in this Territory.
You have borne this night marvelously well, and the accident of the boat
even better."

"Not at all, monsieur the colonel."

She spoke as children do when effectually punished for ill temper.

"Are you cold?"

"I am wet, monsieur. We are all wet. It is indeed a time of flood."

"We shall soon see a blazing fire and a hot breakfast, and all the
garments in the country will be ours without asking."

The colonel raised himself on his elbow and looked around. Angelique sat
beside his head; so close that they both blushed.

They were not wet nor chilled nor hungry. They had not looked on death
nor felt the shadow of eternity. The sweet mystery of continued life was
before them. The flood, like a sea of glass, spread itself to the
thousand footsteps of the sun.

Tante-gra'mere kept her eyes upon them. But it is not easy to hear what
people say when you are riding among treetops and bird's-nests in the
early morning.

"Mademoiselle, we are nearly home."

"Yes, monsieur."

"It has been to me a great night."

"I can understand that, monsieur."

"The children will be dancing when they see you. Odile and Pierre were
awake, and they both cried when the first boat came home last night
without you."

"Monsieur the colonel, you are too good to us."

"Angelique, do you love me?"

"It is true, monsieur."

"But it must be owned I am a dozen years older than you, and I have
loved before."

"I never have."

"Does it not seem a pity, then, that you who have had the pick of the
Territory should become the second wife of Pierre Menard?"

"I should rather be the second choice with you, monsieur, than the first
choice of any other man in the Territory."

"Mademoiselle, I adore you."

"That remains to be seen, monsieur."

"What did you think when I was under water?"

"I did not think, monsieur. I perished. It was then you conquered me."

"Good. I will take to the water whenever any little difference arises
between us. It is a lucky thing for me that I am a practiced river man."

"I do not say it could be done again. Never will there be such another
night and morning."

"Now see how it is with nature, Angelique. Life is always rising out of
death. This affair of ours,--I call it a lily growing out of the water.
Does it trouble you that your old home is out there standing almost to
its eaves in the Mississippi?"

"Papa cannot now give me so good a dower." The girl's lowered eyes
laughed int