ficient
time ahead to bring you to your senses, and a knowledge of who is your
master. Hugo Chevet, come here."

My uncle climbed the bank, his rifle in hand, with face still bloated,
and red from the drink of the night before. Behind him appeared the
slender black-robed figure of the Jesuit, his eyes eager with
curiosity. It was sight of the latter which caused Cassion to moderate
his tone of command.

"You will go with Chevet," he said, pointing to the fire among the
trees, "until I can talk to you alone."

"A prisoner?"

"No; a guest," sarcastically, "but do not overstep the courtesy."

We left him in conversation with the _pere_, and I did not even glance
back. Chevet breathed heavily, and I caught the mutter of his voice.
"What meaneth all this chatter?" he asked gruffly. "Must you two
quarrel so soon?"

"Why not?" I retorted. "The man bears me no love; 'tis but gold he
thinks about."

"Gold!" he stopped, and slapped his thighs. "'Tis precious little of
that he will ever see then."

"And why not? Was not my father a land owner?"

"Ay! till the King took it."

"Then even you do not know the truth. I am glad to learn that, for I
have dreamed that you sold me to this coxcomb for a share of the
spoils."

"What? a share of the spoils! Bah! I am no angel, girl, nor pretend to
a virtue more than I possess. There is truth in the thought that I
might benefit by your marriage to Monsieur Cassion, and, by my faith,
I see no wrong in that. Have you not cost me heavily in these years?
Why should I not seek for you a husband of worth in these colonies?
Wherefore is that a crime? Were you my own daughter I could do no
less, and this man is not ill to look upon, a fair-spoken gallant, a
friend of La Barre's, chosen by him for special service--"

"And with influence in the fur trade."

"All the better that," he continued obstinately. "Why should a girl
object if her husband be rich?"

"But he is not rich," I said plainly, looking straight into his eyes.
"He is no more than a penniless adventurer; an actor playing a part
assigned him by the Governor; while you and I do the same. Listen,
Monsieur Chevet, the property at St. Thomas is mine by legal right,
and it was to gain possession that this wretch sought my hand."

"Your legal right?"

"Ay, restored by the King in special order."

"It is not true; I had the records searched by a lawyer, Monsieur
Gautier, of St. Anne."

I gave a gesture of indignation.