Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1917-07-18
ssAns what about the LADY p

would not leave me alone without q
guard. ana you viii need every Eight
ing man"
T felt the grip Of Eene's band. but 81
was La Forests voice that spoke
aThe right ring 70 that hey, DAT
Hznvt Madame answers my last ar
zument- But first let rs have word
with the chief"
Tie addressed a word into the crowd
Of }LdlstlnFu5saa6l figures and an n
dian came forward. Dim as the light
was. = was impressed with the dignity
of his carriage, the firm character O.
his facial outline.
81 am sequitah. chief Of the Mas
couti0s." he said gravely, 'f5r whom
the white chief sent"
D'ArHgDy stepped forward standing
rs erect as the other
"seaultah is great chief he said
Quietly. "a warrior OF many battles.
tbe friend Of La Sale. we have
smoked the pcace-plne together, and
walked side by side ON the rar-traH.
Seoultah knows who speaBsE'
THE French warrior they call n Ar
trny'
"Rleht. tbs not the arst tine y0u
ana have met the Eroauois. The
wolves are here again; they have
burned the villages Of the Illinois, and
killed your women and children. The
valley is black with smoke, and red
with blood what says the war chief
at the EFazc0utlus-wtI bis warriors
Hzhtz VIII they strike with lis q blow
against the beastsE'
The chief swept bis hand in vide
circle
owe are warriors: we have tasted
blood. what are the white mans
words OF vgisdou9'
Briefly. z quick. ringing sentences,
T'Arttguy outlined his plan. saqultah
listened uot0uless, his face uDeEpres-
size Of emotion. Twice, confused by
some French phrase, he asked grave
questions. and once q courier du bofs
spoke up I'm his own tongue. TO make
the meaning clear AS D7Arttgny
ceased the chief stood for q moment
silent
1--WE leap upon them from coverY'
me asked calmly @au5 tle white men
VIII sally forth TO aid uss'
It's SO we eZpeet-2I. de- T0nty ia
never averse TO fight"
sI believe in the Iron Hand but lis
told me others command now If they
fell, nve are but few against many"
They VIII not fail, sequltan. they
ara Erenchmen."
The indian folded bis hands across
bis breast, his eyes on the two men
facing him. There was silence but
for the slight rustic OF moving bodies
In the darkness.
"seaultah hears the voice Of his
friend, he announced at last. land his
words sound wise. The warriors OF
the IlIlrt win fight beside the white
men"
There was no time lost. although
know but little Of what occurred. be-
ing left alone there while la Forest
and D'Artigny divided the men. and
arranged the plans Of advance. The
dense night sbr0uded much Of this
hastv preparation. for ali 7 could per
caive were fitting figures. or the black
shadow OF warriors being grouped to-
Eether. 7 could hear voices. never loud.
giving swift orders, or calling to this
or that individual through the gloom.
A party tramped by me- and disap-
peared. twenty or more naked war
riors. headed BIZ I-aeE-hear1ed
Frenchmau, bearing a long rlfe-the
detachment. no doubt. dispatched TO
guard the slope east Of the traI. and
hurried forth to cover the greater dis
lance. Yet these could have scarcely
advanced far through that jungle
when the others were also lu line. wait
ing the word.
The very silence IN which all this
was accomplished. the noise ess bodies, +
she almost breatbless attention, scarce +
II enabled me 70 realize the true mean /
ing Of IL all These men were going
lrto battle. into a death grappla. They
meant 70 attack five times their own
number This was DO hoy's play; # /
was war. savage. relentless war. The (
stern horror Of IT seemed to suddenly /
grip me as with ley fingers. Here was /
what I had read OF. dreamed Of, being j
enacted before my very eyes. was /
even part Of It. for was going With /
them 20 the field Of blood.
Yet how different everything was
from those former pictures Of magma +
t0o. There was no noise. TO excite /
uent. NO shrinkinr-5ust those silent. /
uotouless men standing in the posi- I
tions assl Ened TO them. the dim light
cleaning on their naked bodies, theig +
ready weapons.
I heard the voices Ct the white men, /
speaking quietly. giving last instruc- +
tons as they passed along the lines. +
Sequrah took his place, not two yards {
from me. standing like statue his /
face stern and enotoniess. Cut OF
the darkness came D'Artigny, pausing
an instant before the chief
"AI IS well. seaultah -
"Good-'tls as the white chief
wishes
Then we move ut once; La Forest
viii guide the reari you and I vii
march together. Give your warriors
the word"
He turned and took my hand