The girl laughed lightly, her roguish eyes ablaze
with merriment*

''He might be sometime, Monsieur/' she cried,
evidently glad to talk, '' but to-night he reminded me
of those scare-crows the fanners near Quebec keep in
their fields; a little chap, with a bit of tumed-up
mu&tache, and a bright eye, but rags, — gracious,
such rags as he wore ! "

'Twas De Croix, there could be no doubt of it,
— De Croix, torn and dishevelled by his mad rush
through the darkness, but with no shred of his reckless
audacity gone. There was naught left me now but
to race back upon his trail, hopeful for some chance
that might yet allow me to come in first on the return
journey. In my throat I swore one thin^, *-» the grace-
less villain should never collect his reward at both
ends of his journey. He had already stolen the sweets
from Josette's red lips, but he should never claim those
of Mademoiselle. I lingered for but a single question
more.
