“I do not ask you to go against your own people,” he replied.  “Remain in Louisiana.  Great work can be found here for you and your friends.  And where Kaintock is concerned another way could be made.  It is far from the Eastern colonies, divided by mountains, the forest, and Indians.  Where could they find a better friend to whom to turn than the King of Spain?  And they will surely need a powerful friend!”

Henry gazed at him in amazement, and yet he felt a certain respect for the scope and largeness of the man’s plan, repellent though the plan was to him.  He saw that Alvarez was not an ordinary man, that he was one with whom the people for whom he cared would have to reckon.  But he was not afraid, nor was he tempted for a moment by the promise of a glittering future that Alvarez held out to him.  He felt an immense indignation, but he was still master of himself, and he replied quietly.

“I could not leave my own people, nor would any of my comrades.  The air of Louisiana does not suit us.  We are accustomed to a colder climate.  We feel, too, that Kaintock can take care of herself.  Nor is it sure that the Eastern colonies will be crushed by the King.  But, should they be, Kentucky would never desert them to join Spain.”

Alvarez frowned, and his temper began to rise.  Henry was showing more finesse and more knowledge of the world and its events than he had thought possible in one just come out of the woods.

“By entering my service, by becoming a lieutenant of mine, you have all to gain and nothing to lose,” he said, resuming his customary tone of superiority.

Henry instantly felt the change of manner and resented it.

“I could not dream of accepting such an offer,” he said, “but, if I should, I’d merely take the place that you’ve already given to Braxton Wyatt, a renegade.  He thinks it is his, and you have made him think it is his.  If you do not keep faith with him how could I believe that you would keep faith with me?”

The dark blood of anger flushed the Spaniard’s face.  He half rose from his seat and then sat down again.

“I have made you an offer,” he said, “one that any youth or young man should be proud to accept, and you insult me by saying that you doubt my faith.  You are a child, a backwoodsman, and an ignorant fellow!”

“I am not ignorant about some things of importance,” replied Henry calmly, “but, if I were low enough to be tempted by your offer, I should still be wise enough to know that a man who plots against his own superior officer could not be trusted by me.”  “What do you mean?” asked Alvarez, paling for a moment.

“Is it not true that by fair or foul means you expect shortly to succeed Bernardo Galvez as Governor General of Louisiana?”

The Spaniard’s hand flew to his sword hilt.  Such things as these were not to be known by everybody.  But Henry met his gaze steadily, and the hand fell away from the sword-hilt.  He had gone too far already.  He was sorry that he had turned the professional swordsman loose on Paul—­it had been an unwise deed—­and another act of violence in a single day was unworthy a man of his self-control.  No, a new and better plan came suddenly into his mind.