Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-01-13

minister, ana there dWelt a 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 a 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 quills 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 mo- said Law, simply. s'T was thinking
 A sudden jealous wave of Woman's divining intuition came upon the wom- an at his side T 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 I, who deserve everything that you can give?"
 She stood erect, her eyes flashing, !. I,1 1@0o panting 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 fly. 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 go back to the camp"
 As they turned back down the beach Law saw standing at little distance his lieutenant, Du Mesne, who hesi- tated as though he would speak.
 What is it, Du Mesne?" asked Law, excusing himself with gesture and joining the voyageur where he stood.
 "Why, Monsieur L'as," said Du Mesne, "I am making bold to mention it, but in good truth there was some question in my mind as to what might be our plans. The spring, as you know, is now we'll advanced. It was your first design to go far into the west, and there to set up your station G., <; (, AyDxx have come these little incidents which have occasioned us some delay. While I have not doubted your enterprise, monsieur, bethought me perhaps it might be within your plans now to go 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. Tt has not been my custom to set backward foot on any sort of trail.
 "Oh, we'll, to be sure. monsieur, that I know quite well" replied Du Mesne, apologetically. T 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 a certain shrinking of the heart which leads them to find excuse for not faring far ther on Wonder, 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 a young gallant like yourself. Now, while know yourself to be man of spirit, Monsieur Las, and while should well come you gladly as brother of the trail, had only thought that perhaps you would pardon me if I did but ask your purpose at this time" Law bent his head in silence for a 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, and indeed not so far by many hundred 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 a deserted Indian camp. Near it, lying half in the fire, where he had fallen in exhaustion, was an old, very old Indian, who had been l 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 l he had been many moons north and west of that place. He knew of the river called the Blue Earth, perhaps l the same of which Father Hennepin