door, closing behind, shut off the
last gleam of light, and I was left alone in utter darkness and
silence, save for the low rumble of voices within the Fort enclosure,
and the soft plashing below where the river current kissed the bank at
the foot of the stockade.

I had gone almost the full length of that side, before I came where she
was leaning against the logs, her chin resting upon one hand, her gaze
turned northward. Indeed, so silent was she, so intent upon her own
thought, I might have touched her unnoticed in the gloom, had not the
stars broken through a rift in the cloud above us, and sent a sudden
gleam of silver across her face.

"Mademoiselle," I said, striving to address her with something of the
ease I thought De Croix would exercise at such a moment, "I meant not
to intrude upon your privacy, yet I am most glad to meet with you once
more."

She started slightly, as though aroused from reverie, and glanced
inquiringly toward me.

"I supposed my visitor to be one of the guard," she said pleasantly;
"and even now I am unable to distinguish your face, yet the sound of
the voice reminds me of John Wayland."

"I am proud to know that it has not already been forgotten. You
deserted me so suddenly this afternoon, I almost doubted my being
welcome now."

She laughed lightly, tapping the ends of the logs with her finger-tips.

"Have you, then, never learned that a woman is full of whims,
Monsieur?" she questioned. "Why, this afternoon your eyes were so big
with wonder that they had forgotten to look at me. Truly, I spoke to
you twice to aid me from the saddle; but you heard nothing, and in my
desperation I was obliged to turn to the courtesy of Captain de Croix.
Ah, there is a soldier, my friend, who is never so preoccupied as to
neglect his duty to a lady."

"It was indeed most ungallant of me," I stammered, scarce knowing
whether she laughed at me or not. "Yet my surroundings were all new,
and I have the training of De Croix in such matters."

"Pah! 't is just as well. I am inclined to like you as you are, my
friend, and we shall not quarrel; yet, with all his love for lesser
things, your comrade has always shown himself a truly gallant
gentleman."

I made no answer to these flattering words, for I felt them to be true;
yet no less this open praise of him, falling from her lips, racked me
sorely, and I lacked the art to make light of it.

"The soldiers in the block-house tell me you come he