"My people shall have my prayers and my life, when needed, but I do not
feel called upon to act for the State. I have the honour to be a friend
of His Excellency."

"By Heaven, the State shall act!" cried De la Riviere, fierce with
rancour. "I shall go to this Valmond to-night, with my friend the member
here. I shall warn him, and call upon the people to disperse. If he
doesn't listen, let him beware! I seem to stand alone in the care of
Pontiac!"

The avocat turned to his desk. "No, no; I will write you a legal
opinion," he said, with professional honesty. "You shall have my legal
help; but for the rest, I am at one with my dear Cure."

"Well, Medallion, you too?" asked De la Riviere. "I'll go with you to
the camp," answered the auctioneer. "Fair play is all I care for.
Pontiac will come out of this all right. Come along."

But the avocat kept them till he had written his legal opinion and
had handed it courteously to the young Seigneur. They were all silent.
There had been a discourtesy, and it lay like a cloud on the coterie.
De la Riviere opened the door to go out, after bowing to the Cure and the
avocat, who stood up with mannered politeness; but presently he turned,
came back, was about to speak, when, catching sight of a miniature of
Valmond on the avocat's desk, before which was set a bunch of violets,
he wheeled and left the room without a word.

The moon had not yet risen, but stars were shining, when the young
Seigneur and the member came to Dalgrothe Mountain. On one side of the