away
dead leaves. Her lady had bid her look how this grave fared, and she
noticed fondly that fern was beginning to curl above the buried lad's
head. The heir of the La Tours lay with his feet toward the outcast of
the Charnisays, but this was a chance arrangement. Soldiers and
servants of the house were scattered about the frontier burial ground,
and Zelie noted to report to her lady that winter had partly effaced and
driven below the surface some recent graves. Instead of being marked by
a cross, each earthen door had a narrow frame of river stones built
around it.

Van Corlaer left the drowned falls and passed his own tents, and waited
outside the knee-high inclosure for Father Jogues. The missionary, in
his usual halo of prayer, dwelt upon the open breviary. Many a tree
along the Mohawk valley yet bore the name of Jesu which he had carved in
its bark, as well as rude crosses. Such marks helped him to turn the
woods into one wide oratory. But unconverted savages, tearing with their
teeth the hands lifted up in supplication for them, had scarcely taxed
his heart as heretics and sinful believers taxed it now. The soldiers,
having finished, took up their tools, and Van Corlaer joined Father
Jogues as the party came out of the cemetery.

The day was brightening. Some sea-birds were spreading their white
breasts and wing-linings like flashes of silver against shifting vapor.
The party descended to a wrinkle in the land which would be dry at
ebb-tide. Now it held a stream flowing inland upon grass--unshriveled
long grass bowed flat and sleeked to this daily service. It gave
beholders a delicious sensation to see the clean water rushing up so
verdant a course. A log which would seem a misplaced and useless
foot-bridge when the tide was out, was crossed by one after another; and
as Van Corlaer fell back to step beside Father Jogues, he said:--

"The Abenakis take to the woods and desert their fishing, and these
Etchemins leave the woods and take to the coast. You never know where to
have your savage. Did you note that the village was moving?"

"Yes, I saw that, Monsieur Corlaer; and I must now take leave of the
lady of the fort and join myself to them."

"If you do you will give deep offense to La Tour," said the Dutchman,
pushing back some strands of light hair which had fallen over his
forehead, and turning his great near-sighted eyes on his friend. "These
Indians are called Protestant. They are in La Tour's grant. Th