signs of life save
the chinks of light creeping beneath the door. I rapped, and his voice
bade me enter.

The master sat at his table in the center of a great room, about which
were a number of surgical and scientific instruments, all objects of
mistrust to my Indian friends.

These curious weapons of destruction or of witchcraft, for so the
Indians regarded them, contributed to make him an object of fear, which
doubtless did much to strengthen his influence among the tribes.

He was at this time somewhat more than sixty, slender and rather above
the medium height. With his usual grave courtesy he welcomed us and
readily loaned the small pirogue necessary to carry our party across
the bay.

The Indians were restless and the governor waited, so I only thanked
our host and turned to go.

He rose, and laying his hand upon my arm detained me. "Wait, Placide;
I am glad you returned this way, for I have long wished to speak with
you; especially do I wish it on this night--on this night. Sit down."

Mechanically I obeyed, for I could see there was something of more than
usual import on his mind. The Indians had withdrawn, and the master,
pacing uncertainly about the room, paused and regarded me intently, as
if he almost regretted his invitation to stay. After several efforts
he abruptly began:

"I fear I have not very long to live, and dread to meet death, leaving
a solemn duty unperformed. It is of this I would speak."

I listened in silence. He spoke hurriedly as though he doubted his
resolution to tell it all.

"You, and every one in these colonies, know me only as Colonel d'Ortez,
the Huguenot refugee. So I have been known by the whites ever since I
came here to escape persecution at home, and to get forever beyond the
sound of a name which has become hateful to me--my own.

"The Counts d'Artin have been a proud race in France for centuries, yet
I, the last d'Artin, find the name too great a burden to bear with me
in shameful silence to my grave. See this," and he took from his
throat a pearl-studded locket, swung by a substantial golden chain,
which he opened and handed to me. Inside were the arms of a noble
family exquisitely blazoned upon a silver shield.

"What is it; what device is there?"

[Illustration: "What is it; what device is there?"]

I knew something of heraldry and read aloud without hesitation the
bearings upon the shield, prominent among which were three wolves'
heads, chevrone