CHAPTER IX.  THE NEW TUTOR.
1806.
The Chief had been detained in Quebec several days longer than he intended, awaiting a schooner, when a stranger approached him and said:
"Pardon me, sir, but I have a note here from Lieutenant Randall."
Breaking the seal, the Chief read as follows:
    THE CITADEL, August 7th, 1806.
P. WRIGHT, Esq.
DEAR SIR,—This will introduce to you Harold Wrenford, an old school friend from Wilton, England, who has just arrived and is seeking employment. He has references from his rector and others which would indicate that he is well fitted for the position of tutor, which I believe you wish to fill.
Wishing you and Miss Wright a bon voyage.—Believe me, sir,
    Yours very sincerely,
            WM. RANDALL.
The young Englishman was about the same height as the officer, but, unlike his friend, had a clean shaven face and dark auburn hair, which came almost to his shoulders. The expression of his face when in repose was pensive. An air of refinement distinguished his voice and manner. His general appearance and testimonials created a most favorable impression on the Chief, and the two were not long in coming to terms of agreement. A few hours later they were stemming the mighty current of the St. Lawrence in a small schooner, en route for Montreal, where the Colombo, a flat-bottomed bateau, was waiting to take them to their destination.
The advent of the tutor proved a most important event in the history of the backwoods settlement, and marked the beginning of a new era. Though courteous and obliging to the Chief and his family, he ever manifested a cool reserve to the neighbors, which made him most unpopular among them. They would call at the office, pay their accounts, and depart without a word of friendly greeting, or even of common courtesy.
Some regarded the tutor as a recluse with very exaggerated ideas of his own importance. Others looked upon him with suspicion, and whispered that he was probably the son of a nobleman in England who had committed a crime and had to flee the country. A general feeling of dislike began to manifest itself, which was intensified by the fact that the Chief, who had always been geniality itself, became almost inaccessible to them. When they would call at the Wigwam to discuss current events they invariably found him engaged with Wrenford. When they would call at the office in hope of hearing something of the outside world—for newspapers rarely reached the township at that time, and the Chief was the only link between them and civilization—the ubiquitous Wrenford was ever intruding and diverting the Chief's attention.
Nor were the neighbors alone in feeling that they had lost a friend. The sons began to realize that the young Englishman was determined to have the sole monopoly of their father's society. From early childhood they had been the inseparable companions of their father. Rarely did he enter upon any new enterprise without first discussing it with them in all its bearings; but, since the new regime, their father's plans and projects were generally communicated to them through the tutor. Even Mrs. Wright had cause to regret the advent of the new tutor, for she was not slow to observe a growing apathy in her husband to the Sunday service in the little congregational meeting-house.
The basis of union between the Chief and the tutor was not altogether unintelligible, and was not as unreasonable as the family seemed to think. It was founded upon mutual interests, strengthened by mutual assistance. The tutor wrote a good hand, the Chief a very poor one, having lost the use of his right hand through an injury. The tutor had a natural talent for making out estimates and accounts. He had a kind of information which had been gleaned from centres of civilization which was helpful to the Chief, who had spent years in the seclusion of the settlement.
Months passed. Unknown to any one, Wrenford often imagined what his life would be if Abbie could be induced to love him. This one thought, fervent and strong within him, filled him with constancy of purpose. Throug............