The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-12-30
BY Hugh Pendexter
Author of
"kings Of the Missouri" "Pay Gravel
"a Virginia Scout" etc.
Copyright BY Hugh Pendexter-1szs-1s2s.
WNU Service

the pain rough shall know II. III
river Is all ears and a great gossip
My ear is to the ground. ! shall hear
If the worst comes the river path t,
the north shall be opened, and we will
follow 1t and find plenty of room t.
live our lives In the good Gods coun
try up there. You are runaway Eng
fish. l will kiss my wife goodby and
be runaway French. Bon jour ct bon
voyage"
BienviIle had vision. He knew the
importance Of a river port He had
fretted much because the government
had ignored his preference for New
Orleans. 1t was the one spot on the
river in close proximity to the gulf
| that would answer for a permanent
settlement. think he would have won
his point If not for q rise in the river
inundating the little settlement; and
Biloxi was again chosen. Like
shuttle-cock the seat of government
had shifted back and forth between
Biloxi and Mobile.
If any one could seal the Mississippi
valley for France it would be Bien-
vile with his bulldog determination
and his commonsense. Even though
working under the tremendous burden
of trash for coonists and the com
pany's frantic orders for the discovery
of mines, or anything else which could
be Immediately realized upon as an
asset, he believed he could win out
If permitted to develop New Orleans
and other river ports To control the
destiny Of the valley from the gulf was
Impractical One might as we'll try to
govern 1t from Pensacola as from Mo-
bile or Biloxi. And l was determined
TO complete my journey and meet this
cool-headed, sagacious executive with
out one card to play against his be- |
lief that / was something more than
a renegade Englishman.
For the rest of the trip across the
lake l saw no one except a Choctaw
hunter after birds, and was opposite
he mouth of the River of Pearls, when
,wo Frenchmen in clumsy sailing
packet came along and went into the
Wind and gaped at me In amazement.
The White Indian' ' one of them
exclaimed, while the sail tapped I'm
patiently against the stub of a mast.
was beginning to think you had
ost your tongues" replied. 81 am
ound Tor Biloxi Can you give me a
ow?'
They exchanged quick glances, and
ne elder OF the two bowed most graz
iously and insisted:
Better than that, monsieur. The
rogue will annoy you. Make 1t fast
)r a tow, then come aboard and take
our pleasure decently."
The byplay of their eyes had not
'caped me; nor did doubt they had
cen ordered to watch for my COM
s. 1t mattered nothing, however, so !,
ng as wished to make Biloxi. The
TAT would be more comfortable. and
they were secretly delighted to serve Is
cir master. too, could rejoice at b]
ing relieved from the exertion of IL
lddling the heavy pirogue 9tle full D,
stance. ~,
So we set OF, contented and CAV. m
e two Of them singing snatches of w
ansons which invariably reflected re
me amorous sentiment. Between dl
csc bits of sentiment they asked me 50
lite questions about the upper river.
was plain that word had been passed ca
ing the river to watch for and re- in
IT my presence. Joe Labrador had Pr
d the very huts at New Orleans lv
re ready to 'gobble" me up. The ca
arer drew to Biloxi the more sharp BIO
would find this disposition to be. wi
What Is the latest news, my Nc
sndsy finally managed to ask as 90
fr chattering queries slowed down. th.
A wife-ship comes to Biloxi. We an
ry home" said The younger man me
h smoker. mi
Silence. Basile." sternly ~ebuked drI
other Monsieur. the White In iml
n, we are Jules and Baslle Mattor an,
Ter and son. What the boy saws cor
rue; wife-ship comes. 1t Is bad ers
man to live alone" And he fetched I
aep sigh. wit
The Company Of the Indies has lis sicl
ID to his exceilency's advice and will
send no more wantons across the trib
m babbled the young man. A
Silence, childw commanded the wifi
er. Yes, monsieur, the white" him
ionsieur Mattor. am william 70 ,
npton,' broke in. IN
Brampton, am more glad arri
1eet you than you can know. AS mes,
boy says. this wife-ship will be won
with honest women. Women one com
love and cherish, and take pride to the
to ones friends. Good cooks. erwt
-"
ut what Of the news?" l inter. A
I'd.
~, pere ure" long race and ship
niui'y repheo' had
be last trade law goes bad with NOR,
AS for that all our trade laws are were
To get supplies we must 20 to desi,
lie, Pensacola or Massacre island the
old name for Dauphine island, so ~
from the mounds of human for =
! found there). For delivery at as I
'uvelle Orleans we mist pay five &c
ent extra, twice that If delivered a IA