Characters are in it like Medallion, the little chemist, the avocat, Lajeunesse the blacksmith, and Madeleinette, his daughter, which were in some of the first sketches I ever wrote of French Canada, and subsequently appearing in the novelette entitled The Lane That Had No Turning.

Indeed, 'When Valmond Came to Pontiac', historical fantasy as it is, has elements both of romance and realism.
Of all the books which I have written, perhaps because it cost me so much, because it demanded so much of me at the time of its writing, I care for it the most.

It was as good work as I could do.

This much may at least be said: that no one has done anything quite in the same way or used the same subject, or given it the same treatment.

Also it may be said, as the Saturday Review remarked, that it contained one whole, new idea, and that was the pathetic--unutterably pathetic--incident of a man driven by the truth in his blood to impersonate himself.
"Oh, withered is the garland of the war, The Soldier's pole is fallen." WHEN VALMOND CAME TO PONTIAC.