stinguished pictorial exposition, save, perhaps, in
The Weavers, when Andre Castaigne did such triumphant work. It is a
joy still to look at the illustrations of The Trail of the Sword, for,
absolutely faithful to the time, they add a note of verisimilitude to
the tale.

A NOTE

The actors in this little drama played their parts on the big stage of
a new continent two hundred years ago. Despots sat upon the thrones of
France and England, and their representatives on the Hudson and the St.
Lawrence were despots too, with greater opportunity and to better ends.
In Canada, Frontenac quarreled with his Intendant and his Council, set a
stern hand upon the Church when she crossed with his purposes, cajoled,
treated with, and fought the Indians by turn, and cherished a running
quarrel with the English Governor of New York. They were striving for
the friendship of the Iroquois on the one hand, and for the trade of
the Great West on the other. The French, under such men as La Salle, had
pushed their trading posts westward to the great lakes and beyond the
Missouri, and north to the shores of Hudson's Bay. They traded and
fought and revelled, hot with the spirit of adventure, the best of
pioneers and the worst of colonists. Tardily, upon their trail, came the
English and the Dutch, slow to acquire but strong to hold; not so rash
in adventure, nor so adroit in intrigue, as fond of fighting, but with
less of the gift of the woods, and much more the faculty for government.
There was little interchange of friendliness and trade between the rival
colonists; and Frenchmen were as rare on Manhattan Island as Englishmen
on the heights of Quebec--except as prisoners.

G. P.

THE TRAIL OF THE SWORD

EPOCH THE FIRST I. AN ENVOY EXTRAORDINARY II. THE THREAT OF A RENEGADE
III. THE FACE AT THE WINDOW IV. THE UPLIFTING OF THE SWORDS V. THE
FRUITS OF THE LAW VI. THE KIDNAPPING

CHAPTER I

AN ENVOY EXTRAORDINARY

One summer afternoon a tall, good-looking stripling stopped in the midst
of the town of New York, and asked his way to the governor's house. He
attracted not a little attention, and he created as much astonishment
when he came into the presence of the governor. He had been announced
as an envoy from Quebec. "Some new insolence of the County Frontenac!"
cried old Richard Nicholls, bringing his fist down on the table. For a
few minutes he talked with his chamberfellow; then, "Show the