the Maid of Provence, treated him with great courtesy. He only shook his
head now.

"Well, I will tell you," said Iberville. "We have spared you to try you
for a spy. And after--after! His laugh was not pleasant to hear.

"A spy? It is false!" cried Gering.

"You will remember--monsieur, that once before you gave me the lie!"

Gering made a proud gesture of defiance, but answered nothing. That
night he was lodged in the citadel.




CHAPTER XX

A TRAP IS SET

Gering was tried before Governor Frontenac and the full council. It was
certain that he, while a prisoner at Quebec, had sent to Boston plans of
the town, the condition of the defences, the stores, the general armament
and the approaches, for the letter was intercepted.

Gering's defence was straightforward. He held that he had sent the
letter at a time when he was a prisoner simply, which was justifiable;
not when a prisoner on parole, which was shameless. The temper of the
court was against him. Most important was the enmity of the Jesuits,
whose hatred of Puritanism cried out for sacrifice. They had seen the