Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-05-12


BILE cargo to return to France, whittier
he meant to take his wife as soon rs he
could dispose of the few remaining OBJ
stacles that stood in his way. He stsrt-
ed that very night for Biloxi, and his
wife was once more left to the kind care
of her sable attendant
A week passed away, and her husband
came not. She had now so far regalned
her health that she could walk out in
company with Loppa, and the rose was
all back to her cheek.
Another week passed, and she was
well and just as she began to wonder IL
any accident had happened to her hus-
band he made his appearance. That very
day there was barge to start up the
river. New Orleans was all alarm and
excitement The garrison at Natchez
had been surprised by the Indians, AMI
nearly every~soul murdered! On'y s.X
had escaped, and four of those had this
very morning reached the town. Gov.
Perier had sent messengers up to the
plantations along on the river to put the
French on their guard; and now tn
barge, full of soldiers, was about to start
up to see if any assistance was required
anywhere on the way, and in the mean
time a council of officers was to be held
to determine what further should be
done.
Lobois gained passage for himself and
| wife, but they were forced to put up
with such accommodations as the others
had, save that sheltered place was fix
| ed for Louise, near the stern, in cons1d-
| Grafton of her recent illness.
| OF course the passage up, against the
| current, was slow, the heavy barge not
af thpoo nilaS n
| hour, and stopping sometimes at the few
| plantations on the way, so that it was
not until the morning of the fifth day
| that they reached the establishment of
| Brion st. Julien. But the captain of the
boat concluded not to go up to the cha
| teau, so Simon and his wife were land
| ed at the mouth of Walnut river, and
| from thence they made their way up on
| foot.
They had gained about half the dis
| tance when they were startled, on max
| ing turn upon the rivers bank, by see
| ing a small canoe ahead with two In
| dams in it.
''Whyr' uttered Lobois, after gazing
| upon the strange scene a few moments.
'they are Natchez Indians. Do the vii
lains mean harm here?'
Rather a small party for that" said
Louise, upon whose mind the sight of
| Ntachez had not that peculiar effect that
| it had upon her companions.
"But Wen watch them. Here-let us
| keep further. away from the bank, and
| then we can follow them, and not be
seen. They surely mean to approach the
| house. Come, let's hasten, and we'll have
them captured. OF course they had a
| hand in the dreadful massacre"
Louise made no objection to this, and
| accordingly they took the cross path, and
ere long they reached the garden. Half
way up the wide path they walked, AMI
here they came to the closed gate of the
barricade; but a few loud calls from ST.
mon brought old Tony forth, and they
| were soon within the enclosure. The
faithful negro could at first hardly believe
his eyes. He gazed upon the .'appera-
shun," as he afterwards called it, and
finally big tear rolled down his sable
cheek.
"Mam'selie Louisev' he gasped, extend
ing his broad hands BLESS heaven
With glistening eyes she returned the
faithful fellows grasp and salutation,
and then bounded away towards the
house, for she saw her father upon the
piazza; she waited not for her husband
now.
Father
The frantic parent caught his child to,
his bosom, and with streaming eyes he
murmured his thanks, for in that mo-
ment of reunion he forgot the dark cloud
that hung over his loved one. Before
the old man had found his tongue Simon
had reached the piazza.
''NIy father" he uttered, 'forgive me if
am abrupt-but you have heard of the
dreadful massacre at Fort Rosalie?'
''Yes"
"Well, there are two Natchez Indians
making their way up here in a canoe.
Perhaps they know not of our habitation.
Let men be sent out at once to capture
them, and we will interrogate them, at
least.
That was enough for Tony, for he had
followed Simon to the house, and heard
this remark. Ever since the abduction
of his young "mas'r and missus,' he had
longed to get hold of an Indian, and here
was chance.
'Only two OBJ 'um, dye say, Mas'r 81
mon?'
That's all, Tony"
'I'll hab 'um!" And with this the stout
Afric disappeared, and in a few moments
more he had four stout companions at
his heels on his way to the river.
In the meantime, Simon followed the
marquis and his child into the house, and
when they reached the sitting room, they
found St. Denis there. He looked up
and saw the marquis; then he saw Simon
Lobois, and then-his eye rested upon
that female form. He started to his feet
and turned pale as death. That loyei
face was turned upon him; those soft
eyes, now swimming in tears, were bent
upon his own, and her name dwelt upon
his lips.
"My wife, Monsieur ST. Denis,'' said
Lobois, in malignant triumph.
80, my soul!' burst from the wretch
ed mans lips, and covering his face with
his hands, he sank back upon his chair.
Louise seemed upon the point of speak
ing, but at that moment the tramp Of
feet and the sound of voices were heard
in the hall, and in a moment more the
door was thrown unceremoniously open.
CHAPTER XXI.
"Bless heaven!' cried old Tony, bound
ing into the hall at a wild hop and plant
ing himself directly in the middle of the
Ancr ssWa'S cntchad ,um p,oo'r-yya,S