“I am to be her guardian and look after her. I think I shall settle down. I have tramped about enough to satisfy myself for one while. I shall go into trading, and have some one keep a house for me and take care of the child. Meanwhile I must persuade some one to give her shelter and oversight.” “Yes, yes, m’sieu,” encouragingly. “And so I have come to you,” looking up, with a bright laugh. Gaspard Denys very often obtained just what he wanted without much argument. Perhaps it was not so much his way as his good judgment of others. “And so I have come to you,” he repeated. “If you will take her in a little while, I think she will enjoy being with children. She has had a lonely life thus far.” “Poor thing! Poor little girl, to lose her mother so soon! And you think old Antoine will make no trouble?” “Oh, no, no! He would not know what to do with her.” Madame Renaud laughed derisively, and gave a nod, throwing her head back, which displayed her pretty throat. “So I shall look after her. He will never interfere. It will not be for long. And how shall I appear putting on fatherly airs?” in a tone of amusement. “Louis is but two and thirty, and you——” “Have just turned thirty,” subjoined Gaspard. “And little Louis is twelve, stout and sturdy and learning to figure as well as read under the good père. Then there are three others, and papa is as proud of them as was ever any hen with her chicks. I never heard that Chanticleer was a pattern of fatherly devotion.” They both laughed at that. “And, Gaspard, you should have settled upon some nice girl at the balls. You have been chosen king times enough.” He flushed a trifle. “I have been quite a roamer in strange places, and at first had a fancy for a life of adventure. But, as I said, I think of settling down now. And if you will keep the little girl for me until I get a home——” “And you want a good housemaid. Gaspard, Mère Lunde has lost her son. True, he was a great burden and care, and she has spent most of her little fortune upon him. I think she would be glad——” “The very person. Thank you a thousand times, Madame Renaud. I should want some one settled in her ways, content to stay at home, and with a tender heart. Yes, Mère Lunde will be the very one. “She was going to the père’s; then his niece came from Michilimackinac. They had bad work at the Mission with the Indians, and she just escaped with her life and her little boy.” “Yes; I will see her. It is advised that you get the cage before you find the bird; but the bird may be captured elsewhere if you wait too long. The child’s box comes in from St. Charles; they would not stir a step farther last night. I must go and look after it. Then I can send it here? And Louis will not kick it out of doors when he comes?” smiling humorously. “He will be liker to keep the little one for good and all and let you whistle,” she retorted merrily.