r_. That means, 'I will see you again.'"

"But perhaps those bad men have killed him."

"What bad men? The Wolves?"

Zulma did not understand, but Sieur Sarpy understood very well.

"Yes, the Wolves, my dear," he said with a sad smile.

"Oh, my grandfather does not fear the Wolves. The Wolves fear him. They
cannot catch him, no matter what great dangers he may be in. He may
suffer, he may be wounded, but he will not die except near our cabin at
the Falls, under the eye of my mother and with a blessing for me. He has
often told me this at night as he held me on his knee, and I believe all
that my grandfather says. No, Mademoiselle, he is not dead and will soon
arrive to console you."

Zulma could not restrain her tears as she heard the simple pathos of
these childish words, and suddenly a confidence sprung up in her heart,
which sacerdotal speech had been unable to infuse. She pushed her chair
from the table, lifted Blanche from her seat and set her on her own
knees, pillowing the little head on her bosom, and imprinting warm
kisses of gratitude on the slight forehead. Sieur Sarpy looked on, and
appeared pleased. No doubt a similar assurance awoke within him.

"If Batoche comes at all, he will come to-night. We know his punctuality
and his readiness to do a service. The weather is bad and the roads must
be in a wretched state, but this will be no obstacle to his reaching the
mansion. We learn, however, that a great many prisoners have been taken.
Batoche may possibly be among them. In that case, we shall, of course,
resign ourselves not to see him to-night."

Raising her head from Zulma's shoulder, Blanche said rapidly and with
some animation:

"No, M. Sarpy, grandpapa is not a prisoner. He has always said that the
Wolves would never catch him and I believe all that he says."

Sieur Sarpy smiled, and made no reply, but he had a vague belief that
perhaps the child might be right after all.

III.

THE PROPHECY FULFILLED.

She was right. The evening wore away slowly. The servant cleared the
table and trimmed the fire. Sieur Sarpy, instead of retiring to his
private chamber, wheeled his chair to the hearth, and resumed the
reading which he had interrupted before supper. Zulma continued to hold
Blanche on her knee and, sitting before the glowing fire, they both
dropped off into sleep. With the child, it was genuine slumber mingled
with pleasant dreams, as the smile upon her lips and the lines that
play