In the act the string of her hat, slung over her arm, came loose, and the
hat fell to the floor. Instantly he picked it up and returned it.
Neither had spoken a word. It seemed another act of the light pantomime
at the door. As if they had both thought on the instant how droll it
was, they laughed, and she said to him naively: "You have come to visit
the governor? You are a Frenchman, are you not?"

To this in slow and careful English, "Yes," he replied; "I have come from
Canada to see his excellency. Will you speak French?"

"If you please, no," she answered, smiling; "your English is better than
my French. But I must go." And she turned towards the door of the
governor's room.

"Do not go yet," he said. "Tell me, are you the governor's daughter?"

She paused, her hand at the door. "Oh no," she answered; then, in a
sprightly way--"are you a governor's son?"

"I wish I were," he said, "for then there'd be a new intendant, and we'd
put Nick Perrot in the council."

"What is an intendant?" she asked, "and who is Nick Perrot?"

"Bien! an intendant is a man whom King Louis appoints to worry the
governor and the gentlemen of Canada, and to interrupt the trade.
Nicolas Perrot is a fine fellow, and a great coureur du bois, and helps
to get the governor out of troubles to-day, the intendant to-morrow.
He is a splendid fighter. Perrot is my friend."