The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-01-19
occasion. Come, madame, there
nauSAt now you need to fear"
XIV.
We Decide Our Course.

l accepted D'Artigny's outstretchcG
hand, ana 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 eve lift his head until my
companion hailed lin.
"Barbeau. here is the lady Of whom
/ spoke-the wife Of Monsieur Cas-
sion"
He stood Up and made me a salute
as though were an officer, as odd a
looking little man as ever l had seen.
with a small. peaked face, a mop of
black hair. and a pair of shrewd, hui
morou eyes. His dress was that of
a courier du bois. with no trace Of
uniform save the blue forage cap
Gripped in n hand, yet he stood stiff
as If On parade. In spite of his strange,
uncouth appearance there was that in
his face which VOL my favor, and
held out my hand.
you are a soldier Of France. Mon
sieur d'.Artigny tells me-"
Yes, madame. OF the Regiment
Carignan-Salliers," he answered.
Il wonder have you served long?
Ny father was an officer in that com
mand-CapV.in la Chesnaync."
The expression on the mans face
changed magically.
"You the daughter Of Captain la
Chesnayne," he exclaimed. the words
bursting forth uncontrolled. land mar
ried to Cassion! how can this be-"
You knew him then-my fnther?"
cay. madame; I was with him at
the Richelieu. at the village Of the
Mohawks; and at Bots lie Blanc. where
he died. am Jacques Barbeau. a
soldier for 20 years; did he not speak
to you Of mer
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 Cassion? p
He hesitated. evidently regretting
his impulsive speech. and glancing
from my face into the stern eyes OF
D'Artigny.
Monsieur. madame. I spoke hastily;
1t was not my place."
THAT may be true, Barbeau," re-
piled the Sieur grizzly, 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 Cassiony"
"Ay. there was. and bitter. although
I know nothing as to the cause. Cas-
sion and La Barre-he whom I now
hear Is governor Of New France
We're 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 %IroQnois met us at Bots lie Blanc.
Twas the talk OF the men that the
CAPTAIN was shot from behind"
"By Cassion?'
THAT / cannot say: vet the bullet
\ entered behind the ear. for l was first
ITO reach him, and he had no other
2anemy in the Regiment Carignan-Sal-
liers. The feeling against NJ. Cas-
sion was so strong that he resigned In
a few months. You never heard this? 2"
could not answer, but stood silent
with bowed head. I 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 a convent at Quebec. and no
m reached her. She is thankful
TO you for what you have said. Bar
beau. and car trust you as her fathers
friend and comrade. May tell him
the truth. madame? The nan may
have other information OF value"
I looked at the soldier, and his eyes
were grave and honest.
"Yes." I answered, 1T 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-
tails are not clear. Madame has
trusted me as a friend. and conf1ded
all she knows. and I will tell the facts
to you as I understand them. False
reports were made to France regard
ing Captain In 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 Chesnnyne's friends
got the ear Of the king. no doubt
through Trontenac. ever loyal tc 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
crnor. and was never made public. It
was suppressed by someone. and La
Chesnayne was killed three months
later. without knowing that he had
won the favor OF the king"
But Cassion knew: he was ever
hand in glove with La Barre"
"We have cause to suspect so, aad