Show iura iu rv y ya n anvy u 1 a u SL JR JL ja fl A toky OP CF arcy pair DALL 0 41 co CHAPTER 1 I 11 asahe home of Hugo Chevet etwas it was early autumn for the clua of grapes above me were already purple and the forest leaves were tinged with red air was soft and the golden bars arsun flick cred down clown on oil alio the work in my gnp through the laced branches of the trellis The work was but a pretense for I 1 had fled the he ho house housego to escape uie the voice of monsieur carslon Cas slon who was still urging my uncle to accompany chini on ills his journey into the wilderness nes they sat tit the great room be tore fo rethe ahe fireplace drinking and I 1 had heard enough already botell to tell me thero there against the bleur dela salle balle to basure besu reit lt was nothing to me ine a girl knowing naught of s uch such u intrigue yet I 1 and hadnot not forgotten the thedac day thre eyears when this la salle salic with others offis of his company had halted before the ursuline Ursul lne convent and the sisters bade them welcome for the night twos my port part to help serve andee had strutted stroked my hair in tenderness I 1 had sung to them ant and watched his big face in the lire light as he listened never would I 1 forget that face nor believe evil of such a man not no not from the lips of cassion nor even from the governor la barre I 1 recoiled recalled it all now as 1 I sat there in the silence pretending to work how we watched them embark tit in their canoes anti and disappear tile the indian pad adlers bending to their task and monsieur to la salle ratio standing bareheaded ns as lie he waved farewell beyond him was the dark face of one they coiled called do and in the first boat a mere hoy boy lifted his ragged hat I 1 know not why but the met memory nory of that it lad ad was clearer than till all those others for lie he hit had met me in the hall and we had talked long in the great window ere the sister came and took me awny so 1 il I remembered him and his name camp rene ilene dArt cartigny igny and in all those years I 1 heard no more into the black wilderness they swept and were lost 40 to those of us at home in new france no doubt there were abo those who knew frontenac bigot those who ruled over us at quebec but not ft a matter supposed to interest ft a girl and so BO no word came to me once basked my uncle chevet and lie ho re plied piled in anger with only a few sentences bidding me hold my tongue yet he be said enough so that I 1 knew the bleur de deja a salle lived and had built it a fort fa far away and was buying furs of the indians it was this ibis that brought jealousy and lin hatred tred once monsieur carslon came and stopped with us ui and as I 1 waited on him and uncle chevet I 1 caught words which told me that frontenac was la salles friend and would listen to no cl charges intges brought against him they talked of a new governor yet I 1 learned but ht little littie for carslon attempted to kiss me and I 1 would wait on him no more illien then frontenac was recalled to france and la barro barre was governor now pleased my uncle chevet was when the news came en me and he be rapped the table with his glass ganss and exclaimed alit ahl but now we will pluck out the claws of this bleur de to la salle salic and send him where lie he belongs 11 but he would explain nothing until a week later carslon came up the river in his canoe with indian paddlers saddlers padd lers and stopped to hold conference the man treated me with much gallantry gallantly so go that I 1 questioned him and he seemed happy to answer that ta la barre had already dispatched a party under chevalier valier de daughs of the kings dragoons to take command of la salles fort st louis bouts in the illinois country la salle had returned and was A already at quebec but chisson grinned na as he be boasted that the new governor would not even give him audience bahl I 1 despised the man yet I 1 lingered beside him and thus thug learned that ln la salles party const consisted sted of but two voya voyageurs geurs and the young dArt cartigny igny I 1 was glad enough when he be went awny away though I 1 gave him ray my hand to kiss and waved to him bravely at the landing and ana naw n w ho he wa back again li caring lag ft A massage thorr la barre and seeking volunteers for some western voyage of profit twos of no interest to me unless my uncle joined in the enterprise yet I 1 was kind enough for lie ho brought with him word of the governors ball at quebec and bad won tho the pledge of chevet to take me there with him I 1 could be gracious to him for that and it was on my gown I 1 worked ns as the two planned anti and talked in secret what they did was nothing to me now all my thought was on the ball what would you I 1 was 17 the grape trellis ran flown down toward the river landing and front from where I 1 sat eat in the lie cool shadow I 1 could see the he brond water glen gleaming ming in the sun bun suddenly na as my eyes uplifted the dark outline of A canoe swept into the vista and tho the splashing paddles turned tin the prow inward toward our landing I 1 did not more mare although I 1 watched with Int interest irest bof it was not the time of year for indian ti asters and these were white men I 1 could seis those at the pad paddles des voyageurs voya geurs ath ray cl ceoilia oilia about nt out their heads bat the one in 6 the stern wore a lint hat the brim con cooling his big face and a blue coat I 1 knew new not who it could be until tho the prow touched the bank and lie he stepped ashore then I 1 knew and bent low over my lily sewing as though I 1 bad seen nothing although my heart bent beat fast through lowered lashes I 1 saw win him give brief order to the men nud and then advance toward the house alone alit ah I 1 but this was waa not the slender laughing eyed boy of three years before the wilderness had bad made of lint him a man a soldier lie paused an instant to gaze about and held tits his hat in tits his hand band the sun touching hla big tanned checks and flecking the long light colored hair he be said gently pardon me but la Is not this the home of hugo chevet the fur trader I 1 looked up into his face and bowed its as he be swept the earth with his lint hat seeing at a glance that he had bad no remembrance mem brance of me yes I 1 answered anaw ered if you seek him rap on we the door beyond bevon cl tie TIB not so BO much chevet I 1 seek beck ho he said showing no inclination to pass mi he paused an instant to gaze about and held his hat in his hand roe me but one whom I 1 understood to bo be his guest Slon monsieur francois cas slon 11 the man Is here I 1 answered quickly yet unable to conceal my surprise but you will find him no friend to blear de to la salle ahl abl and he be stared at me in intently I 1 antly in the name of the saints what la is the meaning of this you know me then I 1 bowed yet my eyes remained hidden bidden 1 I knew you once as monsie urs friend I 1 said almost regretting my indiscretion and have been told you travel in ills his company you knew me lie laughed surely that cannot be for never would I 1 be likely to forget I 1 challenge you mademoiselle to speak my illy name the bleur ilene dArt cartigny igny monsieur 11 ity illy ray my falth the witch la Is right and yot yet in till all this new franco france I 1 know scarce a maid nay look up there here Is 18 naught to fear from me and I 1 would see if memory bo be not new born saint surely its true I 1 have hav e seen those eyes before why tile the name is is on my tongue yet falls me lost in tile lie wilderness I 1 pray you mercy you have memory of the face you say ayl aal the witchery of it tie like a haunting spirit which did not haunt long I 1 warrant I 1 am adelo adele la Ches Chean nayne syne monsieur ile he stopped stepped back his bla eyes on mine questioningly for an instant I 1 believed the name even brought n no 0 fa r sound then ills face brightened and bis big eyes smiled as bla big lips echoed ilion words adele la AM ahl now I 1 know why itis no less than a miracle it was a child f thought of under that name a slender brown eyed girl no as blithesome as a bird no I 1 had bad not forgotten only the magic of three years has bag made of you a woman again and again have I 1 questioned in montreal and quebec but no one seemed to know at uie the convent they said your father fell in indian skirmish 11 yes ever since then I 1 linao lave lived here with ray my undo uncle hugo chevet I II iverel ferel erol he bo looked about ns as though of it was waa first noticed alone Is there no other woman I 1 shook my head bead but no longer looked at him for fear he be might see the he teara fears ilmy in my eyes 1 I am the be housekeeper monsieur there was nothing else for me in france I 1 am told my fathers people were well born but this Is not cot france and there was no ao choice Ile sides I 1 was but a child of 14 11 and 17 now mademoiselle 11 end he took my lily hand liand gallantly pardon I ardo i if I 1 have asked questions which bring pain I 1 can understand much for in it montreal I 1 heard board tales of this hugo chevet lie ile li Is rough ft a woodsman I 1 defended yet not unkind to me you will speak him fair lie ile laughed tits his eyes sparkling with merriment so no fear of my neglecting all courtesy for I 1 come beseeching a favor I 1 have learned the leston of when the soft speech wins more thin than the iron hand and this other tile tho cas slon blon is la he a bird of the satui same plumage I 1 nindo made a little gesture and glanced back at the closed door oh no lie la Is the court co courier urleT to stab with words not deeds chevet Is rough of speech and hard of hand but he fights in tile tho open cassion lias has a double tongue and one never knows him I 1 glanced up tip into his sobered face lie ile Is a friend of la barre so itis said gold and has been chosen by tile the governor to bear message to do Ilai igla in the illinois country I 1 seek passage in lila its comp company tiny I 1 thought you were of tho the party of bleur do la in salle 1 I am lie he answered honestly yet cassion will need a guide and there hero Is none lione save have myself in III nil all new franco who has ever made that journey twill be well for him to listen to my plan and why not wo we do not fight tile the orders of the governor wo we obey and wait monsieur de dc in salle will tell ills his story to the king tile the klugl to Iou louis ls ay twill not be the first time he lins has had audience and already lie ho Is at sea we can call wait and tough laugh at this carslon over tits his useless journey nut but hehe Is treacherous men monsieur eur 11 ile he laughed as aa though the words amused to one who has lived oil as 1 I amid savages ravages treachery Is an old story the commiss alre will not flud find me asleep we will serve ouch each other and let it go nt at that alit ahl we are arc to be interrupted 11 ile he straightened up facing the door and I 1 turned confronting my undo uncle ns as lie emerged in III advance ile iio was a burly man mail with iron gray hair and face reddened by out of doors and he be a topped stopped in fit surprise nt at sight of a stronger stranger its his eyes hardening with suspicion anil and who Is tills this with whom you yell converse so privately adele 11 ho he questioned brusquely a young popinjay new to these parts I 1 venture stepped between us its smiling in good humor illy my call was wag upon you Alons monsieur leur Cli chavet evet and not the he young lady he sold setd quietly enough yet with a tone to the voice 1 I merely asked her if I 1 had bad found tile the right plaice place and it monsieur tile ho CommIss alre cassion was still your guest and what may I 1 ask might be your business with the Commiss nire carslon Cas slon aked aked the alic latter pressing past Cli Clie vot evet yet bowing with A sem blit blance tice of politeness scarcely in accord with the studied insolence of tits his words 1 I have no remembrance of your face then Alotis monsieur leur casslen Is in not observant returned the younger man pleasantly ilas as I 1 accompanied the bleur do la salle in tits ills attempt opt to have audience with the governor till alii the file word of surprise explode ed cd from the lips IS acrel its truel my faith what difference clothes make I 1 mistook you for a courier du bolm bola 11 1 I am the rene cartigny 1 lieutenant of la salles scarcely that monsieur but A comrade for three years I 1 bate been with ills his party and was chosen by him for this mission chaslon laughed chucking the gloomy roped faced chevet in the side ns as though he be would give point to a good joke and little the trip hither lilt lier hat has ed ca either master or moil I 1 warritt warrant it la narro barre does docs not sell new france to every adventurer monsieur cle la a salle found different recep reception tinn in quebec than when Fron frontenac tencle ruled rule this colony where went the fur stealer st caler to whom do you refer to whom deaven help us chayet the man would play nice with words well let it go 90 my coy young cock and answer me you mean the bleur tie de la salle ralle to be sure I 1 called film no worse than I 1 have hare heard beard LA a barre speak they bay any he bo has left quebec what more know you 71 als no secret monsieur replied DArt cartigny igny quietly enough although there was a flash in fit tits iila eyes no as they met mine the bleur lc do to la salle bus sailed for france francel bah you jost jest there has bag been no ship outward hound bound the breton paused nt at st roche llo clie held by tile fog when the fog lifted there was a new passenger aboard alton rd by down tile the indian paddlers saddlers padd lers bad me landed in quebec does la barre kno know faltha I 1 could not tell you that as he has not honored me with audience strode back and forth hla his fuco face lark dark with passion it woo not pleasant news lie had been told und it wog was plain enough lie he understood the lio ulea meaning hy lio file lio ho lined 11 IM a sly aly fox to brenk through our guard so RO easily ay mill anti twill give hlin him it 11 to whisper ills his lies to louls louis before la ia barre ciui call forward it report lint babrel lily young chanticleer sure hure ly you are arc not here to bring ato 1110 tills this bit of news you sought bought tile luc you said well for what pur purpose in III peace monsieur because I 1 have served 10 tie lo to salle loyalty is IH no lie reason why wo we should be enc enemies tules wo we are both the kings men and may work together rhe ilio word has come to tile nio that you head ft a party for tile 1111 bolm with instructions for do baugis at fort st rouls la Is ut athla Is true cassion bowed coldly walting to discover liow bow much more ills his clues questioner knew ab then I 1 ant am right thus tar far well monsieur on tant account I 1 canic came to volunteer as guide youl you atwould be treachery ob no our interests tire the samo asme so BO far as iho file journey goes I 1 would reach st louis so would you lie he causi cause we may inny have different ends in fix view different causes to serve hns maulit to do with tile lie trull trall thither thero there la Is not a n mail who knows the alio way as well as 1 I four times have I 1 traveled it and I 1 am not a savage monsieur I 1 nm am a gentleman of prance france and you pledge your word 1 I pledge my word to buldo you rare bate to fort st rouls louis there I 1 oin LAM to bleur do la in salle ballo bailif I 1 care not whom you coln coin rado with once you s serre arvo my illy purpose I 1 take your offer mad if you play me luo false restrain your threats Mons monsieur leur carslon Cas slon A quarrel will get us nowhere you have my word of honor ills enough who will compose the party carslon hesitated yet scented to to realize the iho uselessness of deceit celt A dozen or more |