The citizen., 1914-05-22


this coat, about your size"
/ drew up the bench, and sat down.
There is more to this than yea have
discovered, Brady" said, determined
to explain. Did you chance to see a
French girl back at Fort Harmar?"
He shook his head.
Not as remember; who was she?"
That is what l would like to know.
hoped you might have picked up
some information. She was at General
Harmar's offlce-a young girl, not
much over twenty, should judge,
with dark eyes and hair, speaking
broken English, her dress half Indian
and half border French. She was one
IN thousand, to my thought. What
name do you suppose she gave me?"
His eyes, interested, questioned me,
but he sat silent.
Rene D'Auvray; and she explained
her father was French officer, killed
in battle"
And her mother?"
"A woman of the Wyandots, but
half-breed."
"D'Auvray! The same as the dead
man yonder! And he was a soldier.
T is an odd case. What else do you
know about herr"
Precious little, indeed, for she
seemed an adept in deceit She even
pretended to know me, and actually
spoke my name before it had been told
her. How she ever learned 1t is more
than l can guess. The little mink is
full of tricks, but plays them SO sauci-
ly 1t was not in my heart to become
angry. By heavens! one glance in her
eyes would disarm any man"
Yes" he interrupted, "but whence
came she there. and for what pur-
pose"
told him all knew, and he listened
eagerly, his eyes on Schultz puttering
about the fire.
"She must have jested in her threat
to travel hither with the renegade"
Il fear 1t was not jest" said sober
ly "She was in a mood to do even
that, and do not think she feared the
man. They may be on our trail now;
ay! close at hand, Brady, for they both
know these woods better than either Of
us. IT is my thought, now, the dead
man yonder was the lass father, and
she would know his cabin"
His eyes turned to the door, and
then to the food Schultz was placing
on the table before us, but whatever
his thought 1t remained unuttered. As
we sat there eating. he was apparent
ly turning 1t all over in his mind, try
ing to draw the tangled ends of the
skein together. AS we finished the
meal, some newly awakened curiosity
caused me to glance out again into
the rear room. 1t was gloomy with
shadows, the bodies of man and dog
beyond view; yet what perceived
brought from my lips sudden excla-
nation.
Brady, some one has been in here!
The outer door is nlatched-yes-and
the soldiers coat Is gone!"
We searched the room carefully, but
discovered no sign of its having been
entered, except for the door standing
slightly ajar, and the disappearance of
the red coat. We dare not carry a
torch into the open, and the night was
too dark for US to trace marks on the
ground. Brady stood in the glow of
freight, looking to the priming of his
rife, his face shadowed.
Il am going out awhile. Hayward"
he said finally. yes, am all right
now. l meant to take you along, but,
l reckon. 1t will be safer not to leave
the Dutchman here alone. However,
don't think there will be any more
visitors tonight"
He slipped out the back way, disap-
pearing instantly. and picked up my
own rife, bade Schultz remain where
he was, and followed, with the purpose
OF scouting about the island. / could
perceive the new danger we were In.
Suppose the assassin. eager to save
himself from suspicion, should be at
tracted to that camp of raiders, and,
relying on their friendship for protec-
ton, charge US with the murder of
D'Auvray. What mercy could we hope
for at their hands? Beyond doubt the
band was composed of ambitious young
warriors. who had already tasted
blood. and under control Of no chief
able to restrain them, II their wild pas
sions should be appealed to.
But l emerged into darkness and ST.
lence. Quickly as had made this de-
cision I was too late. The scout had
already disappeared across the narrow
open space, and vanished into the
fringe of trees. There was nothing to
guide me, except a vague sense of d.
rection. yet l felt my way forward
through the dense tree growth, hear
ing no sound Of movement, and COM
PEELED to move slowly until l emerged
at the shore. and could perceive the
stars reflected on the surface OF still
water. AS fingered there clear of the
woods shadow. my courage gradually