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Show r :n: u:.Y .1 \ ll T i ll·: TO'r£~1. wildcl'f tl hy the 11pr0:1r, were Lrc :~];ing up t!Jc ll:tnce. Jfc f>,:mk down in the Jui,ht of them, C.'tltaustcd J.,y loss of blood and fati; uc, only a moment before the appea:·ancc of l1is pmsucrs. The French insl:1ntly closed around their companion. They had not pnt a~ide their \1'0apon~, ::md they now prepared thcmsch• cs to encounter the worst. The aspect of the danger was thr\'atening in the last dt'gree. The !::twas were boilin;:; with sacred fury. They were tl1c tnw rulers of their pt'oplc. Their will was 110\'Crcign over the popula1· moods. They dt>maudt'd, with '·iolent outcry, tlJO blood of tho individual by whom tltc:ir sacred retreats had been \'iolatcd, and their sltckinah pollutrd hy Yulgar and profane presence. Tlu'y demanded tl10 hlood of nil t!Jc Frenchmen, as participatiug in the crime. Thl'y ca\lc(l upon Audusta to assert l1is own privil<'gcs and their::~. They appealed to the people in a style of phrenz.icd elO(tucncc, the effl!cts of which were soon vi.~iblll in the inflamed features and wild action of the more youthful warriors. Already were those to be seen slapping their E<ides, tOl>sing their hauds in ait·1 and, with loud shrieks, lashing themsdvcs i11to a fury like that which enfhuned their prophets. l~ing Audusta looked confounded. Tl1e Frenchmen were his guests. lie had invited them to partake of his hospit:1lity, and to eJtjo_y tho rites of bis r eligion. Jlo was in some sort pledged for their safety, tlwu_;h one of them had violated tho conditions of their comiug:. IIi;; own feelings rc,·oltod at giving nny sanction for the assault, yet he appeared unable or unwilling to resist the clamors of the priesthood. llut lu also demanded, though lfith evident rclu::tance, the blood of tho offender. ITo was not ,.iolcnt, though urgent, in this demand. lie showed indignation rather than hostility ; and he gave Albert to undc111bnd that in nv way filE U:o~;N"I) 01' !;UEIIN"ACIIE. 57 could lite people or the priesthood be appeased, unless by tho saeri6eo of the guilty person. llut Albert could not yield the '·ictim. The French wc~c prepared to perish to a man before complying with any such demand. They were firm. They fenced him in with tl. .e ir weapon31 and declared their readiness to 'brave every peril ere they would abandon their comrade. Thill resolution was the more hQnorablc, as Pierre H.enaud was no favorite among them. Though scriot:sly disquieted by the C\'cnt, nnJ apprehensive of tho issue, Albert was man enough to second their spirit. Besides, Renaud Iw.d been his own emissary in the adventure which threat.cncd to terminate so fatally. His denial was inferred from his dcportmeut; and the clamor "'of the Indians was iucreased. Tho rage of the lawns was renewed with the con' 'iction that no redress was to be given them. Already had the young warriors of Audusta procured their weapons. ~[ore than an hundred of them surrounded our little hand of Frenchmen, who were only thirteen in number. Bows were bent, lances were set in rest, javelins were seen liflcd, and ready to be thrown; nnd tho drum wllich had been just mndo to sound, in lively tones, for the dance, now gave forth tho most dismal din, significant of massacre and war. Already were to be seen, in the hands of some more dat·ing Indian than the rest, tho heavy war-club, or tho many-teethed macana, wal'ing aloft and threatening momently to descend upon tho victim; and nothing was wanting but a first blow to bring on a general massncrc. Suddenly; at this perilous moment, tho 6ddlo of Gucrnacbc was heard without; followed, in a moment after, by tl10 appearance of the brave fellow himself. Darting in between the opposing ranks, attended by tho faithful 1\Ionalctta, with o. grand crash s• |
