Show the I 1 lie cifes wife ship hip woman W hugh author of af hf of the missouri mining pay crawl Gravel A virginia scout scoot oft wright by rush huh 1123 lilt OR I 1 DIE SYNOPSIS traveling ng by canoe cano on lie ho on his way to biloxi in the early days day of the settlement of Loul slana william brampton english spy apy known to indians and as the walta indian seen a natches hatches post a declaration of war against the french for hla his own purposes he hastens to biloxi to carry the news new to Bl enville french governor to vernor brampton meets an old friend joe labrador inman indian halfbreed who warns warm harn Bl enville has threatened to hagir him as a spy 13 Dr ampton rampton refuses to turn hack back ile he falls in with jules julea and basile mattor on their way to biloxi to secure wives from w a ship the malre bringino women from france at biloxi brampton Dr ampton protects a woman from a sergeants brutality she tells h henrt rn she Is in claire Dahle gaarde picked up in a raid in paris evl daentl dently well bred and educated h he a Is is a mystery to brampton ampton Dr he intervenes to prevent a man english En ellah known as an old six fine gers bers following her to now new orleans A frenchman francois slightly demented by stories sl orles he has haa heard of the riches of the new world introduces himself Bl enville accuses brampton Or ampton of treachery I 1 CHAPTER ill continued 4 1 I can hold deceit to be excusable when you are fighting against the galleys he ha answered 1 I have not intended to insult you simply to speak what in in my heart monsieur brampton you know the indians indiana us ul the valley you must know that a declaration of war posted within the limits of any french settlement would never be left for you to bring to me and I 1 have peard heard the news from no one else enough of this I 1 trust the english as I 1 would that lying recollect priest Henn hennegin hennepin epin who did so much mi mischief by ahli c cursedly u false description of this ou nUy j there wits was nothing for and I 1 stood and stared out over the gulf the governor continued a cold brittle voice pennsylvania has haa sent seat out scouts tor for three years on the ohio and the mississippi to learn what the french are doing yet governor spotswood only this last spring reported to the lordi lorda of trade that the french have a settlement at Habba malas I 1 was told this in canada by a friendly carolinian it shows that Spots woods scouts have been ten years la in learning of the french occupation of alabama it would seem that the english scouts are a small danger lie wrinkled hta brows in perplexity it if I 1 were what he charged then I 1 must be of but small value to the english for not having reported the Alaba alabama mik settlement in 1717 when I 1 first visited the lower river As a matter of fact I 1 had never dreamed that my countrymen were in ignorance of conditions which had existed ever since 1710 after a brief silence he asked you say gay the spaniards have visited the be missouri by an overland trail from santa fe they joined the near the kunan river intending to raid port fort chartres the entire invading force was killed by the osage indians rut but you did not say this before that they were killed that thoy they came to attack chartres I 1 lie he cried now betrayed into a bit of excitement 1 I considered tile the thing most important to you to be the hiat that there Is an overland trail to sainta fe practical for troops I 1 save unimportant but interesting details for mends friends there Is no danger to fort Chor trea wp will mill go wick linck in your boat he ni mut uttered lead luiz the way to where alje two mat tors tois were impatiently waiting for ine iii with thein were two women illow HOM do I 1 know the natchez have declared war air the question satisfied me he was beginning to jA eaken to doubt my guilt impose your our curbed sentence and have done with it I 1 exploded but do not insult me ine further unless you are ready to give me satisfaction As I 1 grew hot he be grew cold and eyed me curiously the governor of louisiana can hardly fight with a felon he will not fight with a friend he quietly remarked if the natchez have struck the warriors post and I 1 will soon learn the truth I 1 shall suspend sentence on you until I 1 can probe deeper into the desertions here you yoo jules mattor matter I 1 we go do bad at once we have hare no room for women they must go 0 o in the packets alm op binna leur your lency pleaded old lules these will be our wives i not while you have hare indian wives 0 on lake borgne growled the governor 1 I will not have the choctaw about my cars care because their adopted brothers are playing fast and loose with their women you two young women will return to ta your companions not a word matter I 1 am jn in a bad mood up with that sail ball and set we me across with all haste the voyage was ui uneventful eventful until we drew nedr near the deer island channel and sighted a small pirogue rounding the eastern end Bl bienville enville rose to his feet snatched up one of ray my robes and waved it back and forth until the two men in the pirogue observed the signal A moment of hesitation and then they shifted their course and paddled bulkly toward us they were thin wiry dark complexioned fellows of the pronounced french voyageur voyage ur type end and both were strangers to me ho jean Dur demouy notly what brings you here demanded A speaking bark from monsieur IS ie page du pratz of bayou st jean your excellency replied the fellow ellow holding to the side of our air boat and using the indian term for the written message the governor read the communication with compressed lips then asked you have just arrived with nil all haste yes yea your excellency we were wera making for the fort when we saw the boats and turned back thinking to find enough I 1 go to the fort and get food and drink I 1 will have a for you to take back As the pirogue dropped away blen ville reread the message with frowning brows du pratz had spent much time among the natchez knowing the message was from him I 1 was not surprised ban when Bl enville came aft and informed me you heard board tho the boatman monsieur du pratz writes to inform me the natchez have declared war for the month of peaches some of his men brought the news down the river they must have been close on your heels I 1 recalled my impression of the object in the river moving behind the mass of drift As I 1 remained silent Bl enville stiffly added 1 I make my apologies tor for seeming to doubt your word you owe me no apologies I 1 owed it to myself to tell you wath with all haste baste seeing that I 1 make free of the lower mississippi where you rule perhaps my motive was a selfish one perhaps I 1 feared the natchez in going to war might mistake me for a frenchman and stick an ax in my head we will have a talk inter he muttered his powerful mind already forecasting the future and seeking ways bayr and means to mollify or block the natchez 1 I do not say I 1 shall lift the pence peace calumet to you but just now I 1 feel more tolerant like the shares of the mississippi company my stock was going up 1 I knew my promptness in bringing the natchez news had proved to be the strongest kind of medicine for me and in a like manner have I 1 often escaped a dangerous climax by stumbling upon some situation which I 1 could twist to my own use and benefit I 1 was entirely composed by the time we landed on the east shore of the bay near fort bienville Bl enville led the woy way to a grove of pines and threw himself on the needles and motioned me to take my ease case he began monsieur brampton I 1 have decided that I 1 believe you when you say any you had nothing to do with the desertion of my soldiers there would be no reflection on your personal honor if I 1 were forced to believe to the contrary nor have I 1 any proof that you are an english spy now monsieur you have lived much along the river tell me what you consider to be frances greatest crea test help and her greatest hindrance in developing the mississippi valley promptly and truthfully I 1 answered you ore are her greatest help belp your excellency cel lency frances belief in myths and hilry fairy tales Is her greatest hindrance but your governors believe in mines among your mountains that Is not believing in myths and fairy stories there may be mines there mines are often found in mountains but we do not colonize for mines englishmen clear the forests make homes plant crops they press forward slowly making sure of the ground they spread over when the first colonists come came to virginia there were ninny many adventurers among them like the spanish and french in florida and louisiana Loul slana they wanted quick wealth some went vent road mad in their hunt for pearls after finding them in common use among the indians indiana then came men and women who built cabins and planted crops they spent no time hunting pearls with a sigh filet ho he said true the good god knows known I 1 havil have always alway urged that colonists colonist be b unit bent over who would work the tb son loll and anlie faInt families lift my brother prophesied that the english would con arol I the whole continent within 1 catbe years it if we french did not take root up and down the valley and you may have oen been today what kind of colonists colonist they send bend me I 1 what are your plans planer our wandering talk ending with the p pointed hinted question satisfied we me be had bad been laying an ambush tor for me ma I 1 downed yawned sleepily and said 1 I have bare none by and by back to canada per hups a trip into the west among the indiana of the plains 1 you dare not go back to the english colonies colon lear 7 grimly virginia or carolina would give many courida to get me there which was waa true ln in a fashion for my budget of news was easily worth a good price now that the english were awakening to the fact that the french were thick among the Ala Alaba barnas mas Bl enville rose and brushed the needles from his coat and said you are english mo monsieur I 1 have made my decision the english have their spies up and down the river 1 I too have spies on the coast ong one of them should be showing up any t time ime now if he has not been killed ile he will bring your complete history you are what you claim to be or an enemy of france I 1 must know the truth troth 1 I thank your excellency I 1 only hope your man la is painstaking and honest he to Is what he 1 to but he be will bring an honest talk to me he to Is very wise you must stay atay here until be returns 1 I am under arrest no no simply my guest until I 1 can give you a beau clean bill damean will be most careful to get the facts right there was a mist before my eyes that was not from the steaming water there was a chill in my heart that even the louisiana sun could not dispel yet force of habit permitted me to wear a mask of indifference bat it was a moment before I 1 dared trust my voice then I 1 said 11 1 I am glad damean Is the man to look me up he will make no mistake he will not old back for fear of recovery discovery and then come here and report lies iles to you 1 I 1 rejoice you accept it so amiably it encourages me you are tree free to wander about with a laugh I 1 accepted the situation and humorously remarked if your excellency had not placed me on bounds I 1 would have been content to idle away a month here now I 1 am itching to go somewhere else that would be unwise most unhealthy monsieur the climate Is bad for those who exert themselves if a man should lose himself I 1 simply call and the natives from the illinois to the mouth of the mississippi hear me and look for that man I 1 shall be pleased to have you yon dine with me in the cool of the evening I 1 must leave you now and arrange for the immigrants to start on their journeys as another ship Is due to arrive any time I 1 was thinking of the girl la in black and asked what of mademoiselle dahis gaarde does she return to france on n the ma moire ire or must she wait until you 0 verify her story he halted and stared at me blankly her story return her ta france gods mercy but weve already returned two thousand out of the seven thousand sent over by the company I 1 it would require a excellent story to got get mademoiselle back to france yet decency and justice demand her return it if she was illegally seized by the police in their raid I 1 persisted he smiled slightly and coolly advised seek some deep shade monsieur the sun has made you believe in fairy tales the young woman made no claim on my indulgence she said nothing to me about being taken in a raid it Is too much to expect to find a virtuous woman among those trail frail ones but she Is young and has much room to mend her morals over here so I 1 shall see her married to one of monsieur du pratas men and sent to a cabin near the natchez I 1 was astounded the girl had bad represented herself to me as the victim of an indiscriminate raid I 1 thought of tier her soft hands I 1 thought of the monotonous corn rations which the canadian french frenchi would eat but which the lie lower mississippi french refused except as a famine diet I 1 was astounded toun ded I 1 say and yet why should I 1 expect one of 0 her caste to tell the truth nevertheless there was something infinitely pathetic in picturing one so young and so unused to the wilderness being held a prisoner in the forest cabin of a demouy her frailty was the fault of her environment but a lonely mississippi cabin was a terrible price tor for her to pay unless the men were similarly punished owing to the disturbing revelations his excellency had bad made about damean the fox I 1 not give the girl much of ray my thoughts the of my own affairs demanded my most careful attention so as the governor strode away to the tort fort I 1 wandered toward the shore abere to concentrate on my predicament di damean was deep in my confidence it was imperative that my canadian ditta data should be delivered deli verK and his trip up the ohio afforded me a r an excellent and safe opportunity and 1 I pad placed in his him hands bands conclusive ivi evidence dence of my guilt and the moment he returned it would not be the gal leys ley but the noose had bad it been any other than tha fox fol I 1 might have retained some hope but damean would he be most cunning I 1 could see flee him presenting my budget of news newa and thereby winning Spots woods confidence I 1 could seq see him accepted as my trusted friend eager to sell farnce tor for english gold ile he would have my history complete once he finished with my countrymen oves over my head hung the shadow of a noose monsieur murmured a voice behind me I 1 turned but there was waa no one ex capt a lout of a soldier standing with his back to me the butt of his snap brunce flintlock flintro ck resting on the ground his gazo turned toward the forest before I 1 could question him he be wits was softly repeating do not look at me mb monsieur something for you under the butt of my musket walt wait till I 1 am gone before yov your pick laup it up I 1 pretended to watch the small group about narbonne I 1 heard beard the soldier moving away and gave him half u minute before leaning back on one elbow and securing securing I 1 a folded ba bit t fal or paper stamped into the sand by chii gun Patie satisfied fled no spying eyes were ws 01 me I 1 opened it L it was written in ena llah lish and read monsieur the engla englishman ahman gons monsieur leur I 1 bribed a soldier to give this to you he promised on the cross I 1 must escape up the river and to the english settlements if there la Is one generas heart in this horrible land to help belp me I 1 know the good god will reward when you get this I 1 shall be on the way to new orleans his excellency says I 1 am to mate with a creature of the forest I 1 either go to the english settlements or I |