Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1916-08-15
"Monsieur Chevet - he is delayed

Monsieur Chevet - he Is delayed
also?"
HE will sup with his men tonight"
returned Cassion shortly. seating him.
self on the bench. THE sergeant
keeps guard of the canoes. and Chevet
will be useful with those off duty
The man ate as though nearly fam
ished. his ready tongue unusually ST.
lent, and at the conclusion of the meal.
so fatigued that made early
excuse to Withdraw so he might rest
in comfort, climbing the ladder in one
corner to my own bed beneath the
caves. This apartment, whose only
advantage was privacy, was no more
than a narrow space between the slop-
ing rafters of the roof, UNFINISHED,
but with small window in the end.
closed by wooden shutter. A parti-
ton Of axe-hewn planks divided this
attic into two compartments, thus COM
posing the priests sleeping chambers.
While was there they both occupied
the one to the south, Cassion, Cheyet
and Pere Allouez resting in the main
room below.
As | lowered the trap in the floor.
shutting out the murmur of voices,
was conscious of no desire to sleep,
my mind busily occupied with posi-
bilities of the morrow. | opened the
window and seated myself on the
floor gazing out at the night. Below
extended the priests garden, and be-
yond the dark gloom of forest depths.
The way of egress was easy-a mere
the dovetailed logs of which afforded
a ladder to the ground. ] had no OBJ
ject in such adventure, but a restless
impulse urged me, and, almost before
| realized my action, l was upon the
ground. Avoiding the CLEAN of light
which streamed from the open win
dow of the room below, crossed the
garden and reached the path leading
downward to the shore. From this
point l could perceive the wide sweep
of water, showing silyery in the dim
moonlight, and detect the darker rim
of the land. There was fire on the
point below the huts, and its red glare
afforded glimpses of the canoes-mere
blurred outlines-and occasionally the
figure of man, only recognizable as
he moved
was still staring at this dim pic
ture when some noise, other than the
wind, startled me and l drew silently
back behind a great stump to avoid
discovery. Ny thought was that some
one had left the mission house-Cas-
sion perhaps with final orders to those
on the beach-but moment later /
realized my mistake. yet only crouched
lower in the shadow-a man was adj
vancing from the black concealment
of the woods and crossing the open
space.
He moved cautiously, yet boldly
enough, and his movements were not
those of an Indian, although the low
bushes between US and the house
shadow, prevented my distinguishing
more than his mere outline. 1t was
only when he lifted his head into the
CLEAN of light, and took hasty survey
through the window of the scene with
in, that recognized the face of
D'Artigny. He fingered scarcely
moment, evidently satisfied with what
he saw, and then drew silently back.
hesita ting brief space, as though de-
batting his next movement.
l waited breathless, wondering what
his purpose could be, half inclined to
intercept and question him. Was he
seeking to serve my cause? to learn
the truth of my relationship with Cas-
sion? or did he have some other OBJ
ject, some personal feud in which he
sought revenge? The first thought
sent the warm blood leaping through
my veins; the second left me shivering
as If with sudden chilli
Even as 1 stood, hesitating, uncer-
| tain, he turned and retraced his steps
along the same path Of his approach.
passing me not ten steps away end
vanishing into the wood. / thought
he paused at the edge and bent down,
| yet before I found voice or determin-
| alton to stop him, he had disappeared.
My courage returned, spurred by cur
iosity. Why should he take so round
about a way to reach the shore? What
was that black, shapeless thing he had
paused to examine? l could see some
thing there, dark and motionless.
though to my eyes no more than a
| shadow.
l ventured toward it, creeping be-
hind the bushes bordering the path,
conscious of an odd fear as | drew
closer. Yet it was not until emerged
from the fringe of shrubbery that even
the faintest conception of what the
object was I saw occurred to me
Then l stopped, frozen by horror, for
l confronted a dead body.
For an instant / could not utter a
sound or move muscle Of my body.
My hands chung convulsively to a
nearby branch. thus supporting me
erect in spite of trembling limbs and
So ~ III