rriors are in it?" asked the seigneur.

"I cannot see. The light is not very good, and it is in the shadow of
the bank."

"Which way is it coming?"

"It is coming this way. Ah, it shoots out into the open now, and I can
see it. May the good Lord be praised! A dozen candles shall burn in
Quebec Cathedral if I live till next summer!"

"What is it then?" cried De la Noue impatiently.

"It is not an Iroquois canoe. There is but one man in it. He is a
Canadian."

"A Canadian!" cried Du Lhut, springing up to the window. "Who but a
madman would venture into such a hornet's nest alone! Ah, yes, I can
see him now. He keeps well out from the bank to avoid their fire. Now
he is in mid-stream and he turns towards us. By my faith, it is not the
first time that the good father has handled a paddle."

"It is a Jesuit!" said one, craning his neck. "They are ever where
there is most danger."

"No, I can see his capote," cried another. "It is a Franciscan friar!"

An instant later there was the sound of a canoe grounding upon the
pebbles, the door was unbarred, and a man strode in, attired in the long
brown gown of the Franciscans. He cast a rapid glance around, and then,
stepping up to De Catinat, laid his hand upon his shoulder.

"So, you have not escaped me!" said he. "We have caught the evil seed
before it has had time to root."

"What do you mean, father?" asked the seigneur. "You have made some
mistake. This is my good friend Amory de Catinat, of a noble French
family."

"This is Amory de Catinat, the heretic and Huguenot," cried the monk.
"I have followed him up the St. Lawrence, and I have followed him up the
Richelieu, and I would have followed him to the world's end if I could
but bring him back with me."

"Tut, father, your zeal carries you too far," said the seigneur.
"Whither would you take my friend, then?"

"He shall go back to France with his wife. There is no place in Canada
for heretics."

Du Lhut burst out laughing. "By Saint Anne, father," said he, "if you
could take us all back to France at present we should be very much your
debtors."

"And you will remember," said De la Noue sternly, "that you are under my
roof and that you are speaking of my guest."

But the friar was not to be abashed by the frown of the old nobleman.

"Look at this," said he, whipping a paper out of his bosom. "It is
signed by the governor, and calls upon you, under pain of the king's
displeasure, to r