Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-02-24

understand the truth. They took the
way around back of the barn, so that no
one could see them from the house until
they arrived, and thus they entered by
the postern; and when they reached the
hall, Louis just caught sight of Lobois
standing upon the piazza, and looking
earnestly off in the direction of the river
path. The youth bade Goupart remain
behind, and then he walked out upon the
piazza. Lobois started when he saw
him.
"Ah, safe backr' uttered Simon.
where's st. Denis?'
"Alas, 1 fear he's a prisoner return
ed Louis, sadly.
"a prisoner! How?' articulated 81
mon. And as he spoke, the youth looked
in vain for the first expression of sor-
row.
why, 1 left him just now with Louise,
and upon my soul, think the poor fell
lows captivated! But what's the mat
ter, Simon?"
Nothing-nothing; only You startled
me somewhat when you said st. Denis
was a prisoner, for ! knew not but that
some rowing band of Indians might have
fallen upon you. Testing upon such mat
ters 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
jestv'
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 short time since. He
told me you were prisoner, and, for the
moment, I feared you had really fallen
into the hands Of the Indians"
"Wen," returned Goupart, 'We both
of US came within an ace of it; so Louis
had some foundation for his report
"How? What?' uttered the marquis.
sDid We meet with any dangerT
"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 Natchez," said the mar
quis, breathlessly. .
mo. 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 astonishment and pride
in his brave boy.
'But what could 1t mean?' uttered ST.
man, who felt it necessary to say some
thing.
cay, what could it?" repeated Louise.
trembling with apprehension, but very
indeed, looking oftener and
longer upon Goupart than upon Louis.
Yes that's ity' cried the old man.
"What could they mean?p
..Why," returned Louis, 81 can imag
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 a 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 he
might not expose them"
Simon breathed very freely now; and
the marquis looked upon this as a very
probable explanation of the mystery.