E-text prepared by Al Haines

MONTLIVET

by

ALICE PRESCOTT SMITH

New York
Grosset & Dunlap
Publishers
Houghton, Mifflin and Co.

1907

TO

M. C. H. AND A. E. H.

CONTENTS

I. THE KEY II. THE CAPTIVE III. BEHIND THE COMMANDANT'S DOOR IV. IN THE OTTAWA CAMP V. A DECISION VI. DAME OPPORTUNITY VII. THE BEGINNING VIII. PARTNERS IX. WESTWARD X. I WAKE A SLEEPER XI. MARY STARLING XII. A COMPACT XIII. WE REACH THE ISLANDS XIV. A PROVISIONAL BARGAIN XV. I TAKE A NEW PASSENGER XVI. THE STORM XVII. AFTER THE STORM XVIII. IN WHICH I USE OPPORTUNITY XIX. IN THE MIST XX. WHAT I FOUND XXI. THE PIVOT XXII. THE PRICE OF SLEEP XXIII. I ENCOUNTER MIXED MOTIVES XXIV. I MEET VARIOUS WELCOMES XXV. OVER CADILLAC'S TABLE XXVI. FROM HOUR TO HOUR XXVII. IN COUNCIL XXVIII. CHILDREN OF OPPORTUNITY XXIX. I FOLLOW MY PATH XXX. THE MEANING OF CONQUEST XXXI. THE UNDESERVED XXXII. I TELL THE WOMAN XXXIII. TO US AND TO OUR CHILDREN

MONTLIVET

CHAPTER I

THE KEY

The May sun was shining on Michillimackinac, and I, Armand deMontlivet, was walking the strip of beach in front of the Frenchgarrison.

I did not belong to Michillimackinac. I had come in only the daybefore with two canoes and four men, and I was bound for the beaverlands further west. A halt was necessary, for the trip had beensevere, and remembering that it was necessity, and not idleness, thatheld me, I was enjoying the respite. My heart was light, and since theheart is mistress of the heels, I walked somewhat trippingly. I was ongood terms with myself at the moment. My venture was going well, and Iwas glad to be alone, and breathe deep of the sweet spring air, and letmy soul grow big with the consciousness of what it would like to do.So content was I, that I was annoyed to see La Mothe-Cadillac approach.

Yet Cadillac was important to me then. He was commandant atMichillimackinac,—the year was 1695,—and so was in control of thestrategic point of western New France. The significance of all that hestood for, and all that he might accomplish, filled my thought as heswaggered toward me now, and I said to myself, somewhat complacently,that, with all his air of importance, I had a fuller conception than heof what lay in his palm.

He hailed me without preface. "Where do you find food for yourlaughter in this forsaken country, Montlivet? I have watched youswagger up and down with a smile on your face for the last hour. Whatis the jest?"

In truth, there was no jest in me by the time he finished. My ownthought had just called him a swaggerer, and now he clapped the samephrase back at me.

"There are more swaggerers upon this beach than I," I cried hotly, and
I felt my blood rise.

My tone was more insulting than my words, and Cadillac, too, grew red.I saw the veins upon his neck begin to swell, and all my childishirritation vanished.

"Come, monsieur," I hastened; "I was wrong. But I meant no harm, andsurely here is a jest fit for your laughter, that two grown men shouldstand and swell at each other like turkeycocks, all because they aredrunk with the air of a May day. Come, here is my hand."

"But you said that I"—

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