"Never!" She spoke in hot haste, all the patriot firing within her, and looking full at me with flashing eyes. "St. Louis will be French some day, as it used to be, I believe with all my heart; but American, never!"
"Mademoiselle, we had a wager once. Shall we have one more?"
"Is it that St. Louis will one day be American?"
"Yes."
"I am very willing to wager on that, for it is a certainty for me. What shall be the stakes?"
"Mademoiselle, they would be very high."
"I am not afraid."
I thought for a moment, and then I shook my head.
"Mademoiselle, I dare not. I am sure St. Louis will one day be ours, but the time may be long, and by that day the worst may have happened. You may have found your chevalier of France."
She looked up at me in a quick, startled way, which changed gradually to her old proud look.