The Hunters of the Hills

d it, hung on its slopes and nestled at the foot of the cliffs below. Brilliant sunshine gilded its b

lic buildings, the Intendant's Palace, the Cathedral, Notre Dame de la Victoire, the convents of the Ursuline Nuns an

nable fortress of the Old World. The wonderful glow of the air, and the vast river flowing at its feet, magnified and colored everything. It was a

power that threatened them continually. Many of the Bostonnais, seized in their fields, had been brought here as prisoners to be returned home only after years, or never. From this citadel, too, poured the stream of arms and presents for the Indians who were to lie in ambush along the English border, or to make murderous incursions upon the villages. Fro

shed to conquer. He felt that permanent safety could never come to the northern border until the Bourbon lilies ceased to float over the great fortress tha

breath, "Stadacona of the Ganea

yes of youth and glowing recollections. He knew the corruption and wickedness of Bigot and of Cadet and of Pean and of the whole reckless circle about the Intendant, but Quebec, with

robe, gazed fixedly at the rock, and raised his hand in a gesture much like that with which he had cursed the chateau of Count Jean de Mézy. His eyes were set a

at his elbow and who also gazed at Quebec with feelings quite h

future. Youth fears nothing, but age fears everything. You come to Quebec now in peace, and I trust that you may never come in war. I can

that New France and the English colonies could make a lasting peace, but the intrigues, the jealousies and the hates of the courts at London and Paris keep our forests, four thousa

looked at Willet with

when other minds than those of vain and jealous courtiers will sway the fortunes of all these vast regions. I hav

," said the hu

e picturesque sights that awaited him in the greatest French town of the New World. De Galisonnière was hailed joyously by you

Diamond, and he saw the massive redoubts lined with heavy cannon. Now, he wondered at the boldne

the Upper Town. It is kept by Monsieur Berryer, who as a host is fully equal to Mons

Galisonnière, for your great courtesy in bringing us from Montreal. We c

a swarthy French-Canadian porter carrying their baggage. Here, as at Montreal, the most attention was attracted by Tayoga, and, if possible, the y

e Quebec of the French, it was the Stadacona of the Mohawks, the great brother

d Indians, its great stone houses, and its wooden huts, its young officers in fine white uniforms and its swarthy habitants in brown homespun. Albany had its Dutch, and New York had its Dutch, too,

ng pace considering the steepness of the street, and they saw in it a f

he priest, who wa

priest spoke the name with the most intense scorn and contempt, and Robert, feeling that he might encounter de Mézy again in this pent-up Quebec, gazed at his van

are pulling down New F

uil

t said farewell and departed in

y Protestant should hate Catholic and Catholic should hate Protestant. I've lived long enough and seen enough to know that each church holds good men, and unless I make

r endured the Indian tortures better than they.

led Philibert. This is his warehouse and he was one of the honnêtes gens that we've been talking about. He fo

chien qui

ant je pren

ndra qui n'

rai qui m'a

e dog will bite those

comes true. If you keep on striking people some of th

ill run his warehouse

en D

t people, none braver or more honest. I tell you so, because I know them, but their government is corrupt through and through. The House of Bourbon is dyin

t. "I haven't seen another city

and from whom they learned that the Governor General, the Marquis Duquesne, was absent in the east, but would return in two or three days. Robert was no

ge suits quite in the fashion, three-cornered hats, fine coats and waistcoats, knee breeches, stockings and buckled sh

large, but it brought a l

ed to splendor of raiment, and the surroundings of the great world. Quebec might be corrupt but he could not

Dave," he said, "and it's not the first time that you've

and some time, Robert, I'll tell y

deeper feeling against the French than any that animated either Robert or Willet. He could not forget that this was not Quebec, but Stadacona of the Ganeagaono, whose rights were also the rights of the other nations of the Hodenosaunee, and it was here

wait two days for the Marquis Duquesne, that we

come a long journey on the river and

-room, which had an oaken floor, oaken beams and much china and glass on shelves about the walls, the whole forming an apartment in which th

He was glad to be there. He was glad that Tayoga and Willet were with him. He was glad that they had encountered dangers on their journey because they had won a triumph in overcoming them, and by the v

hich china and glass, arranged in harmonious groups, shone and glittered. The broad shelves or niches in the walls held much cut glass, which now and then threw back from many facets the ruddy

dress in the glittering silver of the goblet. Then his right hand stole down and caressed the hilt of his rapier. He felt himself very much of a gentleman, very much of a chevalier, fit to talk on equal terms with St. Luc, de Galisonnière or

eirs would become known quickly in Quebec. They had shown the papers bearing their names at the gate by which they had entered, and doubtless the news of their arrival had bee

ecommended the inn to them. He did not appear, but the others who did so lingered and young Lennox knew that it was because of the three, who received many hostile glances, although most were intended for the Onondaga. Robert was aware, too, that if the Iroquois had lost this Stadacona of the Mohawks and had been ravaged by Frontenac, they had taken a terrible revenge upon the F

ks were growing more me

ed among his guests,

e. "The French are polite, and although th

not miss any sound that could reach them. He understood French well, and he caught several whispers that made the r

uniform, his hair long, perfumed, powdered and curled, and his face flushed. Robert recognized him at once as that same Count Jean de Mézy who ha

the room, and, resting upon the

and behold the two Bostonnais and the Iroquois of whom

yet," said Nemours, although

entlemen, this lordly Quebec of ours, which has known

s of "Silence!"

d and said: "They don't understand! The slow-wit

ert's face deepened

y his friends, while we're strangers in a strange land and a hostile city. Take a trif

e the cue. They talked of the Bostonnais, not only of the two Bostonnais who were present, but of the Bostonnais in all the English colonies, applying the

the English colonies, the prospect of war, and the superiority of French troops to British or American. Meanwhile he

rly and in perfect Fre

of loose speech, even as

Yo

pure French. "Vain boasters dwell too in our own villages. For reasons that

earn what other people know, and we learn t

strange countries and listen to the tongues of the idle

give a full rein to a loos

Lennox, as soon as we leav

and in warning, but he

veins of both Tayoga an

ed not less deeply

is temper or drink makes him foolish, or he may say them because it is his wish to be foolish and he has cultivated foolish ways all his lif

ecision in his measured school French and a mo

nd seen much, and seeing they have remembered. They know that speech was given to man in orde

onsieur Berryer raised deprecating hands and was about to speak, but, probably seeing that both hands and words would be of no avail, moved quietly to one side

eam like the cackling of a jay bird, the chiefs do not send warriors to punish him, but give him into th

. "People who have reached the years of maturity pay no

did not look up, he knew that de Mézy, flushed with drink and anger, was standing over him. The temperament that nature had given to him, the full strengt

see more of the cit

ung sprig of a Bostonnais," said de Mézy,

have not the advantage of your acquaintance, which, no doubt, is my los

count of France, a cap

most valued friends

ois B

, of course, I have hea

, I have even heard of

am to say it, I have n

de

de Mézy's face turned to purple. His hand dropped to the hilt of hi

cept an insult. We preserve our honor with the edge of our swords, and for that reason I intend to let a good quantity of t

boy," inter

measuring his antagonist. "I will meet you tomorrow morning just after su

re than a score, but the approval was given for different reasons. Some, and they belonged to the honnêtes gens, were glad to see de Mézy rebuked and hoped that he would be punished; others, the following of Bigot, Cadet, Pean an

due fashion, and the shedding of blood would occur in the proper place and not in his inn. And yet it would be an advertisement. Men would come to point out where de Mézy had sat, and where the young Bostonnais had sat, and to re

he master of speech; "you can send your seconds this evening to see mine, and they will arrang

Americans did not give much attention to the study of the sword. New thoughts raced through his head. Could it be possible that here, where one least expected it, was some marvelous swordsman, a phenomenon? Did that account fo

ll, and he was confirmed in the c

he said to Tay

Onondaga said in English,

ut Tayoga, who by the way is of the most ancient blood of t

t his heart. The youth might really be the dreaded marvel with the sword. Such coolness in one so young at such a time could come only from abnormal

tons in the palm of his hand, and put them down in the center of the table. Six white sides were turned up and taking two beans from the common heap he started a pile of his own. He threw again and obtained seven whites. Then he took four beans. A third throw and all coming up white twenty beans were s

s and Le Moyne, laughed once more. Robert and Tayoga did not pay the slightest attenti

play it for hours, an

ould be great

be snubbed before his own people by two strange youths. At length he said: "Farewell until morning," and stalked out, followed by his satellites. Others soon followed but Robe

afterthought, although he did not take his eyes from the b

plied the innkeeper, "that is i

condition it looks as i

! One ought always to

fancy it depends a good deal upon one's opponent

an de Mézy, and it was worth while to be considered a miraculous swordsman. He had read the count's mind when he stood at his elbow, shuddering

it necessary to make preparation only for the very be

as ours does not mean

," said

nce to any guests of mine. I know the courtesy due to visitors in our Quebec, and I would have stopped the quarrel had

y is, in truth, great, but don't trouble yourself on our account. We are fully able to

the deer buttons and the