Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-11-20
CHAPTER VII

/ reprimand Of the two officers, secretly
| resolving, however, to lay the matter
/ before the Commander-in-Chief. But
with view to prevent renewal of the
/ quarrel, requested De Barzac to ac-
company him as far as the officers
quarters.
The character of Lemourier was so
well known that the marshal had no
doubt that he was the chief offender,
and De Barzac, whom he questioned,
confirmed his opinion, while he was
careful TO omit the name Of Mile. De-
stain. In the marshals mind, there
fore, the occurrence resolved itself into
a drunken freak on the part Of Lee
INQUIRER, which it was his duty TO re-
port. The next morning, therefore, he
war arrested and marched TO Mont
calm's quarters, while De Barzac re-
ceived polite note requesting his at
tendance at the same place. Rumors Of
the affair, however, were not wanting,
nor were they long in reaching the ears
of Nine. Chevreul and her niece.
1.-The coward the assassin ex-
claimed the former, ito draw his sword
upon wounded mani and oh! how de-
lighted ] am TO know my young hero
defeated him! how brave he Isl Like
the Chevalier Bayard, without fear and
without reproachr'
Dear aunt, you forget that l am be-
trothed to Colonel Lemourier. Doubt
less he was under the influence of wine
and may havo been provoked"
''Ninon," exclaimed the elder lady,
cit is your pride that prompts you to
excuse this bandit. He is your fancee,
and therefore he must be purged of his
crfmes-the stains Of drunkenness and
cowardice erased from his name-that
the world may believe him to be, what
he is not, man of honor."
1T is your partiality for NJ. De Bar
FAC that warps your judgment He may
be all that you say-but what is that 10
me2 am bound, chained, perhaps you
will say, TO Lemourier; not by love or
choice, but the command of my family.
If he is brave and honorable | will be
proud Of him. If he is not, what then?
His wife must believe that ho is that
which he is not, and scorn the worlds
opinion for his sake"
Nine. Chevreul was silent. For a
moment her heart sank at the thought
that Ninon loved this man-this bravol
But no; there was no indication of ten
derness in look or tone. Then came the
second thought. But she will marry
him all the same. She will make the
sacrifice to family pride and her fathers
authority, and what a sacrifice! But
md ues1f
proud of her name, her ancestry, like
grand dame of France, and, above ALL
proud of her husband. Therefore she
sympathized with the young girl, her
sisters child, and recalling the military
aphorism that when fortress can not
be taken by assault, it must be under
mined, she resolved to tax her woman's
wit for the inception of some scheme to
prevent the marriage of Ninon and
Lemourier.
Among the friends of Nine. Chevreul
was lady, the widow of an English Of
ticer, and for some years resident of
Montreal. So quiet and unobtrusive in
her habits, she attracted little atten-
ton among the crowd of officials and
their families, who constituted the $50
ciety" OF the embryo city. although her
stately figure was daily to be met in
the hospital and on the river bank,
which was usually lined with the
barks OF the natives. To these children
of the forest she seemed a being almost
divine. She talked to them in their
own language, ministered to their sick
and wounded, especially to the children;
spoke words of Christian nope to the
tou-wOrn and neglected mothers and
won from their love and gratitude
title which, in their soft, expressive
language, signified the Daughter of the
Great Spirit, for she was of their own
race pure-blooded princess of
noble line. Not many of the loungers
on the promenade suspected that the
vail which shrouded her from their
curious glances concealed the features
of an aborigine, but Nine Chevreul had
been attracted by the sweet resigned
expression in those fathomless dark
eyes, and succeeded in winning her con-
fidence.
To-day the scene on the river was III
usually lively; several transports laden
with troops and military stores had ar
rived from Quebec and were being un-
loaded; the soldiers glad to be relieved
from confinement, singing as they
marched to their quarters with their
knapsacks on their shoulders-heroes
every one of them, lured on TO glory by
the hope of one day wearing the chcv-
rons of sergeant; for in those days the
epauiets of an officer could only be worn
by one who could boast a noble descent
of three hundred years.
Nine. Chevreul and the Indian
princess walked along the river-path,
almost unconscious OF the stirring
scene, the French lady pouring into
the ear Of her friend the story of Mile.
Destain's unfortunate engagement to
Lemourier, his cowardly attack on De
Barzac on the night previous. and her
anxious desire to prevent an alliance
which promised the most unhappy re-
suits. She listened with grave atten-
ton.
"Your plan is then to place NJ. De
Do. he