ous enterprise. The King and Queen of France, she pay for her
treason with their haids, and we must be prepare' for do the sem."

"Ha," exclaimed the Sieur de St. Gre, "the Citizen Quartermaster will
lose his provision before his haid."

The inference was plain, and the Citizen Quartermaster was quick to take
it up.

"We are all among frien's," said he. "Why I call you Gumbo de St. Gre?
When I come first settle in Louisiane you was wild man--yes. Drink
tafia, fight duel, spend family money. Aristocrat then. No, I not hold
my tongue. You go France and Monsieur le Marquis de St. Gre he get you
in gardes du corps of the King. Yes, I tell him. You tell the Citizen
General how come you Jacobin now, and we see if he mek you Captain."

A murmur of surprise escaped from several of the company, and they all
stared at the Sieur de St. Gre. But General Clark brought down his
fist on the table with something of his old-time vigor, and the glasses
rattled.

"Gentlemen, I will have no quarrelling in my presence," he cried; "and
I beg to inform Citizen Depeau that I bestow my commissions where it
pleases me."

Auguste de St. Gre rose, flushing, to his feet. "Citizens," he said,
with a fluency that was easy for him, "I never mek secret of my
history--no. It is true my relation, Monsieur le Marquis de St. Gre,
bought me a pair of colors in the King's gardes du corps."

"And is it not truth you tremple the coackade, what I hear from
Philadelphe?" cried Depeau.

Monsieur Auguste smiled with a patient tolerance.

"If you hev pains to mek inquiry," said he, "you must learn that I join
le Marquis de La Fayette and the National Guard. That I have since fight
for the Revolution. That I am come now home to fight for Louisiane, as
Monsieur Genet will tell you whom I saw in Philadelphe."

"The Citizen Capitaine--he spiks true."

All eyes were turned towards Gignoux, who had been sitting back in his
chair, very quiet.

"It is true what he say," he repeated, "I have it by Monsieur Genet
himself."

"Gentlemen," said General Clark, "this is beside the question, and I
will not have these petty quarrels. I may as well say to you now that
I have chosen the Citizen Captain to go at once to New Orleans and
organize a regiment among the citizens there faithful to France. On
account of his family and supposed Royalist tendencies he will not be
suspected. I fear that a month at least has yet to elapse before our
expedition can move."

"It