The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1906-05-18


listening for every sound. Pompon
had Just left her. She strove to con-
centrate her mind upon the beads In
her hand. She looked down. A noise
at the door aroused her. Perhaps It
was Pompon returning with bad news!
She gave a shrek Of terror. The door
had opened and the Comte de Miron,
In all the ferocity Of his Iroquols war
paint, with a knife held between his
teeth, stood before her.
The nuns on seeing this terrible ap-
partition ran to the farthest r
Miron approached Renee before she
could overcome her terror sufficiently
to move, snatched up the light, APP
piled 1t to the bark wall Of the lodge.
which quickly ignited, seized Renee in
his arms and was gone.
The battle still ragged furiously for
the possession Of the gate. Already
bad the line Of crawling, climbing
devils almost gained the top Of the
path. The situation was desperate.
The young Sieur de Boisrondet APP
preached at a signal from Tonti. "Teli
the men IL the gate is gained and
forced we must make a last stand Just
within the entrance. We can do moth
ing IL these fiends once really enter
the yard"
The young man saluted and then in
a hesitating tone, said: IN. lie Capt.
tame will not be offended II a subor-
| dinate were to make a suggestion? 1t
is only our great extremity that leads
me to speak,"
Mon, certainement," replied Tonti.
Speak up and let us know what you
have in mind"
"You will remember some time ago
You placed in my care the work Of ex.
cavating a new magazine in which to
store our POWDER.
Eyes"
well, as NJ. lie Capitaine left the
entire task to me, the choice Of situa-
ton as we'll as the oversight of the
excavation"
go on" cried Tonti impatiently, as
the yells of the savages rose louder
than before, indicating that an adj
vance had been made.
81 thought 1t might be a good plan
sometime to have a mine laid ready to
be exploded"
$50 you-"
81 made the excavation SO that 1t
path some score Of feet from the top"
"Sangue di Dio!" cried Tonti joy
ously, as the idea Of the young man
flashed into his mind. 1--WE are saved.
You mean to fire the magazine beneath
their very feet, and make an opening
in the path they can never CROSSE"
THAT was my thought" replied the
young mar modestly, flushing with
pleasure as he saw his leader approved
1t. "The powder has not been stored
there yet, but can be in a very few
moments"
"Take three men with you," ordered
Tonti, land place half of all our stock
of powder in the new magazine, and
arrange so that 1t car be exploded on
a given signal"
I'm 20 minutes 1t shall be ready" re-
piled tho youth, and fastened away to
carry out the command.
Hold out for a half-hour longer and
We shall blow these devils to perdi-
tion," shouted Pompon in the ears OF
the line of men defending the pass. A
cheer was the response. Soon the
young Sieur de B~oisrondet returned.
ct is accomplished" he reported with
a smile.
Just then a strange lull in the con-
1t lasted but a few seconds; but dur
ing that silence there came to the ears
Of the men the sound Of a woman's
scream from the interior OF the fort
yard. Both Tonti and Pompon recog.
nized the voice and turned together
The light of the burning building wa
seen, and they started at a rapid pace
Tonti shouting to the Sieur de Bots.
rondet to take command until his re,
turn. More agile than his friend
nerved to action by the fear in hi.
heart for Renee's safety, he gained the
other side Of the fort first. BY the
light of the blazing lodge he beheld hi,
enemy ascending the platform bearing
in his arms the form of his beloved
With q cry he srrang after him
Miron heard his voice, and, having
gained the top, turned to meet his foe
Tonti felt for his pistol that he hat
placed In his belt but found that II
had dropped out in his hasty prog
ress. Nothing daunted, without
weapon, he rushed up the little ladder
and grappled with his enemy. Mirror
dropped Renee to the platform and re
ceived Tonti with a smile Of savag,
joy, brandishing his knife. Tont
struck the arm holding the weapon {
furious blow with his iron hand, tt
force him to drop it, and seized hi.
throat with the other.
Miron still retained his knife and
Tonti by the fast increasing light saw
the blade descend, and felt al 1t were Z
red-hot iron plunged into his shoulder
Again IL fell this tina into his haclr