Middletown transcript., 1916-09-30

then tr1ppe0 anu Ieu just dS Tue &dCe
swung wide. and saw a dozen dark
forms emerge. One leaped forward
and grasped me, lifting me partly to
my feet.
'Mon Dieu! a woman he exclaimed
in startled voice. "What means this,
in heavens nameY
Quick" / gasped, breaking away.
able now to stand on my own feet.
"They are fighting there-two white
men-D' 'ATtigny-"
"What, Rene! Ay, lads, to the res
cue! Cartier, take the lady within.
Come with me, you others"
They swept past me, the leader well
in advance. 1 felt the rush as they
passed, and had glimpse of vague fig
ures ere they disappeared in the dark
ness. Then l was alone, except for
the bearded soldier who grasped my
arm.
"Who was thatT' 1 asked, "the man
who Ied?
'Boisrondet, Francois de Boisron-
det."
"An officer Of La Sales? You. then,
are Of his companyP'
Il am" bit proudly, "but most of
the lads yonder belong with De Bau-
gis. Now we fight common foe. and
forget our own quarrel. Did you say
Rene dArtigny was in the fighting
yonderW
eyes; he and a soldier named Bar
beau"
The fellow stood silent shifting his
feet.
"'Twas told us he was dead" he
said finally, with effort. "SOme more
of La Barrels men arrived three days
ago by boat, under a popinjay they call
Cassion to recruit De Baugis' forces.
De la Durantaye was with him from
the portage, so that now they out
number us three to one. You know
this Cassion, madameT
cay, l travelled with his party from
Montreal"
"Ah, then you will know the truth,
no doubt. De TOnty and Cassion were
at swords points over a charge the
latter made against Rene d'Artigny-
that he had murdered one of the party
at st. Ignace."
Hugo Chevet. the fur trader"
"Ay, that was the name. We of La
Salle's company know it to be a lie.
Sacre! I have served with that lad
two years. and it's not in his nature
to knife any man in the back. And
so De Tonty said, and he gave Cas-
sion the lie straight in his teeth. I
heard their words, and but for De
Baugis and De Ia Durantaye. Fran
co.'s Cassion would have paid well for
his false tongue. Now you can tell
him the truth"
81 shall do that, but even my word.
I fear, will not clear D'Artigny of the
charge. l believe the man to be inno-
cent; in my heart there is no doubt,
yet there is so little to be proven"
"CassiOn speaks bitterly; he is an
enemy"
Monsieur Cassion Is my husband"
1 said regretfully.
'fYour pardon, madame. All. un-
derstand it all now. You were sup
posed to have been drowned in the
great lake, but were saved by DAT
tigny. Twill be surprise for mon
sieur, but in this land, we witness
strange things. Mon Dieu! see, they
come yonder; tbs BOisrondet and his
men,"
They approached in silence. mere
shadOwy figures, whose numbers
could not count, but those in advance
bore a helpless body in their arms.
! and my heart seemed to stop its beat
ing. until heard D'Artigny's voice in
cheerful greeting.
what, still here, madame, and the
gate beyond Open!' He took my hand
and lifted 1t to his lips. my congrat-
ulations. your work was well done
and our lives thank you. Madame
Cassion. this is my comrade, Francois
BOisrondet, whose voice l was never
more glad to hear than this night.
commend him to your mercy"
BoiSrondet, a mere shadow in the
night, swept the earth with his hat
81 mind me the time" he said cour
teousy, when Rene did me equal
service"
"The savages have fed"
"'Twas short and sweet, madame
and those who failed to fly are lying
yonder."
"Yet some among you are hurtT'
"Barbeau hath an ugly wOund-ay.
bear him along, lads, and have the cut
looked tO-but as for the rest OF us,
there is no serious harm done"
was gazing at D'Artigny. and
marked how he held one hand to his
side.
"And you, monsieur; you are un-
scathedF
Except for a small wound here
and a head which rings yet from saw
age blOws-no more than a nights
rest will remedy. Come, madame, it's
time we were within, and the gates
closed"
"Is there still danger. then2 Surely
now that we are under protection
there will be no attRckT
"Not from those we have passed.
but it's told me there are more than a
thousand Iroquois warriors in the val
ley, and the garrison has less than
fifty men, all told. 1t was luck we got
through SO easily. Ay, BOisrondet. we
are ready"
That was my Hrst glimpse of the
interior of a frontier fort. and, al
though saw only the little open space
! lighted by few, waving torches, the
memory abides with distinctness. A