her own daughter to the
commandant of the fort, that her husband's niece would have nobody but
that big voyageur Charle' Charette. Though in those days of the young
century a man might become anything; for the West was before him, an
empire, and woodcraft was better than learning. Madame Laboise accepted
her niece's husband with kindness. Her house was among the most
hospitable in Mackinac, and she was chagrined at the reception the young
man had met.

He sat down on her counter, whirling his cap and caressing the black
feather in it. The gentle Chippewa woman could see that his childish
pride in this trophy was almost as great as his trouble. What had
'Tite lacked? he wanted to know. Had he not good credit at the stores?
Tonnerre!--if madame would pardon him--was not his entire year's wage
at the girl's service? Had he spent money on himself, except for tobacco
and necessary buckskins? Madame knew a voyageur was allowed to carry
scarce twenty pounds of baggage in the boats.

Did 'Tite want a better man? Let madame look at the black feather in his
cap. The crow did not fly that could furnish a quill he could not take
from any man in his brigade. Charle' threw out the arch of his beautiful
torso. And he loved her. Madame knew what tears he had shed, what
serenades he had played on his fiddle under 'Tite's window, and how he
had outdanced her other partners. He dropped his head on his breast and
picked at the crow's feather.

The widow Laboise pitied him. But who could account for 'Tite's
whims? "When she heard the boats were in sight she was frantic with joy.
I myself," asserted madame, "saw her clapping her hands when we could
catch the song of the returning voyageurs. It was then 'Oh, my Charle'!
my Charle'!' But scarce have the men leaped on the dock when off she
goes and locks the door of her bedroom. It is 'Tite. I can say no more."

"What offended her?"

"I know of nothing. You have been as good a husband as a voyageur could
be. And Mackinac is so dull in winter she can amuse herself but little.
It was hard for her to wait your return. Now she will not look at you.
It is very silly."

What would Madame Laboise advise him to do?

Madame would advise him to wait as if nothing had occurred. The cure
would admonish 'Tite if she continued her sulking. In the mean time he
must content himself with tenting or lodging among his fellow-voyageurs.

Of the two or three thousand voyageurs and clerks, one hundred lived