every one with somewhat of his brimming
content.

Favoured by the tide and a strong wind, we made a good run during
the night, and when we awoke we were again coasting along the
peaceful reaches of the South Shore with its frequent settlements
and clearings--a pleasant change after the wilderness of the North.

Early in the afternoon, Gabriel pointed to a long point stretching
out into the river.

"That is the Beacon Point of Beaulieu, madame. A beacon is piled
there, ready for firing, winter and summer. The entrance to the
river is just on this side, and on the other is the great bay where
the porpoise fishery takes place. The manor cannot be seen from
the river; it is safe and snug from the storms, a little inland."

Before long we entered the mouth of the little river, to the right
of which stretched a broad expanse of tidal meadow, dotted with
small platforms, each supporting its load of coarse salt hay, safe
above the reach of the highest tides; to the left was the dense
pine wood covering the Beacon Point. Fields and woods wore the
sombre colours, the browns and purples of autumn, though here and
there a sturdy maple still hung out its banner of yellow or red,
lighting up the dark greens of the unchanging pines. As we advanced,
the windings of the river disclosed stretches of bare meadow and
empty fields, for the harvest had long been gathered. The whole
was set in a background of low, purple hills. But soon we caught
a new interest, as a windmill, and then a long wooden house, having
a high-pitched roof, broken by a row of pointed dormer-windows,
with a detached tower at each end, came into view.

"There, madame, that is the manor!" Gabriel announced with evident
pride, to which I made suitable return, for despite its humble
form, like a substantial farm-house, its great length and the two
towers gave to it an appearance which removed it out of the common.

Our boat was made fast to a little landing-place, and we disembarked;
but, to my surprise, no one appeared to welcome or to question us.
Gabriel led the way up to the house through a garden, which must
have been a model of neatness in summer-time, but was now stripped
and blackened by the early frosts. Though the door of the house
stood hospitably open to us, no answer came to our echoing knock.

Going round to the back proved equally fruitless, but I espied two
women working in a field at a short distance, and, bidding Gabriel
await me, I took my way