ou are."

The Governor said his sentences easily, but he suddenly flushed and
was embarrassed, for Louis Racine's deformity, of which he had not
known--Pontiac kept its troubles to itself--stared him in the face; and
he felt the Seigneur's eyes fastened on him with strange intensity.

"I have to thank your Excellency," the Seigneur said in a hasty nervous
voice. "I fell on my shoulders--that saved me. If I had fallen on my
head I should have been killed, no doubt. My shoulders saved me!" he
added, with a petulant insistence in his voice, a morbid anxiety in his
face.

"Most providential," responded the Governor. "It grieves me that
it should have happened on the occasion of my visit. I missed the
Seigneur's loyal public welcome. But I am happy," he continued, with
smooth deliberation, "to have it here in this old Manor House, where
other loyal French subjects of England have done honour to their
Sovereign's representative."

"This place is sacred to hospitality and patriotism, your Excellency,"
said Louis Racine, nervousness passing from his voice and a curious hard
look coming into his face.

The Governor was determined not to see the double meaning. "It is a
privilege to hear you say so. I shall recall the fact to her Majesty's
Government in the report I shall make upon my tour of the province.
I have a feeling that the Queen's pleasure in the devotion of her
distinguished French subjects may take some concrete form."

The Governor's suite looked at each other significantly, for never
before in his journeys had his Excellency hinted so strongly that an
honour might be conferred. Veiled as it was, it was still patent as the
sun. Spots of colour shot into the Seigneur's cheeks. An honour from the
young English Queen--that would mate with Madelinette's fame. After all,
it was only his due. He suddenly found it hard to be consistent. His
mind was in a whirl. The Governor continued:

"It must have given you great pleasure to know that at Windsor her
Majesty has given tokens of honour to the famous singer, the wife of
a notable French subject, who, while passionately eager to keep alive
French sentiment, has, as we believe, a deep loyalty to England."

The Governor had said too much. He had thought to give the Seigneur an
opportunity to recede from his seditious position there and then, and
to win his future loyalty. M. Racine's situation had peril, and the
Governor had here shown him the way of escape. But he had