oke with the holy
fathers who have journeyed far to the westward, even to the vast
Messasebe, which is well known to run into the China sea upon some
far-off coast not yet well charted. I have also read the story of
Sagean, who was far to the west of that mighty river. Did not the latter
see and pursue and kill in fair fight the giant unicorn, fabled of
Scripture? Is not that animal known to be a creature of the East, and
may we not, therefore, be advised that this new country takes hold upon
the storied lands of the East? Why, this holy friar with whom I spoke,
fresh back from his voyaging to the cold upper ways of the Northern
tribes, who live beyond the far-off channel at Michilimackinac--did he
not tell of a river of the name of the Blue Earth, and did he not
himself see turquoises and diamonds and emeralds taken in handfuls from
this same blue earth? Ah, bah! gentlemen, Europe for you if ye like, but
for me, back I go, so soon as I may get proper passage and a connection
which will warrant me the voyage. Back I go to Canada, to America, to
the woods and streams. I would see again my ancient Du L'hut, and my
comrade Pierre Noir, and Tete Gris, the trapper from the Mistasing--free
traders all. Life is there for the living, my comrades. This Old World,
small and outworn, no more of it for me."

"And why came you back to this little Old World of ours, an you loved
the New World so much?" asked the cynical voice of him who had been
called Wilson.

"By the body of God!" cried Du Mesne, "think ye I came of my own free
will? Look here, and find your reason." He stripped back the opening of
his doublet and under waistcoat, and showed upon his broad shoulder the
scar of a red tri-point, deep and livid upon his flesh. "Look! There is
the fleur-de-lis of France. That is why I came. I have rowed in the
galleys, me--me a free man, a man of the woods of New France!"

Murmurs of concern passed among the little group. Castleton rose from
his chair and leaned with his hands upon the table, gazing now at the
face and now at the bared shoulder of this stranger, who had by chance
become a member of their nightly party.

"I have not been in London a fortnight since my escape," said the man
with the brand. "I was none the less once a good servant of Louis in New
France, for that I found many a new tribe and many a bale of furs that
else had never come to the Mountain for the robbery of the lying
officers who claim the robe of Louis.