H. Bedford-Jones

“ For the love of the saints, do you read a man's mind?"
"Desperation, my dear Iberville, breeds miracles, as you should know." Crawford spoke lightly, swiftly, for desperation was indeed driving him. "It is true that I have just come from Pentagoet, where I had the pleasure of looting the establishment of Baron de Saint-Castin. Bienville was a trifle hasty in jumping at conclusions, for the message that I bring you is from—myself. I am, by force of necessity, compelled to act the part of a pirate. Those men of mine, and others awaiting me on the coast, are destitute. ”

“ And Crawford, knowing that he must prevent any summons to the Canadians, took instant advantage of the boy's perplexity.
"Keep out of it, Bienville," he said rapidly, as he rose to his feet. "I have a message for Iberville which is imperative." Then he looked at the Abnaki chief and smiled frostily. "Your manitou has deserted you," he said, using the word esprit which translated the Indian term. "At the name of the Iroquois your manitou trembles and is afraid. That is a woman's scalp at your belt, Caniba dog. Look, how your manitou causes it to shake and quiver with fright!" ”

“ Crawford dismissed the name of the Star Woman, though it had struck his fancy. Some Indian legend, beyond question.
"My terms are fairly obvious," he returned coolly. "I'm as good a man as you with the knife or tomahawk, so you'd not down me and get away with ease. Bienville is surrounded, yonder, and the Abnaki is bound. Now, you'll not favour me to save your own skin, but you'll do it to save the two over there. The bark is not worth so much to Canada as are those two lives."
"At a call from me," said Iberville reflectively, "my Canadians would put you all to the stake." ”

“ For the pride of besotted fools who wear gilt crowns. I'll fight, sink me if I don't, but it'll be for my own hand, for my own life, for my own free pleasure. Ay, my Star of Dreams, lead the way! We'll go over the horizon together. ”

“ At this, Bienville started slightly and watched Crawford in astonished speculation. The latter puffed again at his pipe, then spoke quietly, deliberately.
"Then let the Abnaki dog go and ask Saint-Castin for an explanation. Or, since he is a woman and a snapping cur at French heels, let him summon his Canadian friends to make The Eagle a prisoner."
Now the fury of the war-chief burst all bounds.
"The war-chief of the Abnakis does not need Canadians to help him lift the scalp of a thieving Englishman, who calls himself by a Mohawk name and speaks the French tongue!" ”

“ Iberville broke into a laugh and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Monsieur Crawford, Satan take me if you're not a man after my own heart! You shall have the bark. My word upon it. Call your men and I'll give you boats to get aboard."
"I can't do it, Iberville. I've promised to wait here until after midnight for some of the escaped Irish slaves who are coming to join me."
"What?" exclaimed Iberville. "Faith, you can't expect to keep the three of us prisoners here until after midnight, without my voyageurs hacking at the hinges of hell to find us! ”

“ One shot, one yell, would bring them.
"In the cabanes of the Mohawk clan of the Iroquois I am known as The Eagle," he said calmly. There was truth in this, though he had never visited the elm-bark lodges of his Mohawk friends. "The Eagle does not talk with cowards who fear to show themselves. Let my red brother call his French friend out into the light."
At the Mohawk name, the Abnaki chief started slightly. Then, answering Crawford's challenge, another figure stepped from the shadows, pistol cocked. ”

“ To tell the truth, I've had a devil of a wrestling match with your Abnaki chief, and I'm still a trifle short of breath."
Iberville burst into a laugh, compounded of anger and amusement. "My faith, monsieur! I believe that you're a madman."
"I might agree with you," said Crawford whimsically, "and that would prove me sane! As it happens, Iberville, I have no quarrel with you or with Frenchmen. Indeed, several of my men yonder are from French Hispaniola. Nor have I any intention of pirating French commerce. ”

“ As for houses, it's little those wild Canadians care for roofs over their heads, lad! Faith, ye should ha' seen Iberville and his men sweep over that English bark at daybreak, against cannon and musketry! It's fighters they are, lad. Beside them the French are fools."
As the sunset drew on, Crawford heard how Iberville and his six-score Canadian rovers had wiped the Newfoundland settlements out of existence, yet doing it with no needless slaughter. ”

“ He departed limping, by reason of a broken leg that had knit poorly, and Crawford stared after his vanished figure with sorrowing gaze.
"Devil take all kings!" he muttered. "There goes a better man than any of the Stuart breed he has fought for—yet at forty Phelim Burke is an old man of seventy! And down yonder honest settlers are driven forth and good Canadians are risking life and limb—murder is done and steel cleaving flesh—for what? ”