the same; she reached the further
shore flushed and eager eyed, more like the old Margot than she had
been for many days.

"Oh! he's there. He is at home. There is a smoke coming out the
chimney. Joseph! Oh! Joseph, Joseph!"

She did not even stop to take care of her canoe but left it to float
whither it would. Nothing mattered, Joseph was at home. He had canoes
galore, and he was help indeed.

She was quite right. The old man came to his doorway and waited her
arrival with apparent indifference, though surely no human heart
could have been unmoved by such unfeigned delight. Catching his
unresponsive hands in hers she cried:

"Come at once, Joseph! At once!"

"Does not the master trust his friend? It is the time to come.
Therefore I am here."

"Of course. I just thought about that. But, Joseph, the master is ill.
He knows nothing any more. If he ever needed you he needs you doubly
now. Come, come at once."

Then, indeed, though there was little outward expression of it, was
old Joseph moved. He stopped for nothing, but leaving his fire burning
on the hearth and his supper cooking before it, went out and closed
the door. Even Margot's nimble feet had ado to keep pace with his long
strides and she had to spring before him to prevent his pushing off
without her.

"No, no. I'm going with you. Here. I'll tow my own boat, with Tom and
Reynard--don't you squabble, pets!--but I'll paddle no more while
you're here to do it for me."

Joseph did not answer, but he allowed her to seat herself where she
pleased and with one strong movement sent his big birch a long
distance over the water.

Margot had never made the passage so swiftly, but the motion suited
her exactly, and she leaped ashore almost before it was reached, to
speed up the hill and call out to Angelique wherever she might be:

"All is well! All will now be well--Joseph has come."

The Indian reached the house but just behind her and acknowledged
Angelique's greeting with a sort of grunt; yet he paused not at all to
ask the way or if he might enter the master's room, passing directly
into it as if by right.

Margot followed him, cautioning, with finger on lip, anxious lest her
patient should be shocked and harmed by the too sudden appearance of
the visitor.

Then and only then, when her beloved child was safely out of sight did
Angelique throw her apron over her head and give her own despairing
tears free vent. She was spent and very weary; but help