French, but I am not the half of a man. I will tell thee something the
Indian told me. Has thee seen the President?"

'"Oh yes!" he sneers. "I had letters from the Lord Lansdowne to that
estimable old man."

'"Then," I says, "thee will understand. The Red Skin said that when thee
has met the President thee will feel in thy heart he is a stronger man
than thee."

'"Go!" he whispers. "Before I kill thee, go."

'He looked like it. So I left him.'

'Why did he want to know so badly?' said Dan.

'The way I look at it is that if he had known for certain that
Washington meant to make the peace treaty with England at any price,
he'd ha' left old Faucher fumbling about in Philadelphia while he went
straight back to France and told old Danton--"It's no good your wasting
time and hopes on the United States, because she won't fight on our
side--that I've proof of!" Then Danton might have been grateful and
given Talleyrand a job, because a whole mass of things hang on knowing
for sure who's your friend and who's your enemy. Just think of us poor
shop-keepers, for instance.'

'Did Red Jacket let you tell, when he came back?' Una asked.

'Of course not. He said, "When Cornplanter and I ask you what Big Hand
said to the whites you can tell the Lame Chief. All that talk was left
behind in the timber, as Big Hand ordered. Tell the Lame Chief there
will be no war. He can go back to France with that word."

'Talleyrand and me hadn't met for a long time except at emigre parties.
When I give him the message he just shook his head. He was sorting
buttons in the shop.

'"I cannot return to France with nothing better than the word of an
unsophisticated savage," he says.

'"Hasn't the President said anything to you?" I asked him.

'"He has said everything that one in his position ought to say, but--but
if only I had what he said to his Cabinet after Genet rode off I believe
I could change Europe--the world, maybe." '"I'm sorry," I says. "Maybe
you'll do that without my help."

'He looked at me hard. "Either you have unusual observation for one so
young, or you choose to be insolent," he says.

'"It was intended for a compliment," I says. "But no odds. We're off in
a few days for our summer trip, and I've come to make my good-byes."

'"I go on my travels too," he says. "If ever we meet again you may be
sure I will do my best to repay what I owe you."

'"Without malice, Abbe, I hope," I says.

'"None whatever," says he. "Give