k so?"

Isaac made no direct reply, and Aimee had strong hopes that he was
prepared with some wise, unanswerable reason for remaining where he was.
Meanwhile, his father proceeded--

"In all that I have done, in all that I now say, I have the sanction of
Father Laxabon."

"Then all is right, we may be sure," said Margot. "I have no doubt you
would be right, if you had not Father Laxabon to consult; but if he
thinks you right, everything must be done as you wish. My boys,"
pursued the tearful mother, "you must go with your father: you hear
Father Laxabon thinks so."

"Do you think so?" whispered Aimee to Isaac.

He pressed her arm, which was within his, in token of silence, while his
father went on:

"You heard the proclamation I sent out among our people a few weeks
ago."

"Yes," said Placide; "that in which you tell them that you prefer
serving with Spaniards who own a king, than with French who own none."

"Yes. I have had to make the same declaration to the two commissaries
who have arrived at Cap under orders from the regicides at Paris. These
commissaries have to-day invited me to their standard by promises of
favour and consideration."

"What do they promise us?" asked Margot eagerly.

"Nothing that we can accept. I have written a letter in reply, saying
that I cannot yield myself to the will of any member of the nation,
seeing that, since nations began, obedience has been due only to kings.
We have lost the king of France; but we are beloved by the monarch of
Spain, who faithfully rewards our services, and never intermits his
protection and indulgence. Thus, I cannot acknowledge the authority of
these commissaries till they shall have enthroned a king. Such is the
letter which, guided by Father Laxabon, I have written."

"It is a beautiful letter, I am sure," said Margot. "Is it not, Paul."

"I don't doubt Father Laxabon is right," said Dessalines; "only I do not
see the use of having a king, if people are turned out of house and home
for being loyal--as we all are. If we had not cared anything about the
king's quarrel, we might have been under our vines at home, as I have
often said before."

"And how would it have been with us here?" said Toussaint, laying his
hand on his breast.

"Put your hand a little lower, and I say it would have been all the
better for us," said the old negro, laughing, "for we should not have
gone without wine all this time."

"What do you think?" Aimee, as