The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-11-03
CHAPTER XVIII.
Within the Fort.

Within the Fort.
I doubt If | paused a second. yet
that was enough TO give me glimpse
Of the weird scene. | saw D'Artigny
lunge with his knife, huge savage
reeling beneath the stroke. and Bar
beau cleave passage 10 the rescue. the
stock OF his gun shattered as he struck
fiercely at the red devils who blocked
his path
Outnumbered, helpless for long In
that narrow space, their only hope lay
in a sortie by the garrison, and il was
my part TO give the alarm. Even as
| sprang forward. a savage leaped
from the ruck, but | escaped his
hand. and raced up the dark trail the
one thought urging me on. God knows
how | made ito me It's but a mem
ory OF falls over unseen obstacles. OF
reckless running; yet the distance
could have been scarce more than n
hundred yards. before my eyes saw
the dark shadow OF the stockade out
lined against the sky.
Crying out with full strength OF my
voice. | burst into the little open space,
then tripped and fell just as the gate
swung wide. and | saw a dozen dark
forms emerge. C1e leaped forward
and grasped me, lifting me partly to
my feet.
"Mon Dleu! a womapw he exclaimed
I'm startled voice. WHIST means this,
In heavens nameT
Quick" gasped, breakla1 away.
able now TO stand on my own feet.
They are lighting there-two white
men-D'Artigny-"
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. / felt the rush as they
passed. and had glimpse OF vague fig
ures ere they disappeared I'm the dark
ness. Then / was alone, except for
the bearded soldier who grasped my
arm.
"Who was that?" asked, "the man
who led?"
"Bosrondet, Francois de Boisron-
det."
AN officer OF La Salle'sl You, then,
are OF his company
II 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 d'Artigny was In the fighting
yonderT
"Yes; 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 Barre's men arrived three days
ago by boat, under n popinjay they call
Cassion 10 recruit De Baugls forces.
De la Durantaye was with him from
the portage, so that now they out
number us three 10 one. You know
this Cassion. madame?"
"Ay, I Travelled with his party from
Montreal"
"Ah, then you will know the truth,
no doubt De Tonty and Cassion were
at swords points over n 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
Sales company know II 10 be a lie.
Sacre, have served with that lad
two years. and it's not in his nature
10 knife any man I'm the back. And
so De Tonty said. and he gave Cas-
sion the lie straight In his teeth. !
heard their words, and but for De
Baugis and De In 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. believe the man % be inno-
cent. I'm my heart there IL no doubt,
yet there IL so Little 10 be proven"
"Cassion speaks bitterly; he Is an
enemy"
Monsieur Cassion Is my husband"
7 said regretfuily.
Your pardon. madame. Al, I IN
derstand II all now. You were sup
posed 70 have been drowned IN the
great lake, but were saved by. DAT
tigny. Twill be a surprise for mon
sieur. but In this land. we witness
strange things. Mon Dieu, see they
come yonder. lis Boisrondet and bic
men,
They approached in silence. mere
shadOwv figures. whose numbers
could not count. but those in advance
bore n helpless body IN their arms
and ny heart seemed 20 stop its beat.
Ing. until heard D'Artigny's voice IN
cheerful greeting.