ward sullenness. "But it is merely my dismissal that I beg.
I wish to return early to-morrow to Boisveyrac; the harvest there is
gathered, to be sure, but no one can be trusted to finish the stacks.
With so many dancing attendance on the military, the Seigniory
suffers; and, by your leave, I am responsible for it."

He glared upon John, who gazed back honestly puzzled. The Commandant
seemed on the verge of an explosion, but checked himself.

"My excellent Dominique Guyon," said he, "uses the freedom of an old
tenant. But here we are at the gate. I bid you welcome, Monsieur a
Clive, to my small fortress! Tut, tut, Dominique! We will talk of
business in the morning."

Alone with Menehwehna in the bare hospital ward to which old Jeremie
as _marechal des logis_ escorted them, John turned on the Ojibway and
let loose his indignation.

"And look you," he wound up, "this shall be the end. At daybreak
to-morrow the gate of the fort will be opened. Take the canoe and
make what speed you can. I will give you until ten o'clock, but at
that hour I promise you to tell my tale to the Commandant, and to
tell him all."

"If my brother is resolved," said Menehwehna composedly, "let him
waste no words. What is settled is settled, and to be angry will do
his head no good."

He composed himself to sleep on the floor at the foot of John's bed,
pulling his rug up to his ears. There were six empty beds in the
ward, and one had been prepared for him; but Menehwehna despised
beds.

John awoke to sunlight. It poured in through three windows high in
the whitewashed wall opposite, and his first thought was to turn over
and look for Menehwehna.

Menehwehna had disappeared.

John lay back on the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. Menehwehna
had gone; he was free of him, and this day was to deliver his soul.
In an hour or so he would be sitting under lock and key, but with a
conscience bathed and refreshed, a companion to be looked in the
face, a clear-eyed counsellor. The morning sunlight filled the room
with a clean cheerfulness, and he seemed to drink it in through his
pores. Forgetting his wound, he jumped out of bed with a laugh.

As he did so his eye travelled along the empty beds in the ward, and
along a row of pegs above them, and stiffened suddenly.

There were twelve pegs, and all were bare save one--the one in the
wall-space separating his bed from the bed which had been prepared
for Menehwehna; and from t