had chosen to become his bitterest enemy. Dark indeed and
gloomy was the prospect that now lowered before him.

Before an impartial court the charges against him might be answered
or refuted; but where could he find such a court? Cazeneau had
created the charges, and would know how to make them still more
formidable. And now he felt that behind these charges there must lurk
something more dangerous still.

Already there had arisen in his mind certain suspicions as to
Cazeneau's designs upon Mimi. These suspicions he had hinted at in
conversation with her, and his present circumstances deepened them
into convictions. It began now to seem to him that Cazeneau had
designs to make the beautiful, high-born girl his wife. Everything
favored him. He was supreme in authority out here; the old Laborde
was under his influence; the daughter's consent alone was wanting. Of
that consent, under ordinary circumstances, he could make sure. But
he had seen a close and strong friendship arising between Mimi and
her preserver. This Claude considered as a better and more probable
cause for his hate. If this were indeed so, and if this hate grew up
out of jealousy, then his prospects were indeed dark, for jealousy is
as cruel as the grave.

The more Claude thought of this, the greater was the importance which
he attached to it. It seemed to be this which had made Cazeneau
transform himself into an eavesdropper; this which had occasioned his
dark looks, his morose words, and haughty reticence. In his
eavesdropping he must have heard enough to excite his utmost
jealousy; and Claude, in recalling his conversations with Mimi, could
remember words which must have been gall and bitterness to such a
jealous listener.

CHAPTER IX.

GRAND PRE.

Nearly thirty years before this, the French government had been
compelled to give up the possession of Acadie to the English, and to
retire to the Island of Cape Breton. Here they had built a stronghold
at Louisbourg, which they were enlarging and strengthening every
year, to the great disgust and alarm of the New England colonies. But
though Acadie had been given up to the English, it could hardly be
said to be held by them. Only two posts were occupied, the one at
Canso, in the strait that separated Cape Breton from Acadie, and the
other at Annapolis Royal. At Canso there was a wooden block-house,
with a handful of soldiers: while at Annapolis Royal, where the
English governor resided, the