“De Artigny, hey!” Cassion’s voice had a ring of pleasure in it. “Ay! he is a hothead. Know you where the young cock is now?”
“He, with the Chief, left an hour ago. Was it not your order, Monsieur?”
Cassion made a swift gesture, but what it might signify I could not determine, as his face was turned away. A moment there was silence, as he shaded his eyes, and peered out across the water.
“True, so I did,” he said at last. “They were to depart before dawn. The villain is yonder––see; well off that farthest point, and ’tis too late to overtake him now. Sacre! there is naught for us to do, that I see, but to bury Hugo Chevet, and go our way––the King’s business cannot wait.”
They brought the body into the mission house, and laid it upon the bench. I did not look upon the ghastly face, which the young priest had covered, but I sank to my knees and prayed earnestly for the repose of his soul. For a moment I felt in my heart a tenderness 187 for this rough, hard man who in the past had caused me such suffering.
Perchance he was not altogether to blame; his had been a rough, hard life, and I had only brought him care and trouble. So there were tears in my eyes as I knelt beside him, although in secret my heart rejoiced that De Artigny had gone, and would not be confronted with his victim; for there was no longer doubt in my mind of his guilt, for surely, had the man been innocent, he would have sounded an alarm. It was Cassion’s hand which aroused me, and I glanced up at his face through the tears clinging to my lashes.
“What, crying!” he exclaimed, in apparent surprise. “I never thought the man of such value to you as to cause tears at his death.”
“He was of my blood,” I answered soberly, rising to my feet, “and his murder most foul.”
“Ay! true enough, girl, and we will bring to book the villain who did the deed. Yet we cannot remain here to mourn, for I am on the King’s service. Come, we have lost time already, and the canoes wait.”
“You would go at once?” I asked, startled at his haste, “without even waiting until he is buried?”