Adventure Magazine Cover, August 18, 1921 — page 117: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Doom Trail III, ‘Tis a saying of the frontier,” explained the governor. “They call this red-headed Bolling and Murray’s negro, Tom, the Red and the Black Deaths, for Murray is charged with having used them to remove from his path those persons he considers dangerous or whom he honors with his dis- like.” “In the crowd attending Murray I also heard talk of the Doom Trail,” I continued. Governor Burnet smiled grimly. ‘That is the popular name for the route by which Murray smuggles his trade-goods to Canada.” ‘But why the name, your Excellency?” “Because ’tis said to be the sealing of a man’s doom if he seeks the trail or any in- formation concerning it. Is not that the story, Colden?”’ ‘Tis a story which hath more than legend to substantiate it,” agreed the surveyor- general. ‘“‘Has the traffic been suspended during Murray’s absence?” I asked. “No,” replied the governor. ‘Bolling and Black Robe have kept it in motion.” ‘And who is Black Robe?” The governor laughed outright. “You are red-hot for dangerous informa- tion, Master Ormerod. Black Robe is the Indian’s name for one Pére Hyacinthe, a Jesuit missionary, who, according to some of the tales our agents bring, shares with Murray the credit for conception of the conspiracy we are debating. “But where Murray plots for the over- throw of English rule in America in order to bring back the Jacobites and enrich himself, Black Robe’s ambition is to establish France as the supreme temporal power in the world and to extend the influence of the Pope by making his religion universal on this continent as it is in South America.” “Sometimes I almost doubted the plot could be so formidable as Juggins claimed,” I said; “but——” “Master Ormerod,” returned the gover- nor earnestly, “it is the most formidable blow which ever was aimed at us. It is formidable because it is based on a clever idea, upon a sound conception of the eco- nomic situation, and because it is prepared in secret and those who should be alive to the alarms we have sounded not only refuse to heed us, but would stop our mouths, so that we may not any more annoy them. “Today, thanks to the law I had passed, which the Lords of Trade have now sus- pended, trade-goods in Montreal cost twice what they do at Albany. And this, mind you, despite the secret trade which Murray plies. Without that aid the French would never be able to meet our competition.” “Where do Black Robe and Murray make their headquarters?” I inquired. ‘Murray spends part of his time here in New York or in Albany, but most of the year he is absent. He says he is on tracing- expeditions—and we may not disprove it. But we think he stays at a station which is said to form a depot for the stores smuggled over the Doom Trail. Black Robe is re- ported to have a chapel there.” “°Tis called La Vierge du Bois,” added Colden. “And where is it?” “Tf I knew, I should order a levy of the militia and burn it down at risk of my head,” retorted the governor. “But vou must have some idea where it is?”’ I pressed incredulously. Governor Burnet put down his pipe and unrolled a large scroll map which lay amongst the papers on the table. “You forget that you have left the Old World of limited spaces behind you,” he replied. ‘This province over which I rule is greater than all Britain—how much greater not even our surveyor-general, who knows more than any other man, can say.” eg HE SPREAD the map before me, Mmeq and I gazed with fascination at the a3 courses of unknown rivers, chains of untraversed mountains, broad savannas the foot of the white man had seldom trod, lakes like seas and immense blank spaces without even a mark upon them to denote their character. “This is New York, Master Ormerod. Our settlements are confined to the coast districts, the island of Nassau*—’” he motioned toward the window— “and the valley of Hudson’s River. We have barely begun the task of colonization. There is room here for every soul in England—and to spare.” With his pipe-stem he pointed to the upper left corner. ‘All this country is virgin forest. On the north and northwest ’tis bounded by the inland sea which we call Lake Cadaraquit; to the southeast stretch the Adirondack *Long Island f Lake Ontario MICLOOKS © ©