cherished object of Madame de Valricour's
life. Unfortunately for her design she had one day spoken of it to her
husband, whose pride rebelled at the idea of purchasing an advantage
for himself at the price of his daughter's hand. He had, moreover, no
great liking for the young marquis, who carried to excess the luxury
and affected politeness then so prevalent amongst the wealthy young
nobles at the French court, where he was already a favourite. These
were no recommendations in the eyes of his uncle, who had fought in the
last wars, and had less of the polished courtier in him than of the
bluff, straightforward soldier. But Madame de Valricour had no idea of
being foiled by such small obstacles. Finding that her husband had
resolved on going out to New France, she left no stone unturned until
she had persuaded the Marquis de Beaujardin to obtain a commission for
young Isidore, in order that he might accompany his uncle.

It may be observed by the way that Isidore was not obliged to enter the
army as a mere subaltern, and to work his way up through the lower
grades of command. As was usual with sons of the higher and more
influential nobles, he became at once what was styled colonel _en
second_, a second colonelcy being specially attached to every regiment
for the immediate advancement of young soldiers of his rank and
condition. Madame de Valricour not only hoped that by this proceeding
she might keep the young marquis from the possibility of losing his
heart at Paris, but she felt assured that she would overcome Monsieur
de Valricour's dislike to him. With a woman's shrewdness she perceived
that underneath those courtly airs and graces, and the silly
affectation of extreme politeness which then prevailed in France,
Isidore had many striking qualities which a little campaigning must
needs bring out, and which would soon win the heart of M. de Valricour.

Thus it came about that Isidore de Beaujardin, instead of lounging
amongst the gay and courtly throng in the brilliant _salons_ of
Versailles, found himself threading his way on the saddest of all
errands amongst ghastly and disfigured corpses in the far distant wilds
of Canada.

In one respect, at all events, the designs of the baroness were in a
fair way to succeed; for her husband, though there was much in
Isidore's habits and behaviour that irritated him at times, was
unconsciously becoming daily more and more attached to his nephew.
True, Isidore's hair