The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-01-09

! my raddla and grazad the eunwale
without doing any damage. Two
! inches lower and it would have
crashed through the bircn- bark sides
as il they had been PAPER.
Try that a@ain and I'll shoot
you'" 7 remarked, and brought thp
rife to my shoulder.
Alec picked up another stone, but
the other men took him by the
arms and held hin.
I'll give you ten minutes to think
it over" I said. 'an1 if you are not
ready to start by that time I'll go. :"
The five went Off among the bushes
to hold a consultation, but they soon
reappeared
You've got us tight" Francois
said. IF We go back will You fix il
with Mr.. Stewart and Mr. C:ooks9"
| told them l would try to do so.
and they took their places in the
bateau, looking sulky and mnttering
French curses.
Alec stood in the stern and sculled
with the one oar shat was left. and
| followed in the canoe The short
summer gale had nearly blown itself
out and the wind was rapidly sub
siding.
We had made our way several
miles up the shore of the island and
were nearing its southwestern point.
when Francois gave shout. A
,,h
the point, and in it's bow stood Mr..
Stewart. The sight was too much
for the deserters. They ran their
boat ashore and dashed across the
beach and into the woods.
| never saw them again. but
a1terWard learned from Indians that
they remained on the island for SOM
time, living on berries and a lite
corn which they had carried up from
the bateau from the spot where |
had found them. They finally built
a raft OF driftwood crossed over 20
the south shore. and made their way
through the woods and along the
beach to Detroit and Lower Canada.
No one ever knew how they got the
bale of furs ont Of the warehouse.
Well, that nights work helped me
to tell the whole truth to Mr.. Stew
art. Two weeks later my prepara-
lions were all made for going bac!,
into the Indian country in charge Of
two bateaux and half a dozen men.
The brigade to which | was assigned
was to leave the next morning. and
in the evening | was summoned to
the private office. where l found Mr..
Crooks and Mr. Stewart.
They both greeted me kindly, and
Mr.. Crooks handed me two letters
and told me to look them over. TIE
first, which had been brought by a
schooner just arrived from Buffalo. |
was from my mother. and told me
that my sister had recovered The
other was my commission, authoriz-
Ing me to act as an agent of the !
Fur Company in the In
dian country. l have never forgot
ten the concluding words of the let
ter that accompanied it; they were:
Accept our individual thanks, as
we'll as those which we give on be-
half of the American Fur Company.
for the zeal you have at all times
evinced, and your unremitting atten-
Ion to the interests of the concern"
1t was more than 1 deserved, TO-
had not been all the time Jealous
Ind attentive. But it does come men
good to get more than they deserve {
felt bound to deserve after that.
The next morning 1 took my seat
n my bateau AMI sailed away up the
straits of Mackinac, my five years
ervice fairly begun. When it was
'nded. had done so we'll for John
acob Aston and his partners that l
ound them disposed to do we'll by
Companion.