Part 52 (1/2)

”We can give you but poor accommodations; still it will not be for long, as we go up North to accept our cousin's hospitality. You will be delighted to meet the Sieur Angelot. The Fleury family will be glad to see you again, though they have no such luxuriant hospitality as before.”

They all went to the plain small shelter in which the Fleurys were thankful to be housed, and none the less glad to welcome their friends.

They kept Jeanne to dinner, and would gladly have taken her as a guest.

M. Loisel had offered her a home, but she preferred staying with Wenonah. Paspah had never come back from his quest. Whether he had met with some accident, or simply found wild life too fascinating to leave, no one ever knew. To Wenonah it was not very heart-breaking.

”Oh, little one,” she said at parting, ”I shall miss thee sorely.

Detroit will not be the same without thee.”

And then Jeanne Angelot went sailing up the beautiful lakes again, past sh.o.r.es in later summer bloom and beauty and islands that might be fairy haunts. They were enchanted bowers to her, but it was some time before she knew what had lent them such an exquisite charm.

So she came home to her father's house and met with a warm welcome, a noisy welcome from two boys, who could not understand why she would not climb and jump, though she did run races with them, and they were always hanging to her.

”And you turn red so queerly sometimes,” said Gaston, much puzzled. ”I can't tell which is the prettier, the red or the white. But the red seems for M. St. Armand.”

Loudac and the dame were overjoyed to see her again. The good dame shook her head knowingly.

”The Sieur will not keep her long,” she said.