"Owaissa is a courageous maiden. It is said she carries a dagger which she would not be afraid to use. She has some strange power over the Indians. Her father was wronged out of his chieftaincy and then murdered. She demanded the blood price, and his enemies were given up to the tribe that took her under their protection. Yet I wonder a little that she should choose Louis Marsac. The White Chief, my husband, does not think him quite true in all his dealings, especially with women. But if he trifled with her there would be a tragedy."
Jeanne shuddered. The tragedy had come so near.
Miladi asked some questions hard for Jeanne to answer with truth; how she had come up the lake, and if her captors had treated her well.
"It seems quite mysterious," she said.
Then they talked about Detroit, and Jeanne"s past life, and Miladi was more puzzled than ever.
A slim young Indian woman brought in the baby, a dainty girl of two years old, who ran swiftly to her mother and began chattering in French with pretty broken words, and looking shyly at the guest. Then there was a great shout and a rush as of a flock of birds.
"I beat Gaston, maman, six out of ten shots."
"But two arrows broke. They were good for nothing," interrupted the second boy.
"And can"t Antoine take us out fishing--" the boy stopped and came close to Jeanne, wonderingly.
"This is Mademoiselle Jeanne," their mother said, "Robert and Gaston.
Being twins there is no elder."
They were round, rosy, sunburned boys, with laughing eyes and lithe figures.
"Can you swim?" queried Robert.
"Oh, yes," and a bright smile crossed Jeanne"s face.
"And paddle a canoe and row?"
"Yes, indeed. Many a time in the Strait, with the beautiful green sh.o.r.es opposite."
"What strait, Mackinaw?"
"Oh, no. It is the river Detroit, but often called a strait."
"You can"t manage a bow!" declared Robert.
"Yes. And fire a pistol. And--run."
"And climb trees?" The dark eyes were alight with mirth.
"Why, yes." Then Jeanne glanced deprecatingly at Miladi, so elegant, so refined, if the word had come to her, but it remained in the chaos of thought. "I was but a wild little thing in childhood, and there was no one except Pani--my Indian nurse."
"Then come and run a race. The Canadians are clumsy fellows."
Robert grasped her arm. Gaston stood tilted on one foot, as if he could fly.
"Oh, boys, you are too rough! Mam"selle will think you worse than wild Indians."
"I should like to run with them, Miladi." Jeanne"s eyes sparkled, and she was a child again.
"As thou wilt." Miladi smiled and nodded. So much of the delight of her soul was centered in these two handsome, fearless boys beloved by their father. Once she remembered she had felt almost jealous.
"I will give you some odds," cried Jeanne. "I will not start until you have reached the pole of the roses."
"No! no! no!" they shouted. "Girls cannot run at the end of the race.
There we will win," and they laughed gayly.
They were fleet as deer. Jeanne did not mean to outstrip them, but she was seized with enthusiasm. It was as if she had wings to her feet and they would not lag, even if the head desired it. She was breathless, with flying hair and brilliant color, as she reached the goal and turned to see two brave but disappointed faces.
"I told you it was not fair," she began. "I am larger than you, taller and older. You should have had odds."
"But we can always beat Berthe Loudac, and she is almost as big as you.
And some of the Indian boys."
"Let us try it again. Now I will give you to the larch tree."
They started off, looking back when they reached that point and saw her come flying. She was not so eager now and held back toward the last.
Gaston came in with a shout of triumph and in two seconds Robert was at the goal. She laughed joyously. Their mother leaning over a railing laughed also and waved her handkerchief as they both glanced up.
"How old are you?" asked Robert.
"Almost sixteen, I believe."
"And we are eight."
"That is twice as old."
"And when we are sixteen we will run twice as fast, faster than the Indians. We shall win the races. We are going up North then. Don"t you want to go?"
Jeanne shook her head.
"But then girls do not go fur hunting. Only the squaws follow, to make the fires and cook the meals. And you would be too pretty for a squaw.
You must be a lady like maman, and have plenty of servants. Oh, we will ask father to bring you a husband as strong and nice and big as he is!
And then he will build you a lodge here. No one can have such a splendid house as maman; he once said so."
"Come down to the palisade."
They ran down together. The inhabitants of the cottages and lodges looked out after them, they were so gay and full of frolic. The gate was open and Robert peered out. Jeanne took a step forward. She was anxious to see what was beyond.
"Don"t." Gaston put out his arm to bar her. "We promised never to go outside without permission. Only a coward or a thief tells lies and breaks his word. If we could find Loudac."
Loudac had gone over to Manitou. The dame had been baking some brown bread with spice seeds in it, and she gave them all a great slice. How good it tasted! Then they were off again, and when they reached the house their mother had gone in, for the porch was hot from the sun.
Jeanne had never seen anything like it. The walls seemed set with wonderful stones and gems, some ground to facets. Long strips of embroidery in brilliant colors and curious designs parted them like frames. Here a border of wampum sh.e.l.ls, white, pale grayish, pink and purple; there great flowers made of sh.e.l.ls gathered from the sh.o.r.es of lakes and rivers. At the far end of the room were two Indian girls working on bead embroidery, another sewing rows of beautiful feathers in a border.
The boys were eager to rehea.r.s.e their good time.
"If they have not tired you to death," said their mother.