The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1904-03-31

ocean, CneTe, 100, were c0uTCn ana
minister; and there dwelt woman
whose figure stood now before his
eyes, part of this mental picture of the
white road lined with the hedges of
green.
A hand was laid on his shoulder, and
he half started up in sudden surprise.
Before him, the sun shining through
her hair, her eyes dark in the shadow,
stood-Mary Connynge. A fair woman
indeed, comely, round of form, soft
eyed, and light of touch, she might
none the less have been very savage
as she stood there, clad no longer in
the dress Of civilization, but in the
soft native garb of skins, ornamented
with the stained quilts of the porcu-
pine and the bizarre adornments OF
the native bead work; in her hair dull
metal bands, like any Indian woman,
upon her feet little beaded moccasins
the very moccasin, it might have
been, which Law had first seen in an
cient London town and which had
played so strange part in his life
since then.
"You startled me-" said Law, simply
II was thinking"
A sudden jealous wave of womans
divining intuition came upon the wom-
an at his side. 81 doubt not" said
she, bitterly, that I could name the
subject of your thought! Why? Why
sit here and dream of her, when here
am |, who deserve everything that you
can give?"
She stood erect, her eyes flashing,
her arms outstretched, her bosom
painting under the fringed garments,
her voice ringing as it might have
been with the very essence of truth
and passion. Law looked at her stead
lily. But the shadow did not lift from
his brow, though he looked long and
pondered.
Come" said he, at length, gently.
None the less we are as we are. In
every game we take our chances, and
in every game we pay our debts. Let
us so back to the camp"
AS they turned back down the beach
Law saw standing at a little distance
his lieutenant, Du Mesne, who hest
tated as though he would speak.
what is it, Du Mesne?" asked Law,
excusing himself with a gesture and
joining the voyageur where he stood
why, Monsieur Las" said Du
Mesne, Il am making bold to mention
1t, but in good truth there was some
qvo9t'on in my mind as to what might |
be our plans. The spring, as you
know, is now well advanced. 1t was
your first design to go far into the
west and there to set up your station
for the trading in furs. Now there |
have come these little incidents which |
have occasioned us some delay. While |
have not doubted your enterprise,
monsieur, bethought me perhaps it |
but little farther on-perhaps, indeed,
to turn back"
"To go back?" said Law.
well, yes; that is to say Monsieur |
Las. back again down the great lakes"
Have you then known me so i'll as |
this, Du Mesne?" said Law. 1T has !
not been my custom to set backward |
lOot oll any SOIl Vi TRAIL
''Oh, well, to be sure, monsieur, that |
l know quite WELL" replied Du Mesne,
alphabetically 81 would only say that,
If you do go forward, you will do more
than most men accomplish on their
first voyage au large in the wilder
ness. There comes to many certain
shrinking of the heart which leads |
them to find excuse for not faring far
Their on. Yonder, as you know, mon
sieur, lie Quebec and Montreal, some
what better fitted for the abode of
monsieur and madame than the tents
of the wilderness. Back of that, too,
as we both very well know, monsieur,
lie London and old England and I
had been dull Of eye indeed did not
recognize the opportunities of young
gallant like yourself. Now, while l
know yourself to be man of spirit,
Monsieur Las, and while | should well
come you gladly as a brother of the
trail, had only thought that perhaps
you would pardon me if l did but ask
your purpose at this time"
Law bent his head in silence for
moment. What know you of this for
ward trail, Du Mesne?" said he "Have
you ever gone beyond this point in
your own journeyings?"
Never beyond this" replied Du
Mesne, land indeed not SO far by many
miles. For my own part |
rely chiefly upon the story of my
brother, Greysolon du L'hut, the bold
est soul that ever put paddle in the St
Lawrence My brother Greysolon, by
the fire one night, told me that some
years before he had been at the mouth
of the Green bay-perhaps near this
very spot-and that here he and his
brothers found deserted Indian camp.
Near it, lying half in the fire, where
he had fallen in exhaustion, was an
Did, very old Indian, who had been
abandoned by his tribe to die-for
that, you must know, monsieur, is one
Of the pleasant customs of the wilder
ness.
"Greysolon and his men revived this
savage in some fashion, and meantime
had much speech with him about this
unknown land at whose edge we have
now arrived. The old savage said that
he had been many moons north and
west of that place. He knew of the
liver called the Blue Earth, perhaps
he same of which Father Hennepin
has told. And also of the Divine river,
ar below and tributary to the Mes
,asebe He said that his father was
az n,&,, r. r.
he north against the Ojibways, and