Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1916-08-31
"Mon Dieu! a Woman!"

Twas a bold trick you played tonight,
but not unlike many another nave
seen YOU venture. You bring me mes
sage from MONSIEUR
only that he has sailed safely for
France to have audience with Louis.
I saw him aboard ship, and was Did
| den to tell you to bide here in patience
and seek no quarrel with De Baugis."
Easy enough to say; but in all
truth / need not seek quartet
comes my way without seeking. De
Baugis was not so bad-a bit high
strung, perhaps, and boastful of his
rank. vet not so ill a comrade-but
there is a newcomer here, a pop1nJay
named Cassion, with whom l cannot
abide. All, but you know the beast,
for you journeyed west in his com
many. Sacre! the man charged you
with murder, and I gave him the lie
TO his teeth. Not two hours ago we
had swords out, but now you can
answer for yourself"
D'Artigny hesitated, his eyes meet
ing mine. =,
81 fear. Monsieur de Tonty," he said
finally, "the answer may not be so
easily made. If it were point of
sword, now, l could laugh at the man.
but he possesses ONE ugly facts diff
cult to explain"
"Yet twas not your hand which did
! the deed?"
81 pledge you my word to that. Ye'
This is no time to talk Of the matter
3 have wounds to be looked to, ant
would learn first how Barbeau fares
$ You know not the lady; but of cours'
not. or your tongue would never hav'
e snoken so freely-Monsieur de Tonty
| Madame Cassion."
e He Strengthened up, his eyes on m,
!, face. For an instant he stood me
tionless: then swept the hat from hi
n head, and bent low.
"Your pardon, madame; we of tn
Ie wilderness become rough of speech.
d should have known, for a rumor ha
t. reached me Of your accident. 70
owe life, no doubt, to Sieur d'Artigny
lie Eyes, monsieur; he has been m
is kind friend"
er aHe would not be the one l 10y
else We know men on this frontie
madame, and this lad hath seen yea
he Of service by my side" His har
It. rested on D'Artigny's shoulde
IT. "'Twas only natural, then, that
Ial should resent NJ. Cassion's charge
murder"
81 share -FOUR faith in the innocen
le, of NJ. d'Artigny," I answered firm
ng enough, "but beyond this assertion
can say nothing"
NATURALLY not, madame. Yet
ay. must move along. You can wa
cut Renee"
us, cay, my hurts are mostly bruises
The torches led the way. the dal
ind ing flames lighting up the scene. TIT
his was hard, packed earth under fe
nor did I realize yet that this Fort
I'M. Louis occupied the summit of a gr'
rock. protected on three sides by pre-
ere. pieces. towering high above~the riv
tav- Sbarpened palisades Of logs surrouI
hts ed us on every side, with low
It's houses built against them. on the 70
ties of which rllemen could stand in So
ty to guard the valley below.
rely The central space was open exc
ton for two small buildings, one from
shape n chapel, and the other. a
sed. learned later, the guardhouse. A
n bIazed at the farther end of the
val closure, with a number Of men lou
han ling about 1t, and lllumined the Fl
got Of a more %pretentious building, wi
we apparently extended across that en-
end. This building, having the
the pearance OF q barrack, exhibited
al merous doors and windows, wit
pace narrow porch in front, on which |
the ceived a group OF men.
A AS we approached more closely,
dim. Tonty walking between D'Artgny