The girl, under the influence of his masterful spirit and the rare charm of his manner, might have--as many another has--broken her troth.

As it was, she wrote Iberville a letter and sent it by a courier, who never delivered it.

By the same fatality, of the letters which he wrote her only one was received.

This told her that when he returned from a certain cruise he would visit her again, for he was such an enemy to her country that he was keen to win what did it most honour.

Gering had pressed for a marriage before he sailed for the Spaniards' country, but she had said no, and when he urged it she had shown a sudden coldness.