The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1903-12-30
CHAPTER xxx.


w v AD she cast herself on the set
| 49, tie exhausted and Ill after eX-
A q posnre? Should I find her
muttering and helpless? Worse
than all, had the night made her forget
! that she was cloud mother?
I drew my breath with an audible
sound in the throat. Her dress stirred.
She leaned around the edge Of the set
| tie
Eagle de Ferrier, not my cloud
mother, looked at me. Her features
were pinched from exposure, but flood
ed themselves instantly with blush.
She snatched her shoes from the
hearth and drew them on.
was taken with such a trembling
that held to gallery post.
Suppose this glimpse Of herself had
been given to me only to be with
drawn. was afraid to speak, and
| waited.
She stood up facing me.
''Louis!''
'Mada1ne!''
s'What is the matter, sire?"
Nothing. madame; nothing
'Wherc is Paul?'
did not know what to do, and
looked at Der completely helpless, for
If I told her Paul was dead she might
relapse, and evasions must be tenn
porary.
"The Indian took him!' she cried.
sBut the Indian didn't kill him,
Eagle"
"How 90 you know?"
because Paul came to me"
"He came to you? Where"
"At Fort Stephenson"
"Where is my child?'
"He is at Fort Stephenson"
"Bring him to me!'
81 can't bring him, Eagle"
''Then let ne so to him.
I did not know what to say to her.
"And there were Cousin Philippe
and Ernestine lying across the step. 1
have been thinking all night. Do you
understand it,
eS, uQUeTSlI1lO IL, GtlSAS.
By the time I had come into the
house her mind leapcd forward in conf
prehension. The blanket she had held
on her shoulders fell around her feet.
It was striped gay Indian blanket
"You were attacked and the settle
ment was burned
'.But whose house is this?'
'eThis is my house"
"Did you bring me to your house"
81 wasn't there"
s'No, I remember. You were not
there. saw you the last time at the
Tuileries"
when did you come to yourself,
madame"
II have been sick, haven't I? But l
have been sitting by this fire nearly all
night trying to understand. I knew I
was alone, because Cousin Philippe
and Ernestine- I want Paulv
/ looked at the floor and must have
appeared miserable. She passed her
hands back over her forehead many
times as If brushing something away.
"If he died, tell me-"
II held him, Eagle
.'They didn't kill him."
"No.''
COR scalp him?'
sThe knife never touched him"
"But''-
'It was in battle"
'My child died in battle? How long
have been ill.,
"Morc than a year, Eagle"
"And he died in battle?'
"He had wound in his side. He
was brought into the fort. and took
care Of him."
She burst out weeping, and laughed
and wept, the tears running down her
face and wetting her bosom.
"My boy! Ny little son! You held
him! He died like manT'
put her on the settle, and all the
cloud left her in that tempest Of rain.
Afterward I wiped her face with my
| handkerchief and she sat erect and
still
A noise Of many birds came from the
ravine and winged bodies darted past
the door uttering the cries OF spring.
Able Edgeworth sauntercd by and she
saw him and was startled
"Who is that:'
"a priest
when did hGcomc:'
He rode here with me this morn
ing
Louis she asked, leaning back,
"who took care Of me:'
You have been with the Grignons
since you came to the Illinois terri
Tory
"Am l in the Illinois territory?'
Yes; I found you with the Gr1-
gnons.'
"Ihcy must lie kind pcoplc.''
"Illcy arc; the carth's salt
'Eut who brought me to the Illinois
territory:''
g.. family named Jordan
"The Indians didn't kill thcm:'
No"
Wy ny WASH I hllleu.
".rhe Indians regarded you with
superstition.
What have said and done?'
'.Sothing. madame that need give
you any uncssiness."
".3ut what did say" She insisted.
"You thought you were cloud
mother"
~ cloud raotherr' She was aston
ished and asked, "What is cloud
mother"
"You thought I was Paul and you
were my cloud mother"
Did I say such foolish thing as
that:
Don't call it foolish, madame
Il hope yol will forget it."
Il don't want to forget it.
But why are you in Illinois terri
tory, sirc:'
u came to find land for the Iroquols.