ced his hands between those of
the seigneur.

"Monsieur de Sainte Marie, Monsieur de Sainte Marie, Monsieur de Sainte
Marie," said he three times, "I bring you the faith and homage which I
am bound to bring you on account of my fief Herbert, which I hold as a
man of faith of your seigneury."

"Be true, my son. Be valiant and true!" said the old nobleman solemnly,
and then with a sudden change of tone: "What in the name of the devil
has your daughter got there?"

A girl had advanced from the crowd with a large strip of bark in front
of her on which was heaped a pile of dead fish.

"It is your eleventh fish which I am bound by my oath to render to you,"
said the _censitaire_. "There are seventy-three in the heap, and I have
caught eight hundred in the month."

"_Peste!_" cried the nobleman. "Do you think, Andre Dubois, that I will
disorder my health by eating three-and-seventy fish in this fashion?
Do you think that I and my body-servants and my personal retainers and
the other members of my household have nothing to do but to eat your
fish? In future, you will pay your tribute not more than five at a
time. Where is the major-domo? Theuriet, remove the fish to our
central store-house, and be careful that the smell does not penetrate to
the blue tapestry chamber or to my lady's suite."

A man in very shabby black livery, all stained and faded, advanced with
a large tin platter and carried off the pile of white fish. Then, as
each of the tenants stepped forward to pay their old-world homage, they
all left some share of their industry for their lord's maintenance.
With some it was a bundle of wheat, with some a barrel of potatoes,
while others had brought skins of deer or of beaver. All these were
carried off by the major-domo, until each had paid his tribute, and the
singular ceremony was brought to a conclusion. As the seigneur rose,
his son, who had returned, took De Catinat by the sleeve and led him
through the throng.

"Father," said he, "this is Monsieur de Catinat, whom you may remember
some years ago at Quebec."

The seigneur bowed with much condescension, and shook the guardsman by
the hand.

"You are extremely welcome to my estates, both you and your
body-servants--"

"They are my friends, monsieur. This is Monsieur Amos Green and Captain
Ephraim Savage. My wife is travelling with me, but your courteous son
has kindly taken her to your lady."

"I am honoured--honoured indeed!" cried the ol