icorde. Rich,--for he had paid the drinks; travelled,--they had his
assertion for it; courageous,--he could anathematize the Archbishop;
Misericorde had seldom such a novelty all to itself.

"Sacre! To blazes wit' you; set 'em up all roun', you blas' Canaydjin
nigger! Du gin, vite done! John Collins' pour le crowd! I'm a white man,
j'sht un homme blanc, j'sht Americain; I'm from the Unyted States, I am!
Sacre bleu! Health to all!"

"Health, monsieur!"

"Health, monsieur!"

"A thousand thanks."

"Set 'em up again, bapteme, you blas' Canayjin nigger!"

"What does he say!" inquired the landlord, on the verge of being
offended.

"Shut up, Potdevin!" said the only man who understood English, fearful
lest the second treat should go astray.

"Take!" cried Spoon, in a at of reconciliation, throwing down a five
dollar bill; and at the sight of the money, Potdevin, true landlord,
proceeded with the pouring out of the beverages into very small glasses
with very thick bottoms.

It was funny, when he had precipitated himself from the door, as above
said, to contemplate the fellow with his low hat on one side and far
down on his nose, his swelling shirt-front, striped breeches, and mighty
brass chain, leading the trooping crowd like some travelling juggler.

All this, however, was election work.

Was it the kind of method Chamilly would approve? There was a short and
certain answer.

Which then of Haviland's friends supplied Spoon with money for these
only too obvious processes of vote-obtaining. It was not the Honorable,
it was not De La Lande, it would not be penurious Benoit?

"Ah, well," Chrysler thought, "I am here but to observe. Am I not under
obligations to Zotique, if it be he, which prevent my interfering?"

Another of Chrysler's theories too was exploded. He had long revolved a
suspicion that it was Cuiller who had stolen Francois' $750. "Where
else," thought he, "does he get these liberal sums to spend?" Once he had
ventured to ask Spoon himself about Le Brun's loss but was plumply faced
with the growl, "Do you suppose _I_ stole it?" and, ashamed of himself,
withdrew the theory almost from his own mind. How he could explain even
the American's expenditure.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

BLEUS.

The Haviland party were not the only people alive to the necessities of
the contest. It was not seldom that in the Ontarian's walks during those
few days, the steady, inscrutable bust of Grandmoulin passed him, dri