Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1908-12-02

Old Mr.. Howard did not stop talk
4 ing when he had Stold. the family
party about t:s victory over Alec
iPrevanch. and the other rum-drink-
ing voyas,eurs whose wood-chopping
on Bois Elanc Island he had been
4 sent to oversee when he was sixteen
years old. The boy still had to pay
penalty for his previous paltering
with the voyageur who had tempted
him to desert from, his enlistment of
five years In the Astor Fur Conlpany's
service, and the old man went on to
tell what that penalty turnad out to
be.
When went to bed after that FIRST
Gay on Bois Blanc Island >I-was proud
I: and happy. had found 1hat-I could
command men. and the discovery
changed my views OF fur-trader's
life. But In the midst OF my salts
faction suddenly remembered how l
had encouraged Francois Robfdaux's
J. plan that he and should slip away
in two days, taking. some of the COM
pany's boats with us. Now saw my
conduct in its true light, ard in the
darkness of my tent shame came
over me-. and Il felt that / was a
s sneak. But when Il thought of my
sister lying III, perhaps dead. and Of
my natural longing to go home and
share the family grief, could find
some excuse for myself. although not
enough to justify me in my own
I mind.
B 1t was on a Saturday that I re-
I turned to Mackinac. The few days
& at Bois; Blanc and the change from,
: sorting furs in the warehouse had
done me good. / knew. could do
!. my DUTY. and resolved to do it
-chesrfully to the end of my five
years term. IN
Late on Sunday afternoon l met
Francois. who hae been looking for
ne He wanted me- TO be ready to
7 steal away on Tuesday night~with
party of deserters. I told him I,was
not going. -; ~
"Eh, not going?"she said.
81 promised to&stay with the Fur
Company five Years. told him,
and I'm going to stay
Francois Eas. white with anger.
"And suppose you're sneak enough
toStell Mr.. Crooks or Mr. Stewart"
ne. said, cursing me. ''If you do. I'll
kill you,"
m no sneak" told him, for
the ftaunt made me angry.
s. Then you'll promise that YOU
Z won't tell on the restsof as" Fran
cois said, and without; stopping to
think, I did promise He had cleF-
erly thrown me on my, guard.
Monday evening it happened that
Mr.. Stewart sent me. to the ware
house to bring him the tally book,
and before I left the. storeroom I
1happened to notice thai a very valu-
able pack Of marten. otter and silver
fox skins was not in the place where
I had last seen it. hurried back
to the Office and told Mr.: Stewart,
who made nothing of the report, for
all he said was:
ooh, some OF the boys must have
moved it just befor, they locked up.
No one could possibly have got-@in
and stolen It,"
i, But T was not satisfied. l had
seen Francois watching that pack
very eagerly as it was being made up
that afternoon. If he would steal a
bateau and three weeks provisions,
he might not be above stealing e
bale Of ful.s. J. left the store anu
walked down to. the beach, thinking
that the deserters might have decided
to start twenty-four hours earlier
than had been planned: wished
had not promised not to report them,
but :sat any rate would make. sure
that they were, mol carrying of any
peltries.
sa.I found no one on the beach but
some Indians IL their wigwams. "A
storm was rising in the northeast,
as.yet there was no wind.
1t was too dark for me to see any
great distance, but as stood on the
shore l thought heard the dip Of
oars to the. southward-the direc-
ti5n that the deserters had planned
tos:take. I ran to the house where
Francois Tobidau1 boarded. He
was gone.
felt sure that Francois party
had embarked only a few minutes
before. and that they had stolen a
bale of the company's finest furs.
OF course. should ,haSe; at, once
told Mr.. Crooks or Mr.. Stewart all
that ! knew, but my mind was con-
fused by my promise to Francois.
Suddenly lssaw a way. / would
take q canoe and catch the desert
ers. What i should do. next Il did
not foresee. but some plan would
suggest itself. 1t was as reckless a
project as boy ever made. but was
in mood for desperate adven-
trre. G.
/ broke intosa run; there was not
moment to lose. I went first to
the boarding-horse for my gun, and
then hurried back to the beach.
picked out one of tn he best, of the
smaller canoes, and padded away
into the darkness.
The wind was beginning to come
in puffs from the northeast. and the
clouds were rising fast. 1t was too
dark for me to see the land ahead,
bI1t | fhourht cd,IId GET across to