The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1907-01-02

passes the great pine tree. Lambert.
do you take the other gun
The two wrinkled old artillerymen
| glanced along their guns and waited
for the canoes TO come abreast Of theta.
The fire blazed higher and higher. and
the broad river lay like a sheet of dull
metal. with the two dark lines which
marked the canoes sweeping swiftly
down the center. One was fifty yards in
front of ,he other. but in each the In
aians We're bending TO their pad lies
and pulling franticaily. while their
comrades from the wooded shores
whooped them on 70 fresh exertions.
The fugitives had already disapIa AIRED
around the bend of the river.
As the first canoe came abrel II of
the lower Of the two guns the cana
dian made the sign OF the c-osS over
the touchhole and fired. A cher and
then a groan went UP from the eager
watchers. The charge had struck the
surface close to the mark and dashed
such a shower of water over il that for
an instant it looked as if it had been
sunk. The next moment. however. the
splash subsiGed, and the canoe shot
away uninjured save that one of the
rowers had dropped his paddle while
his head fell forward upon the .ach Of
the man in front of him. The second
gunner sighted the same canes as it
came abreast of him.
1t was beautiful shot. The whole
charge took the canoe about six feet
behind the bow and doubled her Up
like an eggshell. Before tbs smoke
had cleared she had founderec. and the
second canoe had paused TO pick up
some of the wounded men.
..Quick. quick cried the seigneur.
Load the gun. we may ges the sec
ond one YETI
But ii was not to be. Long before
they could get it ready the froquois
had picked up their wounded warriors
and were pulling madly downstream.
AS they shot away the fire died sud-
denly down in the burning cottages,
and the rain and the darkness closed
in upon them once more.
"My Cod" cried De Catinat furious
~. They will be taken! Let US aban-
don this place. take boat and follow
them! Come, come! Not an instant IL
to be lost,'
Il do not think that they will be
caught said Du Lhut, laying his hand
soothingly upon his shoulder. do not
fear. They had long start, and the
women here can paddle as well as the
men. Besides, these canoes of the No
hawks are not as swift as the Algon-
quin birch barks which we use. In
any case, it is impossible to follow. for
we have no boat"
There is one lying there"
hut hal ct, Ia
1t is that in which the friar came"
..1hen 1 am going in that! My place
is with Adele"'
He flung open the door, rushed out
and was about TO push off the frail skiff
when some one sprang past him ana
with a blow from a Ratchet stove in
the side of the boat.
"It is my boat said the friar, throw
ing down his AK and folding his arms.
II have found you and you shall not
escape me again."
The hot blood flushed to the soldiers
head, and, picking up the ak, he took
a quick step forward. The light from
the open door shone upon the grave.
harsh face of the friar. but not mus
Gle twitched nor a feature changed as
he saw the ak whirl up in the hands |
of furious man. He only signed |
himself with the cross and muttered a
Latin prayer under his breath. 1t was
that composure which saved his life. |
De Catinat hurled down the ak again |
with bitter curse and was turning |
away from the shattered boat when |
in an instant, without a warning, the |
great door of the manor house crashed /
inward and a flood Of whooping saw
a ees burst into the house.