Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-09-05

True, ne has control. and men
enough. with Cassion's party. to en-
force his order And he is hot-head
I conceited. and holding himself bit
! better than others. because he bears
commission in the Kings Dragons.
/ It's said that he and De Tonty .have
had many a stiff quarrel since he
came; but he dare not go too far
| There are good men there ready to
/ draw sword if it ever come to blows
{ De Tonty. Boisrondet. L'Espirance
De Marie, and the Algonquins camped
on the plain below They would be
tigers if the Italian spoke the word :
while l doubt not NJ de la Durantaye
would throw his influence on the side
of mercy; he has small love for the
captain of dragoons'
l spoke quickly. and before DAT
tigny could voice decision
'We will accept your guidance
monsieur 1t is the best choice, and
now the only one for the time is past
when we can expect the return of
the canoes. Can we not at once begin
the journey?"
1t was an hour later, after we had
| eaten, that we left the bluff, and
| turned westward into the great woods.
Barbeau led the way, moving along
! the bank of a small stream, and
followed. with D'Artigny close be-
hind. AS we had nothing to carry
except the soldiers rifle and blanket,
we made rapid progress, and in less
than half an hour we came to the
Indian trail, which led southwark
from Green Bay to the headwaters of
the Des PLANES.
1t was late in the afternoon of the
second day when we arrived at the
forks of the Chicago river. There was
a drizzle of rain in the air. and never
saw l a more desolate spot; a bare.
dreary plain, and away to the east
ward a GLIMPSE of the lake.
! A hut of logs. mere shack scarcely
| fit for shelter. stood on a slight emil
nence, giving wide view in every di-
rection, but it was unoccupied, the
door ajar. Barbeau, in advance
]
ance to an oath, and ran forward to
peer within. Close behind him. I
caught glimpse of the interior, my
own heart heavy with disappointment
If this miserable place had been
the headquarters of M. de la Duran
| taye, evidently it was so no longer
Not vestige of occupancy remained
! 4
broken bench in one corner. Rude
| hunks lined two walls. and a table
hewed from log stood in the center
of the dirt floor. On this was a paper
pinned to the wood by broken knife
blade. Barbeau grasped it, and read
the writing, handing it back to me.
1t was a scrawl of a few words. yet
told the whole story.
Francois Cassion, under commits
sion of Governor la Barre, arrived
with party of soldiers and Indians
At his orders we accompany the force
to Fort st. Louis.
ODE LA DURANTAYE."
Perhaps it is as WELL" commented
D'Artigny lightly. "At least as far as
my good health goes; but its like to
make hard journey for you, ma
dame"
as it far yet until we attain the
| fort?"
"a matter of twenty-five leagues; of
no moment had we a boat in which to
float downstream, but the trail, as
remember. is rough"
"Perchance there may be a boat"
| intercepted Barbeau. There was the
wreck of an Indian canoe a mile be-
low here on the Des PLANES, not so
damaged as to be beyond repair, and
here is a Ratchet which we will find
useful" He stopped and picked it up
! from under the bench. Zone thing is
certain-'tis useless to remain here;
they have left the place as bare as
a desert. 'Tis my choice that we make
! the Des PLANES before dark"
The Des PLANES was a narrow
stream, flowing quietly through prai-