ctive watchword. He had no
prejudices as to who should rule, except that he understood that the
French narrowness and bigotry had served them ill. Religion was, no
doubt, an excellent thing; the priests helped to keep order and were in
many respects serviceable. As for the new rulers, one need to be a
little wary of too profound a faith in them. The Indians had not been
wholly conquered, the English dreamed of re-conquest.

Detroit was not much changed under the new regime. Louis liked the great
expanse at the North better. The town was only for business.

He had a certain polish and graceful manner that had come from the
French side, and an intelligence that was practical and appealed to men.
He had the suavity and deference that pleased women, if he knew little
about poets and writers, then coming to be the fashion. His French was
melodious, the Indian voice scarcely perceptible.

In these three years there had been months that he had never thought of
Jeanne Angelot, and he might have let her slip from his memory but for a
slender thread that interested him, and of which he at last held the
clew. If he found her unmarried--well, a marriage with him would advance
her interests, if not--was it worth while to take trouble that could be
of no benefit to one's self?

Was it an omen of success that she should cross his path almost the
first thing, grown into a slim, handsome girl, with glorious eyes and a
rose red mouth that he would have liked to kiss there in the public
street? How proud and dignified she had been, how piquant and daring and
indifferent to flattery! The saints forfend! It was not flattery at all,
but the living truth.

The next day he was very busy, but he stole away once to the great oak.
Some children were playing about it, but she was not there. And there
was a dance that evening, given really for his entertainment, so he
must participate in it.

The second day he sauntered with an indifferent air to the well known
spot. A few American soldiers were busy about the barracks. How odd not
to see a bit of prancing scarlet!

The door was closed top and bottom. The tailor's wife sat on her
doorstep, her husband on his bench within.

"They have gone away, M'sieu," she said. "They went early this morning."

He nodded. Monsieur De Ber had met him most cordially and invited him to
drop in and see Madame. They were in the lane that led to St. Anne's
street; he need not go out of his way.

He was welco