kerchief of lace pushed from her throat. Her black hair, which Zélie
had braided, hung down in two ropes to the floor.

"How soon, monsieur," she asked, "can you return to Fort St. John?"

"With all speed possible, Marie. Soon, if we can work the miracle of
moving a peace-loving man like Denys to action."

"Nicholas Denys ought to take part with you."

"Yet he will scarce do it."

"The king-favored governor of Acadia will some time turn and push him as
he now pushes you."

"D'Aulnay hath me at sore straits," confessed La Tour, staring at the
flame, "since he has cut off from me the help of the Bostonnais."

"They were easily cut off," said Marie. "Monsieur, those Huguenots of
the colonies were never loving friends of ours. Their policy hath been
to weaken this province by helping the quarrel betwixt D'Aulnay and you.
Now that D'Aulnay has strength at court, and has persuaded the king to
declare you an outlaw, the Bostonnais think it wise to withdraw their
hired soldiers from you. We have not offended the Bostonnais as allies;
we have only gone down in the world."

La Tour stirred uneasily.

"I dread that D'Aulnay may profit by this hasty journey I make to
northern Acadia, and again attack the fort in my absence."