The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-03-17
CHAPTER V.


preaching in row-boats. as could be told by
the splash of oars and the rattle of thole-
pins, while small party of picked men
from Garcin's party was harassing them
from the tall grass of the bordering marsh.
1t was evident that Rochon meant to force
a landing at some point near by, and take
Garcin's place by storm. Orton walked
swiftly over the ground to be defended by
his little party and found that in
the midst of the slough there was
a deep, ditch-like creek, or miniature
bayou. up which row-boats could
easily come. Near the point in the large
bayou where this small one entered q little
sloop lay ready manned for action, and
pretty soon she opened fire with swivel or
a small carronade by the blaze of which
Orion saw plainly the fleet of advancing
row-boats, behind which and towed by
them came q small schooner. The shot
from the sloop was answered by a booming
discharge fired from piece at the bow of
the larger vessel and the shot went singing
over head. striking far back in the still,
dusty woods with heavy crunching sound.
After this was short lull and then the
musketry began to rattle in lively, sput-
Garcin's advanced pickets fell back under
cover of the sloop, and were supported by
body of twenty resolute fellows behind
low fence of heavy oak posts driven close
together in the sand.
Rochon' aotilla came right on, firing fu-
riously. the row-boats, after giving the
schooner sufficient momentum to bear her
forward to a favorable position, parting
and dropping back little to be out of the
way of her swivels which were now belch-
ing level shower of missiles that raked the
Garcin house and garden, and tore through
the light defences at the waters edge. The
sloop answered sturdily, but she was too
small, and pretty soon Orion saw her men
jumping over her sides. and swimming
ashore, while the bayOu's water was beaten
into foam by the balls and bullets striking
around them.
Suddenly, as if at signal, a group of the
enemy's boats swung out toward the shore,
and Orion saw five of the number enter the
little bayou that he and his men were
guarding. Each boat carried seven men.
Lie down, quickly!" ordered Orion, in a
low voice, and as his men obeyed he stopped
to get better view of the advancing io-
tilla. Then for the first time he was aware
IF line of men just beyond the slough, and
at the same moment came heavy vOlley
crashing from that quarter.
Orion and his men returned the fre with
promptness and effect; but this exposed
them to the boats, that at once began to
enflade them with murderous precision.
There was nothing to do but to fall back
in the direction of the garden and permit
the boats to land. The schooner was doing
deadly work now as she slowly drifted
toward Garcin's little dock, firing her
swivels rapidly, and pouring from her deck
a succession of musketry broadsides.
voice, like the trumpeting of a mad bull,
roared orders from the little vessels bows;
each word could be heard distinctly above
all the other noises of the conflict, 1t was
old Rochon, who with a cutlass in one
hand and a heavy pistol In the other, stood
impatiently waiting for his vessel to touch
the deck, so that he might leap ashore and
bear down upon his victims in person.
Orion and the survivors of his party,
availing themselves of every cover that
offered. slowly retreated toward the garden,
firing rapidly as they went. Meantime
Garcin had been driven from the fence be-
low the dock and had kept his men tOgeth-
or only by the most reckless personal cour-
age.
The struggle lasted much longer than
might have been expected reasonably, but
it could have no end save in the utter de-
feat of Garcin's band and the destruction
of the Garcin place. No sooner had old
Rochon reached the dock than he sprang
ashore, followed by score or more of his
most efficient men, and rushed upon the
house with yells that fairly shook the
forests around. The building was in flames
very soon and Garcin and his men, routed
and badly cut up, fed in every. direction,
pursued by their enraged and blOodthirsty
enemies.
When Orion saw Rochon's men landing
and making ready to assault the house, he
suddenly bethought him of his pictures
and sketches Without further reflection,
he ran in, and snatching them up, fled with
them by way of the garden. He had nearly
escaped in the woods beyond, when the
party coming up from the bayou met him,
and to avoid them he had to turn back.
During this short time the building had
been fired. and the flames were glaring
through the windows and doors. The
musketry had nearly ceased, but mad
shouts were ringing away In the direction
of the flying and the pursuers. Orion hur-
ried through a side gate of the garden. and
was making his way toward opposite
angle of the fence, knowing that a small
wicket was there, when old Rochon, ut
with brandlshed cutlass. There was no
time for hesitation. The young man let
fall his bundle of sketches, and drew the
heavy rapier that hung, at his side.
When man Is in sudden and imminent
peril his thoughts are quicker than light
ming. and oftentimes flash over the whole
of his past life. setting his personal history
before him like drawing IN birds-eye
perspective. As for Orion, however in
this instance. the apparition of old Rochon
(tearing down upon him with murder in
his face and sword flashing sharply in the
light of the burning house) made him think
of but one slight incident of all his past ex-
perience, and this now leaped olear-cut and
vivid into the very foreground of his men,
DRY. Ii was the meeting with Mile Felicie
Rochon in the moss veIled woodpath the
other day. Strange what two or three ter
rible moments could do in the way of lay
ing bare to him his own heart Like a sweet,
swift light flashed into him the conscious
ness of consuming love for that tall,
lovely girl. Romantic and improbable
enough all this may seem to the casual
reader; but to him who has met danger in
every form, and escaped death through
every narrow crevice of chance, it will be
but glimpse of real life under the pressure
of most terrible eXigency. AS concentrated
weather sometimes develops a plant in a
single day. so all the power of a lifetime
compressed into a moment may perfect in
simultaneously an inspiration. hate or a
love.
When Orton's sword crossed with that of
Rochon. and the fire leaped from the clang-
ing steel. the young man was thinking of
the girl to whom Victor had given the name
of the Lily of Rochon, and Victors idle
stories about how many men had fallen in
love with her all in vain, were running
through his mind. He recalled every time
that he had seen her, remembered just how
she was dressed, just how she looked
and every motion made by her. But
this cerebral retroversion had no effect
whatever upon the strength and supple
adroitness with which he met the furious
fencing of Rochon. The old man was still
extremely active, and his ponderous frame
had muscles and sinews like steel. Possibly