mall boat pushed off the low beach, scraped along the shallows, skirted the western edg

orbed in thought near an open port listening to the straining of the masts,

tion just outside the port. The two men were beyond my range of vision. One seemed to be tos

ks, Chickasaws, Natchez-we ought to have no difficulty-Yvard-Spanish ships. The fall

mor of a Spanish-Indian alliance, and an attack on Biloxi. An

ines of a light boat. I knew none of these officers, any one of whom might have been the man I overheard, and so I durst ask no questions. I could therefore confide in no one on board for fear of making a

all. No, not all. There were two young fellows whom I was many times on the point of calling to my confiden

t childish lightness of disposition and his friendly ways won me completely, and we became fast comrades. A noble looking lad, with the strength of a young Titan, and the blonde curls of a woman. During the long idle hours of the afternoon it was his custom to banter me for a bout at swords, and Levert generally acted as our master of the l

hered many things from him, until one day we had an e

self, give me the gorgeous plays, the fetes and smiles of the Montespan, rather than the prayers, the masses and the sober gowns

een Paris," I a

man, you have never lived. But w

al, Biloxi. But now I will have

of my mission, ere I check

his absorbed and inattentive way, dropped his blad

d, "besides, we were talking of other thi

e a bout; I'm half a mind I can handle a foil myself. A still t

king. I thought I read that deeper meaning in his eyes. Somehow I grew to di

ness to govern my tongue

hat later; not now," and resume

tter little to warrant, yet it did make me consid

of your own intrigu

Levert, who half listened at a distance knew I was going to heed his advic

, but 'tis a long tri

y of the life at Biloxi, and would

rong enough to spare so good a soldier?

nly half betraying my thoug

s tell us, and as for the state of the garrison,

er motive; a woman. Come,

en little of women. My confusion threw him completely off the track;

f the convent. His good-humored raillery continued until I became annoyed in earnest, yet was

ill try our fortune with t

oussard; methinks he had rather the bette

eplied, eagerly,

in touching him as I pleased. This begat an irritatio

d his teeth, until, fearing a serious outbreak, I stepped back as if I would lay aside the foil. He

red Levert, who had himself obs

act with more aggression. The button snapped from the point of his foil; I cared not, and he affected not to s

n this instance it afforded me an easy means of reaching his undefended side. So I feigned to be driven back, and watching for a more headlong and careless rush, my weapon was apparently twisted from my hand and for an instant seemed to hang suspended in th

done," cr

ishonorable trick,

ing at me to observe the effect of the insul

ake no heed of your heated words. But to-

osed, "'tis the quarrel of

d. I was secretly elated at the success of my coup agai

as passed I trust you will do

n weapon and could afford to be generous. He came up in very manly fashio

part in the affairs of state, though what the drama was, and what my lines might be, I could only guess. The story of Colonel D'Ortez, too, furnished me much food for reflection these long starlit nights, when I sat in my favorite seat i

he slippery deck, the sai

or'east? 'Tis the Norman coast; this n

hought no more of my companions of the voyage, bid