Argosy All-Story Weekly, August 9, 1924 — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

210 Forlorn he sat upon the side of his bed, his head buried in his hands as he vainly strove to understand what had happened. Did Felice love Jean Baptiste? Had she asked for him in preference to the man to whom she had pledged her love? The thought was unbearable and D’Albret groaned in anguished despair. He knew that Bienville had fallen in love with Felice, and in his heart of hearts he could not find it in him to blame the boy. Surely no man born of woman could look upon the maiden and remain unmoved. And he, Antoine d’Albret, had sworn to marry her; had sworn that no other but he should wed the girl—and, by all that was holy, he would marry her! He clenched his hands as he fiercely pressed his face against them, and a mo- mentary frenzy of jealousy against Bien- ville shook his frame so that he cried out. And then the thought that Bienville loved her—Jean Baptiste, the young Canadian whom he knew would not hurt his friend for all the wealth of the Indies—Jean Bap- tiste, the boy who had learned the art of swordsmanship from this friend, who had almost sworn to be revenged upon the lad for yielding to a passion it was not in mor- tal power to resist. He arose to his feet and dashed the hot tears from his eyes as he called loudly to Rossignol. “ You called, m’steu’?”? queried Andre, dropping the ax with which he, in company with a half score of sailors, had been chop- ping huge timbers for strengthening the de- fenses of the fort, and looking questioningly toward D’Albret. “ Go to M. de Sauvole,” commanded his master, ‘“ and ask him to furnish thee with two muskets, powder, and shot. We are going a-hunting, thou and I!” ‘“‘ But, m’siew’,”’ protested Rossignol, al- though not with displeasure, “‘ the governor has given orders that no person may leave the precincts of the fort, since they found the body of Pierre Champinard—”’ “‘ Go and do as I bid thee!” commanded his master. ‘‘ No man tells Antoine d’Al- bret that he may not do this or that. Dost fear the savages in yon forest, lout?” Rossignol scornfully spat upon the ground. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. “You know that I do not, m’siew’,” he returned. ‘“‘ But M. de Sauvole—’ D’Albret stepped forward as if to buffet his henchman, but Andre dodged the blow and looked back, grinning at D’Albret as he started toward the gate of the fortress, al- beit in his one eye there was an expression of uncertainty as he conjectured on the wild look in his master’s face as he had addressed him. Rossignol was an inordinately long time in complying with his master’s request, and D’Albret, fuming with impatience, at length followed after the man to see what he might be about, and he frowned as he reéntered the palisaded inclosure and saw De Sauvole, at the door leading to the officers’ ante- room, expostulating forcibly with the indig- nant Rossignol. ‘ He will not do as I asked him, m’sieu,’’ said André, as he recognized his master’s footsteps and looked around. ‘“ Though I told M. de Sauvole that it was you who had commanded me—” De Sauvole turned harassedly upon D’Al- bret. “What mad undertaking is this that you contemplate?” he asked the Gascon. ‘ This stubborn fellow insists that you intend ven- turing into the forest in search of game, and I cannot induce him to acknowledge that he misunderstood you.” D’Albret grimly nodded his head. ‘“* The man is right,” he asserted; ‘ it zs my intention to try my fortune for a few days in the forest.” De Sauvole regarded the Gascon with perplexed expression and he slowly shook his head. “TI cannot allow it,” he averred. “I have given orders that no man may go be- yond the limits of the settlement. The Chickasaws would dispatch you before you had ventured half a league.” D’Albret laughed spiritlessly. ‘What matter that I never come back?” he said, with a shrug of his shoulders. “One man more or less behind the walls of this fort should make little difference. Come, De Sauvole—please do as I ask you.” The governor regarded him with pained expression. GOMIIGIOO CS (©) nn