Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-09-29


river. for the reeds are full OF cached
canoes. Five leagues from here is the
blockhouse Of Poitou. aud fifteen miles
beyond that of ADvergne. We Will 90
tomorrow 10 Potion through the woods
aud see II all be safe I VIII 60 with
you. and I give You my word that II
the lroquois are there Greysolon du
Lhut wifi know H. The lady we shall
leave here. and II we ind that all is
safe we shall come back Tor her. Then
In the same fashion we shall advance
TO Auvergne. and there you must wait
until you hear where their war parties
are. II is my mind that it win not be
very long before we know.
And so e was at last agreed. and
Adele was consigned 70 the care Of the
lady Of ste Marie. while De Catinat
swore that without a pause he would
return from Poitou 10 fetch her. The
old nohleman and his son would fain
have Joined them ln their adventure
but they had their own charge 70 watch
and the lives OF many I'm their keeping.
while small party was safer IN the
woods
twelve miles down the river. but by
the woodland route the distance was
more than doubled. The four men
walked IN single file. Du Lhut leading.
De Catinat walked behind. then Ephra-
i'm Savage. and then Amos. all with
their weapons ready and with every
sense upon the alert. BY midday they
were more than halfway and halted I'm
a thickct Tor a scanty meal OF bread
and cheese. For an hour more they
picked their way through the woods
following IA the steps Of the old French
pioneer.
Suddenly Du Lhut dropped upon his
knees and stopped his ear 70 the
ground. He rose. shook his head and
walked on with a grave face.
Did you hear somethingT" whisper
ed Amos.
Du LhuJ put his finger 20 his lips and
then IN an instant was down upon his
face with his ear fixed 20 the ground
He sprang up with the look Of n man
who has heard what he expected 20
hear.
Walk on" said he quietly. "and be-
have exactly as you have done all
day"
'What Is Il, then5"
Indians"
'In front Of usf"
''No; behind us. They are following
us-two. I think. DO not look round.
Walk on as before. They are Iro-
Quois."
ana pursuing us7'
NO; we are pursuing them"
How FAR or are theyf"
About 200 PAGES. 7 think"
They cannot see US thenT"
Il think not. but I cannot be sure.
They are following our trail. I think"
What shall we DO them
Let us make a circle and get be
hind them"
Turning sharp 20 the left. he led
them In long curve through the
woods hurrying swiftly and yet ST.
lently under the darkest shadow OF the
trees. Then lie turned again and pres
emily halted.
This Is our own track" said he.
AYE. aud two redskins have passed
over it, cried Amos. bending down
and pointing 20 marks which were en-.
tirely invisible 10 Ephraim Savage and
De Catinat.
a full grown warrior and q lad on
his first warpath." said Du I.hut
They are moving fast. YOU see, for
you can hardly see the heel marks OF
their moccasins. They walked one be
hind the other. Now let US follow
them as they followed US and see II
we have better luck"
lie sped swiftly along the trail, with
his musket cooked IN his hand. the
Others following hard upon his heels.
but there was no sound and no sign OF
life from the shadowy woods IN front
or them. Suddenly Du Lhut stopped
and grounded his weapon.
They are still behind US" he said.
This IS the point where we branched
of. They have hesitated n moment. as
you can see by their footmarks, and
then they have followed on"
IF we go round egain and quicken
our pace we may overtake them"
''No; they are on their guard now
Lie here behind the fallen log, and we
shall see II we can catch a glimpse OF
them"
great rotten trunk. all green with
mold and blotched with pink and pur-
pie fungi. lay 20 one side OF where they
stood Behind this the Frenchman
crouched. and his three companions
followed his example. peering through
the brushwOod screen In front OF them
Ten minutes passed. and there was
no sign OF any living thing behind
them.
They are over in yonder thicket."
whispered Du Ihut
'Have you seen themY
"No"
''How do you know. theDT"
81 saw a squirrel come from his
hole in the great white birch tree yon-
der. He scuttled back again as II
something had scared him From his
hole he can see down into that brush.
wood"
do you think that they know that