The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-03-15

of him | see far the most. why 10
you pick out D'Artigny on whom to
vent your anger?'
II like not the way he eyes you,
nor your secret meetings with him In
Quebec"
IF he even sees me 1 know it not,
and as for secret meetings, knew you
not that Sister Celeste was with me
while we talked?"
mot in the governors palace"
"You accuse me of that them" In
d%ignantly. Because l am your wife
you can insult, yet 1T was your hand
that drew aside the curtain and found
me alone. Do you hope to gain my
respect by such base charges as that,
monsieur?"
do you deny that he had beer with
your"
81? Do l deny! 1t is not worthy
my while. Why should l? We were
not married then, nor like to be to
my knowledge. Why. then, If l wished,
was it not my privilege to speak with
the Sieur d'Artigny? l have found
him a very pleasant and polite young
man"
"a pauper, his only fortune the
sword at his side"
"Ah. | knew not ven that he pos
sessed one. Yet Of what interest can
all this be to me, monsieur, now that
l am married to your
That my words brought him no COM
ca.,+ x,.o. xlot, n,o,,mh fn hn cnan vnt
I doubt II it ever occurred to his mind
that | simply made sport, and sought
to anger him. 1t was on his nina
to say more, yet he choked the words
back, and sat there in moody silence,
scarce glancing at me again during
the long afternoon. But when we fin
ally made landing for the night, it was
plain to be seer that his vigilance was
in no wise relaxed, for. although he
avoided me himself, the watchful
Jesuit was aver at my side, no oub
in obedience to his orders. AS we
were eating a party Of fur traders,
bound east, came ashore in a small
fleet Of canoes and joined the men
below, building their fires slightly up
stream. At last Pere Allouez left me
alone and descended to them, eager to
learn the news from Montreal. Yet,
although seemingly I was now left
alone. | had no thought Of adventur-
ing in the darkness, as I felt con-
vinced the watchful priest would never
have deserted my side had he not
known that other eyes were keeping
vigil.
From that moment I never felt my
self alone or unobServed. CaSSion in
person did not make himself obnoX-
iOus, except that | was always seated
besiGo him In the boat, subject to his
contr Sation and attentions. How
ever it was managed / know not, but
my uncle never approached me alone,
and only twice did | gain glimpse OF
Sieur d'Artigny-once, when his n
returned to warn us of dangerous wa
ter ahead, and once when he awaited
us beside the landing at Montreal. Yet
even these occasions yielded ne new
courage, for, as our eyes met l knew
ne was stlIl my friend, waiting, az I
was. the opportunity for a better un
derstanding. This knowledge brought
tears of gratitude to my eyes and a
thrill Of hope to my heart. | was no
longer utterly alone.
We were three days at Montreal,
the men busily engaged in adding to
their store Of provisions. had scarce
ly a glimpse Of the town, as | was
given lodging in the convent close to
the river bank, and the pere was my
constant companion during hours of
daylight.
We departed at dawn, and the sun
was scarce an hour high when the
prows Of our canoes turned into the
Ottawa. Now we were indeed In the
wilderness, fronting the vast unknown
country of the West, with every
league Of travel leaving behind all
trace Of civilization. There was moth.
ing before us save a few scattered
missions, presided over by ragged
priests, and an occasional fur traders
station, the headquarters of wander
ing couriers du bois. On every side
were the vast prairies and stormy
lakes, roamed ove by savage mer
and beasts through whom we nus
make our way in hardship, danger and
toll.
Our progress up the Ottawa was &c
slow, so toilsome, the days such 9
routine Of labor and hardship, the
scenes along the shore so similar, that
I lost all conception Of time. Except
for the Jesuit l had scarcely a com
panion, and there were days. I an
sure, when we did not so much al
exchange a word.
The men had no rest from labor
even Cassion changing from boat Il
boat as necessity arose, urging then
to renewed efforts. The water wal
low, the rapids mor than usually dan
gerous, so that we were compelled Il
portage more often than usual. Ono,
the leading canoe ventured to shoot
rapid not considered perilous, and had