ander, his name George Gering, who was now in New York for the first time. The truth is, his visit was to Jessica, his old playmate, the mistress of his boyhood. Her

rience for his daughter. For all her abundancy of life and feeling, he knew how plastic and impressionable she was, and he dreaded to see that exaltation of her fresh spirit touched with gloom. She was his only child, she had been little out of his sight, her education had gone on under his own care, and, in so far as was possible in a new land, he had surro

e governor; but her presence seemed pervasive, the aura in her veins flowed from her eye and made an atmosphere that lighted even the scarred and rather sulky faces of two officers of His Majesty near. They had served w

yes were much on Jessica, and in the spirit of rivalry, the legitimate growth of race and habit, he b

m heartily over wine. The tone was a half whisper as of awe, in reality a pretty m

flush passed quickly and left him unembarrassed. He was not hurt, not even piqued, for he felt well used to her dainty raillery. But he saw that Gering's eyes were on him, and the lull that fell as by a common instinct-fo

that she saw his new attitude. Now the eyes of the two men met, and Gering's dark face flushed and his brow lowered. Perhaps no one saw but Iberville, but he, seeing, felt a sudden desire to play upon the other's weakness. He was too good a sportsman to show temper in a game; he had suddenly come to the knowledge that love, too, is a game, and needs playing. By this time the dinner was drawing to its close and now a singular thing happened

my dear?" said

Iberville, in a low voice. "Yes, yes," said Jessica in a half whisper; "a man

d that as he and his comrade were returning from their duty with Radisson they saw a man lurking in the grounds and seized him. He had made no resistance, and was now under guard in the ante-room. The governor apologised to his guests, but the dinner could not be ended formally now, so the ladies ro

ellency was engaged, had said another hour would do. This man was the prisoner. He came in under guard, but he bore himself quietly enough and made a low bow to the governor. He was not an ill-favoured fellow

as almost comical when he lifted it and scratched his head and then rubbed his chin with it; it made him look part bumpkin and part sailor. He bore the

u chance upon good-natured times. When a spying stranger comes dangling about these windows, my men are give

ell Gwynn, which anchors in the roadstead till I have laid some private

your sneaking face to yon window to fright my lady-guests?" The memory of Jessica's alarm came hot

erville, with his habit of observation, caught in his eyes, shining superficially with a sailor's open honesty,

ss hath not concern, I'll stretch you by your fingers there to our public gal

to wait at the door, which entered into the ante-room. Then he unlocked a drawer and took out of it a pair of pistols. Thes

was something nettled), "out with you

use I know there is no braver and more enterprising gentleman in th

l of seamen picked up at odd prices. But there's gold and silver enough I know of, own

acquisitive instinct; he was interested. "Well, well, gold and silver," he continued, "to fill the Nell Gwynn and

my tongue, sir, as y

running to a soft kind of chuckle, and his eyes were snapping with fire, which Iberville alone had seen was false. "I have

lders. "Babble," he said, "all

rs ago, there was a plate ship wrecked upon a reef. I got it from a Spaniard, who had been sworn upon oath to keep it secret by priests who knew. The priests w

ur chart," sai

ireplaces, with a grim, stealthy smile trailing across his face. Then suddenly the good creature was his old good self again-the comfortable shrew