over to him.

"You can understand," he said quietly, "that this man has been used by my
people, and that things may be said which--"

Iberville waved his hand respectfully. "I understand, your excellency,"
he said. "I will go." He went to the door.

The woodsman as he passed broke out: "There is the old saying of the
woods, 'It is mad for the young wolf to trail the old bear.'"

"That is so," rejoined Iberville, with excellent coolness, "if the wolf
holds not the spring of the trap."

In the outer room were two soldiers and the Scot. He nodded, passed into
the yard, and there he paced up and down. Once he saw Jessica's face at
a window, he was astonished to see how changed. It wore a grave, an
apprehensive look. He fell to wondering, but, even as he wondered, his
habit of observation made him take in every feature of the governor's
house and garden, so that he could have reproduced all as it was mirrored
in his eye. Presently he found himself again associating Radisson's
comrade with the vague terror in Jessica's face. At last he saw the
fellow come forth between two soldiers, and the woodsman turned his head
from side to side, showing his teeth like a wild beast at sight of
Iberville. His black brows twitched over his vicious eyes. "There are
many ways to hell, Monsieur Iberville," he said. "I will show you one.
Some day when you think you tread on a wisp of straw, it will be a snake
with the deadly tooth. You have made an outlaw--take care! When the
outlaw tires of the game, he winds it up quick. And some one pays for
the candles and the cards."