The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1917-05-31
CHAPTER XIV.
WarrIora Of the unI,


eyes. M. de In Forest" said, step
ping forward to save Rene from {
question which would embarrass him
~ am the daughter Of Captain Ia Ches
nayne, whom the Sieur d'Artigny hatl
taken under his protection"
ia ~Chesnayne's daughter! All,
heard the story told In ~Quebec-twas
La Barrels aid who gave me the facts
with many a chuckle, as though he
held 1t an excellent Joke. But why
are you here, madame? Is not NJ.
Cassion In the fort yonder?"
otis a long tale, La Forest" broke
In D'Artigny, laying his hand on the
ter time for telling. I am a soldier,
and you may trust my word. We are
La Sales men; let 1t go at that, for
there Is graver duty fronting us now
than the retelling Of camp gossip.
Madame is my friend, and my hand
will defend her reputation. Is that
enough. comrade"
"Ay, enough. My best regards, ma
DAME" and he bowed low before me,
his words ringing true. "Whoever
Sieur de la Sale has learned to trust
hath my faith also. You have come
from the fort, l take 1t, D'Artigny?
How are matters there?"
"Ill enough; the officers at swords
points. and the men divided into three
camps, for where De la Durantaye
stands there Is no evidence. NJ. Cas-
sion holds command by virtue Of La
Barre's commission, and knows no
more of Indian war than a Quebec
Dtorekeeper. The garrison numbers
Hfty men. all told; two-thirds soldiers,
and a poor lot"
"With ammunition and food?"
Ample to eat, but Boisrondet tells
me with scarce a dozen rounds per
man. The Iroquois are at the gates,
and will attack at daylight"
"You know this?"
a "The signs are plain. We passed
one party %clambering up the cllr-no
less than fifty warriors, naked and
painted for war. Tus~caroras, madame
said from the words she overheard as
they slipped past where we hid IT'S
not likely they made reconnaissance
alone. The iends have been a week
In this valley, and have swept all clear
Of u 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 your"
"Illini, mostly. with a handful OF
Miamis and Kickapoos. We met them
at the crossing, hiding in the hills
They were sadly demoralized, and
filed with horror at what they had
seen, yet agreed to return here under
my leadership"
"Who Is their chief"
"Old SeQuitah-you know him?"
SAY, a real warrior. IT'S better thar
I dared hope, for / have been In battle
with him before. Do you number 9
hundredT"
"And fifty more, though indiffer
emily armed"
"And fifty more, though indifferently
armed. Never have I seen the Hin
in action, D'Artigny; they seem to M
q 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 II
defense. but If we lead them to a sur
prise, they'll give good account o
themselves. That is my plan. La For
est-that we creep up through tn
woods behind the %Iroquois lines. The,
will expect no attack from the real
and will have no guard. If we NOV
quickly while 1t remains dark, W,
ought to get within a few yards Of tn
red demons without discovery. The,
win ight desperately. no doubt 70
their only hope of escape would be t
either plunge down the rocky banks OF
either side. or cut a way through. 70,
have been at the fort?"
"Twice before"
"Thep you know the nature Of tn
ground. IT'S all woodland until within
q few hundred yards of the gates. Yo'
recall the great rock beside the trail?
"Ay and the view from the top"
any plan would be to creep up tina
far, with Ranking parties on the slope
below. In 'front.' al you may remem
Der, there IL an open space, then I,
fringe Of forest hiding the clearing be
fore the stockade. The Iroquois will
be gathered behind that fringe Of trees
waiting daylight. IL my thought rightY
.'Tis the most likely spot"
saThen listen; I pave thought this al
ont. You and I, with SeQuitah, will
take . hundred Of your Indians. cross
~ small river. and advance up thu
fr6ll. inst leaves ify warriors Il
cscop through de woods on eitheI
sIoSe. tWenty-nve - . sidp, ied by youI
tves ct1tlers a. bols. We win wait q
- ,rroGf rock. ana dvo TIE signal"
$500 916n16 ra1onk moment