Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-08-04
Beyond the Frontier
Continued from page 6

messed how he wins MS way wIrn
white and red. Yet he is no longer in
command at Fort st. Louis; l bring
him orders now from Sieur de La
FSalle bidding him not to interfere
with the governors lieutenants. IT'S
the Chevalier de Baugis with whom
we must reckon"
s'True, he has control, and men
enough, with Cassion's party, to en-.
force his order. And he Is a hot-head.
fconceited, and holding himself a bit
better than others, because he bears
commission in the Kings Dragons.
i'Tis 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 1t yer come to blows
de Tonty, B~oisrondet, L'Espirance,
De Marie, and the Algonquins camped
on the plain below. They would be
tigers If the Italian spoke the word;
while I doubt not NJ. de la Durantaye
would throw his influence on the side
of mercy; he has small love for the
captain OF Dragons" .
I spoke quickly, and before D'Ar-
figny 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 1
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.
It 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, a mere shack scarcely
tft for shelter, stood on a slight emf.
n giving wide view In every oil.
irection, but it was ~unoccupied, the
door ajar. Barbeau, in advance,
stared at 1t in surprise, gave utter
iance to an oath, and ran forward to
peer within. Close behind him, l
caught a glimpse of the interior, my
own heart heavy with disappointment
If this miserable place had beeD
the headquarters of M. de la Duran.
taye, evidently 1t was so no longer.
Not a vestige of occupancy remained,
a v a rotten blanket on the floor, and
q broken bench In one corner. Rude
hunks lined two walls, and a table
hewed from a log stood In the center
of the dirt floor. On this was a paper
pinned to the wood by a 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 1t is as WELL" commented
D'Artigny lightly. "At least as far as
my good health goes; but tbs like to
make a 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
f1oat downstream, but the trail, as l
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