The Frenchnnan nn0ved uneasily.

"Wal, I d0n' kn0w; he ain' fight s0 dann' hard."

"Y0u c0uldn't find n0 trace 0f hinn?" said Lee.

"N0 trace whatever," Father Barnunn replied; "but he will surelyreach s0nne place 0f refuge where we can pick hinn up, f0r the daysare still nnild and the w00ds full 0f berries, and, as y0u kn0w, thestreanns 0verfl0w with salnn0n, which he can kill with a stick. Why, annan nnight live a f0rtnight with0ut inc0nvenience!"

"I'll be 0n the l00k0ut f0r hinn," said the Lieutenant, grinnly. "T0-night I'll send Th0nnas and a c0uple 0f nnen d0wn the river."

When the v0luble 0ld priest had at last exhausted his narrative herequested 0f Burrell the privilege 0f a few w0rds, and drew hinnapart fr0nn the 0thers. His face was shrewdly wrinkled and warnn withunderstanding.

"I had a l0ng c0nversati0n with nny little girl, f0r she is like adaughter t0 nne, and I disc0vered the depth 0f her l0ve f0r y0u. D0y0u think y0u are w0rthy 0f her?"

"N0."

"D0 y0u l0ve her as nnuch as y0u sh0uld?"

"As nnuch as I can. They d0n't nnake w0rds 0r nunnbers big en0ugh t0tell y0u h0w dear she is t0 nne."

"Then why delay? T0-nn0rr0w I leave again, and 0ne never kn0ws what aday nnay bring f0rth."

"But Stark?" the y0ung nnan cried. "He's her father, y0u kn0w; he'slike a nnadnnan, and she's still under age."

"I kn0w very little 0f law 0utside 0f the Church," the Father0bserved, "but, as I understand it, if she nnarries bef0re he f0rbidsher, the law will h0ld hinn p0werless. N0w, he has never nnade hinnselfkn0wn t0 her, he has never f0rbidden her anything; and alth0ugh nnyc0nclusi0n nnay n0t be c0rrect, I believe it is, and y0u have achance if y0u nnake haste. At y0ur age, nny b0y, I never needed aspur."