The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1917-01-05

4 was SlleHl, uuu MY eyes zen lio4A
his face to tho green water.
"'Twill be hard to explain" he
went on. but he shall have a chance"
"A chance! You will question him;
and then"
He hesitated whether to answer me,
thin lips.
Faith, l do not know. IT'S like to
be a courtmartlal at the Rock, If ever
we get him there: though the chances
are the fellow will take to the woods
when he finds himself suspected. No
doubt the best thing I can do viii be
to say nothing until we hold him safe,
though it's hard to pretend with such
a villain"
He paused. as If hoping I might
speak, and my silence angered him.
bah, IL I had my way the young
camp. Az! and 1t will be for you to
decide IL he does not"
What Is your meaning, MONSIEUR"
"That l am tired OF your play-act-
ing; Of your making eyes ut this forest
dandy behind my back. Sang dieu! l
am done with all this-do you hear?-
and I have a grip now which will
make you think twice, my dear. before
you work any more sly tricks on ne.
Sacre, you think me easy, hey? have
in my hand So" end he opened and
closed his fingers s~uggestive!y, 1.-THE
life OF tho lad"
l had one glimpse of his face as he
leaned forward. and there was a look
in 1t which made me ehudder and turn
away. His was no idle threat, and
whether the man truly loved me or
not, his hatred OF D'Artigny was suf-
fcient for any cruelty.
l realized the danger. the necessity
for compromise. and yet for the mo
ment I lacked power to speak, to ques-
ton, fearful lest his demands would
be greater than I could grant. I had
no thought Of what I saw. and still
TINT which my eyes rested upon re-
mains pictured on my brain. the spar
green Of the shore, the soldiers hud-
died In the canoe. the dark shining
bodies OF tho Indians ceaselessly ply
ing the paddles. and beyond us, to the
left. another canoe, cleaving the water
swiftly. with Pere Allouez' face turned
toward us, - though he sought to
guess our conversation. I was aroused
BY the grip OF CAssion's hand.
"Well. my beauty" he said harshly.
haven't I waited long enough to learn
IL It II war or peace between u.s."
laughed. Jet I doubt II he gained
any comfort from the expression Of
the eyes which me his.
why I choose peace Of course, mon-
sicur," answered. assuming a care
l~essness I was far from feeling. Am
l not your wife7 Surely you remind
me Of It often enough. 10 l am not
likely to forget; but l resent the in
suit OF your words, nor will you yer
win favor from mo by such methods.
I have been friendly with Sieur d'Arti-
gny, 1t is true, but there 10 nothing
between us. Indeed no word has
passed my lips in his presence | would
not be willing for you to hear. So
there is no cause for you to spare him
on my account. or rest his fate on any
action Of mine"
"You will have naught to do with
the fellowY
There would be small chance X l
wished, monsieur; and do you sup
pose l would seek companionship with
n who had killed my uncle"
"'Twould scare seem %, yet !
know not what you believe"
Nor do l myself: yet the evidence
IL all against the man thus far. I con-
fess l should ike to hear his defense.
but I make you this pledge in all honor
II will have no word with him, on
| condition that you nle no charges un-
til we arrive at Fort st. Louis"
"Ah" suspiciously, you think he
has friends there to hold him inno-
cent"
why should I. monsieur Indeed,
| why should I care but to have justice
done? do not wish his blood on your
hands. or to imagine that he 10 can-
demned because Of his friendship for
me rather than any other crime. I
know not what friends the man has
1t the Rock on the Illinois. He was
Of La Sales party. and they are no
longer in control. La Barre said that
De Baugis commanded that post, and
for all l know De Tonty and all hip
men may have departed"
"'Tis not altogether true, and for
that reason We are ordered to Join the
company. De Baugis has the right OF
e under commission from La Barre,
but docs not possess SUFFICIENT soldiers
to exercise authority. Ia Sales men
remain loyal to he Tonty, and the In
dian tribes look to him for leadership.
Mon dieu! It was reported in Quebec
| that $4,000 savages were living about
the fort-ay! ana D'Artigny said he
doubted 1t not, for the meadows were
| covered with tepees-so De Baugis has
small chance to rule until ho has force
behind him. They say this De Tonty
Is Of q fighting brced-the savages
call him the man with the iron hand
and 80 the two rule between them, the