This he said in allusion to the gallant defence of a fort on the
wild Iroquois frontier by a former lady of her house.

"My Lord Count," replied the lady, with quiet dignity, "'tis no
special merit of the house of Tilly to be true to its ancient fame--
it could not be otherwise. But your thanks are at this time more
due to these loyal habitans, who have so promptly obeyed your
proclamation. It is the King's corvee to restore the walls of
Quebec, and no Canadian may withhold his hand from it without
disgrace."

"The Chevalier La Corne St. Luc will think us two poor women a weak
accession to the garrison," added she, turning to the Chevalier and
cordially offering her hand to the brave old officer, who had been
the comrade in arms of her husband and the dearest friend of her
family.

"Good blood never fails, my Lady," returned the Chevalier, warmly
grasping her hand. "You out of place here? No! no! you are at home
on the ramparts of Quebec, quite as much as in your own drawing-room
at Tilly. The walls of Quebec without a Tilly and a Repentigny
would be a bad omen indeed, worse than a year without a spring or a
summer without roses. But where is my dear goddaughter Amelie?"

As he spoke the old soldier embraced Amelie and kissed her cheek
with fatherly effusion. She was a prodigious favorite. "Welcome,
Amelie!" said he, "the sight of you is like flowers in June. What a
glorious time you have had, growing taller and prettier every day
all the time I have been sleeping by camp-fires in the forests of
Acadia! But you girls are all alike; why, I hardly knew my own