The National tribune., 1902-11-27


at was Forester's plan," he said, with
a low laugh. II will make my story as
short as l can, but l will try and make
you acquainted with the way we got on
| track of you, and how we finally reached
you"
The little canoe was now moving silent
ly up the river, under the steady work of
the Forester and Merru-Maqua, and with
no signs of a pursuit on the part of their
enemies, they continued their way with
feelings of comparative safety. As Eden's
story is familiar to the reader until he
came to describe the scenes that followed
| the shooting of Philip by the Wolf Stalker,
and the succeeding attack of the Nell
cites, We will open his narrative at that
point.
Il do not see how we could have es-
capped the red men had not that strangest
of creatures, who had just shot our In
dian ally, suddenly threw himself upon
the Melicites. They were SO terrified by
his appearance that they broke and fed
like deer in every direction. But our
noble friend here was wounded by one of
| their arrows, and for over week we
| were unable to move, as anxious as We
were to resume the trail.
"At the end of that time, the Forester
said he was able to start, though the
Chief was still unable to do SO. Seeing
we were impatient to move, he proposed
that We go, and leave him there in the
| cave where we mad been stopping. So
making him as comfortable as possible,
| and leaving him meat enough to last a
| week or more, we babe the poor fellow
good-by. 1t seemed like leaving an old
friend, for you must remember he had
voluntarily taken the trail to find you,
having promised your mother he would
help bring you back"
81 hope he will not die" she said. at
seems too bad to have left him there all
alone, poor fellow"
at was the only thing VIC could do
Upon reaching st. Francis we learned
through an Indian named Plausawa, who
is friendly to the Forester, that you had
been bought by the French and taken to
| Quebec under the escort of party of
soldiers. Though this was not the worst
news we could have heard, had heavy
heart when we set forward on our next
stage of the long journey in quest of you.
But it seemed as if we were guided by the
hand of Providence, for the Forester soon
ran across Merru-Maqua, who said that
you had been taken to Charlebourg. The
Chief was somewhat disposed to be
friendly to us on account of the fact that
he had not received the money promised
by the French for his captives. This,
coupled with the fact that he had found
Bigot, the 1ntendant, was trying to get
possession of you, had aroused him to I'M
| dertake your rescue, or, more properly
speaking, recovery, for / think he still
hoped to realize something from you either
by ransom from the English or purchase
money from the French. Then, too, this
would give him a chance to strike blow
against Bigot, whom he hates for some
wrong the other has done him in the past.
"But even with Nerru-Maqua's assist
ance, We had difficult and hazardous
undertaking before Us. If we did not act
| with extreme caution we were sure to
arouse the French Government, and the
army would be down upon us. Leaving
the Chief to keep n watch over your cap
tors, the Forester and / began to look
about for the safest way for us to under
take your rescue. Finally, when the Chief
reported that you were about to be taken
to Beaumanoir it seemed necessary that
at least one of us should get inside the
chateau, and it was decided that l was
the best adapted to do this. In this
dilemma it was concluded that l should
disguise myself as French nobleman just
over from Gascony. A little inquiry sug-
gested the character l had better select,
SO l got hold of complete outfit through
one of Forester's friends, and fitted my
self out to represent the member of a
family that Bigot knew by reputation, but
had never met. Then / boldly sought an
introduction to him through papers forged
by our friend, and / was received with
greater show of good will by the Intendant
than / had expected. In truth, a few
smooth lies to him from his infamous pa
troness, an occasional suggestion that
came frem his place of nativity, and some
adroit f1attery won him over to me entire
ly, so easily obtained an invitation to 60
with him to Beaumanoir
'"This was exactly what wanted to do
hnst fIak II IL H.
good in that direction, though I should
have preferred to have been one of those
who were to find you. But this was to
be done by the Forester and the Chief
who kew of the secret passage running
between the old fort and the chateau. My
principal duty was to hold the attention
of the mob in the great hall of revelry,
while they rescued you. was to know
when this was accomplished by the note
from the oriole; one note IL successful;
two. If our plans had gone amiss. I am
lhappy to find that QUIZ plans proved sue.