anoe?"

"Not yet, my daughter; not until some of the people are taken out. I did
intend to venture for help, but the ringing of the bells has been of
service to us. The sexton will stay in the belfry all night. I was able
to get him there by means of this boat."

"Come up here until the wind dies down, Monsieur Olivier," urged Peggy.
"That little tub is not strong enough to carry you. I have seen it. The
slaves made it, with scarcely any tools, of some boards from the old
Jesuit College."

"The little tub has done good service to-night, mademoiselle; and I must
get as far as the tavern, at least, to carry news of their families to
men there. Antoine Lamarche's child is dead, and his family are on the
roof. I was able to minister to its parting soul; and I set the others,
for safety, astride the roof-pole, promising them heavy penance if they
moved before help came. He ought now to take this boat and go to them,
if I can put him in heart to do it."

"A Protestant hardly caters to a papist when he puts some faith in the
courage of a man like Father Olivier," said Rice to Peggy.

"Did I hint that you would cater to any one?" she responded, with a lift
of her slender chin. The wind had blown out a long tress of Peggy's
hair, which trailed to the floor. Rice seldom looked at her; but he
noticed this sweep of living redness with something like approval; in
shadow it shone softened to bronze.

"I think my father and Colonel Menard are coming back," said Angelique.
"I see a light moving out from the bluffs."

"Oh, no; they are only picking their way among trees to a landing."

"They have gone with the current and the wind," said Rice. "It will take
a longer time to make their way back against the current and the wind."

"Let us begin to bind and gag madame now, anyhow," Peggy suggested
recklessly. "It's what the colonel will do, if he is forced to it. She
will never of her own will go into the boat."

"Poor tante-gra'mere. I should have asked Father Olivier to urge her.
But this is such a time of confusion one thinks of nothing."

Angelique bent to watch Maria's stupor. Rice had put the skeleton hand
under a coverlet which was drawn to the sick girl's chin. He sat beside
her on one of the brocaded drawing-room chairs, his head resting against
the high back and his crossed feet stretched toward the window, in an
attitude of his own which expressed quiescent power. Peggy went directly
behind the screens, determined to