Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-10-17
CHAPTER XIV.
Warriors of the IIlinl.

Eyes. NJ. de la Forest" l said, step
ping forward to save Rene from a
question which would embarrass him.
nayne, whom the Sieur d'Artigny hath
taken under his protection"
la Chesnayne's daughter! An.
heard the story told in Quebec-'twas
La Barrels aid who gave me the facts
with many a chuckle, as though he
held it an excellent joke. But why
are you here, madame? Is not NJ
Cassion in the fort yonder?"
Its long tale, La Forest" broke
in D'Artigny, laying his hand on the
others shoulder. land will bide bet
| ter time for telling. | am soldier,
and you may trust my word. We are
La Sales men; let 1T go at that, for
| there is graver duty fronting us now
than the retelling of camp gossip
Madame is my friend, and my hand
will defend her reputation. Is that
enough. cOmrade?"
"Ay, enough. My best regards, ma
DAME" and he bowed low before me-
| Ills NOIuS w uOcNGT
Sieur de la Sale has learned to trust
hath my faith also. You have come
from the fort. I take it, D'Artigny :?
How are matters there?"
"Ill enough; the officers at swords
points, and the men divided into three
camps, for where De la Durantaye
stands there is no evidence. NJ. Cas-
sion holds command by virtue of La
Barre's commission, and knows no
more Of Indian war than a Quebec
storekeeper The garrison numbers
fifty men. all told; two-thirds soldiers.
and a poor lot
with ammunition and food?"
Ample to eat, but Boisrondet tells
me with scarce a dozen rounds per
man. The IrOquois are at the gates,
and will attack at daylight"
"You know this?"
1.-The signs are plain. We passed
one party clambering up the cliff-no
less than fifty warriors. naked and
painted for war. TuScaroras, madame
said from the words she overheard as
they slipped past where we hid. IT'S
not likely they made reconnaissance
alone The tends have been a week
in this valley. and have swept all clear
of our Indian allies: now they can
bring their full force against the fort"
mo doubt you are right"
Twas my Judgment. at least. and
we sought help when we ran into you.
What Indians have your"
'Illini. mostly. with a handful of
Miamis and Kickapoos. We met them
at the crossing. hiding in the hills.
They were sadly demoralized. and
filed with horror at what they had
seen, yet agreed TO return here under
my leadership"
who is their chief?'
''Old Sequitah-you know him?'
"Ay. a real warrior. 'Tis better than
dared hope. for have been in battle
with him before. Do you number
hundred?'
"And fifty more, though indiffer-
emily armed
And fifty more, though indifferently
armed. Never have l seen the Illini
il action, D'Artigny; they seem TO me
poor lot. so frightened of the wolve-
as to be valueless''
$50 they are if left to themselves.
but under white leadership they stif
fen They will fight if given the In
dian style. Taey will never stand In
defense, but if we lead them TO sur
prisa. they'll give good account of
themselves. That is my plan. La Fer
est-that we creep up through the
woods behind the Iroquois lines. They
will expect no attack from the rear
and will have no guard. If we move
quickly while it remains dark. we
ought TO get within few yards of the
red demons without discovery. They
win fight desperately. no doubt, for
their only hope of escape would be to
either plunge down the rocky banks on
! either side. or cut a way through. You
have been at the fort?"
Twice before