Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-07-20

an interview; you appointed the time
and place, and here am"
During this recital, Colbert had
watched the features of the speaker
with keen gaze, and now and then
made a note of place and circumstance
upon the parchment for future cor
roboration. When he had finished, he
said coldly:
You have done well. Where is the
message?"
The man in reply bent down and be-
gan unwinding a heavy bandage from
about his leg. The end reached,
huge open sore was disclosed below
the knee. Inserting his little finger
within the sore and pressing from the
outside with his other hand a small
piece of lead the shape and size of
bullet was squeezed out from the
wound.
"a safe hiding-place," he remarked,
as he carefully wiped it; besides, it
served to keep the wound open and
running"
Bringing the piece of lead to the
light, he pulled the ends apart, which
revealed a cavity neatly followed out.
Within this hole was piece of very
thin oiled silk rolled up into as COM
| pact mass as possible.
Colbert opened it and spread it out.
| There was nothing visible on it, but
| he opened a drawer in the table, and,
| taking out a small flask of liquid,
| touched the surface of the silk lightly
with a drop. Instantly written word
| appeared distinctly and then faded
away slowly. He seemed to be salts
fed at this, so laying the message
upon the table, he arose, and turning
to the man asked if he were dry. His
companion understood that he was
dismissed, So after bandaging up his
leg and mufTling his face, he moved
| toward the door, accompanied by Col
bert, who followed him, opening the
successive doors until he reached the
street.
When he returned, he reseated him
self, and, taking up the bit of silk, be.
gan the task of finding out what it
contained AS he applied a drop of the
secret fluid to each word he quickly
wrote it down on parchment before il
faded. Word by word he revealed the
message until the end. Then putting
the original away in secret place, he
took up the copy and read as follows:
"The chiefest among my friends here
| have urged me to write this letter &c
you, promising that a trusty messenger
shall deliver it into your hands. They
| beg me to implore you to use your great
| power to retard and hinder the plans OF
| the Sieur de la Sale, who is now ir
| France. His projects of colonization and
| exploration are in direct rivalry to the
| work of the missionaries. while the eX
| tension of his fur-trade with the savages
| takes them out of the power and infu.
ence of the church. The fathers desire
to keep the fur-trade to themselves. and
feel that he can do them great injury.
"LAVAL.
"Bishop of Quebec
In nearly every land of the theI
known world, in every court and pal
ace, there We're stationed secret ennis
saries of the great Society of Jesus
The minister of many a king, ever
the servants of the bed-chamber tn,
cloth-merchant, the innkeeper, th'
horseshoer. the slavey in the kitchen
all were enrolled among the faithful
adherents of this mighty order, form
ing one of its important subdivisions
Colbert was one of these. To rendSl
strict obedience he should have PLACED
the welfare of the order above ever,
other consideration. But as has beer
indicated, the one great impulse o
the mans life was ambition, tha
could use everything for an aid, bu
would allow nothing to OveTshadOV
it.. The Jesuits were a terrible enemy
and a most valuable ally hence h
chose them as the latter, doing wha
he could to further their plans ant
win their esteem, so long as it did no
interfere with his own projects. 4
serious clash of the two interests haC
never arisen before. But now the is
sue must be met, for chief among hi
plans for the glory of France and o
her king (and hence indirectly for hi
own aggrandiZement) was the develop
ment and exploration of the western
wilds of New France. Already wer,
the Dutch and English and Spaniard
pressing forward with men and gold
hurrying forth exploring expedition
led by men of courage and resource
He well knew that whichever natioI
first explored the unknown region ad
joining the present holding of Franc,
in the New World; he who planted
trading-posts and gained the aid ant
friendship of the savage tribes for hi!
king and country, would win a conti
nent.
The dazzling stories of wealth un
told to be found in those region!
stirred his blood, for he realized tha
if he could but guide and direct tht
king in the affairs of colonization tt
the grand realization of his dream, ht
would have but to ask, to receive hi!
hearts fondest desire from the hand.
of grateful monarch. Upon this pin
nacle of power thus gained, the worlC
would forget the wine merchants sol