Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-07-06

Ill to look upon, a fair-spoken gallant,
n friend of La Barre's, chosen by him
for special service"
"And with influence in the fur
trade"
'All the better that" he continued
obstinately. why should n girl OBJ
ject If her husband be rich?"
But he is not rich" said plainly,
looking straight into his eyes. "He Is
no more than a pennlless adventurer;
an actor playing a part assigned him
by the governor; while you and 1 do
the same. Listen, Monsieur Chevet,
the property at st. Thomas is mine by
legal right, and it was to gain pos
session that this wretch sought my
hand"
"Your legal right?"
"Ay, restored by the king in special
order"
at is not true; I had the records
searched by a lawyer Monsieur eau
tier Of st. Anne"
l gave n gesture Of Indignation.
"a country advocate at whom those
in authority would laugh. l tell you
what l say is true; the land was re-
stored, and the fact is known to La
Barre and to Cassion. 1t Is this fact
which has caused all our troubles. l
overheard talk last night between the
governor and his aide-de-camp, Colonel
Delguard-you know him?"
Chevet nodded. his interest stirred.
"They thought themselves alone,
and were laughing at the success Of
their trick. l was hidden behind the
heavy curtains at the window, and
every word they spoke reached my
ears. Then they sent for Cassion."
"But where is the paperP
II did not learn; they have 1t hidden,
no doubt, awaiting the proper time
to produce it. But there is such a
document: La Barre explained that
clearly, and the reason why he wished
Cassion to marry me. They were all
three talking when an accident hap
pened, which led to my discovery"
"Ah! and so that was what hurried
the wedding, and sent me on this wild
me In the woods-sacre!-"
Flush now-Cassion has left the
canoe already, and we can talk of this
later. Let us seem to suspect moth
ing"
This was the first meal Of many
eaten together along the river bank
in the course of our long journey, yet
the recollection of that scene rises
before my memory now with peculiar
vividness. Cassion had divided us into
groups, and, from where I had found
resting place, with a small fat rock
for table, l was enabled to see the
others scattered to the edge Of the
bank, and thus learned for the first
time the character OF those with whom
l was destined to companion on the
long journey. There were but four
of us in that first group, which in
Guided Pere Allouez, a silent man,
| lingering his cross, and barely touch
| ing food. His face under the black
cowl was drawn, and creased by
strange lines, and his eyes burned
with vagueness. If bad ever dreamed
| of him as one to whom 1 might turn
for counsel, the thought instantly van
| ished as our glances met.
A soldier and two Indians served
us, while their companions, divided
into two groups, were gathered at the
other extremity of the ridge, the sol
diers under discipline of their own
underoficers, and the Indians
A watched over by Sieur D'Artigny, who
| rested, however, slightly apart, his
i gaze on the broad river. Never once
while I observed did he turn and
glance my way. 1 counted the men
as 1 endeavored to eat, scarcely heed
ing the few words exchanged by those
about me. The Indians numbered ten
including their chief, whom Cassior
called Altuda. Chevet named them as
Algonquins from the Ottawa, treach
erous rascals enough, yet with ex
pert knowledge of watercraft.
Altudah was a tall savage, wrapped
in gaudy blanket, his face rendered
sinister and repulsive by scar thu
full length of his cheek, yet he SPOKE
French fairly well, and someone sait
that he had three times made journey
to Mackinac, and knew the water
ways. There were "a soldiers, includ
ing a sergeant and corporal, of thu
regiment of Picardy; active fellows
enough, and accustomed to the from
tier, although they gave small EVIL
dence of discipline, and their uniforms
were in shocking condition. The ser
geant was heavily built, stocky man
but the others were rather understood
and Of little spirit. The same though
must have been in the minds of 9th
ers, for the expression on Monsieur
Cassion's face was not pleasant as h
stared about.
"Chevet," he exclaimed disgustedly
did ever you see worse selection 70
wilderness travel than La Barre ha
given us? Cast your eyes down tn
line yonder; by my faith! there is nc
real man among them"
Chevet, who had been growing t
himself. with scarce a thought othe