De Artigny

“ Giant as he is physically, his intellect is that of a big boy. All he can conceive of is revenge––a desire to crush with his hands. He hates Cassion, because the man has robbed him of the use of my father’s money; but for my position he cares nothing. To his mind the wrong has all been done to him, and I fear he will brood over it until he seeks revenge. If he does he will ruin everything.”
De Artigny stood silent, evidently in thought, endeavoring to grasp the threads of my tale.
“How did you attain the summit of this bluff?” he questioned at last.
“Yonder ”

“ Cassion was issuing his orders loudly, but exhibited no inclination to accompany the party, and suddenly the frail craft shot out from the shore, with De Artigny at the steering paddle, and every Indian braced for his task, and headed boldly into the smother. They vanished as though swallowed by the mist, Cassion, and a half dozen soldiers racing along the shore line in an effort to keep abreast of the laboring craft. ”

“ At night, under the stars and beside the blaze of campfire, Barbeau sang rollicking soldier songs, and occasionally De Artigny joined him in the choruses. To all appearances we were absolutely alone in the desolation of the wilderness. Not once in all that distance did we perceive sign of human life, nor had we cause to feel the slightest uneasiness regarding savage enemies. ”

“ Planning and scheming is not my way, nor am I good at it. A soldier of La Salle needs more to understand action, and the De Artigny breed has ever had faith in steel. I seek no quarrel, yet if occasion arise this messenger of La Barre will find me quite ready. I know not what may occur. Mademoiselle; I merely pledge you my word of honor that Cassion will no longer seek your hand. ”

“ Leaning far out, grasping a branch to keep from falling, I distinguished the canoe at the upper landing, and the Indians busily preparing camp. At first I saw nothing of any white man, but was gazing still when De Artigny emerged from some shadow, and stepped down beside the boat. ”

“ There are good men there ready to draw sword if it ever come to blows––De Tonty, Boisrondet, L’Espirance, De Marle, and the Algonquins camped on the plain below. They would be tigers if the Italian spoke the word; while I doubt not M. de la Durantaye would throw his influence on the side of mercy; he has small love for the Captain of Dragoons.”
I spoke quickly, and before De Artigny could voice decision. ”

“ Now I tell you what will occur if you play false with me.”
“You may spare your threats––they weigh nothing. The Sieur de Artigny is my friend, and I shall address him when it pleases me. With whatever quarrel may arise between you I have no interest. ”

“ Sequitah had moved past me, and I heard his voice speaking in Indian dialect. Along the forest aisles his warriors glided by where I stood, noiselessly as shadows. In another moment De Artigny and I were alone, the black night all about us, and not a sound reaching our ears to tell of those vanished allies. He took my hand, a caress in his touch, a suggestion of pride in his voice.
“The old chief is warrior still,” he said, “and, unless all signs fail, the Iroquois will long remember this day. Come, Adele, ’twill not do for us to be far behind, and we have walked this trail before together.” ”

“ I saw De Artigny lunge with his knife, a huge savage reeling beneath the stroke, and Barbeau cleave passage to the rescue, the stock of his gun shattered as he struck fiercely at the red devils who blocked his path.
Outnumbered, helpless for long in that narrow space, their only hope lay in a sortie by the garrison, and it was my part to give the alarm. Even as I sprang forward, a savage leaped from the ruck, but I escaped his hand, and raced up the dark trail, the one thought urging me on. God knows how I made it––to me ’tis but a memory of falls over unseen obstacles, of reckless running ”

“ You are my wife by law of Holy Church. Never have you loved me, yet I can pass that by, if you grant me a husband’s right. This De Artigny has come between us, and now his life is in my hands. I know not that you love the brat, yet you have that interest in him which would prevent forgiveness of me if I show no mercy. So now I come and offer you his life, if you consent to be my wife in truth. Is that fair?”
“It may so sound,” I answered calmly, “yet the sacrifice is all mine. How would you save the man?” ”

“ We advanced through the woods down a slight incline, the Indians moving like so many phantoms. Not a branch rattled as they glided silently forward, not a leaf rustled beneath the soft tread of moccasined feet. De Artigny led me by the hand, aiding me to move quietly over the uneven ground, but made no effort to speak. Beside us, not unlike a shadow, strode the chief Sequitah, his stern face uplifted, shadowed by long black hair, a rifle gripped in his sinewy arms. ”

“ The canoe rounded the curve in the shore, and headed straight across toward where I rested in concealment. 238 Their course would keep them too far away from the little strip of sand on which we had landed to observe the imprint of our feet, or the pile of wood De Artigny had flung down. I observed this with an intense feeling of relief, as I peered cautiously out from my covert. ”

“ I loved Rene de Artigny, and, although he had never spoken the word, I knew he loved me. Tomorrow he would be in exile, a wanderer of the woods, an escaped prisoner, under condemnation of death, never again safe within reach of French authority. Ay, but he should not go alone; in the depths of those forests, beyond the arm of the law, beyond even the grasp of the Church, we should be together. In our own hearts love would justify. Without a qualm of conscience, without even a lingering doubt, I made the choice, the final decision. ”

“ Cassion laughed sarcastically.
“Bah, what man would not to save his life! It is for you to speak the word.”
I stood silent, hesitating to give final answer. Had I truly believed De Artigny’s case hopeless I might have yielded, and made pledge. But as I gazed into Cassion’s face, smiling with assurance of victory, all my dislike of the man returned, and I shrank back in horror. The sacrifice was too much, too terrible; besides 340 I had faith in the promises of De Tonty, in the daring of Boisrondet. I would trust them, aye, and myself, to find some other way of rescue. ”

“ The wilderness sees many tragedies––fierce, bitter, revengeful deeds––and ’tis best you use care. ’Tis my belief this Francois Cassion might prove a devil, once his heart was tricked. Have you thought of this?”
I had thought of it, but with no mercy in my heart, yet as De Artigny spoke I felt the ugliness of my threat more acutely, and, for an instant, stood before him white-lipped, and ashamed. Then before me arose Cassion’s face, sarcastic, supercilious, hateful, and I laughed in scorn of the warning. ”

“ However we must have made excellent progress, for the sun had not entirely disappeared when we emerged from the dark wood shadows into a narrow, grassy valley, through which flowed a silvery stream, not broad, but deep. Assured that this must be the water we sought, I sank to the ground, eager for a moment’s rest, but De Artigny, tireless still, moved back and forward along the edge of the forest to assure himself of the safety of our surroundings. ”

“ The Indian muttered response in his own tongue; then spoke more sharply, and the mass of warriors below changed formation, the greater number climbing the bank, and grouping themselves in the darker shadow of the woods.
“Who has charge of the others?” asked De Artigny.
“Bastian Courtray,” replied La Forest. “He is yonder.”
“Then Courtray, listen; you follow the stream, but do not venture from cover. Post your men below the stockade and wait to intercept fugitives. We will do the fighting above. Are the warriors with you armed?” ”

“ Are we not? Why do you address me like that?”
“Because you treat me as though I were a criminal,” he said earnestly. “As if I had done you an evil in making you my wife. ’Twas not I who hastened the matter, but La Barre. ’Tis not just to condemn me unheard, yet I have been patient and kind. I thought it might be that you loved another––in truth I imagined that De Artigny had cast his spell upon you; yet you surely cannot continue to trust that villain––the murderer of your uncle.” ”

“ The warriors of the Illini will fight beside the white men.”
There was no time lost although I know but little of what occurred, being left alone there while La Forest and De Artigny divided the men, and arranged the plans of advance. The dense night shrouded much of this hasty preparation, for all I could perceive were flitting figures, or the black shadow of warriors being grouped together. I could hear voices, never loud, giving swift orders, or calling to this or that individual through the gloom. ”

“ But why do you make plea on his behalf––the man is surely no friend of yours?”
“I make no plea for him,” he answered, strangely sober, “and claim no friendship. Any enemy to La Salle is an enemy to Rene de Artigny; but I would 154 front him as a man should. It is not my nature to do a deed of treachery.”
“You hold this treachery?”
“What else? You propose luring him to love you, that you may gain confession from his lips. To attain this end you barter your honesty, your womanhood; you take advantage of your beauty to enslave him; you count as ally the loneliness of the wilderness ”

“ I was gazing at De Artigny, and marked how he held one hand to his side.
“And you, Monsieur; you are unscathed?”
“Except for a small wound here, and a head which rings yet from savage blows––no more than a night’s rest will remedy. Come, Madame ’tis time we were within, and the gates closed.”
“Is there still danger then? Surely now that we are under protection there will be no attack?”
“Not from those we have passed, but ’tis told me there are more than a thousand Iroquois warriors in the valley, and the garrison has less than fifty men all told. It was luck we got through so easily. ”

“ Out of the darkness came De Artigny, pausing an instant before the chief.
“All is well, Sequitah?”
“Good––’tis as the white chief wishes.”
“Then we move at once; La Forest will guide the rear; you and I will march together. Give your warriors the word.”
He turned and took my hand.
“You will walk with me, dear one; you are not afraid?”
“Not of the peril of coming battle,” I answered. 379 “I––I think I hardly realize what that all means; but the risk you run. Rene! If––if you win, you will be a prisoner condemned to death.” ”

“ The Indians had halted here, and we pressed forward through them, until we came to where the chief and La Forest waited. There was a growing tinge of light in the eastern sky, enabling us to perceive each other’s faces. All was tense, expectant, the Indians scarcely venturing to breathe, the two white men conversing in whispers. Sequitah stood motionless as a statue, his lips tightly closed.
“Your scouts ventured no further?” questioned De Artigny.
“No, ’twas not safe; one man scaled the rock, and reports the Iroquois just beyond.” ”

“ I burst forth, giving vent to my indignation. “Am I a ten-year-old to be guarded every step I take? ’Tis not far to the summit, and no danger. You can see yourself the trail is not steep. Faith! I will go now, just to show that I am at liberty.”
He laughed, an unpleasant sound to it, yet made no effort to halt me. ’Tis probable he felt safe enough with De Artigny camped above the rapids, and he had learned already that my temper might become dangerous. ”

“ I was not always a soldier, Madame, and once I sought holy orders, but the flesh was weak. However, the experiment gave me education, and led to comradeship with those above me in station––discipline in the wilderness is not rigid. Many a night at the campfire have I talked with my captain. And I have heard before of this Sieur de Artigny, and of how loyally he has served M. de la Salle. Monsieur de Tonty told the tale to M. de la Durantaye, mayhap a month ago, and I overheard. So I possess faith in him as a gallant man, and have desire to serve you both. ”

“ I make them talk with these hands.”
“But my weapons are those of a woman,” I explained, “and I will learn more than you would with your brute strength. All I ask of you now, Uncle Chevet, is that you keep on friendly terms with Monsieur Cassion, yet repeat nothing to him of what I have said, and gain me opportunity for speech alone with Sieur de Artigny.”
“Ah! perhaps I perceive––you love the young man?”
I grasped his sleeve in my fingers, determined to make this point at least clear to his understanding. ”

“ What hour do you make it now?”
“About three.”
“So I would have said; and ’tis not daylight until after five. We can scarce make it, yet we will try.”
It was not as dark here away from the gloom of 366 the Rock; the forest was open, and yet I will never know how De Artigny succeeded in following that dim trail at so rapid a gait. As for me I could see nothing of any path, and merely followed him blindly, not even certain of the nature of the ground under my feet. Again and again I tripped over some obstacles––a root, a tuft of grass––and continually unnoted branches flapped against my face. ”

“ We shall be alone in the wilderness for months to come. I will be the one woman; perchance the only white woman into whose face he will look until we return to Quebec. I am not vain, yet I am not altogether ill to look upon, nor shall I permit the hardships of this journey to affect my attractiveness. I shall fight him with his own weapons, and win. He will beg, and threaten me, and I shall laugh. He will love me, and I shall mock. There will be jealousy between him and De Artigny, and to win my favor he will confess all that he knows. ”