, we can, as yet, see no particular call for the
exercise of the other."

Montcalm, in his turn, slightly bowed, but it was with the air of a man
too practised to remember the language of flattery. After musing a
moment, he added,--

"It is possible my glasses have deceived me, and that your works resist
our cannon better than I had supposed. You know our force?"

"Our accounts vary," said Duncan, carelessly; "the highest, however, has
not exceeded twenty thousand men."

The Frenchman bit his lip, and fastened his eyes keenly on the other as
if to read his thoughts; then, with a readiness peculiar to himself, he
continued, as if assenting to the truth of an enumeration which quite
doubled his army,--

"It is a poor compliment to the vigilance of us soldiers, monsieur,
that, do what we will, we never can conceal our numbers. If it were to
be done at all, one would believe it might succeed in these woods.
Though you think it too soon to listen to the calls of humanity," he
added, smiling archly, "I may be permitted to believe that gallantry is
not forgotten by one so young as yourself. The daughters of the
commandant, I learn, have passed into the fort since it was invested?"

"It is true, monsieur; but, so far from weakening our efforts, they set
us an example of courage in their own fortitude. Were nothing but
resolution necessary to repel so accomplished a soldier as M. de
Montcalm, I would gladly trust the defence of William Henry to the elder
of those ladies."

"We have a wise ordinance in our Salique laws, which says, 'The crown of
France shall never degrade the lance to the distaff,'" said Montcalm,
dryly, and with a little hauteur; but instantly adding, with his former
frank and easy air, "as all the nobler qualities are hereditary, I can
easily credit you; though, as I said before, courage has its limits, and
humanity must not be forgotten. I trust, monsieur, you come authorized
to treat for the surrender of the place?"

"Has your excellency found our defence so feeble as to believe the
measure necessary?"

"I should be sorry to have the defence protracted in such a manner as to
irritate my red friends there," continued Montcalm, glancing his eyes at
the group of grave and attentive Indians, without attending to the
other's question; "I find it difficult, even now, to limit them to the
usages of war."

Heyward was silent; for a painful recollection of the dangers he had so
recently escaped came over