on the lower deck," she said; "freight deck--with
mom-a--and the bishop."

Hugh showed astonishment. "The bishop?"

"Yes, mom-a made him go." She laughed. "Some of the sick folks down
there are Protestants and were threatening to turn Catholic. Is anybody
sick aboard the _Westwood_?"

"No."

"Then where's her captain?"

Hugh made no reply but to meet her steady gaze with his own till she
asked in a subdued voice: "Cholera?"

Hugh nodded. Each knew the other was aware of the song that floated up
after them from the boat behind.

"What did the bridegroom want?" asked the girl.

"Wanted to give us a thousand dollars to take his bride--with him or
without him--aboard the _Votaress_."

"But when he heard how much worse off we are--" prompted she.
"Yes."

"But, Mr. Hugh----"

"Yes?"

"Anyhow, this boat hasn't got that boat's trouble!"

"No," said Hugh, and knew they were both thinking of his father.
Together they stood hearkening to the last of the _Westwood's_ song:

"'Ef you git dah befo' I do--
_O, high-low!_--
Jest tell 'em I'm a-comin' too--
_John's gone to high-low!_'"

XXIX

STUDYING THE RIVER--TOGETHER

They did not tie to the wharf-boat at Natchez. At that stage of water
there was good landing a few yards below, where the sandy bank was not
too wet to walk across to a higher one which floods never reached, close
under the bluff. Here had left the boat half a dozen passengers
including the judge and his sister. So good-by to that lady. Never would
_she_ have set foot on the _Votaress_ had she dreamed she was to be
"dumped off" on such a spot. She believed that girl of Gideon Hayle's
had laughed as she went up the perilous stage plank. And really there is
no proof to the contrary.

Another incident awoke in Ramsey no mirth. Yet she never forgot it. It
occurred on the upper, greener level that overlooked, across the river,
a great sweep of Louisiana lowlands at that moment bathed in a golden
sunset. The same light fell upon the incident itself--the Marburg lad's
burial; fell upon the bent mother standing behind the priest and between
her elder son and Madame Hayle, surrounded by her fellow exiles, many of
whom, with faces hidden like hers, wept more for her bereavement than
they had earlier done for their own. So the rude pine coffin descended
into the unhallowed ground. From the hurricane-deck Ramsey looked down
with wet eyes to the meek mourner returning a