them hard in his
right hand. "Yes, yes, my son--yes I am going, but the time has not yet
come for it, has it?" he stammered. "Is it late?"

He sprang to his feet and appeared confused, as if caught in doing
something very improper.

Rene wondered at this unusual behavior, but merely said:

"I beg pardon, Father Beret, I did not mean to disturb you," and went
his way.

Father Beret stood for some minutes as if dazed, then squeezed the
paper fragments into a tight ball, just as they were when he took them
from under the floor some time before Rene came in, and put it in his
pocket. A little later he was kneeling, as we have seen him once
before, in silent yet fervent prayer, his clasped hands lifted toward
the crucifix on the wall.

"Jesus, give me strength to hold on and do my work," he murmured
beseechingly, "and oh, free thy poor servant from bitter temptation."

Father Gibault had come prepared to use his eloquence upon the
excitable Creoles, and with considerable cunning he addressed a motley
audience at the church, telling them that an American force had taken
Kaskaskia and would henceforth hold it; that France had joined hands
with the Americans against the British, and that it was the duty of all
Frenchmen to help uphold the cause of freedom and independence.

"I come," said he, "directly from Colonel George Rogers Clark, a noble
and brave officer of the American