“You saw Sieur de la Salle in France? you left him well?”
“More than well––triumphant over all his enemies. He sails for the mouth of the Great River with a French colony; Louis authorized the expedition.”
“And is that all?”
“All, except it was rumored at the court that La Barre would not for long remain Governor of New France.”
The face of the Italian did not change expression; slowly he opened the papers, and glanced at their contents; then folded them once more, and lifted his eyes to our faces.
“By Grace of the King,” he said simply, “I am again in command of Fort St. Louis. I see the order is countersigned by La Barre.”
“Yes, Monsieur; he had no choice––’twas not done happily.”
“I presume not. But Messieurs, it may be well for us to return within the fort. Madame, may I have the pleasure of escorting you?”
We made our way slowly through the fringe of woods, and across the open space before the fort gates which still stood open. The dead bodies of savages were on all sides, so horribly mutilated, many of them, that I hid my eyes from the sight. De Tonty tried to speak of other things, and to shield me from the view, but I was so sick at heart I could hardly answer him. De la Durantaye, with a dozen men to aid, was already busily engaged in seeking the wounded, and I caught sight of De Baugis far down the western slope clambering up, a body of Indians at his heels. Cassion had disappeared; indeed there was not so much as a single guard at the gate when we entered, yet we were greeted instantly by his voice.