Mexico Missouri message., 1916-09-14
occasion. Come, madame, there is
naught now you need to fear"
CHAPTER XIV.
We Decide Our Course.

I accepted D'Artigny's outstretched
hand, and permitted him to assist me
down the bank. The new arrival was
just within the edge of the forest,
bending over a freshly kindled fire,
barely commencing to blaze, and be-
side him on the grass lay a wild fowl,
already plucked of its feathers. So
intent was the fellow at his task, he
did not even lift his head until my
companion hailed him.
"Barbeau, here is the lady of whom
spOke-the wife of Monsieur Cas-
slon."
He stood up and made me a salute
as though I were an officer, as odd a
looking little man as ever 1 had seen,
with a small, peaked face, a mop Of
black hair, and a pair of shrewd, hu-
morous eyes. His dress was that of
a courier du bois, with no trace of
uniform save the blue forage cap
gripped in one hand, yet he stood stiff
as If on parade. III spite of his strange,
uncouth appearance there was that in
his face which won my favor, and 1
held out my hand.
"You are a soldier of France, Mon
sleur d'Artgny tells me-"
Yes, madame, of the Regiment
| Carignan-Salliers," he answered.
Il wonder have you served long?
My father was an officer in that COM
mand-Captain la Chesnayne."
The expression on the mans face
changed magically.
"You the daughter of Captain la
Chesnayne," he exclaimed, the words
bursting forth uncontrolled, "and mar
ried to Cassion! how can this be?"
You knew him then-my fdtherp
"Ay, madame; I was with him at
the Richelieu, at the village of the
Mohawks; and at Bois le Blanc, where
he died. am Jacques Barbeau, a
soldier for 20 years; did he not speak
to you Of mep
Il was but a girl when he was
killed, and we seldom met, for he was
usually on campaign. Yet what do
you mean by thus expressing surprise
at my marriage to Monsieur CasslonT'
He hesitated, evidently regretting
his impulsive speech, and glancing
from my face into the stern eyes Of
D'Artigny.
Monsieur, madame. spoke hastily;
it was not my place."
'That may be true, Barbeau," re-
piled the sieur grimly, "yet the words
have been said, and the lady has a
right to have them explained. Was
there quarrel between her father and
this Francois Cassion"
"Ay, there was, and bitter, although
1 know nothing as to the cause. Cas-
sion and La Barre-he whom I now
hear is governor of New France
were alike opposed to Captain la Ches-
nayne, and but for reports they made
he would have been the colonel. He
struck Cassion in the mess tent, and
they were to fight the very morning
the Iroquois met us at Bois lie Blanc.
Twas the talk of the men that the
| captain was shot from behind"
"By CassionT'
THAT / cannot say; yet the bullet
entered behind the ear, for was first
to reach him, and he had no other
enemy In the Regiment Carignan-Sal-
liers. The feeling against NJ. Cas-
| sion was so strong that he resigned in
few months. You never heard this?"
could not answer, but stood silent
with bowed head. 1 felt D'Artigny
place his hand on my shoulder.
''The lady did not know" he said
| gravely, as though he felt the neces-
sity of an explanation. "She was at
! school in convent at Quebec, and no
rumor reached her. She is thankful
to you for what you have said, Bar
beau, and can trust you as her fathers
friend and comrade. May tell him
the truth. madame2 The man may
have other information of value"
looked at the soldier, and his eyes
were grave and honest.
"Yes," I answered, "it can do no
harm"
D'Artigny's hand was still on my
shoulder, but his glance did not seek
my face.
"There is some low trick here, Bar
beau" he began soberly, "but the de-
tuAio dlC hOb CiCuls udo
trusted me as a friend, and confided
all she knows. and will tell the facts
to you as 1 understand them. False
reports were rrade to France regard
ing Captain la Chesnayne. We have
not learned what they were, or who
made them, but they were so serious
that Louis, by royal decree, issued or
der that his estates revert to the
crown. Later La Chesnayne's friends
got the ear Of the king, no doubt
through Frontenac, ever loyal to him,
and by royal order the estates were
restored to his ownership. This order
of restoration reached Quebec soon
after La Barre was appointed gov
ernor, and was never made public. II
was suppressed by someone, and La
Chesnayne was killed three months
later, without knowing that he had
won the favor Of the king"