Middletown transcript., 1916-09-30
"Mon DieuI a WomanI"

Twas a bold trick you played tonight,
but not unlike many another / have
seen you venture You bring me-mes-
sage from monsieur"
''Onty that he has sailed safely for
France to have audience with Louis.
I saw him aboard ship, and was bid
den to tell you to bide here in patience
and seek no quarrel with De Baugis."
easy enough to say; but ia ali
! truth I need not seek qUarrel-it
comes my way without seeking. De
Baugis was not so bad-a bit high
strung, perhaps, and bOastful Of his
rank, yet not so I'll comrade-but
there is a newcomer here. a pOpintay
named Cassion. with whom / cannot
abide. All. but you know the beast,
for you journeyed west in his COM
pany. Sacre! the man charged you
with murder. and I gave him the lie
to his teeth. Not two hours ago we
had our swords out. but now you can
answer for yourself"
D'Artigny hesitated. his eyes meet
ing mine.
81 fear. Monsieur de Tonty," he said
finally. 'the answer may not be so
easily made. If it were point OF
sword. now. could laugh at the man.
but he possesses some ugly facts diff
cult to explain"
"Yet twas not your hand which did
the deed?"
81 pledge you my word to that. Yet
| this is no time to talk Of the matter.
have wounds to be looked to, and
would learn first how Barbeau fares.
You know not the lady; but OF course
not, or your tongue would never have
spoken so Monsieur de Tonty,
Madame Cassion."
He Strengthened up. his eyes on my
face. For an instant he stood mo-
tionless; then swept the hat from his
head. and bent low.
your pardon. madame; we Of the
wilderness become rough of speech.
should have known. for a rUmOr had
reached me of your accident. You
owe life, 20 doubt, to Sieur d'Artigny"
"Yes. monsieur; he has been my
kind friend.
-"He would not be the one love
else. We know men on this frontier.
madame. and this lad hath seen years
Of. service by my side" His hand
rested on D'Artigny's shoulder.
| Twas only natural. then, that I
should resent NJ. Cassion's charge Of
murder"
'I share your faith in the innocence
of M. d'Artigny." I answered firmly
enough. "but beyond this assertion I
can say nothing"
Naturally not, madame. Yet we
must move along. You can walk.
Rene"
CAY, my hurts are mostly bruises
The torches led the way. the dane
ing flames lighting up the scene. Thert
was hard. packed earth under our feet.
nor did realize yet that this Fort St
Louis occupied the summit of great
rock, protected on three sides by preci
pices, towering high above the river.
Sharpened palisades of logs surround
ed us on every side. with low log
houses built against them, on the roofs
of which rifemen could stand In safe
ty to guard the valley below.
The central space was open except
for two small buildings. one from its
shape a chapel. and the other. as I
learned later. the guardhouse. A Gre
blazed at the farther end Of the in
closure. with a number Of men loung-
| ing ahout II. and IlIumined the front
Of a more pretentious building. which
apparently extended across that entire
end. This building. having the ap-
pearance Of a barraek. exhibited nu-
merous doors and windows with a
narrow porch in front on which per
eelved a group Of men.
AS we approached more CLOSELY. De
TOnty walking between D'Artigny Rnd