Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-08-21
in vain for the first expression Of sor-

4 in vain for the hrst expression OF sor-
row.
why, left him just now with Louise,
and upon my soul, | t.i1k the poor fei-
lows captiyated. Ddt what's the mat
ter, Simon?'
Nothing nothing; only you startled
me somewhat when you said St Denis
/ was prisoner for / knew not but that
some rowing band of Indians might have
fallen upon you. Testing upon such mat
tiers is rather out Of place" And with
this Simon Lobois walked away
AHA, Simon Lobois" muttered Louis,
to himself, after the man had gone, you
were startled In the wrong place. Twas
the truth that startled you, and not the
JEST
Lobois did not show much of his real
feelings when he sat down to the table,
for he came in smiling TO the supper
room, and hardly had he taken his seat
ere he turned to Goupart and said
"St. Denis, master Louis came nigh
frightening me a short time since. lie
told me you were prisoner, and, for the
moment, / feared you had really fallen
into the hands of the Indians"
Well" returned Goupart, Eve both
| Of us cerue within an ace of it; so Louis
had some foundation for his report"
How? What?7 uttered the marquis.
did We meet with any danger"
Only six stout Indians, who tried to
kill Goupart, and take me prisoner" re-
turned Louis.
Simon Lobois did not appear surprised,
but he trembled, and the color forsook
his cheeks. Sharp eyes were watching
him Louise looked up with startled,
| incredulous expression, while the old man
made three Intellectual attempts to ask a
| question But Louis relieved him by
commencing with the first sight of the
| deer and ending with the death of the
| fellow who died by the tree.
They were Natehez, said the mar
! quis, breathlessly.
NO They were Chickasaws-all Of
/ them"
! For the next few moments, various
/ were the questions asked and answered,
and the old man seemed about equally
! balanced between establishment and pride
| in his brave boy.
| But WI 1t could it meanY uttered 81
| man. who felt it necessary 20 say some
| thing
| "Ay, what could it," repeated Louise.
| tFtiuDilHS Win hppt thNhsA"HF phS 800
! strangely indeed, looking oftener and
longer upon Goupart than upon Louis
| "Yes-that's it," cried the old man.
What could they meanY"
why" returned Louis, Il can mag
! inc but one cause. They know your
| wealth, father, and they must have hop
! ed that if they could secure me, they
would have received great ransom for
me- They probably saw that Goupart
was a stranger, and so they meant to
put him out of the way, in order that ne
might not expose them"
Simon breathed very freely now; and
/ the marquis looked upon this as a very
probable explanation of the mystery.
After supper, Louis and Goupart em-
| braced the first opportunity to be alone
together.
''What think you now?" asked Gou-
part.
20, Goupart, know not what to think!
cannot believe it possible that Simon
would do such a thing, and yet things
look dark against him. He has asked
| Louise for her hand-asked her earnest
! IL and perseveringly.'
"And she-what was her answerT
why, as you may suppose, she laugh
/ ed g his folly"
Then, fear be is at the bottom Of
this. but let us watch him. We will
keep our suspicious a secret for while
at least, and while we exefcise the ut
most care for ourselves, we win watch
him also"
"You are right, Goupart, l will only
make one contdant, and that shall be old
Tony. He is a keen. quck-witted fell
low. and 1 cannot only trust him, but
can depend much upon his sagacity. He
has been with my father ever since |
was born. as you know. He was one of
the poor fellows who were taken from
the wreck of the SLAYER at the Cape de
Verdes, and he went to France with my
father from choice. He alone shall help
us now
And thus the matter was left for the
! present.