The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-03

very crowded, but they remembered
that the wounded of the other boat
were aboard of her. On she came, and
ON, until as she came abreast of the
fort she swung round, and the rowers
raised their paddles and burst into
shrilI yell of derision. The stern of
the canoe was turned toward them
now, and they saw that two women
were seated in it. The one was Omega
and the other Adele.
Charles de la Noue, seigneur de Ste.
Marie. was a hard and self contained
man. but a groan and a bitter curse
burst from him when he saw his In
dian wife in the hands of her kinsmen,
from whom she could hope for little
mercy Yet even now his old fashioned
courtesy to his guest had made him
turn to De Catinat with some words of
sympathy. when there was a clatter of
wood, something darkened the light OF
the window, and the young soldier was
gone Without word he had lowered
the ladder and was cIambering down it
with frantic haste. Then, as his feet
touched the ground, he signaled to his
comrades to draw it up again, and.
dashing into the river, he swan toward
the canoe. Without arms and without
plan, he had but the one thought, that
his place was by the side of his wife in
this the hour of her danger.
But there was another. whose view OF
duty led him from safety into the face
Of danger All night the franciscan
had watched De Catinat as miser
watches his treasure, filled with the
thought that this hereto was the one
little seed which might spread and
spread until it choked the chosen vine
yard of the church. He, too, clambered
down at the very heels of his prisoner
and rushed into the stream not ten
PAGES behind him.
And so the watchers at the window
saw the strangest of sights. There in
midstream lay the canoe, with its bur
den of dark warriors, and the two wo-
men crouching in the midst of them.
Swimming madly toward them was DE
Catinat, rising TO the shoulders with
the strength of every stroke. and be-
hind him again was the tonsured head
of the friar, with his dark capot and
long trailing gown floating upon the
surface of the water. But in his zeal
he had thought too little of his own
powers He was q good swimmer, but
he was weighed and hampered by his
clothes. Slower and slower
grew his stroke and lower and lower
his head until at last, with great
shrek of "In manus tuas, Domine.'
he threw up his hands and vanished in
the swirl of the river. A minute later
the watchers, hoarse with ming to
Id
aboard the Iroquois canoe, which was
instantly turned and continued its
course up the river.
MY Godr' cried Amos hoarsely.
"They have taken him! He is lost"
81 have seen some strange things in
these forty years. but never the like
of that" said Du Lhut.
The seigneur took a little pinch of
snuff from his gold box and ficked
the wandering grains from his shirt
front with his dainty lace handker
chief.
M. de Catinat has acted like gen.
tleman of France" said he.
Du Lhut glanced round him and
shook his head I'VE are only six
now" said he. Il fear that they are
UP " SolAit QcN LII OCCduSc arc SO
very STILL
"They are leaving the house." cried |
the censitaire, who was peeping
through one of the side windows.
What can it mean? Holy Virgin is
1t possible that we are saved? See
how they throng through the trees!
They are making for the canoe
On the river the single Iroquois ca
noe. which held the captives. was
speeding south as swiftly as twenty I
paddles could drive it; but save this 4
one dark streak upon the blue stream,
not sign was to be seen of their en-
emies.
by my faith, 1 believe that they I
have gomez cried the seigneur
Take care that it is not ruse," said /
Du Lhut why should they fly before /
six men when they have conquered I
sixty
But the censitaire had looked out OF I
ne other window, and In an instant /
lie was down upon his knees, with his 4
lands in the air and his powder black /
med face turned upward pattering out /
prayers and thanksgivings. His five I
comrades rushed across the room and i
BURST into a shrek of joy. The lower
each of the river was covered with /
iotilla of canoes, from which the sun /
struck quick flashes as it shone upon i
he musket barrels and trappings OF I
he crews Already they could see the /
white coats of the regulars, the brown /
unics of the coureurs de bois and the
.audy colors of the Hurons and Algon-
Iuins. On they swept, dotting the
whole breadth of the river and grow
ng larger every instant, while far
way on the southern bend the lro-
luois canoe was a mere moving dot,
which had shot away to the farther
ide and had lost itself presently under
he shadow of the trees. Another min
lite and the survivors were out upon
he bank waving their caps in the air,
while the prows of the first of their
'escuers were already grating upon
he pebbles. In the stern of the very
foremost canoe sat wizened little
nan with a large brown wig and gilt
headed rapier laid across his knees.
lie sprang out as the keel touched bot
ON and, rushing up TO the Seigneur,