The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-03
CHAPTER VIII.
Tous SauvageS.

.. Gus SaQVaSeS.
Had nature indeed intended Law for the
wild life Of the trail and had he indeed
spent years rather than months among
these unusual scenes. he could hardly
have been better fitted for the part. Hardy
Of limb, keen Of eye, tireleSS OF foot, with
O hand which any weapon fitted, his sue
cess as hunter made his companions will
ing enough to assign to him the chase OF
the bison the stag so that he became
not only pat but provider for the camp.
Some weeks after the departure of Du
Mesne, Law was returning from the hunt
some miles below the station: His tall
and powerful figure. hardened by contin-
ued outdoor exercise, was scarce bowed
BY the weight Of the wild buck which he
bore across his shoulders. His eye, accus-
toned to the instant readiness demanded
In the voyageurs life. glanced keenly
about taking in each item Of the scene.
each movement Of the little bird on the
tree. the rustling Of the grass where a
rabbit started from its form, the whisk of
the gray squirrels tail on the limb far
overhead.
The touch Of autumn was now in the
air. The leaves OF the wild grapevine were
falling. The oaks had donned garments of
somber brown, the hickories had lost their
leaves. while here and there along the
river shores the flaming sentinels of the
naples had changed their scarlet uni
form for one Of duller hue. The wild rice
in the marshes had shed its grain upon
the mud banks. The acOrns were loosen
ing in their cups. Fall IN the west, gor-
geous, beautiful, had now set in, OF all the
seasons of the year, the most loved by
the huntsman.
This tall. lean man. clad in buckskir
Hike savage. brown almost as savage
as active and as alert, seemed to fit not
Ill with these environments, nor to lack
either confidence oontentment. He
walked on steadily. following the patti
along the bayou bank, and at length
paused for a moment. throwing down his
burden and STOPPING to drink at the tiny
pool made by the little rivulet which
trickled down the face Of the bluff. Here
he bathed his face and hands In the coo
stream. for the moment abandoning him
self to that rest which the hunter earns
It was when at length he raised his heac
and turned to resume his burden that hi
suspicious eye caught glimpse or some
thing which sent him in a flash below the
level Of the grasses, and thence TO th'
cover Of a tree trunk.
AS he gazed from his hiding-place hi
saw the tawny waters Of the bayou broker
into a long series Of advancing r1ppes
Passing the fringe Of wild rice. swim
ming down beneath the heavy cordage o
the wild grapevnes, there came two ca
noes roughly made Of elm bark, In fash
ion which would have shown an Olde
frontiersman full proof Of their western
origin.
In the bow Of the foremost boat, a
Law could now clearly see, sat a slende
young man, clad in the uniform, nov
soiled and faded, Of a captain In tn
British army. His boat was propelled b.
four dusky paddlers, Indians Of the east
Stalwart, powerful silent, they sent tn
sx~.aft on down stream, their keen eye
EIancing swiftly from one point to tn
other of the ever changing panorama, We
hof
rant pause. Back Of the grst boat b
q short distance came kindred craft 1t
crew comprising two white men and tW
Indian paddlers. OF the white men. on
might have been a petty officer, the othe
perhaps a private soldier.
Every party bound into the west mus
pass this very point upon the rive
Of the Illini. But why should these b
present here? Were they friends or foes
So queried the watcher, tense and cage
rs a waiting pather, now crouchlng wit
atraining eyes behind the sheltering tree
AS the leading boat swung clear OF tn
shadows, the man In the prov turned hi
face, scanning closely the shore OF tn
stream. AS he did so, Law half starte
to his feet. and a moment later steppe
from his concealment. He gazed agai
and again, doubling what he saw. Sure
~ those clean-cut. handsome feature
could belong to no man but his forme
friend, Sir Arthur Pembroke
Yet how could Sir Arthur be here
What could be his Grand and how had h
been guided hither? These sudden ques
tions might, upon the instant, have cor
fused a brain ready that Of this OF
server, who paused not to reflect thu
this meeting, seemingly so Impossible
was in fact the most natural thing In tt
world indeed, could scarce have bee
avoided b yany one travelling with the II
J.
lessasebe.
The keen eyes of the red paddle
caught sight of the crushed grasses at IL
little landing on the bayou bank, even
Law rose from his hiding-place.
swift. concerted sweep Of the paddles Sc
the boat circling out into m1dstream, ar
before Law knew 1t he was covered
half a dozen guns. He hardly notice
this His own gun he left leaning again
tree, and his hand was thrown out his
In front Of him as he came on, calling o
TO those in the stream. He heard Il
command of the leader In the boat, al
q moment later both canoes swung i
shbre.
sTIave down your guns, Sir Arthur
cried Law. loudly and gaily. I'VE a
none but friends here. Come in. and t.
me that it is yourself. and not sor
miracle Of mine eyes,"
The young man so surprisingly a
dressed half started from the thwart
his amazement. His face bent on
incredulous frown, scarce carrying COY
prehenson, even as he approached t
shore. AS he left the boat for an i
slant, Pembrokes hand was half e
tended in greeting, yet swift chan
came over his countenance, and his DO
Stiffened.
Is it indeed you, Mr. Law" he sa
"I could not have believed myself so fc
tunate.''
It's myself and no one else" replil
Law. But why this melodrama, Sir A
thur? Why reject my hand?''
w. II have sworn to extend to you no ha
but that bearing a weapon, Mr.. Law
said Pembroke. This may be accide