The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-04-12

bCahs Az "a vi yOb 60 AN q
friend and comrade. May / tell him
the truth. madame? The man may
have other information Of value"
looked at the soldier. and his eyes
were grave and honest.
Eyes" I answered, ut can do no
harm"
D'Artigny's hand was still on my
shoulder, but his glance did not seek
my face.
There is some low trick here, Bar
beau" he began soberly, but the de-
tails nre not clear. Madame has
trusted me as a friend. and confded
all she knows, and I will tell the facts
TO you as | understand them. False
reports were made to France regard
ing Captain In C%hesnayne. We have
not learned what they were, or who
made them, but they were so serious
that Louis. by royal decree, Issued or
der that his estates revert to the
crown. Later La ~Chesnayne's friends
got the ear Of the king, no doubt
through Frontenac, ever loyal to him,
/ III ~ losdl olhtt Nic tStutCS NClC
restored to his ownership. This order
OF restoration reached Quebec soon
after La Barre was appointed gov
ernor, and was never made public. II
was suppressed by someone, and La
Chesnayne was killed three months
later, without knowing that he had
won the favor Of the king"
But Cassion knew: he was ever
hand In glove with La Barre"
1--WE have cause to suspect so, and
now. after listening to your tale, to
believe that Captain la C~hesnayne's
death was part Of a carefully formed
plot. BY accident the lady here
learned Of the conspiracy, through
overhearing a conversation, but was
discovered by La Barre hiding behind
the curtains Of his office. To keep
her quiet she was forced into mar
riage with Francois C~assion, and bid
den to accompany him on this journey
to Fort st. Louis
81 see," commented Barbeau
shrewdly. "Such marriage would place
the property in their control by law.
Had Casslon sought marriage previ-
ously?"
His eyes were upon me as he asked
the question. and l answered him
frankly.
He visited often at the home of
my uncle, Hugo Chevet. and, while
he never spoke to me directly Of mar
rage, l was told he desired me for
his wife, and at the palace he so pre-
sented me to Monsieur Ia Barre"
ION pledge of Chevet, no doubt.
Your uncle knew of your fortune"
mo; he supposed me penniless; he
thought 1t a great honor done me by
the favorite OF the governors. Twas
my belief he expected some reward
for p%ersuadlng me to accept the offer"
And this Chevet-what became Of
him?"
He accompanied us on the journey,
also upon order Of Monsieur la Barre,
who. no doubt, thought he would be
safer In the wilderness than In Que
bee. He was murdered at st. ~Ignace."
"Murdered?"
"Ay, struck down from behind with
a knife. No one knows who did 1t,
but Cassion has charged the crime
against Sieur d'Artigny, and circum-
stances are such he will find 1t diff
cult to prove his innocence"
The soldier stood silent, evidently
reviewing In his mind all that had
been told him, his eyes narrowed into
Sits as he gazed thoughtfully at us
both.
"Bah!" he exclaimed at last, "the
riddle is not so hard to read, al
though. no doubt, the trick has been
well played. l know Governor la
Barre, and this Francois Cassion, for
l have served under both, while Mon
sieur la Chesnayne was my captain
and friend. May I tell you what, In
my Judgment. SEEM best for you to
do?"
I glanced at D'Artigny, and his
eyes gave me courage.
Monsieur, you are a French SOL
der" I answered. al educated man,
also. and my fathers friend. I will
listen gladly"
His eyes smiled. and he swept the
earth with his cap.
"Then my plan is this-leave Mon
sieur Cassion to 60 his way. and let
me be your guide southwark. I know
the trails, and the journey ia not diff
cult. M. de la Durantaye is camped
at the portage of the Des PLANES.
having but a handful Of men, to be
sure, yet he Is a gallant officer, and no
enemy to La Sale, although he serves
the governor. He will see justice
done, and give you both safe convoy to
Fort st. Louis, where De Tonty knows
how to protect his officers. FAITH I
would like to see Francois Cassion try
to browbeat that one-armed Italian
'twould be one time he would meet
his match"
D'Artigny laughed.
"Ay. yOu are Right there. nv friend.