ivity reached my
ears from the room below. I felt tired and cramped from my unnatural
position, but hastened to join the others. The morning meal was
already on the table, and we ate as usual, no one mentioning Chevet,
thus proving the body had not been discovered. I could scarcely choke
the food down, anticipating every instant the sounding of an alarm.
Cassion hurried, excited, no doubt, by the prospect of getting away on
our journey, but seemed in excellent humor. Pushing back the box on
which he sat, he buckled his pistol belt, seized his hat, and strode
to the door.

"We depart at once," he proclaimed briefly. "So I will leave you,
here, to bring the lady."

Pere Allouez, still busily engaged, murmured some indistinct reply,
and Cassion's eyes met mine.

"You look pale, and weary this morning," he said. "Not fear of the
voyage, I hope?"

"No, Monsieur," I managed to answer quietly. "I slept ill, but shall
be better presently--shall I bear my blankets to the boats?"

"The _engage_ will see to that, only let there be as little delay as
possible. Ah! here comes a messenger from below--what is it, my man?"

The fellow, one of the soldiers whose face I did not recall, halted in
the open door, gasping for breath, his eyes roving about the room.

"He is dead--the big man," he stammered. "He is there by the woods."

"The big man--dead!" Cassion drew back, as though struck a blow. "What
big man? Who do you mean?"

"The one in the second canoe, Monsieur; the one who roared."

"Chevet? Hugo Chevet? What has happened to him? Come, speak up, or
I'll slit your tongue!"

The man gulped, gripping the door with one hand, the other pointing
outward.

"He is there, Monsieur, beyond the trail, at the edge of the wood. I
saw him with his face turned up--_Mon Dieu_! so white; I dare not
touch him, but there was blood, where a knife had entered his back."

All were on their feet, their faces picturing the sudden horror, yet
Cassion was first to recover his wits, and lead the way without.
Grasping the soldier's arm, and bidding him show where the body lay,
he thrust him through the door. I lingered behind shrinking from being
again compelled to view the sight of the dead man, yet unable to keep
entirely away. Cassion stopped, looking down at the object on the
grass, but made no effort to touch it with his hands. The soldier
bent, and rolled the body over, and one of the priests felt in the
pockets of the jacket, bringing