Mexico Missouri message., 1916-09-28
CHAPTER XVII.
We Attack the saXanea.

We Attack the Savapes.
It was already 30 dark that the SOL
der was almost upon us before per-
ceived his shadow, but It was evident
enough from his first words that he
had overheard none Of our conversa-
don.
There are no Indians In the vii
Iage," he said grufily, leaning on his
gun and staring at US. 81 got across
to q small island, along the trunk Of
dead tree, and had good view of the
whole bank yonder. The tepees stand,
but not a squaw nor dog is left"
~Were there any canoes in sight
along the shore?"
'only one, broken beyond repair"
"Then, as read the story, the tribe
He'd down the stream, either to join
the others on the Illinois, or the whites
at the fort. They were evidently not
attacked, but had news Of the COM
ing of the Iroquois, and escaped with
out waiting to give battle. Ills not
likely the wolves will overlook this
village long. Are we ready to go for
ward?"
He disappeared in the darkness,
vanishing silently, and we stood mo-
tionless waiting our turn to advance.
Neither spoke, Barbeau leaning for
ward, his gun extended, alert and
ready. The intense darkness, the
quiet night, the mystery lurking amid
those shadows beyond, all combined to
arouse within me a sense of danger.
could feel the swift pounding of my
heart, and l clasped the sleeve of the
soldiers jacket merely to assure my
self of his actual presence. The pres
sure of my fingers caused him to
glance about.
"Do not be frightened, madame"
he whispered encouragingly. "There
would be firing yonder If the Iroquois
blocked our path"
Fear not for me-" l answered, sur
prised at the steadiness OF my voice.
at is the lonely silence which makes
me shrink: as soon as we advance l
shall have my nerve again. Have We
not waited long enough?"
"Ay, come; but be careful where
you place your feet"
He led the way, walking with such
slow caution, that, although followed
step by step, not sound reached my
ears. We cIrcled about large rocks,
and up a ravine, through which we
found barely room for passage, the
walls rising steep and high on either
side. 1t was intensely dark down
there, yet impossible for us to escape
the trail, and at the end of that pas
sage we emerged into an open space,
Enclosed with woods, and having a grit
of sand underfoOt. Here the trail
seemed. to disappear, but Barbeau
struck straight across, and in the for
est shade beyond we found D'Artigny
waiting.
''Do not shoot" he whispered. 81
was afraid you might misjudge the
way here, as the sand leaves no clear
trace. The rest of the passage is
through the woods, and up a steep
hill. You are not greatly wearied
madame2"
''Oh, no; ! have made some false
steps in the dark, but the pace has
been slow. Do we approach the fort?
"A half league beyond a hundred
yards more, and we begin the climb
There we will be In the zone of dan
ger, although thus far l perceive nc
Gign OF Indian presence. Have you
Barbour
"None except this feather Of wal
bonnet l picked up at the big rock
below"
"a feather! Is 1t IroquoisT
eft Is cut square, and no Algonquin
ever does that"
"Ay, let me seel You are right, Bar
beau; twas dropped from Tuscarora
war bonnet Then the wolves have
been this way"
We crossed the wood, and began tc
climb among loose stones, finally md
ing solid rock beneath our feet the
path skirting the edge OF what seemed
20 be a deep cash in the earth, and
winding about wherever 1t could find
passage. The way grew sleeper and
sleeper, and more difficult to traverse
although, as we thus rose above the
tree limit, the shadows became less
tense. and we were able dlmiY to per