again carefully considered the matter.
Yes, if Carteaux died not having spoken, the story would have to be
told. The despatch would never be heard of, or if its singular fortune
in going on its way were ever known and discussed, that was far in the
future, and Schmidt had a strong belief in many things happening or not
happening.

And if, too, despite his presumed power to close Carteaux' lips, the
injured man should sooner or later charge Rene with his wound and the
theft of the despatch, Schmidt, too, would have a story to tell.

Finally--and this troubled his decisions--suppose that at once he
frankly told Fauchet and the Secretary of State what had happened. Would
he be believed by Fauchet in the face of what Carteaux would say, or
would Rene be believed or that he had honorably gone on his enemy's
errand? The _Jean Bart_ would have sailed. Months must pass before the
news of the reception of the despatch could in the ordinary state of
things be heard of, and now the sea swarmed with British cruisers, and
the French frigates were sadly unsafe. To-morrow he must see Carteaux,
and at once let Fauchet learn the condition of his secretary. He
returned to his trust in the many things that may happen, and, lighting
a pipe, fell upon his favorite Montaigne.

He might have been less at ease could he have dreamed what mischief that
despatch was about to make or what more remote trouble it was to create
for the harassed President and his cabinet.

XXI

At noon next day a tired rider left his horse at an inn in Perth Amboy
and boarded the sloop which was to take him to New York, if tide and
wind served. Both at this time were less good to him than usual, and he
drifted the rest of the afternoon and all night on the bay.

At length, set ashore on the Battery, he was presently with a merchant,
in those days of leisurely ventures altogether a large personage,
merchant and ship-master, capable, accurate, enterprising, something of
the great gentleman, quick to perceive a slight and at need to avenge
it, a lost type to-day--a Dutch cross on Huguenot French. Mr. Nicholas
Gouverneur was glad to see once more the Vicomte de Courval. His own
people, too, had suffered in other days for their religion, and if
Rene's ancestors had paid in the far past unpleasant penalties for the
respectable crime of treason to the king, had not one of Mr.
Gouverneur's ancestors had a similar distinction, having been hanged for
high treaso