eers of their countrymen. He expressed himself highly
pleased with this accession of strength to the community, and loudly
declared that he believed ere long their Protestant colony would be
established on a firm basis. His letters, he said, informed him that
many thousands of French settlers were about to sail and join them.
Nigel hastened on shore as soon as his duties would allow, and was
welcomed with all the marks of affection he could desire by Constance,
and kindly greeted by her father. Great progress had been made, the
count told him, and he hoped that they should soon be able to form a
settlement on the mainland.

"But we have been so happy here, that I should be sorry to move," said
Constance, pointing to a pretty garden seen from the window of their
sitting-room. "Think of all the pains we have bestowed on it, and,
should it be deserted, in a few months, in this climate, it would again
become a wilderness."

"We must keep it as our country residence, and come here occasionally
from our house in the new city," observed the count; "or perhaps you and
Nigel will like to make it your home."

"Oh, that will be delightful," exclaimed Constance, "though I suspect
that Nigel will require a larger sphere of action than this little
island would afford."

They talked much more about the future, which, to the eyes of Constance,
looked bright and happy. The count, however, when alone with Nigel,
expressed his anxiety on several accounts. The governor had of late
shown especial favour to the men he had collected to supply the place of
those who had abandoned the expedition; and they were engaged in
erecting a building, which it was very evident was intended for a
church. Why there should be any secrecy about the matter the count
could not tell; but it was a suspicious circumstance, as chiefly those
who had refused to attend at the Protestant service were engaged on it.
Still the governor professed to be as warm a Protestant as ever.

"Have you any suspicions of the honesty of his intentions?" asked Nigel.

"From this circumstance, and others which may seem trifling, suspicions
have arisen in my mind," answered the count.

Nigel then told him the reason he himself had to doubt the governor's
honesty.

"I wish that you had told me of this before," said the count. "I should
probably have returned with you to Europe, rather than have supported
such a man by remaining. However, your explanations satisfy me th