The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-05-31

AiOHdolo "Ah iChS
Come, Adele, twill not do for us tc
be far behind, and we have walked this
trail before together"
Had I not tested it with my own
ears, never would | have believed a
hundred men could have made way sc
noiselessly in the dark, through such
thick forest, rock strewn and deeply
rutted. Yet not a sound Of their
stealthy passage was waited back 10
us on the wind-no echo Of voice, no
rasping of foot, no rustic OF leaves.
| Ghosts could not have moved more 81
lently. Somehow the very thought that
these grim savages were thus creep
ing forward to attack and kill, their
hearts mad with hate, wild beasts OF
prey stalking their victims, yielded me
a strange feeling of horror. | chung
to D'Artigny's arm, shrinking from the
shadows. my mind filled with name
less fear.
adele" he whispered, tenderly,
"you will fear for me in this v%enture?'
"Yes, monsieur"
"There Is no need. You heard La
Forest say he bore orders Of the king
to give De Tonty command once more
Of Fort st. Louis"
Eyes. monsieur; but you ave al
ready been tried and condemned.
Even If they have not authority to
shoot you here, they have power to
transport to Quebec"
'sThere would be battle first, II I
know my old comrades well. No, as to
that there Is no cause to fear. / shall
be given fair trial now, and welcome
1t. MY fear has been for you--the ven
geance Of Cassion, If ever you came
within his grasp again. But that also
Is settled"
Settled? What is 1t you would tell
me?"
"This, sweetheart; you should know,
although l would that some other
might tell you. La Forest whispered
it to me while we were alone yonder,
for he knew not you were estranged
from your husband. He bears with
him the kings order for the arrest OF
NJ. Cassion. Captain de Baugls Is
commissioned by La Barre to return
him safely to Quebec for trial"
"On what charger"
"Treason to France; the giving Of
false testimony against a kings Off
Ger, and the c~oncealing Of official rec
ords."
"Mon Dieu! Was 1t the case Of my
father"
"Yes; the truth has been made clear.
There Is, as I understand from what
La Forest told me. not sufficient evil
dence against La Barre to convict, yet
it's believed the case will cost him his
office. But NJ. Cassion vas his agent,
and is guilty beyond a doubt"
"But, monsieur. who made the
charges? Who brought the matter to
the attention Of LOUISE"
'"The Comte de Frontenac; he was
you fathers friend, and won him res
toration of his property. Not until La
Forest met him in France was he
aware Of the wrong done Captain lie
Chesnayne. Later he had converse
with La Sale, a Franciscan once sta
toned at Montreal, and two officers Of
the regiment Of Carignan-Salliers.
Armed with information thus gained,
he made appeal to Louis. TITS told me
the king was so angry he signed the
order Of arrest with his own hand,
and handed it to La Forest to execute"
1.-THE governor knows"
mot yet. La Forest felt It best to
keep the secret, fearing he might be de-
tanned, or possibly ambushed on the
way hither."
1 cannot describe my feelings-joy,
sorrow, memory Of the past over
whelming me. My eyes were wet with
tears, and | could find no words. DAT
dgny seemed to understand, yet he
made no effort to speak, merely hold
ing me close with his strong arm. So
In silence, our minds upon the past and
the future, we followed the savages
through the black night along the dim
trail. For the time l forgot where I
was, my weird, CHASTITY surroundings,
the purpose of our stealthy advance,
and remembered only my father, and
the scenes OF childhood. He must
have comprehended, for he made no
attempt to interrupt my r~everie, and
his silence drew me closer-the steady
pressure Of his arm brought me peace.
Suddenly before us doomed the shad-
ow Of the great rock, which rose a
mighty barrier cro the trail, it's crest
outlined against the sky. The Indians
had halted here, and we pressed for
ward through them, until we came to
where the chief and La Forest waited.
III