news that a woman, beautiful as Diana, had been found in the forest
of Beaumanoir by some Hurons of Lorette, who were out hunting with
the Intendant. She was accompanied by a few Indians of a strange
tribe, the Abenaquais of Acadia. The woman was utterly exhausted by
fatigue, and lay asleep on a couch of dry leaves under a tree, when
the astonished Hurons led the Intendant to the spot where she lay.

"Don't interrupt me, Amelie; I see you are amazed, but let me go
on!" She held the hands of her companion firmly in her lap as she
proceeded:

"The Intendant was startled out of all composure at the apparition
of the sleeping lady. He spoke eagerly to the Abenaquais in their
own tongue, which was unintelligible to the Hurons. When he had
listened to a few words of their explanation, he ran hastily to the
lady, kissed her, called her by name, 'Caroline!' She woke up
suddenly, and recognizing the Intendant, embraced him, crying
'Francois! 'Francois!' and fainted in his arms.

"The Chevalier was profoundly agitated, blessing and banning, in the
same breath, the fortune that had led her to him. He gave her wine,
restored her to consciousness, talked with her long, and sometimes
angrily; but to no avail, for the woman, in accents of despair,
exclaimed in French, which the Hurons understood, that the Intendant
might kill and bury her there, but she would never, never return
home any more."

Angelique scarcely took breath as she continued her eager recital.

"The Intendant, overpowered either by love of her or fear of her,