Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-03-22
perplexity and disquietude upon his

the hawk are three OF the most power
full clans of the Iroquois. 1t may be that
they are invading the Illini or have
already done SO. In either case I must
hasten on my way. Perhaps my arri-
val may I've some impending disas-
ter to La Sale. But after all, it may
be nothing but the dying delirium Of
an ignorant savage. Come, madeDol-
selle, do not be alarmed, | shall reack
there in time, never fear" and he
looked reassuringly into Renee's trou-
bled face.
She was strangely agitated. "Ah,
mon ami" she cried, do not go until
you learn some news of what has hap
pened. La Sale may be dead and you
will but arrive to fall a victim too.
Send out your scouts that they may
report to you what they learn. They
can bear succor if such is needed as
well as 3ou. Or if you will 60" she
continued pleadingly, take me also.
Let us all go together. Is it not my
duty to be where there may be wounds
to heal and sickness to relieve? What
would become of me were the Sieur de
la Sale to be lost and you meet your
death in a vain task of rescuing hin? ?"
A great wave of feeling passed over
Tonti. He struggled hard to retain
his footing. Why should he not tell
her now how much 1t meant to him
that she should not expose herself to
further danger, but wait for his re-
turn? Tell her all the full story of his
love. promising that if he found La
Sale to be lost he would quickly re-
turn and claim her for his own? II
the lower country were all ablaze with
savage warfare he could hardly hope
with his small band to avail aught in
defense or rescue; humiliation for
| them all would be certain. Why could
he not snatch a few moments of JOY
before plunging into the whirlpool of
danger and woe before him? But as
he strove against himself the words of
the dying Indian rang clear upon his
ear again, "They cry for help, but there
is none" His comrade. still confiding
in his fa~ithfulness, turned to him with
a cry, even in his last extremity, not
knowing where his lieutenant might
be, he sought his aid. Should he fail
him now?
Renee watched the struggle through
tear-dimmed eyes and saw the victory
won. Selling her hand, he said hur'
riedly:
you know not what you ask,
mademoiselle. You would be the first
to despise me were l to YIELD" and
hastily raising her hand to his lips, he
strobe rapidly away. Renee kissed the
!, spot where his lips had been, and
sinking to the ground, burst into tears
of mingled despair and joy.
t The next day when his little canoe
| passed through the straits, a lone fig
ure waved adieu from the edge of thu
highest cliff back of the settlement
t and when the tiny speck had disap
peared from view repaired to thu
chapel, there to pray for the safety o.
one about to encounter great peril.
. Tonti reached Fort Miami at thu
mouth of the river in safety and there
found his men who had preceded hin
in a larger vessel. They were all wei
and had made a good-siZed fleet Of ca
noes, but were much disturbed at ru
mors they had heard that, during tn
early summer, the Iroquois had mad
a grand invasion of the country of tn
Illini and had driven them from thei
homes, numbering and scattering tn
tribes. Tonti, with this cOrroboratiol
Of the Indians vision, was still NOR,
alarmed for the safety of his friend
and pushed on with all speed. The,
found plenty of deer and buffalo, an
were thus enabled to lay in a bountifu
supply of meat. AS they drew near tn
great town of the Illini their fear
we're confirmed. Instead of the nois
of a great encamDment they found 81
lence. The meadow below the higl
rock was n scene of devastation an
ruin. The charred remains of tn
lodges were all of human habitatiol
that remained standing. Bones an
skulls were strewn about In grea
] abundance. The Indian graves ele
waited on four poles had been broke
down and their contents scattered
: A horde Of wolves fed from the ghastl
repast at their approach. while a crow
L of buzzards wheeled above their head
s with angry cries at being thus dis
turbed.
The rumors were indeed true. Will
making an attack on the easter
white settlements another portion c
the ferocious Iroquois c~onfederacy ha
It gone westward to annihilate their re
Y enemies. No signs of human life wer
there left to tell Of the disaster tina
Il had befallen. Tonti fastened with hi
c men on down to the widening in tn
It river near which Fort Creve-Couer ha
n been erected. This, too. was a ruin, a.
d though destroyed by other hands tina
T. the Iroquois. The u~ncompleted vesst
still stood on the stocks. on who's
d side was scrawled, "Nous sommes tou
$ sauvages." TITS told the story of full
tAer treache..: and desertion on tn
h part of La Sales followers. Leavin
e the most OF his party at this spo
Tonti continued his journey with Pom
pom and a canoe full of picked mel
They descended the river until the
reached the Mississippi, but no trace
Of La Sale were to be found. AS the
progressed they could discern the spt
where the ~retreating Illini had campo
on one side of the stream, while 0
X the opposite side their foes had kel
a sharp watch over their retreat. RI
/, turning again, they rested with the
!, entire force at the site of Fort Grew
. Couer. The autumn was rapidly pas
ing, SO they finally determined to 6