Mexico Missouri message., 1916-09-28
CHAPTER XVIII.
Within the Fort.

L IL puubtu IL SpCOuU, YET
that was enough to give me glimpse
of the weird scene. / saw D'Artigny
lunge with his knife, a huge savage
Keeling beneath the stroke. and Bar
beau cleave passage TO the rescue, the
stock of his gun shattered as he struck
fercely at the red devils who blocked
his path.
Outnumbered, helpless for long in
that narrow space, their only hope lay
In sortie by the garrison, and 1t was
my part to give the alarm. Even as
sprang forward, a savage leaped
from the ruck, but escaped his
hand, and raced up the dark trail, the
one thought urging me on. God knows
how made ito me tits but a men,
DRY of falls over unseen obstacles, of
reckless running; yet the distance
could have been scarce more than n
hundred yards, before my eyes saw
the dark shadow of the stockade out
lined against the sky.
Crying out with full strength of my
voice, burst into the little open space,
then tripped and fell just as the gate
swung wide, and 1 saw a dozen dark
forms emerge. One leaped forward
and grasped me, lifting me partly to
my feet.
mon Dieu! a womanw he exclaimed
in startled voice. what means this,
In heavens nameT
"Quick," / gasped, breaking away,
oh ~ ofn
''They are fighting there-two white
men-D'Artigny-"
What, Rene! Ay, lads, to the res
cue! Cartier, take the lady within.
Come with me, you others"
They swept past me, the leader well
in advance. 1 felt the rush as they
passed, and had glimpse Of vague fig
ures ere they disappeared in the dark
ness. Then 1 was alone, except for
the bearded soldier who grasped my
arm.
"Who was that?" I asked, "the man
who led?"
"Boisrondet, Francois de Boisron-
det."
"An officer of La Sales? You, then,
are Of his company
81 am" bit proudly, "but most of
the lads yonder belong with De Bau-
gis. Now we fight common foe, and
forget our own quarrel. Did you say
Rene d'Artigny was in the fighting
yonder?"
yes; he and a soldier named Bar
beau"
The fellow stood silent, shifting his
feet.
"'Twas told us he was dead" he
of La Barrels men arrived three days
ago by boat, under a popinjay they call
Cassion to recruit De Baugis' forces.
De la Durantaye was with him from
the portage, so that now they out
number us three to one. You know
this Cassion, madame"
"Ay, I Travelled with his party from
Montreal"
"Ah, then you will know the truth,
no doubt. De Tonty and Cassion were
at swords points over a charge the
latter made against Rene d'Artigny-
that he had murdered one of the party
at st. Ignace."
"Hugo Chevet, the fur trader"
SAY, that was the name. We of La
Sales company know 1t to be lie.
Sacre! I have served with that lad
two years, and tits not in his nature
to knife any man in the back. And
so De Tonty said, and he gave Cas-
sion the lie straight in his teeth.
heard their words, and but for De
Baugs and De la Durantaye, Fran.
coils Cassion would have paid we'll for
his false tongue. Now you can tell
him the truth"
81 shall do that, but even my word
fear, will not clear D'Artigny of the
charge. / believe the man to be limo.
cent; in my heart there is no doubt
yet there is so little to be proven"
"Cassion speaks bitterly; he is an
enemy"
"Monsleur Cassion is my husband
1 said regretfully.
''Your pardon, madame. All, un
derstand 1t all now. You were sup
posed to have been drowned in the
great lake, but were saved bye D'Ar
tigny. Twill be a surprise for mon
sieur, but in this land. we witness
strange things. Mon Dieu! see, they
come yonder; tbs Boisrondet and hiI
men,"
They approached in silence, mer'
shadowy figures, whose numbers
could not count, but those in advances
bore a helpless body in their arms
and my heart seemed to stop its beat
ing, until heard D'Artigny's voice Il
cheerful greeting.