Show xa cwb th F contier A romance of eyona e early days in the middle west by RANDALL PARRISH SYNOPSIS 5 adele la Ches nayne a belle of new franco is among conspirators at her un cle cles s house cassion the commis saire lias tas existed enl sted her uncle chevet s aid against la salle D cartigny la salle s friend offers his services as guide to cas slon eton s party on the journey to the wilder ness the uncle informs adele tl at he has betrothed her to cass on and forbids her to s se e D cartigny again in quebec adele her friend sister celeste who brings D DArt cartigny Igny to her she tells hi bf n her story tory and he vows to release her from rom ohp th bargain with cassion bartig ny iny leaves promising to see her at the dance cassion escorts adele to the hall she meets the governor la barre and hears h m warn the comm asalie against D cartigny D cartigny s ticket to tl e ball has bas been recalled but he gains entrance by the window adele informs him of the governor governors s words to cassion for her eavesdropping at the ball adele Is ordered by the governor to marry cassion at once and to accompany him to the illinois co country antry he summons chevet and directs that he attend them on the lourney journey trey tiey ti ey leave eave in the boats adele s fut re depend ing on the decision of DArt D cartigny igny whom she now knows she loves casson cass on and DArt D cartigny igny have words uncle chevet for the first time hears that his niece tf iq an beress he ress and begins to cassons cass on s moth es 1 A man marries a g rl against her will she determines to be 2 r h s wife only in name and though associated with him constantly in a company of rough men in the wilderness plans to keep her ma denwood I 1 death parts them corn cassion is equally determined to enjoy matrimony to the fullest their arst clash is descar bed in this installment M commissionaire cass on accuses h s br de of intimacy w th rene d ar lisny this she indignantly denies but expresses a fear for the young mans safety 4 CHAPTER VII continued you r greatly jr batly concerned over his ety ty not ot at all so far as I 1 have ever heard the dArt cartigny igny has hereto foie fole proven himself quite capable of sustaining dining his own pirt more like I 1 am concerned for you k bor or me you fool nv why by I 1 was a swordsman when that lad ad waa was at his mothers mother s knee he laughed but with ugly gleam of teeth sacre I 1 hate bate such play acting but enough of quarrel now there Is sufficient clent time ahead to bring you to your senses and a knowledge of who ho Is your mas ter hugo chevet come here my uncle climbed the bani his rifle in hand with face still bloated and led from the drink of the night before behind him appeared the slen der black robed figure of the jesuit his eyes eager with curiosity it was bigl eigl t of the latter wh ch caused cas sion slon to moderate his tone of corn com mand you will go with chevet he said pointing to the fire among the trees until I 1 can talk to you alone A prisoner no a guest sarcastically but do not overstep the courtesy N W e left him in conversation with the pere and I 1 did not even glance back chevet breathed heavily and I 1 caught the mutter of his voice N hat mean eth all this chattels 9 1 he asked gruffly must you two quarrel so soon why not I 1 retorted the man bears me no love Us but gold he thinks about gold he stopped and slapped h s thighs precious little of that he will ever see then and why not was not my father a land owner ay till the king took it we left him with the pere and I 1 did not even glance back then even you do not know th the truth I 1 am glad to learn that foi for I 1 have dreamed that you sold me tc to this coxcomb for a share of the spoils what a share of the spoils bah bab I 1 am no angel girl nor pretend to a i virtue more than I 1 possess posses there Is li truth in the thought that I 1 might bene fit by your marriage to monsieur oas cas slon ston and by my faith I 1 see no wrong in thai that have you not cost me heavily in these years why should I 1 not seek seel tor for you a husband of worth in these col colonies onles wherefore Is that a crime were you my own daughter I 1 could do no less and this man Is not III to look upon a fair spoken gallant a it friend of la barres barre s chosen by him for special service and with influence in the fur trade ill the better that he be continued obstinately why should a girl object if her husband be rich but he is not rich I 1 said plainly looking straight into h s eyes he is no more than a penn less adventurer an actor playing a pirt assigned him by the governor wh ii it you and I 1 do the same listen mons eur chevet the property at st thomis Is mine by legal right and it was to gain pos session that this wretch sought my hand lour legal right ay restored by the king ling in special order it is not true I 1 had the records searched by a lawyer monsieur gau tier of st anne I 1 gave a gesture of ind agnation A country advocate at whom those in authority would laugh I 1 tell you what I 1 say Is true the land was re stored and the fact Is known to la barre and to cission C it Is this fad fact which has c aused all our troubles I 1 overheard talk last night between the governor and his aide de camp colonel edelguard Del guard you know him chevet nodded his interest stirred they thought themselves alone and were laughing at the success of their trick I 1 N was as hidden behind the heavy curtains cutt cui ains at the window and every word they spoke reached my ears then they sent for cassion but where Is the paper I 1 did not learn they have it hidden bidden no doubt awaiting the proper time to produce it but there is such guch a document la barre explained thit clearly and the reason reison why he be wished cassion to marry me they all three talking when an acci lent hap bap bened which led to my d ah ali I 1 and so that was as what h harr arr ed the wedding and sent me on this w N lid ild wilderness chase they would bury me in tho the woods sacre hush rush now carslon has left the canoe already and we can talk of this later let ua us seem to suspect noth ing this was the first men meal of many eaten together along the river bank in the course of our long journey yet the recollection of that scene rises before my memory now with peculiar vividness cassion had divided us into groups and from where I 1 had found resting place with a small flit rock for table I 1 was enabled to see the others scattered to the edge of the bank and thus learned for the first time the character of those with whom I 1 was destined to companion on the long journey there wera were but four of us in that first group which in eluded pere allouez a silent man fingering his cross and barely touch ing food his face under the black cowl was drawn and created by strange lines and his bis eyes burned with vagueness if I 1 bad ever dreamed of him as one to whom I 1 might turn for counsel the thought instantly i v an dished as our glances met A soldier and two ind ans serve I 1 us while their companions divided into two groups were gathered at the other extremity of the ridge the sol d ers under discipline of their own and the findlins watched over by D who rested however slightly apart his gaze on the broad river riner never ever once while I 1 observed d d be he turn and glance my way I 1 counted the men as I 1 endeavored to eit wit scarcely heed ing the few words exchange I 1 by those about me the ind ins ans numbered ten including their chief whom cassion called altuda chevet named them as Algon quins from the ottawa erous rascals enough yet with ex pert knowledge of water crift was a tall savage wrapped in gaudy blanket his face ren rendered alered sinister and repulsive by a scar sear the full length of his cheek check yet ho h spoke french fairly well and someone said that he hid three times made jo irney to mackinac Mackl nac and knew the viter ways there were 24 soldiers incle ing a sergeant and corporal of the regiment of active fel fellows loNs enough and accustomed to the fion tier although they gave small evi ei dence of discipline and their uniforms w N ere in shocking condit on the er geant was a heidi heavily ily bu it stocky m in but the others wei e rather un ler I 1 and of little sp lit the same thought must have been in the kinaia of oth ers tor for the expression on monsieur Cas cassion s face was not pleasant as he stared about chevet he exclaimed d did ever you see a worse select on for wilderness travel than la birre has given usa us cast your ees ekes down donn the line yonder by my faith there is not a real man among them chevet who nho had been growling to himself with scarce a thought other than the food before him lifted his eyes and looked no worse than all the scum de baugis had no better with him and la salle led a gang of outcasts e ft ith right leadership you can make them do men s work no kid glove job ou have monsieur Alons leur cass on the insulting indifference of the old fur trader traders s tone surprised sui the corn com mI lizaire zaIre and he exhibited resentment you are overly free with your corn com ments hugo chevet NN hen I 1 wish advice I 1 will ask it and in the woods I 1 do not always wait to be asked returned the older man lighting his pipe and calmly puffing out the blue smoke though it is likely enough you will be asking for it beffie you journey many leagues further lou are under my orders so la barre said but the only duty he gan gae e me was to N natch atch over adele here he ile put no shackle on my tongue you have chosen your course les up the ottawa I 1 suppose so although thit that boy yonder could lead you a shorter pas sage how learned you thit by talking with him in quebec he even shet sketched ebed me a mip of the route he traveled with la salle lou knew it not of no moment for my or ders bid me go by st ignace yet it might be well viell to question him and the chief also he turned to the ne biest soldier tell the algonquin to come here and bleur d they approached together two sped mens of the as d efferent as could be pictured and stood silent it ont ng cass on who looked at them frowning and in no pleasant humor the eyes of the younger man sought my face for an instant and the swift glance give gave harsher note to the corn com mib saire s vo ce W e will reload the canoes here for the long obige he said brusquely rahe sergeant will have charge of that but both of you will be in the leading boat and will keep well in fidance of the others our course Is by w N ly of the ottawa you know that stream Alt udah the indian bowed hs h s head gravely ai at d exten led one band beneath the se scarlet arlet fold of his blanket five time monsieur how far to the west chief to place call green bay cass on turned his eyes on D arti gny a slight sneer curling his lips and you he asked coldly but one journey monsieur along the ottawa and the lakes was the quiet answer and that three years ago yet I 1 scarce think I 1 would go astray not a course easily for gotten and beyond green bay I 1 I 1 have been to the mouth of the great river you in aur surprise prIse vi IN ere you of that party yes monsieur and you actually reached the sea the salt water les I 1 es monsieur saint anne I 1 never half believed the tale true nor do I 1 think overmuch of your word tor for it but let that go chevet here tells me you know a shorter journey to the illinois not ot by canoe monsieur I 1 fol foi owed lowed de la a salle by forest trail to the straits and find planned to return that way but tie a foot journey imbat hat will be your course from green bay along the west shoie monsieur it is dangerous only by reason of storms and the d stance from st vt ignace aly from st ignace what dis tance lies between there and thia this fort bt st louis on the illinois twill be but a venture monsieur but I 1 th held at a hundred and fifty leagues of wilderness 9 hen I 1 passed that way yes they tell me now the jesuits hae hane mission station at gleen bay and there aty be fur traders in indian villages beyond no chance to procure esa es only se saint int rations of corn from the indians lour leport la ii in accordance accod dance with my instructions and maps and no doubt is correct that will be all tike two moie mole men in boat and debirt at once nv e shall follow im mediately CHAPTER VIII vill I 1 defy cass on our pio pi ogress gregs was slow against the swift canent of the st rt lawrence and we e kept do clo e to the oer overhanging banging bank fol following loing the gu dance of the leading canoe vie ane feie the second in line and no longer overcrowded so that I 1 had ample room to rest at ease 1 1 on a p pie ae of ba blinkers blink ets and gaze about me with interest on the chang ing lug scene ahead of us now sweeping around the point like a wild b rd amid a smother of spray ap appe ired the advance canoe As it dl appeared ipp eared I 1 could dis sh D cartigny at the stern tern his coit off his hands grasp ng a paddle above the point once more and la in smoother water I 1 was aware that he turned and looked back shading his eyes from the sun I 1 could not but wonder what he thought nh nhit it ble suspicion had come to h in re garding my presence in the company in some manner I 1 must keep him away from carslon ay and from chevet until opportunity came from me to first communicate with him insensibly my head rested back against the pile of blankets the glint of sunshine along the surface of he be Ns i before I 1 knew it I 1 slept soundly water van shed as my lashes fell and before I 1 knew it I 1 slept soundly I 1 awoke with the sun in the western sl sly so low down as to peep at me through the upper branches of trees lining the bank behind ua us stretched a space of straight water and one canoe was close n bile the second w N as barely visible along a curve of the shore ahead however the river ap feared vacant the leading boat hav bay ing danl hed around a cooled woo led bend my eyes met those of cassion and the sight of him instantly restored me to a recollection of my plan nothing be gained by open warfare I 1 permitted my lips to smile and noted instantly the change of expression in his face I 1 have slept well monsieur I 1 said pleasantly for I 1 was very tired tie the best way on a boat voy age assuming his old manner but now the day Is nearly done As we skirted the extremity of shore I 1 saw the opening in the woods ind the gleam of a cheerful fire amid green grass the advance canoe swung halt half hidden amid the overhanging roots of a huge pine tree and the men were busily at work worl ashore As we nosed into the bank our sharp bow was grasped by waiting g indians and drawn safely ashore I 1 reached my feet stiffened and scarcely able to move my limbs but determined to land without aid of cassion whose hose passage forward wis blocked by chevet s huge bulk As my weight rested on the edge of the canoe D swung down from behind the chief and ex tended his hand A slight spring he said and you land with dry feet good now let lift you so I 1 had but the instant I 1 knew that for I 1 heard cassion cry out something just behind me and surprised as I 1 was by the sudden appearance of D cartigny I 1 yet realized the feces sity tor for swift speech monsieur I 1 whispered do not talk but listen you would serve me ay then ask nothing and above all do not quarrel with carslon I 1 will tell you everything the moment I 1 can see you safely alone until then do not seek me I 1 have your word he ile did not answer for the commis saire grasped my arm and thrust him self in between us h b s action so swift that the tile impact of his body thrust 1 I art cartigny ny back a step I 1 saw the hand of the younger man close on the knife hilt at his belt but was quick enough to avert the hot words burning his lips A bit rough mons eur cass on I 1 cried laughing merr ly even as I 1 re leased eased my arm why so much haste baste I 1 |