Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1917-01-19

sion holds command by virtue OF La
Rarre's commission. and knows nc
more Of Indian war than a Quebec
storekccper. The garrison numbers
fifty men all told; two-thlrds soldiers
and n poor lot"
with ammunition and food?"
ample to eat, but Boisrondet tells
me with scarce a dozen rounds pei
man. The Iroquols are at the gates
and will attack at daylight"
you know thisY"
The signs are plain. We passed
n party c~lambering up the clin-no
less than fifty warriors, naked and
painted for war. Tuscaroras, madame
said from the words she overheard as
they slipped past where we hid. IT'S
not likely they made reconnaissance
alone. The flends have been q week
in this valley, and have swept all clear
OF our Indian allies; now they can
bring their full force against the fort"
mo doubt you are right"
""Twas my judgment, at least, and
we sought help when we ran into you.
What Indians have you"
"Illini, mostly, with a handful of
Miamls and Kickapoos. We met them
at the crossing. hiding In the hills.
They were sadly demorallzed, and
filed with horror at what they had
seen, yet agreed to return here under
my leadership"
who Is their chlef"
"Old Sequltah-you know him"
"Ay, a real warrior. IT'S better than
I dared hope, for | have been in battle
with him before. Do you number q
hundred?"
And fifty more, though indiffer-
emily armed"
"And fifty more, though indlferently
armed. Never have / seen the Illini
In action. D'Artigny; they seem to me
n poor lot, so frightened Of the wolves
as to be valueless."
$50 they are II left to themselves,
but under white leadership they stiff
fen. They will fight II given the In
dian style. They will never stand In
defense, but II we lead them to a sur
prise, they'll give good account of
themselves. That Is my plan. La For
cst-that we creep up through the
woods behind the ~Iroquois lines. They
will expect no attack from the rear.
and will have no guard. If we move
quickly while 1t remains dark, we
ought to get within a few yards of the
red demons without discovery. They
will fight desperately, no doubt, for
their only hope Of escape would be to
either plunge down the rocky banks on
either side, or cut a way through. You
have been at the fortY
"Twice before"
"Then you know the nature Of the
ground. 'Tis all woodland until within
a few hundred yards OF the gates. You
recall the great rock beside the trail? 7"
"Ay and the view from the top"
"My plan would he to creep up that
far, with fanking parties On the slopes
below. In front, as you may remem
Der, there Is an open space, then a
fringe Of forest hiding the clearing be-
the stockade. The Iroquois will
be gathered behind that fringe Of trees
waiting daylight. Is my thought right?
"'Tis the most likely spot"
"Then listen; | have thought this all
out. You and I, with ~Sequltah, will
take n hundred OF your Indians, cross
he small river, and advance up the
That leaves fifty warriors to
,reep through the woods on either
twenty-five to a side, led by your
.wo couricrs du bois. We will wait at
he great rock, and give the signal"
La Forest stood silent a moment,
linking; then rested his hand on DAT
shoulder.
at looks feasible enough, but the
parties may not reach their
positions in time"
'The one from the west will not
as far to travel as we do. The
'ther does not make so much differ
nee, for If the %Iroquols break they
will come In this Objectionable other
ide Of the trail Is sheer rock"
"And what about the lady?"
81 shall go with you, messieurs,"
aid quietly. There will be no more
there than here; besides, you
would not leave me alone without a .
'uard, and you will need every fight ,
ng man." ,
felt the grip Of Rene's hand, but 1t ,
vas La Forests voice that spoke. ,
"The right ring to that, hey, DAT ,
Igny! Madame answers my last ar ,
ument. But first let us have word I
nth the chief" =
He addressed a word into the crowd I
( indistinguishable figures, and an In d
ian came forward. Dim as the light I
'as, l was impressed with the dignity r
{ his carriage, the firm character of r
is facial outline. \
81 am Sequitah, chief Of the Mas 4
o%utlns," he said gravely, "for whom 9
lie white chief sent" h
D'Artigny stepped forward, standing
erect as the other. O
"SeQuitah Is great chief" he said c
"a warrior Of many battles.
ne friend of La Sale We have h
noked the p~eacepipe together. and {
side by side on the war-trail. q
eQuitah knows who speaks?" 4
"The French warrior they call n,Ar.