Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1905-09-21


tendant.
Frontenac before long became con-
scious of a new force that was aiding
his enemy, insidiously undermining his
influence among many of his adher
ents. He was at a loss to account for
this, and it was some time ere he sus-
pected the stranger. Finally, several
discoveries confirmed his suspicious.
and he realized that in the person of
the young man there lay useful ally
for the intendant and dangerous
enemy to himself. He was pOwerless
to do anything, however, as the Comte.
although an acknowledged friend of
Duchesneau, was still louder in his
professions of friendship and respect
for the governor and the colony, so
Frontenac was obliged to bide his time
until by some overt act or word he
would lay himself liable to legal in
reference.
The mischief that he made became
so great that the governor was des-
perate. At length an audacious speech
made by the Comte de Miron one even
ing was reported to him. He saw his
opportunity. The Comte was brought
before the council, and several wit
| nesses testified to having heard him
boastingly remark that there was
| nothing like righting ones wrongs
| oneself, and that when the English cur
off the head of Charles l. they did q
| good thing, besides several utterances
of similar tenor. He was, therefore,
| accused of speaking ill of royalty in
the person of the king Of England, and
| uttering words tending to sedition.
The intendant and his followers in the
| council did their utmost to protect
| their ally but in vain. Frontenac's s
influence carried the day and he was
adjudged guilty. The governor forced
the council to impose the most humil-
iating penalty possible, in order to
discourage any others from taking up
the cause of Duchesneau. According
ly, he was dragged ANONYMOUSLY from
prison by the public eXecutioner and
led by rope around his neck, with a
torch in hand, to the gate of the Cha
teau, there to beg pardon of the king:
thence to the pillory of the lower town,
where he was branded on the cheeh
with a fleur-dels and set in the stocks
for half an hour; then he was led bac,
to prison and placed in iroES. This
was to be repeated three times.
The man while passing through the
terrible ordeal of the day had seen the
face of Madame Bizard in the crowd.
who smiled and nodded encouragingly
They had become great friends, and
the Comte was glad to find one kindly
glance. The room in which he was
confined was on the ground-floor of the
Chateau. Scarcely had he thrown
himself exhausted upon the bed placed
| beneath the little grated opening that
| admitted air and light, when a sum-
mons at the door engaged his guards
| attention for the moment. Just at this
| juncture the prisoner felt something
| drop on his chest from above, and saw
that tiny parcel had been thrown ia
| through the window. He quickly
opened it and recognized a key fitting
his fetters, wrapped in a piece of pa
per, on which was written:
Escape tonight at II; there is
worse in store for you. You will find
all the doors unlocked" There was no
name signed, but he recognized the
writing.
At dark his jailer left him and was
replaced by four trusty soldiers Of
Frontenac. They examined his irons
and then left him to himself, SEEM
| ingly half-unconscious being, huddled
upon the bed near the door, which was
| fastened upon the inside by an iron
cross-bar. After their conversation be-
| gan to flag they stacked their arms,
took the one light in the room to a
| further corner, leaving the bed in a
| half shadow, and proceeded to pass
away the time with cards. The prison
er hearkened to distant clock in the
| Chateau striking ten and heard the
| sounds of closing the building for the
| night as the inmates retired. Care
| fully he inserted the key into the lock
| of the iron on his right hand, which
was freed then into that of the left
| and it was liberated also. Slowly he
| reached down, watching with half
| closed eyes the group of soldiers in the
| corner attentive to their game, and
withdrew his legs from the encircling
| fetters. He waited impatiently for the
| clock to sound II and wondered what
! he would do if he found his informa-
| ton false. Perhaps 1t was all trap to
induce him to attempt to escape! He
would chance it. Eleven o'clock
struck; the players laughed guardedly
at their game. He arose, and with ore
bound seized the four guns.
THE rafting noise attracted the at
tention of the soldiers, who started up
| only to find their prisoner freed and
with one of the guns pointed at them.
Before they recovered from their as
tonishment he had slipped the bolt;
the door swung open. Speeding down
the corridor. he found the doors that
barred his way were all unfastened.
He heard the shouts of alarm raised by
the soldiers: the last door opened into