THE FLAMINGO FEATHER

BY

KIRK MUNROE

Author of "SNOWSHOES AND SLEDGES," "THE PAINTED DESERT," "WAKULLA," ETC.

ILLUSTRATED

HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
NEW YORK AND LONDON

THE FLAMINGO FEATHER

COPYRIGHT, 1887, BY HARPER & BROTHERS
COPYRIGHT, 1915, BY KIRK MUNROE

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

L-Y

CONTENTS

ILLUSTRATIONS

ARRIVAL OF ADMIRAL RIBAULT'S FLEET . . . Frontispiece

RÉNÉ SLIPPED QUICKLY THROUGH THE GATE

"FAREWELL, TA-LAH-LO-KO!"

THE DEATH OF HAS-SE

The Flamingo Feather

CHAPTER I

RÉNÉ DE VEAUX

On a dreary winter's day, early in the year 1564, young Réné de Veaux, who had just passed his sixteenth birthday, left the dear old chateau where he had spent his happy and careless boyhood, and started for Paris. Less than a month before both his noble father and his gentle mother had been taken from him by a terrible fever that had swept over the country, and Réné their only child, was left without a relative in the world except his uncle the Chevalier Réné de Laudonniere, after whom he was named. In those days of tedious travel it seemed a weary time to the lonely lad before the messenger who had gone to Paris with a letter telling his uncle of his sad position could return. When at length he came again, bringing a kind message that bade him come immediately to Paris and be a son to his equally lonely uncle, Réné lost no time in obeying.

He travelled like a young prince, riding a spirited steed, and followed by a party of servants, mounted and armed to protect him against robbers and other perils of the way. Behind him rode old François, who had been his father's valet and was now his sole friend and