Her eyes dropped, and then they raised steadily, clearly. "I am sure, sir," she said, "that Monsieur Iberville would tell you that my husband could never be dishonourable. They have been enemies, but noble enemies." "Yet, Monsieur Iberville might be prejudiced," rejoined the governor. "A brother's life has weight." "A brother's life!" she broke in fearfully. "Madame, your husband killed Iberville's brother." She swayed. The governor's arm was as quick to her waist as a gallant's of twenty-five: not his to resist the despair of so noble a creature. He was sorry for her; but he knew that if all had gone as had been planned by Iberville, within a half-hour this woman would be a widow. With some women, perhaps, he would not have hesitated: he would have argued that the prize was to the victor, and that, Gering gone, Jessica would amiably drift upon Iberville. But it came to him that she was not as many other women. He looked at his watch again, and she mistook the action. "Oh, your excellency," she said, "do not grudge these moments to one pleading for a life-for justice." "You mistake, madame," he said; "I was not grudging the time--for myself." At that moment Maurice Joval entered and whispered to the governor. Frontenac rose. "Madame," he said, "your husband has escaped." A cry broke from her. "Escaped! escaped!" She saw a strange look in the governor's eyes. "But you have not told me all," she urged; "there is more. Oh, your excellency, speak!" "Only this, madame: he may be retaken and--" "And then? What then?" she cried. "Upon what happens then," he as drily as regretfully added, "I shall have no power." But to the quick searching prayer, the proud eloquence of the woman, the governor, bound though he was to secresy, could not be adamant. "There is but one thing I can do for you," he said at last. "You know Father Dollier de Casson?" To her assent, he added: "Then go to him. Ask no questions. If anything can be done, he may do it for you; that he will I do not know." She could not solve the riddle, but she must work it out. There was the one great fact: her husband had escaped. "You will do all you can do, your excellency?" she said. "Indeed, madame, I have done all I can," he said. With impulse she caught his hand and kissed it. A minute afterwards she was gone with Maurice Joval, who had orders to bring her to the abbe's house--that, and no more. The governor, left alone, looked at the hand that she had kissed and said: "Well, well, I am but a fool still. Yet--a woman in a million!" He took out his watch. "Too late," he added. "Poor lady!" A few minutes afterwards Jessica met the abbe on his own doorstep. Maurice Joval disappeared, and the priest and the woman were alone together. She told him what had just happened. "There is some mystery," she said, pain in her voice. "Tell me, has my husband been retaken?" "Madame, he has." "Is he in danger?"