Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-11-02

Beyond the:
Frontier
by RANDALL PARRISH
A Romance of Early Days
In the Middle West
Author Of "Kslth Of the Border" "My
Lady Of Doubt" "The Maid
Of the Forest" etc.
CHAPTER xxIv-continued.
Copyright. A. c. MeClurg G Co.

whelmlng me. My eyes were wet with
tears. and could find no words. D'Ar-
ttgny seemed to understand, yet he
made no effort to speak, merely hold
ing me close with his strong arm. So
IN silence, our minds upon the past and
the future, we followed the savages
through the black night along the dim
trail. For the time l forgot where
was, my weird, CHASTITY surroundings,
the purpose of our stealthy advance,
and remembered only my father, and
the scenes of childhood. He must
have comprehended, for he made no
attempt to interrupt my reverie, and
his silence drew me closer-the steady
pressure of his arm brought me peace.
Suddenly before us doomed the shad-
ow of the great rock, which rose a
mighty barrier across the trail, its crest
outlined against the sky. The Indians
had halted here, and we pressed for
ward through them, until we came to
where the chief and La Forest waited.
There was a growing tinge of light in
the eastern sky, enabling us to perceive
each others faces. All was tense, ex
pectant the Indians scarcely ventur-
ing to breathe, the two white men con-
versing in whispers. Sequitah stood
motioniess as a statue, his lips tightly
closed.
"Your scouts ventured no farther?"
questioned D'Artigny.
mo; twas not safe; one man scaled
the rock, and reports the Iroquois
Just beyond"
"They hide in covert where sus-
pected them; but l would see with my
own eyes. There Is crevice here, as
remember, to give foothold. Ay, here
1t is. an easy passage enough. Come,
La Forest, q glance ahead will make
clear my plans"
The two clambered up noiselessly,
and outstretched themselves on the fiat
surface above. The dawn frightened,
almost imperceptibly, so 1 could dis
tinguish the savage forms on either
side, some standing, some squatting on
the grass, all motionless but alert
their weapons cleaning, their cruel
eyes glittering from excitement. La
Forest descended cautiously and turned
toward me.
Madame, D'Artigny would have you
Join him"
Surprised at the request rested my
foot in his hand, and crept forward
along the smooth surface until lay
beside Rene. He glanced aside into
my face.
"Do not lift your head" he wbIs-
pered. peer through this cleft in the
stone"
Before us was a narrow opening,
devoid of vegetation, a sterile patch Of
stone and sand, and beyond this a
fringe of trees, matted with under
brush below so as to make good screen,
but sufficiently thinned out above, so
that, from our elevation, we could look
through the interlaced branches across
the cleared space where the timber had
been chopped away to the palisades of
the fort. The first space was filed
with warriors, crouching behind the
cover of underbrush. Most Of these
were lying down, or upon their knees,
watchfully peering through toward the
fort gates, but few were standing, or
moving cautiously about bearing word
of command.
"Monsieur," ! whispered timldIy,
''you can never attack; there are too
many"
'They appear more numerous than
they are" he answered confidently.
shut It will be a stiff fight. Not all
Tuscaroras either; there are Fries yon-
der to the right, and a few renegade
Mohawks with them. Look, by the foot
of that big tree, the fellow in war bon
net and deerskn shlrt-what make
you of him?"
"a white man In spite of his paint"
"'Twas my guess also. 1 thought ii
likely they had renegade with them,
for this is not Indian strategy. La
Forest was of the same opinion, al
though twas too dark when he was
here for us to make sure"
For what are they waiting and
watchingT"
''The gates to open, no doubt. II
they suspect nothing within, they will
send out a party soon to Teconnoiter
the trail, and reach the river below for
water. 1t is the custom, and, no doubt,
these devils know, and will wait their
chance They urge the lagCards now"
We lay and watched them, his hand
clasping mine. Those warriors who
had been lying prone rose to their
Z knees, and, weapons in hand, crouched
for spring; the chiefs scattered, care
ful to keep concealed behind cover.
Not a sound reached us, every move
ment noiseless, the orders conveyed by
gesture of the hand. D'Artigny pressed
my fingers.
faction will come soon," he contin-
ued, his lips at my ear, "and must
he ready below TO take the lead. You
can serve us best here, Adele; there
ts no safer spor If you lie low. You
have a BIZ of cloth--a handkerchief?
Eyes. monsieur"
'sThen watch the fort gates, and IL
Hou see them open drop the cloth over
tina sdge Of the rock there In signal.