"Who told you that?" cried de Lotbiniere in a passion. "Who is the
author of such an infamy? I have heard that story told of Monsieur de
Lanaudiere, but it is as false of one as of the other. It was to Captain
de Lanaudiere that the compulsion of farmers to bring in provisions was
entrusted, but even he went out as an officer doing duty, and never as a
trader in beef. Lies, all lies!"

"Let that pass, then," said the unknown Gendarme of the Guard; "but
though I can understand de Lery's reporting to his superior on being
pressed for information, it was nothing less than ignoble and disgusting
of him to have spread these tales concerning my friend among his
comrades."

"What!" returned de Lotbiniere, "when Lecour was wearing the name of his
uncle!"

"If he wore it he did not seek it; it was his companions who gave it to
him."

"To have worn it at all, sir, admits of no excuses."

"It was never dishonoured by him; it suffered in nothing."

"That may be, but it does not destroy in the slightest this most sacred
principle of society, that each one carry his true name and not that of
another."

The stranger lost patience.

"Eh, but, sir," he cried, "this name is not so precious! This name is
not so precious, I say, after the adventure of the eldest of the family,
who was hung in effigy in that country for having assassinated a worthy
citizen of Quebec on his doorstep at the entrance to the Upper Town. And
my friend Lecour possesses the proofs of it. It was Panet who was the
judge that condemned him for the assassination and ordered him hanged in
effigy."

"Hold," returned the Marquis, "Panet the judge? Does your friend not
know that Monsieur Panet was only a simple attorney in the days of the
French _regime_? I see that you are very badly informed. He of whom you
speak was my best friend from childhood, and without question one of the
most estimable men Canada ever produced. This is what befell: His
quarters as an officer were given him upon Philibert, a man who, having
kept a bakery, furnished the King's store with bread for the soldiers at
Quebec, whence he grew to look upon himself as the King's
_munitionnaire_, and exempt from providing quarters. Monsieur de
Repentigny presents his order for lodgings. Philibert refuses.
Repentigny replies, 'This must be settled either with the
Lieutenant-General, whose written order this is, or with the
Intendant--but I must be lodged either by you or by some one else.'
Ph