The Road to Frontenac Part 11

"And so she has pride," mused Menard. "Could you gather any new opinions, Father? Do you think that they may already have come to some understanding?"

"I hardly think so, M'sieu. But may I suggest that it would be well to be firm with Lieutenant Danton? He is young, and the maid is in our trust,"

"True, Father. I will account for him."

There seemed to be nothing further to do at the moment, so the priest went to his blanket, and Menard drew a bundle under his head and went to sleep, after a glance about the camp to see that the sentry was on watch. Now that Montreal lay behind, and the unsettled forest before, with only a thin line of Frenchmen stretched along the river between them and Fort Frontenac, he had divided the night into watches, and each of the four _engages_ stood his turn.

The following day was all but half gone before the wind had dropped to a rate that made the pa.s.sage of the lake advisable. Menard ordered the noon meal for an hour earlier than usual, and shortly afterward they set out across the upper end of Lake St. Louis to the foot of the cascades. Before the last bundle had been carried up the portage to Buisson Pointe, the dusk was settling over the woods across the river, and over the rising ground on Isle Perrot at the mouth of the Ottawa.

During the next day they pa.s.sed on up the stream to the Coteau des Cedres. Menard and Father Claude were both accustomed to take the rapid without carrying, or even unloading, but Danton looked at the swirling water with doubt in his eyes. When the maid, leaning back in the canoe while the men halted at the bank to make fast for the pa.s.sage, saw the torrent that tumbled and pitched merrily down toward them, she laughed. To hold a sober mood for long was not in her buoyant nature, and she welcomed a dash of excitement as a relief from the strained relations of the two days just gone.

"M'sieu," she called to Menard, with a sparkle in her eyes. "Oh, M'sieu, may I stay in the canoe?"

Danton turned quickly at the sound of her voice, and a look, half of pain, half of surprise, came over his face as he saw her eagerness.

Menard looked at her in doubt.

"It may be a wet pa.s.sage, Mademoiselle."

"And why not, M'sieu? Have I not been wet before? See, I will protect myself." She drew the bundles closely about her feet, and threw a blanket across her knees. "Now I can brave the stream, Captain.

Or,"--her gay tone dropped, and she looked demurely at him,--"perhaps it is that I am too heavy, that I should carry myself up the bank. I will obey my orders, Captain." But as she spoke she tucked the blanket closer about her, and stole another glance at Menard.

He smiled. He was thinking of Madame Gordeau and her fragile daughter, who had shuddered with fear at a mere glimpse of the first rapid.

"Very well," he said, "Mademoiselle shall stay in the canoe."

"But it is not safe"--broke in Danton, stepping forward. Then, conscious of the blunder, he turned away, and took up the rope.

"Lay hold, boys," said Menard.

Perrot and one of the new men waded into the water, and laid hold of the gunwales on each side of the bow. Menard himself took the stern.

He called to Danton, who stood awkwardly upon the bank, "Take the rope with the men."

Guerin made the rope fast and set out ahead, with the other men and Danton close behind. Father Claude rolled up his robe and joined them.

"Wait," called Menard, as the rope straightened. "Mademoiselle, I am sorry to disturb you, but if you will sit farther back you will have less trouble from the spray." He waded along the side, and helped her to move nearer the stern, placing the bundles and the blanket about her as before. Then he shouted, "All right," and they started into the foaming water.

They toiled slowly up the incline, catching at rocks to steady their course, and often struggling for a foothold. Once Menard ordered a halt at a large rock, and all rested for a moment.

When they started again, the men at the bow of the canoe had some trouble in holding it steady, for their feet were on a stretch of smooth rock, and Menard called Danton back to help them. The boy worked his way along the rope, and reached the bow.

"Come around behind Perrot," said Menard.

Danton reached around Perrot's body, and caught hold of the gunwale.

At that moment his foot slipped, and he fell, dragging the side of the canoe down with him. The men at the bow did their best to prevent a capsize, but succeeded only in keeping half the bundles in the canoe.

The others, the muskets, and the maid went into the river.

Menard moved forward as rapidly as he could against the current. The maid was unable at once to get her feet, used as she was to the water, and was swept down against him. He caught her, and, steadying himself with one hand, by the water-logged canoe, raised her head and held her while she struggled for a footing and shook the water from her eyes.

Before she was wholly herself, Danton came plunging toward them.

"Give her to me!" he said huskily. "I've drowned her! My G.o.d, let me have her!"

"Stop," said Menard, sternly. "Take the men, and go after those bales--quick!"

Danton looked stupidly at him and at the maid, who was wiping the water from her face with one hand, and holding tightly to the Captain.

Then he followed Perrot, who had already, with the two new men and Father Claude, commenced to get together the bales, most of which had sunk, and were moving slowly along the bottom. Menard still had his arm about the girl's shoulders. He helped her to the sh.o.r.e.

"Keep moving, Mademoiselle,--don't sit down. In a moment we shall have a fire. Father Claude," he called, "bring the canoe ash.o.r.e." Then to the maid, "There are yet some dry blankets, thank G.o.d."

Mademoiselle was herself now, and she protested. "But it is only water, M'sieu. Let me go on with you, beyond the rapids."

Menard merely shook his head. The canoe was soon on the bank, and emptied of water. The other men were beginning to come in with soaked bundles and dripping muskets. Each bale was opened, and the contents spread out to dry, while Guerin was set to work at drying the muskets with a cloth. Perrot and Danton built a rough shelter for the maid, enclosing a small fire, and gave her some dry blankets. Then each man dried himself as best he could.

This accident threw Danton into a fit of gloominess from which nothing seemed to arouse him. He was careless of his duty, and equally careless to the reprimands that followed. This went on for two days, during which the maid seemed at one moment to avoid him, and at another to watch for his coming. In the evening of the second day following, the party camped at Pointe a Baudet, on Lake St. Francis.

The supper was eaten in a silence more oppressive than usual, for neither Menard nor Father Claude could overcome the influence of Danton's heavy face and the maid's troubled eyes. After the supper the two strolled away, and sat just out of earshot on a mossy knoll. For hours they talked there, their voices low, save once or twice when Danton's rose. They seemed to have lost all count of time, all heed of appearances. Menard and the priest made an effort at first to appear un.o.bservant, but later, seeing that their movements were beyond the sight of those unheeding eyes, they took to watching and speculating on the course of the conversation. The night came on, and the dark closed over them. Still the murmur of those low voices floated across the camp.

Father Claude, with a troubled mind, went down to the water, and walked slowly up and down. Menard saw to the final preparations for the night, and posted the first sentry. Then he joined the priest.

"Father?"

"Yes."

"I think it is time to speak."

"I fear it is, M'sieu."

"I must leave it in your hands."

"Shall I go now?"

"Yes."

Without further words, Father Claude walked up the bank, crackling through the bushes. From this spot the voices were inaudible, and for a few moments there was no sound. Then Menard could hear some one moving heavily through the undergrowth, going farther and farther into the stillness, and he knew that it was Danton. He sat on the bank with his back against a tree, and waited for a long hour. At last he dropped asleep.

He was awakened by Father Claude. The priest dropped to the ground beside him. His training had given Menard the faculty of awaking instantly into full grasp of a situation.

"Well," he said. "Where is the maid?"

"She has gone to her couch, but not to sleep, I fear. It has come, M'sieu."

"What has come?"

"Danton has lost his senses. He asks her to marry him, to flee with him. It is a difficult case. She has had no such experience before, and knows not how to receive him. She seems to have no love for him, beyond the pleasure his flattery has given her. She believes all he says. One thing I know, aside from all questions of expediency, of care for our trust, this must not go on."

"Not for the present, at least. She may do what she will, once we have taken her safely to Frontenac."

"No, M'sieu; not even then. We must stop it at once."

"Oh, of course," said Menard; "so far as we are concerned, we have no choice. You need not bother longer to-night. I will wait for the boy.

I am sorry for him."