It had come from the hand of a Spanish noble, whose place he had taken in Spain years before.

He had prevented his men from despoiling the castle, and had been bidden to take what he would, and had chosen only this.
"Tell her," he said, "that it was the gift of a captive to me, and that it is the gift of a captive to her.

For, upon my soul, I am prisoner to none other in God's world." Perrot weighed the ring up and down in his hand.

"Bien," he said, "monsieur, it is a fine speech, but I do not understand.

A prisoner, eh?
I remember when you were a prisoner with me upon the Ottawa.