The state herald., 1916-12-01


was dlent and my eyes fell from
his face to the green water.
"Twill be hard to explain" he
went on. "But he shall have chance"
"A chancsl You will question him;
and then"
He hesitated whether to answer me,
but there was Q cruel smile ON hia
thin lips.
"Faith, do not know. IT'S like to
be courtmartial at the Rock, II ever
We get him there; though the chances
are the fellow will take to the woods
when he finds himself suspected. No
doubt the best thing I can do will bs
to say nothing until We hold him safe,
though 'tis hard to pretend with such
q villain"
He paused. a. II hoping I might
speak. and my silence angered him.
bah, II I had my way the young
cockerel would face a nle at our FIRST
camp. Ayi and It will be for you to
decide II he does not"
"What II your meaning, monsieur r
'That am tired Of your play-act-
ing; Of your making eyes at this forest
dandy behind my back. Sang dieuI
am done with all this-do you heari-
and have grip now which viii
make you think twics. my dear. before
you work any more sly tricks on me.
Eacre. you think me cay. heyi Ihavs
In my hand 60" and he opened and
closed his fingers suggestively. ''ths
life Of the lad"
I had one glimpse Of his face a. he
leaned forward. and there was q look
in It which made me shudder and turn
away. His was no idle threat and
whether the man truly loved me or
not. his hatred Of D'Artigny was suf-
ncient for any cruelty.
I realized the danger. the necessity
for compromise. and yet for the mo-
ment lacked power to speak. to Ques-
tiou. fearful lest his demands would
bs greater than I could grant. had
NO thought Of what I saw. and still
that which my eyes rested upon re-
mains pictured on my brain, the spar
kle Of sun on the water. the distant
green Of the shore. the soldiers hud-
died In the canoe. the dark shining
bodies Of the Indians ceaselessly ply
ing The paddles, and beyond NJ, to the
left another canoe. cleaving the water
sWift1y. wfA Dsse Allosss' facs tuEned
toward us. as though he sought to
guess our conversation. Twas aroused
By the grip Of Cassion's hand.
swell. my beauty" be said harshly,
haven't I waited long enough to learn
II II b war OF peace between usr'
I laughed, Jet I doubt II hs gained
any comfort from the expression Of
the eyes which met his.
"why choose peace OF course. mon
sieur." answered. assuming 4 care
lessness was far from feeling. "Am
I not your wifef Surely you remind
me Of II often enough. 10 I am not
likely to forget: but I resent the in
suit Of your words. nor will you ever
win favor from mo by such methods.
I have been friendly with sieur d'Arti-
gny. Il IL true. but there 10 nothing
between US. Indeed no word has
parsed my lips In his presence I would
not be willing for you to hear. 80
there y no cause for you to spare him
on my account, or rest his fate on any
action Of mine"
"You will have naught to do with
he fellowr'
'There would be small chance II l
wished, monsieur: and do you sup
pose would seek companionship with
one who had killed my uncle?"
"Twould scarce seem so, yet I
know not what you believe"
"Nor do I myself: yet the ev'""r""
b oil against the man thus far. con-
fees I should like to hear his defense.
but mike you this pledge In nll honor
Il will hive no word with him. on
condition that you file no charges un.
I'll We arrive at Fort 81. Louis"
"Ahw suspiciously. "you think he
has friends there to hold him limo.
cent"
"why should I. monslcur3 Indeed.
WY &svutu NmtC ous w 1h'U gh"hNV
doncf do not wish his blood on your
hands. or 70 imagine thnt he 10 con.
demned because Of his friendship for
me rather than any other crime. l
know not what friends the man has
at the Rock on tho Illinois. He was
Of In Sales party. aud they are no
longer In control. La Barre said that
De Baugis commanded that post. and
for all know DE Tonty and all his
men may have departed"
"'Tis not altogether true. and for
that reason we are ordered TO Join the
company. Do Baugis has the right Of
II under commission from La Barre.
but does not possess suincicnt soldiers
to exercise authority. La salis's men
remain loyal TO DE Tonty. and the In
dian tribes look to him for leadership.
Mon dicu! II WAS reported IN Quebec
that $4,000 savaees were living about
the fort-ayi and D'ArtiEny said b
doubted II not, for the meadows wers
covered with tepees-so De Baugis has