Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1917-08-02
Meriwether Lewis

sleepless. But at length, having in the
and declared that he must go on.
Major" said he, 81 can ride now.
Have you horses for the Journeys"
care you sure, governor, that your
strength is sufficient" Nicely hesitated
as he looked at the wasted form before
him, at the hollow eye, the fevered
face.
ut is not a question Of my personal
convenience, major" said Meriwether
Lewis. thine presses for me. 1 must
go on!'
cat least you shall not go alone"
said Major Nicely. "You should have
some escort. Doubtless you have some
important papers"
Meriwether Lewis nodded.
my servant has arranged every
thing, I fancy. Can you get an extra
man or two? The Natchez Trace is
none too safe"
That military road, as they both
knew, was indeed no more than a
horse path cut through the trackless
forest which lay across the states of
Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky.
Its reputation was not good. Many a
trader passing north from New Orleans
with coin, many n settler passing west
with pack horsea and household effects,
had disappeared OF this wilderness
road and left no sign. 1t was custom
airy for parties Of any consequence to
ride in companies of some force.
1t was a considerable cavalcade
therefore which presently set forth
from Chickasaw Bluffs on the long ride
eastward to cross the Alleghenies,
which meant some days or weeks spent
in the saddle. Apprehension sat upon
all even as they started out. Their
eyes rested upon the wasted form Of
their leader, the delirium of whose fe-
yer seemed still to hold him. He NUT
tered to himself as he rode, resented
the lear approach Of any travelling
, companion, demanded to be alone.
They looked at him in silence.
Gle talks to himself all the time"
said n Of the party, a new man hired
by Nicely at the army post. He rode
with Peria now, and none but Peria
knew that he had come from the long
barge which had chung to the COVER
nor's craft all the way down the river
and which, unknown to Lewis himself,
had tied up and waited at Chickasaw
Bluffs. He was a stranger to Nicely
and to all the others, but seemed ready
enough to take pay for service along
the Trace, declaring that he himself
was intending to go that way. He was
a man well dressed, apparently of edu-
cation and Of some means. He rode
armed.
"What is wrong with the governor,
think you?" inquired this man once
more of Peria, Lewis servant.
cit is his way" shrugged Peria.
"We leave him alone. His hand is
heavy when he is angry"
"He rides always with his rifle across
his saddle?"
always on the trail"
LOADED. I presume? And his pis-
tols?'
"You may we'll suppose that" said
Peria.
ooh, WE'LL" said the new member Of
the party, '"'tis just as we'll to be safe.
I lifted his saddle bags and the desk,
or trunk, whatever you call it, that is
on the pack horse yonder. Heavy,
eh?"
Naturally" grinned Peria.
They looked at one another. And
thereafter the two, as was well noted,
conversed often and more intimately
together as the journey progressed.
snow, it's an odd thing about his
coat" volunteered the stranger later in
that same day. "He always keeps it
on-that ragged old uniform. Vas it
a uniform, do you believe? Can't the
governor of the new territory wear a
coat that shows it's quality? This ones
a dozen years old, you might say"
"Hes always wears it on the TRAIL"
said Peria. "At home he watches it as
if it held some treasure"
Treasurer" the shifty eyes Of the
new man flashed in sudden interest.
What treasure? Papers, perhaps
0AASS 0SSNAANAISS AOASy LID pOShOt
bulges at the side. Something there
yes, chi"
'Hushy!' said Peria. "You do not
know that man, the governor. He has
the eye of a hawk, the ear Of a fox.
You a keep nothing from him. He
fears nothing in the world, and in his
moods you'd best leave him alone.
Don't let him suspect, orr And Peria
shook his head.
CHAPTER XXI.
The Little Picture.
@1HE cavalcade vas we'll out into
the wilderness east Of the Mis-
sissippi On that afternoon Of
- Oct. 8 In the year 1903. Stop
ping at the wayside taverns which
now and then were found, they had
progressed DerhaDS q hundred miles