The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1916-08-25


villain"
He paused. as If hoping I might
speak. and my silence angered him.
bah. If l had my way the young
cockerel would face file at our first
camp. Ay! and it will be for you to
decide If he does not"
What is your meaning, monsieur"
THAT | am tired Of your play-act-
ing; of your making eyes at this forest
dandy behind my back. Sang dieu!
am done with all this-do you hear?-
and i have a grip now which will
make you think twice, my dear, before
you work any more sly tricks on me.
Sacre. you think me easy. hey? have
in my hand So" and he opened and
closed his fingers suggestively. "the
life of the lad"
had one glimpse of his face as he
leaned forward and there was look
i'm 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-
ficient for any cruelty.
realized the danger. the necessity
for compromise, and yet for the mo-
ment lacked power to speak. to ques-
ton, fearful lest his demands would
be greater than | could grant. l had
no thought of what l saw, and still
that which my eyes rested upon re-
mains pictured on my brain, the spar
Ill ,f h. icto nf
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 us. to the
left, another canoe, cleaving the water
swiftly, with Pere Allouez' face turned
toward us. as though he sought to
guess our conversation. was aroused
by the grip of Cassion's hand.
"Well. my beauty" he said harshly,
haven't l waited long enough to learn
if it is war or peace between us?'
l laughed, yet I doubt l. he gained
any comfort from the expression of
the eyes which met his.
"Why l choose peace of course, mon
sieur," l answered, assuming a care
lessness I was far from feeling. "Am
I not your wife? Surely you remind
me of it often enough. so l am not
likely to forget: but I resent the in
suit Of your words. nor will you ever
win favor from me by such methods.
I have been friendly with Sieur d'Arti-
gny, it is true, but there is nothing
between u.s. Indeed no word has
passed my lips in his presence l would
not be willing for you to hear. So
there is no cause for you to spare him
on my account. or rest his fate on any
action of NINE"
"You will have naught to do with
the fellowY'
There would be small chance IL
wished, monsieur; and do you sup
pose would seek cOmpanionship with
one who had killed my uncle?"
"'Twould scarce seem so, yet l
know not what you believe"
"Nor do l myself: yet the evidence
is all against the man thus far | con-
fess | should like to hear his defense.
but make you this pledge in all honor
i will have no word with him. on
condition that you file no charges I'M
til we arrive at Fort st. Louis"
"Ah" suspiciously, you think he
has friends there to hold him inno-
cent"
why should l. monsieur? Indeed,
why should I care but to have justice
done? | do not wish his blood on your
hands, or to imagine that he is con-
demned because of his friendship for
me rather than any other crime. |
know not what friends the man has
at the Rock on the Illinois. He was
of La Sales party, and 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. De Baugis has the right of
but does not possess sufficient soldiers
to exercise authority. La Sales men
remain loyal to De Tonty. and the In
dian tribes look to him for leadership.
Mon dieu! 1t was reported in Quebec
that 1900 savages were living about
the fort-ay! and D'Artigny said he
doubted it not for the meadows were
covered with tepees-so De Baugis has
small chance to rule until he has force
behind him. They say this De Tonty
is of a fighting breed-the savageS
call him the man with the iron hand
and so the two rule between them. the
one for La Barre, and the other for
La Sale, and we go to give the gov
ernor's man more power"
You have sufficient force?
UNLESS the Indians become hostile:
besides there is to be an overland par
ty later to join us in the spring and
Sieur de la Durantaye. of the regi-
ment of Carignan-Salliers is at the
Chicago portage. This l learned at
st. Ignace."
Then it would seem to me. mon
sieur, that you could safely wait the
trial of D'Artigny until our arrival at
the fort If he does not feel himself
suspected, he will make no effort to
escape, and l give you the pledge you
ask"
1t was not altogether graciously
that he agreed to this. yet the man
could not refuse, and l was glad
enough to escape thus easily. for it
was my fear that he might insist on
my yielding much more to preserve
D'Artigny from immediate condemna-
ton and death. The fellow had the
power, and the inclination, and what
good fortune saved me, 1 can never
know I think he felt n certain fear