teen are of men whom he has
slain in battle, and the other twenty-four have been taken and
tortured."

"How do you know that?"

"Because only eighteen have their nails on. If the prisoner of an
Iroquois be alive, he begins always by biting his nails off. You see
that they are missing from four-and-twenty."

De Catinat shuddered. What demons were these amongst whom an evil fate
had drifted him? And was it possible that his Adele should fall into
the hands of such fiends? No, no, surely the good God, for whose sake
they had suffered so much, would not permit such an infamy! And yet as
evil a fate had come upon other women as tender as Adele--upon other men
as loving as he. What hamlet was there in Canada which had not such
stories in their record? A vague horror seized him as he stood there.
We know more of the future than we are willing to admit, away down in
those dim recesses of the soul where there is no reason, but only
instincts and impressions. Now some impending terror cast its cloud
over him. The trees around, with their great protruding limbs, were
like shadowy demons thrusting out their gaunt arms to seize him.
The sweat burst from his forehead, and he leaned heavily upon his
musket.

"By Saint Eulalie," said Du Lhut, "for an old soldier you turn very
pale, monsieur, at a little bloodshed."

"I am not well. I should be glad of a sup from your cognac bottle."

"Here it is, comrade, and welcome! Well, I may as well have this fine
scalp that we may have something to show for our walk." He held the
Indian's head between his knees, and in an instant, with a sweep of his
knife, had torn off the hideous dripping trophy.

"Let us go!" cried De Catinat, turning away in disgust.

"Yes, we shall go! But I shall also have this wampum belt marked with
the totem of the Bear. So! And the gun too. Look at the 'London'
printed upon the lock. Ah, Monsieur Green, Monsieur Green, it is not
hard to see where the enemies of France get their arms."

So at last they turned away, Du Lhut bearing his spoils, leaving the red
grinning figure stretched under the silent trees. As they passed on
they caught a glimpse of the lad lying doubled up among the bushes where
he had fallen. The pioneer walked very swiftly until he came to a
little stream which prattled down to the big river. Here he slipped off
his boots and leggings, and waded down it with his companions for half a
mile or so.

"They will follow our