The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-10-30

MISSOuFl anu governor OF
Illinois; also one to General Atkinson
at Jefferson barracks, detailing my
views on the present Indian situation.
These are confidential, and I hesitate
to intrust them to the regular mail
service. I had intended sending them
down river in charge Of a noncommis.
stoned officer, but shall now utilize
your services instead-that is if you
are willing to assume their care?"
"Very gladly, of course"
II thought as much. Each Of these
is to be delivered in person. Captain
ThrockmOrtOn informs me that he will
be prepared to depart within an hour.
You can be ready in that timer"
I smiled.
"Ir much less. J have little with
me but a field kit, sir. 1t will not re.
quire long to pack that"
'Then return here at the first whistle
and the letters will be ready for you.
That will be all now. Travel as a
civilian if you please, lieutenant, but
l suggest it will be we'll to wear the
uniform of your rank when you deliver
the letters"
Fifteen minutes suficed to gather
together all my belongings and
change from blue into gray, and, as ]
emerged from quarters, the officers
of the garrison 1ocked about me with
words of cOngratulation and innu.
merable questions. Universal envy OF
my good fortune was evident, but this
assumed no unpleasant form, although
much was said to express their be.
lief in my early return.
I shook hands all around, and left
them, Fastening across the parade tc
the office. Ten minutes later I crossed
the gangplank and put foot for the
first time on the deck of the Warrior
Evidently the crew had been await
ing my arrival to push off, for instant
ly the whistle shrieked again, end i'm
mediately after the boat began te
churn it's way out into the river cur
rent, with bow pointing down stream
Throckmorton leaned out from the
open window Of the pilot house ant
hailed me.
"Put your dunnage in the thirt
cabin, Knox-here, you, Sam, lay hole
and help"
It vas nothing to boast of, tina,
third cabin, being a mere hole, meas
uring possibly about four feet BY
seven, but sufficient for sleeping quar-
tiers, and was reasonably clean. Il
failed, however, in attractiveness suf
fcient to keep me below, and as soor
as I had deposited my bag and in
dulged in a somewhat captious scru
tiny of the bedding I very willingly re
turned to the outside and clamberet
up a steep ladder to the upper deck
Judge B%eaucaire was standing at thu
low rail. Our eyes met inquiringly
and he bowed with all the ceremony
of the old school.
"a new passenger on board, I think
SIR" and his deep, resonant voice left
a pleasant impression. "You mus
have Joined our company at For
Armstrong;"
"Your supposition is correct" I an
swered, some peculiar constraint pre-
venting me from referring to my mill
tary rank. "My name is Knox, and J
have been about the island for a few
weeks. I believe you are Judge Beau
caire of Missouri?'
He was a splendidly proportional
man, with deep chest, great breadth
of shoulders and strong individual
face, yet bearing unmistakable signs
of dissipation, together with numer
GUS marks of both care and age.
II feel the honor of your recognition
SIR" he said with dignity. "KnQx, J
believe you said? Of the Knox family
at Cape Girardeau, may I inquirer"
"No connection to my knowledge:
my home was. at Wheeling"
"Ah! I have never been that fal
east; indeed the extent of my travels
along the beautiful Ohio has only beer
to the Falls. The Beaucaires were
originally from louisiana"
"You must have been among the ear
lier settlers Of Missouri"
Before the Americans came, SIR
proudly. my grandfather arrived al
Beaucaire Landing during the old
French regime; but doubtless you
know all this?'
"No, judge" I answered, recognizing
the egotism of the man but believing
frankness to be the best policy. '"This
happens to be my first trip on the up.
per river, and 1 merely CHANGED to
know your lame because you had been
pointed out to me by Captain Throck.
morton. I understood from him thai
you represented one of the oldest
families in that section"
"There were but very few here be.
fore u.s." he answered with undis.
guised pride. my grandfather's grant
of land was from the king. Alphonse
de Beaucaire, sir, was the trusted
lieutenant of DIberville-a soldier
and a gentleman"
I bowed in acknowledgment, the
family arrogance of the man interest.