character is lacking in his case. I refer to the desire for
money. Mr. Temple has an annuity from his father's estate in Charleston
which puts him beyond the pale of the fortune-seeker, and I firmly
believe that if your Excellency sees fit to allow him to leave the
province, and if certain disquieting elements can be removed from his
life" (I glanced at the Vicomtesse), "he will settle down and become a
useful citizen of the United States. As much as I dislike to submit to a
stranger private details in the life of a member of my family, I feel
that I must tell your Excellency something of Mr. Temple's career, in
order that you may know that restlessness and the thirst for adventure
were the only motives that led him into this foolish undertaking."

"Pray proceed, Mr. Ritchie," said the Baron.

I was surprised not to find him more restless, and in addition the glance
of approbation which the Vicomtesse gave me spurred me on. However
distasteful, I had the sense to see that I must hold nothing back of
which his Excellency might at any time become cognizant, and therefore I
told him as briefly as possible Nick's story, leaving out only the
episode with Antoinette. When I came to the relation of the affairs
which occurred at Les Iles five years before and told his Excellency that
Mrs. Temple had since been living in the Rue Bourbon as Mrs. Clive,
unknown to her son, the Baron broke in upon me.

"So the mystery of that woman is cleared at last," he said, and turned to
the Vicomtesse. "I have learned that you have been a frequent visitor,
Madame."

"Not a sparrow falls to the ground in Louisiana that your Excellency does
not hear of it," she answered.

"And Gignoux?" he said, speaking to me again.

"As I told you, Monsieur le Baron," I answered, "I have come to New
Orleans at a personal sacrifice to induce my cousin to abandon this
matter, and I went out last evening to try to get word of him." This was
not strictly true. "I saw Monsieur Gignoux in conference with some of
your officers who came out of this hotel."

"You have sharp eyes, Monsieur," he remarked.

"I suspected the man when I met him in Kentucky," I continued, not
heeding this. "Monsieur Vigo himself distrusted him. To say that
Gignoux were deep in the councils of the expedition, that he held a
commission from Citizen Genet, I realize will have no weight with your
Excellency,--provided the man is in the secret service of his Majesty the
King of Spain."