Next day, he saw a man descending from that airy plain to the river. The rays of the declining sun fell upon his scarlet uniform, and revealed the fact that he was an officer of the royal Americans. He entered a small skiff and crossing the river moored his small boat, and came directly to the wood in which the Acadian was waiting. Jean recognized him as Captain Noah Stevens, and came down to greet him.

"Have you conquered?" asked Jean.

Pointing to the flag flying over Quebec, Noah

said:

แ

"Do you see that?”

"Then you have conquered."

"All New France now belongs to England," the officer joyfully answered.

Jean sank down and, burying his face in his hands, sighed. The officer, placing his hand gently on his shoulder, spoke encouragingly:

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Jean, why do you sigh? You are as much an Englishman as a Frenchman. Your father was

born in Virginia. He and my father. · were brothers."

"Tell me all that strange story o'er again, for of late my memory is poor, and I cannot recall things as I used to.”

Seated on a fallen tree, Noah Stevens told him how two brothers from Virginia were serving on board a New England privateer. One was wounded in a fierce sea-fight with a French vessel and went to Boston. From Boston he wandered to Deerfield, where he was captured by French and Indians and taken to Quebec, where, as a galley slave, he was at labor on the fort when rescued by a fair Acadian whom he afterward married. All through the story, Jean sat listening and finally said:

"So my father was George and yours Elmer. Very well, I know the story now, and it shall never escape my memory again. Are you going with me?"

Certainly, I have resigned my commission, and I am at your service."

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Wait."

Why do you wait? Surely we have waited all too long now. Lo, I have waited now these three years!"

By strong persuasion, Noah induced his unfortunate cousin to resume his seat on the fallen tree, while he explained to him that his search had all along been aimless, without any special plan or system.

"Let us commence at once by going to Grand Pre and learning whence she went from there."

"No one knows. I have asked, and all I can learn from the English is that she became frightened at the threat of Captain Winslow and fled.”

Nevertheless, Noah Stevens was determined to go to Grand Pre, and informed his cousin that he must consent to follow his advice, if he would have his aid.

"I will; but, verily, you are trying," sighed the Acadian.

Nevertheless, he felt encouraged at having the assistance of one whom all praised for his judgment and courage. Noah Stevens had gained a considerable reputation as a backwoods scout, hunter and soldier. The man of superior abilities always finds admirers, go where he will. He was spoken of in the army of the Northeast as the most courageous officer on the frontier, and Jean felt strong when he had such an assistant. Noah's natural inclinations were to return to his home, wife and child, for he had an infant son in New York; but his cousin's sad story so affected him, that he decided to forego the pleasure of a speedy return.

Most of the time, Jean was wholly rational and was never demented or fully insane, for the blow on his head only slightly affected his mind at times. At all times he had but the one object in view,

the recovery of Adrianne.

In the long years of peace and happiness spent at the village of Grand Pre, although Adrianne was universally allowed to be the most beautiful girl of all Acadia, no one save Captain Winslow had dared speak to her about love, because it was known that she was beloved by Jean. No one ever knew when these two young people declared their affection. They had grown together like two trees whose roots are mingled, whose branches intertwine, and whose perfume rises together to the heavens. Only their wish to see each other had become a necessity, and they would have preferred death to a day's separation. To ruthlessly tear two such loving hearts asunder was a cruelty which might result in death or madness.

When Grand Pre was reached, no trace of the missing maiden could be found. All the French inhabitants were gone; but from an old negro woman who had belonged to one of the Acadians, Noah and Jean learned that one old French woman still lived about a league from the town. They got a complete description of the old woman, and learned that she had been an intimate friend of the widow Blanc.

"What can be more probable than that she fled there from Captain Winslow's persecutions, and threats?" said Noah.

"Perchance you are correct," Jean answered. Have you ever interviewed the old French

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They mounted a pair of French ponies and quickly galloped to the cottage of the aged Acadian. She was very non-committal at first; but, recognizing Jean Baptiste, she informed him that Adrianne had fled to her house after her mother's death and lived there in seclusion for a month, where the "poor dear thing had almost died of fever."

Whither did she go on her recovery?" asked

Noah.

"She took shipping one night for New York." (6 Have you seen her since?"

"No, monsieur."

"Nor heard from her?"

Only that she arrived safe in New York, and what has since been her fate the good God knows, I know not."

One thing is quite clear, cousin," said Noah. "You have been running away from her instead of going toward her."

"6 What shall we do now?" Jean asked.

"Back to New York. The trail is a cold one, and the thread may be broken, yet we must follow it. A vessel sailed from Halifax in three days for