shall say nothing more, if you prefer to risk yourself in her hands
instead of risking her with the savages."

The dwarf's mandolin trembled a mere whisper of sound. She leaned her
large head against the settle and watched the Swiss denounce his wife.

"You speak good military sense," said the lady, "yet there is monsieur's
command. And I cannot bring myself to drive that exhausted creature to a
cold bed in the woods. We must venture--we cannot do less--to let her
rest a few days under guard. Now let me hear your news."

"It was only this, madame. Word was brought in that two priests from
Montreal were wandering above the falls and trying to cross the St. John
in order to make their way to D'Aulnay's fort at Penobscot. So I set
after them and brought them in, and they are now in the keep, waiting
your pleasure."

"Doubtless you did right," hesitated Madame La Tour. "Even priests may
be working us harm, so hated are we of Papists. But have them out
directly, Klussman. We must not be rigorous. Did they bear any papers?"

"No, madame; and they said they had naught to do with D'Aulnay, but were
on a mission to the Abenakis around Penobscot, and had lost their course
and wandered here. One of them is that Father Isaac Jogues who was
maimed by the Mohawks, when he carried papistry among them, and the
other his donné--a name these priests give to any man who of his own
free will goes with them to be servant of the mission."

"Bring them out of the keep," said Madame La Tour.