had
avoided any glimpse of Marguerite until this instant of taking up her
defense.

"I pulled that witch-midget off thee," he said, speaking for the
fortress to hear, "because I will not have her raising tumults in the
fort. Her place is in the hall to amuse her ladies."

Marguerite's chin rested on her breast.

"Go in the house," said Klussman roughly. "Why do you show yourself out
here to be mocked at?"

The poor girl raised her swimming eyes and looked at him in the fashion
he remembered when she was ill; when he had nursed her with agonies of
fear that she might die. The old relations between them were thus
suggested in one blinding flash. Klussman turned away so sick that the
walls danced around him. He went outside the fort again, and wandered
around the stony height, turning at every few steps to gaze and strain
his eyes at that new clay in the graveyard.

"When she lies beside that," muttered the soldier, "then I can be soft
to her," though he knew he was already soft to her, and that her look
had driven through him.

XII.

D'AULNAY.

The swelling spring was chilled by cold rain, driving in from the bay
and sweeping through the half budded woods. The tide went up St. John
River with an impulse which flooded undiked lowlands, yet there was no
storm dangerous to shipping. Some sails hung out there in the whirl of
vapors with evident intention of making port.

Marie took a glass up to the turret and stood on the cannon to watch
them. Rain fine as driven stings beat her face, and accumulated upon her
muffling to run down and drip on the wet floor. She could make out
nothing of the vessels. There were three of them, each by its sails a
ship. They could not be the ships of Nicholas Denys carrying La Tour's
recruits. She was not foolish enough, however great her husband's
prosperity with Denys, to expect of him such a miraculous voyage around
Cape Sable.

Sails were a rare sight on that side of the bay. The venturesome seamen
of the Massachusetts colony chose other courses. Fundy Bay was aside
from the great sea paths. Port Royal sent out no ships except
D'Aulnay's, and on La Tour's side of Acadia his was the only vessel.

Certain of nothing except that these unknown comers intended to enter
St. John River, Madame La Tour went downstairs and met Klussman on the
wall. He turned from his outlook and said directly,--

"Madame, I believe it is D'Aulnay."

"You may be right," she answered. "Is any