"Madame, you wear
rich raiment. Does that mean that you and Lord Starling are again
friends?"
She drew away. "Monsieur, should we not be friends?"
"Have you forgiven Lord Starling, madame?"
She looked at me with wistful quiet. In her strange gown she seemed
saddened, matured. And she answered me gravely. "Monsieur, please
understand. My cousin and I---- Why, we traveled side by side in the
Iroquois canoes. He served me, was careful of me; he--he has suffered
for me, monsieur. I was hard to him for a long time,--a longer time
than I like to remember. But I could not but listen to his
explanation. And, whatever he did, he is, after all, my cousin, and he
regrets deeply all that happened. As to this gown,--it is one I wore
in Boston. My cousin brought it in his canoe and left it here at the
garrison when he went west. Monsieur"----
"Yes, madame."
"Monsieur, I was wrong when I suspected my cousin. I have an unkind
nature in many ways. He came here to find me,--for that alone. He
honors you greatly for all you have done for me. I hope that you will
give him opportunity to thank you as he wishes."
I thought of Starling's great voice, his air of power. "I hope to meet
your cousin," I replied.
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