s setting, and man
might look upon his face without fear. The sight of the waters of that
river stirred me to think of many things. What had God in store for the
vast land out of which the waters flowed? Had He, indeed, saved it for a
People, a People to be drawn from all nations, from all classes? Was
the principle of the Republic to prevail and spread and change the
complexion of the world? Or were the lusts of greed and power to
increase until in the end they had swallowed the leaven? Who could say?
What man of those who, soberly, had put his hand to the Paper which
declared the opportunities of generations to come, could measure the
Force which he had helped to set in motion.

We crossed the river to the village where I had been so kindly received
many years ago--to St. Louis. The place was little changed. The wind was
stilled, the blue wood smoke curled lazily from the wide stone chimneys
of the houses nestling against the hill. The afterglow was fading into
night; lights twinkled in the windows. Followed by our servants we
climbed the bank, Helene and I, and walked the quiet streets bordered
by palings. The evening was chill. We passed a bright cabaret from which
came the sound of many voices; in the blacksmith's shop another group
was gathered, and we saw faces eager in the red light. They were talking
of the Cession.

We passed that place where Nick had stopped Suzanne in the cart, and
laughed at the remembrance. We came to Monsieur Gratiot's, for he had
bidden us to stay with him. And with Madame he gave us a welcome to warm
our hearts after our journey.

"David," he said, "I have seen many strange things happen in my life,
but the strangest of all is that Clark's drummer boy should have married
a Vicomtesse of the old regime."

And she was ever Madame la Vicomtesse to our good friends in St. Louis,
for she was a woman to whom a title came as by nature's right.

"And you are about to behold another strange thing David," Monsieur
Gratiot continued. "To-day you are on French territory."

"French territory!" I exclaimed.

"To-day Upper Louisiana is French," he answered. "To-morrow it will be
American forever. This morning Captain Stoddard of the United States
Army, empowered to act as a Commissioner of the French Republic, arrived
with Captain Lewis and a guard of American troops. Today, at noon, the
flag of Spain was lowered from the staff at the headquarters. To-night
a guard of honor watches with the Fr