n to the effect that she was an unknown friend,
desirous of serving her in a moment of peril. The Baron de St.
Castin had traced her to New France, and had procured from the King
instructions to the Governor to search for her everywhere and to send
her to France. Other things of great import, the writer said, she had
also to communicate, if Caroline would grant her a private interview in
the Chateau.

There was a passage leading from the old deserted watch-tower to the
vaulted chamber, continued the letter, and the writer would without
further notice come on the following night to Beaumanoir, and knock
at the arched door of her chamber about the hour of midnight, when,
if Caroline pleased to admit her, she would gladly inform her of very
important matters relating to herself, to the Intendant, and to the
Baron de St. Castin, who was on his way out to the Colony to conduct in
person the search after his lost daughter.

The letter concluded with the information that the Intendant had gone to
Trois Rivieres, whence he might not return for a week, and that during
his absence the Governor would probably order a search for her to be
made at Beaumanoir.

Caroline held the letter convulsively in her hand as she gathered its
purport rather than read it. Her face changed color, from a deep flush
of shame to the palest hue of fear, when she comprehended its meaning
and understood that her father was on his way to New France to find out
her hiding-place.

"What shall I do! Oh, what shall I do!" exclaimed she, wringing her
hands for very anguish, regardless of the presence of Mere Malheur, who
stood observing her with eyes glittering with curiosity, but void of
every mark of womanly sympathy or feeling.

"My father, my loving father!" continued Caroline, "my deeply-injured
father coming here with anger in his face to drag me from my
concealment! I shall drop dead at his feet for very shame. Oh, that
I were buried alive with mountains piled over me to hide me from my
father! What shall I do? Whither shall I go? Bigot, Bigot, why have you
forsaken me?"

Mere Malheur continued eyeing her with cold curiosity, but was ready at
the first moment to second the promptings of the evil spirit contained
in the letter.

"Mademoiselle," said she, "there is but one way to escape from the
search to be made by your father and the Governor,--take counsel of
her who sends you that friendly letter. She can offer you a safe
hiding-place until