The Cairo bulletin., 1904-08-27
CHAPTER XVII.

Point Lewis the cannons were contlnn
ousIy firing upon the already ruinat
lower town, and even upon the castle
itself From Townshend's intrench-
ments on the andward side the heaN }
siege guns which had been landed from
the British ships were raining shot
and shell upon the upper town and
the citadel. Piedmont, the French
chief of artillery, was making what
reply he could. The feet of Admiral
Saunders in the basin had been NOV
ing up toward the lower town during
the past week. and as de Ramesay
watched them large boats fnl OF
taoopsE were even then being landed
on tlH meadows afldFsfiats at the month
Of thE'Stl Charles river and were being
drawn up in columns under cover of
the ships batteries, as if preparing
to approach and storm the gate
nearest the bridge
De Ramesay had just come in from
q tour Of the walls. 1t was hopeless
outlook indeed before the governor
He had done his best, but the end
was approaching. Sad indeed is the
moment when we realize that our best
is unavailing. The raiions of all had
been reduced and reduced until STAR
sation stared them in the face No
part Of the town was safe now from the
English fire. The very chateau Itself
in which he stood was riddled with
shells. There was great gaping hol
in the roof of his cabinet, through
which the rain poured dismaly.
The temper Of the garrison had
grown worse and worse. Nothing
whatever had been heard from dc
Lewis. De Ramesay felt that if an as
sault We're delivered it could not be
met His garrison originally con
sisted of $50 troops of the lines some
400 or 500 colony troops, and the local
militia, but had been much reduced by
death, wounds and starvation, and was
growing less every day The colonial
soldiers and militia had been desert
ing in handouts.
Presently Capt. Rouyigny entered.
Monsieur" he said. saluting, "a
body of merchants. headed by Monsieur
Dame. are here to see you and"
bid them attend me in the great |
hall of the chateau, captain" inter |
rupted the governor gloomily, "and |
summon the officers of my staff. Let |
some one go for Monsieur Piedmont. |
If he can he spared from the walls, !
. We need his COUNSEL
Il omitted to state, monsieur" con-
tinued the young officer, that the mer-
chants are accompanied by the officers
of the city militia"
Let them all come together, | vii!
see them all. know what il means"
said de Ramesay despondently.
a few moments after he entered the
great hall of the bullet-ridden castle
Many of the portraits which adorned
IL hal been destroyed by the fire of
the enemy. Grim old Frontenac. the
uncorquerahlc however, Sill kept
watch and ward over the territory he
had loved, now fast slipping into the
hands of the hated English. Had he
been in de VaHdreuil's place, thought
dc Ramesay. they might not now be
in such q pass.
Through the broken window-panes
the rain beat and the wind swept in
mournful harmony with the thoughts !
Of the people who crowded the room.
AT the lower end were tongregated |
body Of the most influential citizens
of the town. Their plain but rich
dress. comfortable cloaks. prosperous {
appearance. proclaimed that they We're
men of substance and condition. A NJ
tie apart from them stood the officers {
Of the colonial militia in bedraggled, c
weather-stained uniforms. Z
The merchants faced dc Ramesay !
boldly. Tho eyes of the citizen sol
diery sank TO the grOu-d and they 2
looked everywhere but at him. They q
shifted uneasily under the stern gaze v
of the veteran commander, while their
hands played nervously with their I
sword-hiIts. De Ramsay was ATTENDED 8
by the officers OF his staff, able SOL
diers all: some of them we're drenched Sc
with rain and covered with marks OF q
their exposure 10 the inclcment
weather. which showed they had jus. a
come frcm the ramparts. Amone
them were Rouvigny. ST. Luc. Fled q
mont. end Joannes the town major,
and with them de Wire. still under re- q
straint by de Ramcsay's order. b
The governor stood at the great s.
table with his officers grouped around b
him. The merchants and militia Off W
,ers drifted together at the opposite q
side A stranger would have instantly 81
ecognized that here we're two parties Al
o debate a serious proposition. Sad e
hess was the predominating note in de N
Ramesay's face; naughty pride AMI +
contempt flashed from the eyes of the
lobles and professional soldiers al bis 81
,aek; logged determination was evil fe
fenced in every line in the partly fig 60
Tres Of the merchants. and stubborn d
hame spoke from the dropped heads a
# the militia officers. N
Mcssieurs.' said the governor ii
Iuietly. you have asked an audience in
or a purpose which / can but too well
ivine. VIII you speak your mind and 81
ave done with It? The gentlemen Of