r side, securely fastened, and on opening this with trembling
fingers, a number of papers were disclosed.

Scarcely venturing to breathe, hardly knowing what I hoped to find,
I drew these forth, and glanced hastily at them. Surely the man
would bear nothing unimportant with him on such a journey; these
must be papers of value, for I had noted with what care he had
guarded the bag all the way. Yet at first I discovered nothing to
reward my search--there was a package of letters, carefully bound with
a strong cord, a commission from La Barre, creating Cassion a Major
of Infantry, a number of receipts issued in Montreal, a list of
goods purchased at St. Ignace, and a roster of men composing the
expedition.

At last from one corner of the pocket, I drew forth a number of
closely written pages, evidently the Governor's instruction. They were
traced in so fine a hand that I was obliged to return beside the fire
to decipher their contents. They were written in detail, largely
concerned with matters of routine, especially referring to relations
with the garrison of the fort, and Cassion's authority over De Baugis,
but the closing paragraph had evidently been added later, and had
personal interest. It read: "Use your discretion as to De Artigny, but
violence will hardly be safe; he is thought too well of by La Salle,
and that fox may get Louis' ear again. We had best be cautious.
Chevet, however, has no friends, and, I am told, possesses a list of
the La Chesnayne property, and other documents which had best be
destroyed. Do not fail in this, nor fear results. We have gone too far
to hesitate now."

I took this page, and thrust it into my breast. It was not much, and
yet it might prove the one needed link. I ran through the packet of
letters, but they apparently had no bearing on the case. Several were
from women; others from officers, mere gossipy epistles of camp and
field. Only one was from La Barre, and that contained nothing of
importance, except the writer urged Cassion to postpone marriage until
his return from the West, adding, "there is no suspicion, and I can
easily keep things quiet until then."

Assured that I had overlooked nothing, I thrust the various articles
back, restrapped the bag, and returned to the outer room. As I paused
before the fire, someone rapped at the door. I stood erect, my fingers
gripping the pistol which I still retained. Again the raps sounded,
clearly enough defined in the night, yet not