"Madame, from this day you are for three years the legitimate wife of M. Belle Tête, and owe him obedience, affection, and fidelity; such are the laws of the colony: in three years you will be your own mistress, at liberty to leave him or to continue to live with him, if he desire it; be good enough to sign this paper." The unhappy woman, blinded by her tears, and crushed by despair, signed, without looking at it, the paper which the Governor offered her; then she cast a heart-broken glance at this silent and indifferent crowd, in which she knew that she could not find a friend. "Now, sir," she asked, in a gentle and trembling voice, "what must I do?" "You must follow this man, who will be your husband for three years," M. de Fontenay answered, with a touch of pity, which he could not overcome. At this moment Belle Tête laid his hand on the girl's shoulder; she shuddered all over, and looked wildly at him. "Yes," he said, "my girl, you must follow me; for, as the Governor has told you, I am your husband for three years, and till the expiration of that time, you will have no other master but me. Now, listen to this, my darling, and engrave it carefully on your mind, so as to remember it at the right moment: what you have done, what you have been, until now, does not concern me, and I care little about it; but," he added, in a hollow, ferocious voice, which chilled the poor girl with horror, "from this day, from this moment, you belong to me--to me alone: I intrust to you my honour, which becomes yours, and if you compromise that honour--if you forget your duties," he said, as he dashed the butt end of his musket on the ground, so harshly, that the hammer rattled with an ill-omened sound, "this will remind you of them; now, follow me." "Be gentle to her, Belle Tête," M. de Fontenay could not help saying--"she is so young." "I shall be just, Governor: now, thanks for your impartiality, it is time for me to retire. Picard, my old friend, you know where to find me." "I shall not fail to come and see you, but I do not, wish to trouble your honeymoon," Picard replied, with a growl. Belle Tête withdrew, followed by his wife. The sale henceforth offered nothing of interest; the few women remaining were sold at prices far inferior to that which Louise had fetched, to the great regret, we are bound to add, of the Company's agent. The adventurers were preparing to leave the shed where they imagined there was nothing more to see; but at this moment Montbarts mounted the platform, and addressed the crowd in a sonorous voice-- "Brothers," he said, "stay, I have an important communication to make to you." The adventurers remained motionless. CHAPTER XVII. THE ENLISTMENT. All the adventurers assembled round the platform, anxiously awaiting what Montbarts had to tell them.