ff his
shoulders, if I had him an hour in my confessional. But all my ingenuity
could not extract from him what he did not know--who that mysterious
lady is, her name and family."

"Could the Huron hunters give no guess?" asked Amelie, thoroughly
interested in Angelique's story.

"No. They learned by signs, however, from the Abenaquais, that she was
a lady of a noble family in Acadia which had mingled its patrician
blood with that of the native chiefs and possessors of the soil. The
Abenaquais were chary of their information, however: they would only say
she was a great white lady, and as good as any saint in the calendar."

"I would give five years of my life to know who and what that woman is!"
Angelique added, as she leaned over the parapet, gazing intently at the
great forest that lay beyond Charlebourg, in which was concealed the
Chateau of Beaumanoir.

"It is a strange mystery. But I would not seek to unravel it,
Angelique," remarked Amelie, "I feel there is sin in it. Do not touch
it: it will only bring mischief upon you if you do!"

"Mischief! So be it! But I will know the worst! The Intendant is
deceiving me! Woe be to him and her if I am to be their intended victim!
Will you not assist me, Amelie, to discover the truth of this secret?"

"I? how can I? I pity you, Angelique, but it were better to leave this
Intendant to his own devices."

"You can very easily help me if you will. Le Gardeur must know
this secret. He must have seen the woman--but he is angry with me,
for--for--slighting him--as he thinks--but he was wrong. I could not
avow to him my jealousy in this matter. He told me just enough to
madden me, and angrily refused to tell the rest when he saw me so
infatuated--he called it--over other people's love affairs. Oh, Amelie,
Le Gardeur will tell you all if you ask him!"

"And I repeat it to you, Angelique, I cannot question Le Gardeur on such
a hateful topic. At any rate I need time to reflect, and will pray to be
guided right."

"Oh, pray not at all! If you pray you will never aid me! I know you
will say the end is wicked and the means dishonorable. But find out I
will--and speedily! It will only be the price of another dance with the
Chevalier de Pean, to discover all I want. What fools men are when they
believe we love them for their sakes and not for our own!"

Amelie, pitying the wild humors, as she regarded them, of her old school
companion, took her arm to walk to and fro in the bast