ing him, he cursed every
obstacle that kept him an instant longer from her side. At the earliest
opportunity he made his escape from the enthusiastic and admiring
Malouins; and having disposed of a quantity of rich furs which he had
purchased at Tadousac before leaving the St Lawrence, he bought a horse,
and set out for Picardy--as the most likely place to hear news of Mdlle.
de Roberval, even if he did not find her at the castle.

In order to get away as soon as possible he was obliged to give Cartier
the slip. The latter was anxious to proceed at once to court, to report
the failure of his attempt to found a colony, and to request permission
to return and bring back De Roberval. It would be out of the question,
however, to start before the spring, as the season was now so far
advanced; and La Pommeraye decided to let Cartier go to court without
him, as the winter would give them plenty of time to consider their
plans.

He incidentally learned that Roberval had sailed from La Rochelle
instead of St Malo, as he had supposed; but the idea that he might have
taken his niece with him naturally never entered his head, and no one in
St Malo was able to give him any information.

Accordingly, one morning early in September, he mounted his horse and
set out on his long ride to the banks of the Somme. It was a long
journey; but love let him rest nor day nor night till he had arrived at
the end. Nor did he accomplish it without adventure. One morning, about
a day's ride from his destination, he met two gay cavaliers, with finely
caparisoned horses, speeding on their way to Paris. They saw the
dust-stained horse, and dustier rider, and, thinking it would be fine
sport to whet their blades on his clumsy sword, bore down upon him.

But they had miscalculated their man; and as the first gallant checked
his horse within a few feet of La Pommeraye, his heart grew weak within
him as he saw the determined eye and smiling lips of the man he had
expected to see turn and flee before him.

"Have at thee, my dainty cock-robin!" said La Pommeraye. "Methinks the
smoke from yonder hostel bespeaks a ready breakfast, and I shall do
greater justice to the meal after a little exercise. Have at thee!"

The young nobleman grew pale to the lips, but manfully faced the trial
he had himself invited. Their horses danced about each other for a few
moments, sparks flew from their flashing blades, but the contest was an
unequal one. The youth tried ha