ted by her desire to renew her intimacy with the handsome
page, came punctual to her appointment. He had not, of course,
admitted the good old churchman, his uncle, into all his secrets; he
had not even told him that he had seen the lady, much less what were
his hopes and views concerning her.

But he did tell him that he was so deeply mortified and wounded by her
desertion, that he had determined to sell his estates, to leave France
forever, and to betake himself to the new American colonies on the St.
Lawrence.

There was not in the state of France in those days much to admire, or
much to induce wise men to exert their influence over the young and
noble, to induce them to linger in the neighborhood of a court which
was in itself a very sink of corruption. It was with no great
difficulty, therefore, that Raoul obtained the concurrence of his
uncle, who was naturally a friend to gallant and adventurous daring.
The estates of St. Renan, the old castle and the home park, with a few
hundred acres in its immediate vicinity only excepted, were converted
into gold with almost unexampled rapidity.

A part of the gold was in its turn converted into a gallant brigantine
of some two hundred tons, which was despatched at once along the coast
of Douarnez bay, there to take in a crew of the hardy fishermen and
smugglers of that stormy shore, all men well-known to Raoul de St.
Renan, and well content to follow their young lord to the world's
end, should such be his will.

Here, indeed, I have anticipated something the progress of events, for
hurry it as much as he could in those days, St. Renan could not, of
course, work miracles; and though the brigantine was purchased, where
she lay ready to sail, at Calais, the instant the sale of St. Renan
was determined, without awaiting the completion of the transfer, or
the payment of the purchase-money, many days had elapsed before the
news could be sent from the capital to the coast, and the vessel
despatched to Britanny.

Every thing was, however, determined; nay, every thing was in process
of accomplishment before the arrival of the fair lady and her nominal
husband, so that at his first interview with Rose, Raoul was enabled
to lay all his plans before her, and to promise that within a month at
the furthest, every thing would be ready for their certain and safe
evasion.

He did not fail, however, on that account to impress upon the pretty
maiden, who, as Jules was to accompany his