The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1904-01-29
CHAPTER I
THE

wood land darkness and struck across
the vide extent of tank grass which
yet separated us from the bay. Iuska-
homa led the way, a tall grim ChoctaW
chieftain, my companion on many a
hunt, his streaming plumes fluttering
behind him as he strobe. | followed,
and after me, LIE Corbeau Rouge, a
runner Of the Choctaws. We We're re-
turning to Biloxi from a ~reconnols-
sance in the Chickasaw country.
Each straight behind the other, dumb
and %soundless shadows, we passed
along the way, hardly bruising a leaf
or brushing the rustling reeds aside.
See, there is the light" grunted
~Tuskahoma, pointing to a glimmer
Prophet never sleeps assented LIE
Corbeau Rouge.
The light which marked u almost
ended journey came from a window IN
one of those low, square log houses,
fortress dwellings,, SO common in the
provinces.
Here, however, the strong pine pal.
isades were broken down in many
places; the reconstructed gate hung UNI
hinged and open the accumulated sand
at it's base showed it had not been
closed in many years.
But the decay and neglect every
where manifest in it's defenses eX-
tended no further, for inside the en-
closure wa a garden carefully tended;
q trailing vine chung lovingly to a cor
ner of the wide gallery. and even a few
of the bright roses of France lent their
sweetness to a place 1t seemed imDos-
sible to associate with a thought OF
barbaric warfare.
/ loved this humble nome, for in such
a one my mother and | spent those last
years of sweet good comradeship be
Pn~,- le, lo,t 1a--+t1p TrcgC thp InIn
house, all reminded me of her, of peace,
of gentler things.
ThccharacterOfit lone occupant pro-
tected this owly abode far better than
the armies of France, the chivalry of
spain, or the ChoctaW's ccaseless vigil
ance could possibly have done. lie
came there it Was said, some hfteeil
years before, y Huguenot exile, seem
ingly {. ma of education and birth. He
built his castle of refuge on a knoll
overlooking the sheltered bay, hoping
! there to find the liberation denied him
in his native land. The edict OF
Nantes had been revoked by King
Louis, and thousands of eNiled French
men of high and low degree sought
new fortunes i'll newer lands,
Many had reached America, anc
strove with energetic swords and IA
pacious wallets to wrest blood and golt
and fame from whatever source they
might.
This man alone of ali those first ex'
plorers had shown no disposition t.
search out hidden treasures of the vii
derness, to prey upon the natives. III
became their friend and not their plum
derer.
His quiet life. his kindness, his char
ity, his knowledge Of the simple arts @
healing, so endeared him to every war
ring faction that at his house TIL
Choctaw INC the Chicllasaw, this Span
lard, Frenchman and the E;nglishmal
met alike in peace. So the needles
Notifications fell into unrepaired de
cay.
Many an afternoon I had paddle
across the bay and spent a quiet hou
with him. as far from the jars and dis
cord of Biloxi as if we were in som
other world.
AS, this night, we drew near tn
house we saw no signs of life save tn
chinks Of light creeping beneath tn
door. L raped, and his voice bade IN
enter.
The master sat at his table in th
center of a great room, about Whic
were a number of surgical and scier
tifc Instruments, all objects Of mis-
trust to my indian friends.
These curious weapons of destrue
ton or Of ~witchcraft, for so the II
: q INLNN -
make him an object of fear, whic
: doubtless did much to strengthen h
influence among the tribes.
He was at this time sonewha.t mo-
than 60, slender and rather above II
medium height. With his usual gray
courtesy he welcomed us and readi
8 loaned the small pirogue necessary
4 carry our party across the bay.
The Indians We're restless and II
governor waited, so | only thanked OF
host and turned to go.
d He rose, and laying his hand upt
my arm detained me. Wait, Placid
I, I am glad you returned this way, f
I have long wished to speak With 70
~ especially do l wish it on this night
on this night. Sit down."
Mechanically l obeyed, for l cou
see there was something Of more tn;
~ usual import on his mind. The India
"a had Withdrawn and the maste
N pacing uncertainty about the roo
20 paused and regarded me intentlV, as
n he almost regretted his invitation
stay. After several efforts he abrupt
IN began:
,e, Il fear I have not very long to lily
he and dread to meet death, leaving
i'd solemn duty unperformed. 1t is of Il
tie l would speak"
On I listened in silence. He spoke h,
tn riedly, as though he doubted his res
luton to tell 1T all.
MT You, and every one in these coloni
n know me only as Colonel d'Ortez,
Of Huguenot refugee. So / have be
lct known by the whites ever since | ca
here to escape persecution at hoI
and to get forever beyond the sou
zee of a name which has become hateful
tut me-my own.
1t 9Th Counts d'Artin have been
lily proud race in France for centuries,
I, the last d'Artin. find the name
great a burden to bear with me
shameful silence to my grave.
n this" and he took from his throa
g pearl-studded locket, swung by a S
stantial gold chain, which he ope
and handed to me. Inside were
arms of a noble family eNquisitely b
T. oned upon a silver shield.
%. what is it; what device is there?
I knew something of heraldry
IA read aloud without hesitation
Ia bearings upon the shield, promir
=" among whihc were three wolves he
III ~chevroned, supported by two bl
wolves, rampant, the coronet and m
I, "Praeclare factum."
~ ~ Aye he unused half coheren
-, :.the wolf; tits the crest of the dart
quSrtered with those of many of
most ancient houses of France. Sc
r those rms appear to men. But see
lie took the locket quickly from
i. ana with a swift forceful moyen;
~ turned the plate in its place. expos
If the reverse side.