Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1904-01-30
III.
ABOARD LIE DAUPHIN.

CHAR Ell III.
ABOARD LIE DAUPHIN.
The morning dawned moist n cold,
with a stiff westerly wind. Just be-
fore daylight a small boat pushed off
the low beach. scraped along the shall
lows, skirted the western edge or the
island which there lies endwise across
the harbor, and put me aboard lie
| Dauphin.
/ alone had no part In all the noisy
preparation for departure, but sat abb
sorbed in thought neal an open port
listening to the straining OF the masts,
the Tapping sails, the low complaining
peat of the wind tormented waters.
Above the creak OF the windlass rails
ing anchor, / could catch snatches OF
whispered conversation just outside
the port. The w men were beyond
my range OF vision. One seemed to be
tossing in n boat, the other hung down
the vessels side by a adder. / made
out, d%isjointedly:
Along in September-as soon as you
return-all will be in readiness-two
thousand Creeks. Chickasaws, Natchez
we ought to have no difficulty-YVard
Spanish ships. The fall Of Biloxi Will
be a greater thing for u.s." And much
more that I could not hear clearly.
But 1 had heard enough to know
there was some truth in the rumor OF
a Spanish-Indian alliance, and an at
tack on Biloxi. And the name Ward,
being unusual, chung somewhat to my
memory.
/ Immediately ran on deck and saun-
tered over towards hat side, seeking to
discover the traitor. No one was there,
only a little group OF officers walking
about; towards the shore were the
r%etreating outlines of a light boat. l
knew none of these officers, any one or
whom might nave been the man l over
heard, and so l burst ask no questions
1 could therefore conf1de in no n on
board for fear OF making a mistake, but
must rely upon giving B~ienville prompt
warning upon my return, and l must
needs hid my reluctance and mingle
with officers and men, for ~perchance
by this means / might uncover the
scoundrel.
Although 1 made free with the men,
pitched quoits, and Joined in their
rough play, l trusted none, suspected
all. No, not all. There were two young
fellows whom l was many times on the
point Of calling to my confidence, but,
thinking 1t wiser, kept my own coun-
sci. Treason could ever wear a smiling
front n air of frankness.
Levert was a man much older than
myself, of gloomy and taCiturn man.
ners, yet something there was so mas
terful about him men obeyed him
whether they would or no. A more ST.
lent man / never knew, yet courteous
and stately withal, and well liked by
the men. But 1t was to Achille Brous-
sard my heart went out in those days
of loneliness. His almost childish light
ness of disposition and his friendly
ways won me completely, n we be-
came fast comrades. A noble looking
lad, with the strength of a young Titan,
and the blonde curls of a Dur
ing the long idle hours of the afternoon
1t was his custom to banter me for n
bout at swords, and Levert generally
acted as our master of the lists. AT
first he was much my superior with the
foils, for during his days with the en-
bassy at Madrid. and in the schools at
Paris, he had learned those hundreds
Of snowy and fancy little tricks of
which we in the forests knew nothing.
However, 1 doubted not that on the
field our rougher ways and sterner
methods would count for quite as
much.
With all the five long weeks OF daily
practice, 1 gathered many things from
him, until one day we had an expert
ence which made us lay the foils aside
for good.
We had been sitting after the din
rer hour, discussing his early life in
Paris. He wound up with his usual
declaration, "As for myself, give me
the gorgeous plays, the fetes and
smiles Of the Montespan, rather than
the rayers, the masses and the sober
gowns of de Maintenon. And now it
is your turn, comrade; let us know
something of your escapades, your
days of folly in dear old Paris"
Il have never seen Paris" l answered
simply.
What! Never been to Paris? Then,
man, you have never lived. But where
have you spent all your days?"
I'm the colonies-Quebec, Montreal,
Biloxi. But now 1 will have an op-
.portunity, for l am going"
I had almost told something Of my
mission, ere I checked a too fluent con-
fldence.
Levert, who had been pacing up and
down the deck in his absorbed and in
attentive way, dropped his blade across
my shoulder and challenged me to the
mo, it is too early yet" Achille re-
piled, besides, we were talking of 9TH
er things. AS you were saying, COM
rade, you go-?"
"Oh, you two talk too much" Levert
broke in again, '1et us have a bout; I'm
half a mind 1 can handle a foil my
self. A still tongue, a clear e and a
sharp blade are the tools of fortune"
1t seemed almost that he had twice
interrupted purposely to keep me from
/ thought l read that deeper
meaning in his eyes. Somehow / grew
to distrust him from that moment.
What consequence was 1t to him Of
what ] spoke?
1t was not Levert's business to gov
my tongue for me, so l only said:
Nay, we'll try our skill somewhat
later; not now" and resumed my con-
versation with AchiIle.
While his manner showed a concern
[ deemed the matter little to warrant,
yet it did make me consider, so 1 de-
termined not to speak truly of myself.
We'll, now, comrade, Of yoIlr own
.ntrigues. You were saying"
May nothing of that kind. I jour-
ney to Paris simply for my own pleas
Levert, who half listened at a
distance, knew I vas going to heed. his
though i misdoubted his mo-
i've, and again took up his pacing to
fro.
AYE, my dear captain, but it's a long
rip for such an Grand"
yes, quite a long trip, but I weary
If the life at Biloxi, and would amuse
myself for a while in France"
but the garrison at Biloxi; is that
strong enough to spare so good a SOL
lier? then the Indians, do you not fear
J glanced at him quickly. only half