life if I
had told the truth; but who knows! There are many outcomes to
life's tragedies, and none might have been what I fancied. It is
little comfort that Barode Barouche has now given all for payment of
his debt. It gives no peace of mind. And it may be you will think
I ought not to tell you the truth. I don't know, but I feel you
will not misunderstand. I tell you my story, so that you may again
consider if it is not better to face the world with the truth about
Luzanne. We can live but once, and it is to our good if we refuse
the secret way. It is right you should know the truth about your
birth, but it is not right you should declare it to all the world
now. That was my duty long ago, and I did not do it. It is not
your duty, and you must not do it. Barode Barouche is gone; John
Grier has gone; and it would only hurt Fabian and his wife and you
to tell it now. You inherit Barode Barouche's gifts, and you have
his seat, you represent his people--and they are your people too.
You have French blood in your veins, and you have a chance to carry
on with honour what he did with skill. Forgive me, if you can.

Your loving

MOTHER.

P.S. Do nothing till you see me.

CHAPTER XXIX. CARNAL AND HIS MOTHER

Returning from Barode Barouche's home to his mother's House on the Hill,
Carnac was in a cheerless mood. With Barouche's death to Carnac it
was as though he himself had put aside for ever the armour of war,
for Barouche was the only man in the world who had ever tempted him to
fight, or whom he had fought.

There was one thing he must do: he must go to Junia, tell her he loved
her, and ask her to be his wife. She had given him the fatal blue
certificate of his marriage and the marriage could now be ended with
Luzanne's consent, for she would not fight the divorce he must win soon.
He could now tell the truth, if need be, to his constituents, for there
would be time enough to recover his position, if it were endangered,
before the next election came, and Junia would be by his side to help
him! Junia--would she, after all, marry him now? He would soon know.
To-night he must spend with his mother, but to-morrow he would see
Junia and learn his fate, and know about Luzanne. Luzanne had been in
Montreal, had been ready to destroy his chance at the polls, and Junia
had stopped it. How? Well, he should soon know. But now, at f