I should like to hear his defense, but I make you this pledge
in all honor--I will have no word with him, on condition that you file
no charges until we arrive at Fort St. Louis."

"Ah!" suspiciously, "you think he has friends there to hold him
innocent."

"Why should I, Monsieur? Indeed, why should I care but to have justice
done? I do not wish his blood on your hands, or to imagine that he is
condemned because of his friendship for me rather than any other
crime. I know not what friends the man has at the Rock on the
Illinois. He was of La Salle's party, and they are no longer in
control. La Barre said that De Baugis commanded that post, and for all
I know De Tonty and all his men may have departed."

"'Tis not altogether true, and for that reason we are ordered to join
the company. De Baugis has the right of it under commission from La
Barre, but does not possess sufficient soldiers to exercise authority.
La Salle's men remain loyal to De Tonty, and the Indian tribes look to
him for leadership. _Mon Dieu_! it was reported in Quebec that twelve
thousand savages were living about the fort--ay! and De Artigny said
he doubted it not, for the meadows were covered with tepees--so De
Baugis has small chance to rule until he has force behind him. They
say this De Tonty is of a fighting breed--the savages call him the man
with the iron hand--and so the two rule between them, the one for La
Barre, and the other for La Salle, and we go to give the Governor's
man more power."

"You have sufficient force?"

"Unless the Indians become hostile; besides there is to be an overland
party later to join us in the spring, and Sieur de la Durantaye, of
the regiment of Carignan-Salliers is at the Chicago portage. This I
learned at St. Ignace."

"Then it would seem to me, Monsieur, that you could safely wait the
trial of De Artigny until our arrival at the fort. If he does not feel
himself suspected, he will make no effort to escape, and I give you
the pledge you ask."

It was not altogether graciously that he agreed to this, yet the man
could not refuse, and I was glad enough to escape thus easily, for it
was my fear that he might insist on my yielding much more to preserve
De Artigny from immediate condemnation and death. The fellow had the
power, and the inclination, and what good fortune saved me, I can
never know. I think he felt a certain fear of me, a doubt of how far
he might presume on my good nature.

Certainly I gave h