Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-07-28

HHe 10 Dead-the Big Man." He Siam
mered.
open door, gasping for breath, his eyes
rowing about the room.
HE Is dead-the big man." he stam-
mered. HE Is there by the woods"
THE big man-dead" Cassion drew
back, as though struck a blow. what
big man? Whom do you mean?"
1.-The one in the second canoe, mon
sieur; the n who roared."
"Chevet? Hugo Chevet? What has
happened to him? Come, speak up, or
I'll slit your tongue!"
The man gulped, gripping the door
with n hand, the other pointing out
ward.
He is there, monsieur, beyond the
trail, at the edge of the wood. I saw
him with his face turned up - Mon
dieu! 80 white; I dare not touch him,
but there was blood where a knife
had entered his back"
ALI were on their feet, their faces
picturing the sudden horror, yet Cas-
sion was first to recover his wits, and
lead the way without. Grasping the
soldiers arm and bidding him show
where the body lay, he thrust him
through the door. 1 fingered behind
shrinking from being again compelled
to view the sight Of the dead man,
yet unable to keep entirely away. Cas-
sion stopped, looking down at the OBJ
tect on the grass, but made no effort
to touch 1t with his hands. The SOL
der bent and rolled the body over, and
one of the priests felt in the pockets
Of the Jacket, bringing forth a paper
OF two. Cassion took these, gripping
them in his fingers, his face appearing
gray In the early light.
r. ~ dieu! the man has been muir
dered," he exclaimed, "a bastard blow
in the back. Look about and see II
you find a knife. Had he quarrel with
anyone, Moulin?"
The soldier Strengthened up.
"No, monsieur; 1 heard Of none,
though he was often rough and harsh
Of tongue to the men. Ali now I re-
call, he had words with Sieur d'Arti-
gny on the beach at dusk. 1 know not
the cause, yet the younger man left
him angdly and passed by where I
stood, with his hands elinched."
"D'Arigny, hey" Cassion's voice
had a ring Of pleasure in 1t. "Ay! he
Is a hothead. Know you where the
young cock Ia nowT"
HE, with the chief, left an hour
ago. Was 1t not your order, mon
sieur?"
Cassion made a swift gesture, but
what 1t might signify I could not de-
termine, as his face was turned away.
A moment there was silence, as he
shaded his eyes and peered put across
the water.
"True, 30 I did," he said at last.
"They were to depart before dawn.
The villain is yonder-see; well Off
that farthest point, and tbs too late to
overtake him now. Sacre! there is
naught for us to do, that 1 see, but to
bury Hugo Chevet and go our way
the kings business cannot wait"
On the beach all was In readiness
for departure, and it was evident
enough that Moulin had already spread
the news Of Chevet's murder among
his comrades. Cassion, however, per-
mitted the fellows little time for dis
cussion, for at his sharp orders they
took their places in the canoes and
pushed of. The priest was obliged
to assume Chevets former position,
and l would gladly have accompanied
him, but Cassion suddenly gripped me
in his arms, and without so much as
a word, waded out through the surf,
and put me down In his boat, Chamber
ing In himself, and shouting his orders
to the paddlers.
l think we were all Of US glad
enough to get away. I know I sat
silent and motionless just where he
placed me and stared back across the
widening water at the desolate, dis
NAL scene. How lonely and heartsick-
ening 1t was, those few log houses
against the hill, the blackened stumps
altering the hillside, and the gloomy
forest beyond. The figures Of a few
men were visible along the beach, and
once I saw a black-robed priest emerge
from the door OF the mission house,
and start down the steep path.
The picture slowly faded as we ad-
vanced, until finally the last glimpse
OF the log chapel disappeared in the
haze, and we were alone on the mys-
terry of the great lake, gliding along
a bare, uninhabited shore. 1 was
aroused by the touch Of Cassion's hand
on my own as It grasped the side OF
the canoe.
adele" he said, almost tenderly.
why should you be 80 ~serious7 Can.
not We be frtendsf'
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