The Trail of the Sword, Complete

ntion, and he created as much astonishment when he came into the presence of the governor. He had been announced as an envoy from Quebec. "Some new insolence of the County

strong pair of shoulders, a look of daring about his rather large mouth, which lent him a manliness well warranting his present service. He had been left alone, and the first thing he had done was to turn on his heel and examine the place swiftly. This he seemed to do mechanica

ess in the girl's manner, a warm piquancy in the turn of the neck, and a delicacy in her gestures, which to him, fresh from hard hours in the woods, was part of some delightful Arcady-though Arcady was more in his veins than of his knowledge. For the young seigneur of New France spent far more hours with his gun than with his Latin, and knew his bush-ranging vassal better than his tutor; and this one was too complete a type o

s life, and she swept a graceful courtesy. Her face was slightly flushed that this stranger should have seen, but he carrie

ed it. Neither had spoken a word. It seemed another act of the light pantomime at the door. As if they had both thought on the instan

" he replied; "I have come from Canada to

nglish is better than my French. But I must go." An

d. "Tell me, are you th

h no," she answered; then, in a spri

there'd be a new intendant, and we

t?" she asked, "and

d to interrupt the trade. Nicolas Perrot is a fine fellow, and a great coureur du bois, and helps to get th

a youthful and enthusiastic pride, which was relie

e asked demurely. "Are the

o his chin a little awkwardly. She noted how large yet how well-shaped it was, or, rather, she remembered afterwards. Then it dropped upon the hilt of the rapier he wore, and he answered with

n her eyes and warmed her cheek. She came a step nearer. "It is

e told the governor," he a

ncy would receive him. He went briskly forward, but presently paused. A sudden sense of shyness possessed him. It was not the first time he had been ushered into vice-regal presence, but his was an odd position. He was in a strange land, cha

e career. And even while the Scotsman in the doorway eyed him with distant deprecation, as he eyed all Frenchmen, good and bad, ugly or handsome, he put off his hesitation and entered

lame old man, and that, enemy or none, he ought not to be kept waiting, with arm in sling and bandaged head. Seated at the table near her was a grave member of the gove

nd cordially enough, and said: "I am glad to greet you, sir;" and motioned him to a seat. "But, pray, sit down," he a

ed with the army of France, and lived at the French Court: "Your excellency, my name is Pierre le Moyne of Iberville, son of Charles le Moyne, a seigneur of Canada, of whom you may ha

apping the table with his forefinger;

ll enough. A good fighter and an honest gentleman, as

ly. Then: "My father and myself started from Que

rjected-"a scoundrel worth his weig

has offered gold in his time," a

softly towards the girl, who was casting bright, quiz

easily have left our scalps with them; but, as it chanced, my father was wounded, I ca

nothing. The face of the girl over again

bear Count Frontenac's message. Perrot knew the

you are a kind of ambassador. Upon my soul, yes, a sort of ambassador!" he add

care for till his wound was healed and he could travel back to Quebec, so we thought it bett

mong Indian braves and English outlaws, to whom a French scalp was a thing of price, was hard and hazardous.

d in the governor's ear, "

"Now, now, I forgot the lady; but I cannot alwa

said, "let me present you to Mistress Jessica Leveret, the daughter of

shoulder at another stood Iberville and Jessica Leveret. And what was between these at that moment-though none could have guess