"It has been a question since the world began. Were not the children of Israel commanded to drive the Canaanites out of their own land? Did not the Romans carry conquests all over Europe? And the Spaniard here, who has been driven out for his cruelty and rapacity. The world question is a great tree at which many nations have a hack, and some of them get only the unripe fruit as the branches fall. But the fruit matures slowly, and some one will gather it in the end, that is certain." "But has not the Indian a right to his happiness, to his liberty?" said Laurent, rather mischievously. He had been chaffing with the girls, yet listening to the talk of the elders. "In Indian ethics might makes right as elsewhere. They murder and destroy each other; some tribes have been almost wiped out and sold for slaves, as these Pawnee people. Depend upon it they will never take kindly to civilization. A few have intermarried, and though there is much romance about Rolfe and his Indian princess, St. Castin and his, they are more apt to affiliate with the Indians in the next generation." "My young man who was so ready to fight was a half-breed, I heard," said Laurent. "His French father is quite an important fur trader, I learned. Yet the young fellow has been lounging round for the past three months, lying in the sun outside the stockade, flirting and making love alike to Indian and French maids, and haunting Jogue's place down on the river. Though, for that matter, it seems to be headquarters for fur traders. A handsome fellow, too. Why has he not the pride of the French?" "Such marriages are a disgrace to the nation," said Madame Fleury, severely. "And that recalls to my mind,--" St. Armand paused with a retrospective smile, thinking of the compliment his little friend had paid him,--"to inquire if you know anything about a child who lives not far from the lower citadel, in the care of an Indian woman. Her name is Jeanne Angelot." The girls glanced at each other with a little curl of the lip as St. Armand's eyes wandered around. "My father met her at the flag-raising and was charmed with her eyes and her ignorance," said Laurent, rather flippantly. "If I were going to become a citizen of Detroit I should interest myself in this subject of education. It is sinful to allow so many young people to grow up in ignorance," declared the elder St. Armand. "Most of our girls of the better class are sent to Montreal or Quebec," exclaimed Madame Fleury. "The English have governesses. And there is the Recollet school; there may be places outside the stockade." Monsieur Fleury shook his head uncertainly. "Angelot, Angelot," he repeated. "I do not know the name." "Father Gilbert or Father Rameau might know. Are these Angelots Catholics?" "There is only one little girl." "Oh!" a light broke over Madame's face. "I think I can recall an event. Husband, you know the little child the Bellestres had?" "I do not remember," shaking his head.