Show I 1 beyond d the th it if F frontier rol t tie A early Ro romance marica days of in the middle west by RANDALL PARRISH CHAPTER continued 15 thick as hies tile out there monsieur 10 answered and with a marksman or two among them not ten minutes since bowall got a ball in his head and no orders to clear the devils out no monsieur only to witch watch that uey do not form for a rush the commandants office was built against the last stop stockade linde a long hut but lie ho noro more pretentious than the ethl othera ers A sentry stood at each side eldo ot of the closed door but de ignored them hem and ushered me into the room it was not large and was already well filled a table littered with papers occupying the central space do baumli and de la in durantaye Duran taye seated beside it while numerous other figures wc were standing pressed against the walls I 1 recognized tile fail familiar aillar faces of several of our party but before I 1 recovered from my first embarrassment do de baugas arose and with much politeness offered me a chair do de remained beside me tilt his hand band resting on my chair back as lie he coolly surveyed the scene cassion pushed past and occupied a vacant chair between the other officers laying ills his sword on tho the table my eyes swept about the circle of faces seeking dar digny tigny but lie he was not present but for a slight shuffling of feet the silence was oppressive Cass lons unpleasant voice broke the stillness I 1 I 1 if do there Is a chair yonder reserved for your use 1 I prefer remaining beside madame cassion Cas slon he be answered calmly it would seem she has few friends in this company we we aro are all her friends broke in do de baugis his face flushing but we are hero to do justice and it a foul crime ITIs told us its that madame possesses certain knowledge which has not been revealed other witnesses have testified and wo we would ri OW now listen to her word sergeant of the guard bring in the prisoner lie ile entered by way of the rear door manacled mana cled and with an armed soldier on either side coatless ond and bare bareheaded hend he be stood erect in tile tho place assigned him and na his bis eyes swept the faces his abern look changed to a smile as ills his glance met mine sly MY eyes were still upon him se seeking elting eagerly for somo some mes message of guidance when cas slon bloke if do baugis will question the witness 11 i the court will pardon me said DArt cartigny igny tho witness to bo be heard beard Is nid madame dame certainly what means your inter to spare the lady unnecessary embarrassment barras she Is my friend and no doubt may find it difficult to testify against me I 1 merely venture lonsk to ask her to give this court the exact truth your words tire are impertinent 1 no if de baugas I 1 broke in understanding der standing all that was meant dArt cartigny igny has spoken in kindness and has bas my thanks I 1 nm am ready now to bear witness frankly what Is it you desire me to tell monsieur the story of your midnight visit to the mission garden abst at st ignace I 1 the night chavet was killed tell it in your own words madame As I 1 began my voice trembled and I 1 was obliged to grip the arms of the chair to keep myself firm I 1 read sympathy in do de baugas eyes and addressed him alone twice he asked me questions in so kindly a manner as to win instant reply and once lie he checked cassion when he be attempted to interrupt hla his voice stern with authority I 1 told the story simply plainly with no attempt at equivocation and when I 1 ceased speaking tile tho room was as silent as a tomb de baugas sat motionless ti but carslon stared at me across the table his face dark with passion walt wait lie he cried as an though thinking we mie about to rise there are questions yet monsieur said bald do baugio coldly if there are questions it la Is my place to ask them ay angrily beating his hand on the board but it esplain Is plain to be seen the woman has bewitched you no I 1 will not bo ba denied I 1 am commandant here and with force enough behind me to make my will law scowl it if you will but hero here la Is la barros barres commission and I 1 daro you ignore it SO 80 answer me calame you saw dar migny tigny bend over the body of chevet was your undo uncle then dead 1 I know not monsieur but there was no movement why did you make no report was war it to shield DArt cartigny igny I 1 hesitated yet tho the answer had bad to be made the ibe blear cartigny dArt igny was my friend monsieur I 1 did not believe him guilty yet my evidence would have cast suspicion upon him I 1 felt it best to remain still and wait you suspected another not then monsieur but since cassion sat eat silent not overly pleased with my reply but do de baugis smiled grimly by my falth faith he said bald tho the tale gathers interest you have grown to suspect another since badami dare you name the man my eyes bought tho the face of do de and he be nodded gravely it can call do no harm ham ladaw ma danic lie he muttered softly tut put tile tho paper in do baugas hand band I 1 drew it crumpled from out the bosom of my dross dress rose to my feet and held it forth to tho the captain of dragoons lie grasped it wonderingly what to la this madame ono one page from a letter of instruction read it monsieur you will roc rec cognize tho the handwriting CHAPTER condemned lie ile opened the paper gravely shall blind owing the page with one hand so BO that cassion was prevented from seeing tile tho words ile iio read slowly a frown on ills his face the writing of Clo governor vernor ln la barre although unsigned ho be said at last yes monsieur how came tho the page e in your possession be aslon 1 I removed it apt last night from n leather bag found beneath tho the sleeping bunk blink in the quarters rs assigned nip me do you know whose choso ling bag it was certainly it was lit in the alie canoe with me nil all the way from quebec II 11 cas alons your husband yes monsieur do banta baugas eyes seemed to darken as lie gazed tit at me then his glance fell upon carslon Cas slon who was leaning forward his mouth open his face ashen gray ile ho straightened up its as he met do baugas eyes and gave tent to an irritating laugh sacre its quite melodramatic it he 0 exclaimed harshly but of little value else I 1 acknowledge tile tho letter M do baugas but it bears no relation to tills fill affair perchance it was unhappily unhappy y worded so that flint this woman pager eager to save her lover from punishment do was on hig feet his sword halt half drawn ll 11 ITIs a foul lie he thundered hotly 1 I will not stand silent before such words messieurs and de baugis struck tuo the table this ihli la is it a court not a moss room be seated if do no one in my presence will be perm permitted it to lo besmirch the lionor honor of captain do la Ches Chesna ynos daughter yet I 1 roust must agree with major cassion that this oils letter in no nn way nay ho resorted to v lolen cc or was even urged to do so the governor in all probability suggested other means I 1 could not bo be led to believe he countenanced the commission of crime and shall ask to read the remainder of his letter lette r before rendering decision you found no other documents madame ma damer none bearing on this case tho the papers supposed to bo be taken from the dead body of chevet cheret no monsieur then I 1 cannot see that the status of the prisoner Is changed or that wo we have any reason to charge the crime to another you are excused madame while wo we listen to such other witnesses ns as may bo be called I 1 tears misted my illy eyes so eo tho the faces about mo me were blurred but before I 1 could find words lit in which to voice my indignation do de stood beside me and grasped my arm there Is no use madame he said eald coldly enough although his voice shook you only invite insult when N cassion stared sit at me across the table his face dark with passion you deal with such lucli curs they represent their master and have made wr vcr diet already let us go de baugis cassion Cas slon do la in durantaye Duran taye were wera upon their feet but the dragoon first found voice were those words addressed to me if do de 1 ilay ay and why hotl you are no than la barres dog listen to me al nil I 1 three of you de la in salles sallee orders that I 1 open tho the gates of this fort to your entrance and that I 1 treat your courteously I 1 have done so although you took my kindness to be sign of weakness and have lorded forded it mightily tince once calle but this la Is the end from now it la war between us messieurs and we will fight in tile the pen open convict rene dArt cartigny igny from the lies of these hirelings ind and you pay tile reckoning at tile the point of my lily sword I 1 make no to threat but this IS it tho the pledged word of to do make passage therel come madame no one stopped us no to voice answered hlin him almost before I 1 realized tho the action we were outside in the sunlight and lie ho was smiling into my iny face his dark eyes full of cheer it will make them pause nod think what I 1 said he exclaimed yet will not change the result they will convict doubt madame they are ln barres men and hold commission only at his pleasure with st II do la durantaye Duran tayo taye it Is different for lio lie was soldier of Fron yet I 1 have no hope lie he will date daro stand out against the rest wo we must flud find another way to save tho the lad ad but when I 1 leave you nt lit the door yonder I 1 nm out of it you monsieur what can I 1 hope to accomplish accomplish without your aid far moro more than with it especially if I 1 furnish a good substituted substitute I 1 shall he be watched now every step I 1 take ris ITIs like ilko enough do de kaligis will send roc me challenge challen Rp thou though git the danger that carslon would do so Is slight it la Is the latter who will have me wat clied no bondame ron dame Is tile lad ad who must fit id a way out for the prisoner they will never suspect him and the hoy boy will enjoy tile the trick tonight when tho the fort becomes quiet lie he will find way to explain his plans winve your room lark dark and the window open there Is but one monsieur outward above the precipice that will bo be ills his choice ho be can tench reach you thus unseen Us quite possible a guard may he be placed at your y our door lie ire left me and wall walked ed straight A chogi tile the parade to his own quarters an erect manly figure in the sun still his long black hair falling to ills his shoulders I 1 drew a chair beside tile door which I 1 left partially open so flo that I 1 might view the scene without I 1 could see the ho door of the guardhouse and tit at last those in attendance at the trial emerged talking gravely as they scattered in various directions the three officers come came forth together jo together gether proceed ins ing directly detonno DeTon do tonya Fo onic e evidently with some purpose view no doubt angered ot at his words they sought bought satisfaction I 1 watched until they disappeared within tile the ats tant doorway do de naugle the first to enter A moment later one of the soldiers who had ball accompanied us from quebec a rather pleasant faced lad whose injured hand band I 1 had bad dressed nt at st ignace approached where I 1 sat eat and lifted his hand band in salute 1 A t moment jules I 1 said swiftly yon were nt at the trial yes madame mn daroe and the result tile the dArt cartigny igny was held bold guilty madame ho he said eald regretfully glancing about as though to assure himself alone tile the three officers agreed on the verdict although I 1 know sonic some of tile tho witnesses lied you know who afy my own mate for oue one george descartes ho he swore to seeing dar digny tigny follow chevet from tho the boats and that was not true for we were together all that day I 1 would have said so but the court bade roe me be still ay they were not seeking such testimony no matter what you ton said bald jules DArtt gny would have been condemned it at was la barres ortle orders rb yes madame so BO I 1 thought did tile the bleur speak A few words madame until if carslon ordered him to remain still then if do de dougls pronounced sentence it was that the be ba shot tomorrow the hour 1 I heard none mentioned madame and ana a purpose in that also to ray my mind this gives them twenty four hours in which to consummate murder they fear do and ills his men may attempt rescue ills to find out tho the three have gone now to his bla quarters that Is all jules you had bad host beat not bo be seen talking hero here with me I 1 closed the door and dropped the bar securely into place pince I 1 knew tile the worst now and felt sick and faint tears would not come to relieve yet it seemed as though my brain ceased working as if I 1 had lost all physical and mental power I 1 know not how long I 1 sat eat there dazed incompetent to even express the vague flashed through my brain A A rapping on the door aroused me the alie noise dolse tho the insistent raps awoke too luo as from sleep who wishes entrance III 1 I carslon Cas slon I 1 demand speech with you for what purpose monsieur men afen does a man have to giro excuse for or desiring to speak with hla his own wife open tiro tire door or ill have it broken in have you not yet learned I 1 am master hero here I 1 drew diew the bar no longer with any bana of fear but impelled by a des desire ire to rear near the mans message mes I 1 stepped back taking refuge behind the table ns as the door opened and ho he strode in glancing first a at e mo me then suspiciously auspiciously about the apartment you are alone assuredly monsieur did you sva ars others to be present now how did I 1 know you linvs time enough to spare for others although I 1 have aad li ad no word with you nitice you came I 1 come now only to tell you the news if it ho be the condemnation of dArt cartigny igny you may inny spare your words worda you know thail who brought brou glit you tile message what difference monsieur I 1 would know the ho result without messenger you h have avo dono done sour your ina masters liters will what alint said eald de touty when you told him cassion casalou lan langhied glied as though the memory was pleasant faith madana ma danie it if you base your hopes there on oil rescue scarce meet with great result do Is nil all bark baric mon I 1 went lit in to e t r 1 ial 01 I 1 cassion I 1 demand speech with you hold him to account for hla his insult and the fellow met us with such baich gracious gra clous speech that tile the tour four ot of us drank together alho old comrades ala others tire are theroy yet hut but I 1 lind a proposition to make you so I 1 left them A proposition monsieur ay a declaration or of pence peace it 1 you will listen adele for vils this la Is tile last time I 1 speak you thus fairly you 11 anro re my wife ly by law of noly church cli never have you loved mb yet I 1 can pass that by if you recognize my iny authority tills this has conic como between us and now ills hla life 11 to Is my hands I 1 know not that you love the brnt brat yet you have that in est in il him which would prevent fogl forgiveness veness ot of me it I 1 show no mercy so 80 now I 1 como come and offer you ills his life ho if you consent to be my wife in truth Is that fair ai it may so sound I 1 answered calm ly yet the sacrifice is nil ali mine now would you save the man by affording him opportunity to escape during the night first accepting his pledge never to see bee you again think thick you ho be would give such a pledge cassion laughed sarcastically nah bali what man would not save ills his eifel it Is for you to speak the wor word V Mons monsieur leur I 1 said firmly for f stand your proposition and refuse it I 1 will malio make no pledge you leave him blin to die dial if it beia bei Gods will I 1 cannot dishonor myself even to save pave life you have my |