The Lady of Fort St. John | Page 5

but nothing serious."
"If it be nothing serious, I will have a change of garments and my supper before I hear it. We have had a hard voyage."
"Did my lord send any new orders?"
"None, save to keep this poor girl about the fort; and that is easily obeyed, since we can scarce do otherwise with her."
"I meant to ask in the first breath how he fared in the outset of his expedition."
"With a lowering sky overhead, and wet red clay under-foot. But I thanked Heaven, while we were tossing with a broken mast, that he was at least on firm land and moving to his expectations."
They entered the gateway, Madame La Tour's cheeks tingling richly from the effort of climbing. She saluted her garrison, and her garrison saluted her, each with a courteous pride in the other, born of the joint victory they had won over D'Aulnay de Charnisay when he attacked the fort. Not a man broke rank until she entered her hall. There was a tidiness about the inclosure peculiar to places inhabited by women. It added grace even to military appointments.
"You miss the swan, madame," noted Klussman. "Le Rossignol is out again."
"When did she go?"
"The night after my lord and you sailed northward. She goes each time in the night, madame."
"And she is still away?"
"Yes, madame."
"And this is all you know of her?"
"Yes, madame. She went, and has not yet come back."
"But she always comes back safely. Though I fear," said Madame La Tour on the threshold, "the poor maid will some time fall into harm."
He opened the door, and stood aside, saying under his breath, "I would call a creature like that a witch instead of a maid."
"I will send for you, Klussman, when I have refreshed myself."
"Yes, madame."
The other women filed past him, and entered behind his lady.
The Swiss soldier folded his arms, staring hard at that crouching vagrant brought from Beausejour. She had a covering over her face, and she held it close, crowding on the heels in front of her as if she dared not meet his eye.

II.
LE ROSSIGNOL.
A girlish woman was waiting for Marie within the hall, and the two exchanged kisses on the cheek with sedate and tender courtesy.
"Welcome home, madame."
"Home is more welcome to me because I find you in it, Antonia. Has anything unusual happened in the fortress while I have been setting monsieur on his way?"
"This morning, about dawn, I heard a great tramping of soldiers in the hall. One of the women told me prisoners had been brought in."
"Yes. The Swiss said he had news. And how has the Lady Dorinda fared?"
"Well, indeed. She has described to me three times the gorgeous pageant of her marriage."
They had reached the fireplace, and Marie laughed as she warmed her hands before a pile of melting logs.
"Give our sea-tossed bundle and its mother a warm seat, Z��lie," she said to her woman.
The unknown girl was placed near the hearth corner, and constrained to take upon her knees an object which she held indifferently. Antonia's eyes rested on her, detecting her half-concealed face, with silent disapproval.
"We found a child on this expedition."
"It hath a stiffened look, like a papoose," observed Antonia. "Is it well in health?"
"No; poor baby. Attend to the child," said Marie sternly to the mother; and she added, "Z��lie must go directly with me to my chests before she waits on me, and bring down garments for it to this hearth."
"Let me this time be your maid," said Antonia.
"You may come with me and be my resolution, Antonia; for I have to set about the unlocking of boxes which hold some sacred clothes."
"I never saw you lack courage, madame, since I have known you."
"Therein have I deceived you then," said Marie, throwing her cloak on Z��lie's arm, "for I am a most cowardly creature in my affections, Madame Bronck."
They moved toward the stairs. Antonia was as perfect as a slim and blue-eyed stalk of flax. She wore the laced bodice and small cap of New Holland. Her exactly spoken French denoted all the neat appointments of her life. This Dutch gentlewoman had seen much of the world; having traveled from Fort Orange to New Amsterdam, from New Amsterdam to Boston, and from Boston with Madame La Tour to Fort St. John in Acadia. The three figures ascended in a line the narrow stairway which made a diagonal band from lower to upper corner of the remote hall end. Z��lie walked last, carrying her lady's cloak. At the top a little light fell on them through a loophole.
"Was Mynheer La Tour in good heart for his march?" inquired Antonia, turning from the waifs brought back to the expedition itself.
"Stout-hearted enough; but the man to whom he goes is scarce to be counted on. We Protestant French are all held alien