The Little Lady of the Fort

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Contents

CRAP. PAGB

I Louise 5

II The Fortress in the Wilderness . 19

Chapter I Louise

" You are a wilful, headstrong girl 1 "

"Oh, father!"

" Yes, listen I You know not whereof yoq speak. Think what this man has done to you and yours I Of the blood of your people he has made to flow as water ! Remember La Caroline "

" Could I ever forget it ? "

" You have already forgotten it."

"No, father. Oh, I beseech you to hear me I"

"I have heard more from you now than I desire. Oh, girl — I will not call you daughter I " — he broke ofi* passionately, — " when your thoughts go back to those days, when you recall how aged women and helpless children fell beneath the sword and the axe of this butcher and his minions, how can you do aught save that which I ask? How can you refuse to wear this token — ^to bind yourself by the oath, which every man, woman and child, old enough to speak it forth with understanding tongue, has given ? ''

As these questions were asked, Renot La Pierre looked at his daughter with eyes the natural sweet expression of which was now marred by the bitterness of memory. Sternness, reproach, too, was in the voice with which he addressed her, a voice that usually spoke to her with only kindness and affeotion.

" Do you not hear me, Louie ? "

He was impatient now, and he was growing angrier, too, every moment.

Louise La Pierre stood before her father with bowed head, her hands extended before her and tightly clasped.

She was nearing her seventeenth birthday. Her form, somewhat below the usual height, was nevertheless slender and graceful; her head well-poised and beautifully shaped. It was this smallness of stature, the air with which she carried herself, the sweetness, the graciousness of her manner, that had gained for her the appellation by which she was best known and loved, " The Little Lady of the Fort."

Hair black as the crow's wing, yet far more glossy, plaited in two heavy strands fell far below her waist. The robe of dark blue cloth, its sleeves slashed with white, fitted her as perfectly as the gown of a young princess. About her throat was folded a white kerchief. She was indeed a picture fair to look upon, this only daughter of the governor of the garrison of Fort Ribaut, for, when she raised her eyes at last to her father's face, her own was a vision to gladden any sight. De* spite the hardships of the wilderness, the privations she had endured, the skin was still of an alabaster-like whiteness, save where the sun had left its tan on cheek and chin. Her most beautiful feature was her eyes, large and deep, of a changing gray, now dark, now almost blue and shaded by heavy curling lashes.

" Come ! " said her father again, but less sternly now. Perhaps those eyes had moved him as they so oft had the power to do, because of their resemblance to other eyes from which, on one never-to-be-forgotten day, he had seen the light of life and of love go out together. *' Come, daughter I Once more I call thee so. Come! take from me the token. Place it there on your bodice above your heart, but not so low that your eyes cannot rest upon it. Yes, place it there, then say after me the oath that shall bind you never to give to this man, or one of his kind any quarter, even though he were stricken before you. Never so much as a crumb, if he were starving ; no drop of water to cool his tongue ; nothing but death, even though your weak girl's hand has to deal the blow ! "

Now, indeed, the daughter of Fort- Ribaut's governor found her voice.

She took a step toward her father. Her head was thrown upward, her hands had released their clasp and were now fallen again to her sides. A brilliant light had leaped to her eyes, so that now they were like globes of glowing flame.

" No I No ! " she cried, motioning back the bit of scarlet cord he was holding toward her on the point of his sword. " I cannot, I must not wear it! I dare not take the dreadful oath I Oh, I must refuse, though in so doing it estrangeth me and thee I "

Her head had fallen again, and once more her hands were extended, now in a more beseeching way than ever.

" Pity me ! " she implored. " Oh, pity me ! Father, my father, have pity and do not press me to do this terrible thing I "

"You are mad!" he cried, "yes, surely mad to refuse ! "

His anger had broken out afresh. His eyes blazed. He let his sword fall with a clang to his side, leaving the scarlet cord in a little curled heap between them.

" Girl, do you realize what you are doing ? to what end your stubbornness portends? Has it not come to you what such conduct on your part will bring to you, to say nothing of its cost to me ? Think of the daughter of the commandant of this garrison alone refusing to do what even the maids and women of our lowest minions have done? Child, child 1 how can you be so perverse ? What is the cause of this stubbornness ? Why do you not bind yourself by the oath which every one of your people has taken ? Shame upon you that you can show yourself so unworthy lo The Little Lady of the Fort

of your blood I Where is the pride, the spirit, the courage of your race? But even if this be forgotten, where is the memory of your mother? Can you so soon forget how she perished? Out upon you for a creature too unworthy to exist if you can forget!"

The giri's head fell again to her breast. A convulsive shuddering took possession of her; sobs were in her throi^t.

''No, no, torture me not so!'' she cried as soon as she had power to give utterance to the words. "I do not forget. Oh, my mother I my mother I would that it had been I instead of thee that awful day in the wilderness! Can I ever forget your stricken face? The blood that flowed from thee? It is more even now than I can endure 1 "

She extended her hands. She was about to fall, but her father caught her. He drew her to him and put his arms about her. His own form was shaken by sobs, his voice well-nigh inaudible as he addressed her.

"Then with that scene still graven upon your heart, how can you refuse that which is asked of you ? "

She drew her head away from him, and,

The Little Lady of the Fort n

with her arms still around his neck, looked up into his face.

" Because the religion of the gentle Christ, whose teachings I strive so earnestly to follow, will not let me. Oh, father, do you not recall how He enjoins upon us that if our enemy hungers we must feed him; if he thirst, we must give him drink ? And again emphasizing the divine spirit of forgiveness, He says, ' until seventy times seven.' "

He unclasped her arms from about his neck and drew away from her.

''Such fiends as these are beyond the bounds of forgiveness!" he declared hotly. " They are not men, therefore they cannot be classed under the head of enemies. They are wild beasts, and it is our duty to slay them without quarter as we would any venomous creature from whom our lives were in peril."

He paused for a moment. His eyes were upon her face in questioning search. Was she weakening ? Would she yield ? Had his argument at last convinced her? Evidently not. For what he saw within her eyes as she again lifted them bravely to his, caused him to break forth once more with a fierce vehemence.

*' Girl, what manner of offspring are you T How can you so lightly forget the blood in your veins ? A La Pierre to be a weakling, yes, I will say it — ^a chicken heart, such as this ! "

The hot blood flamed in her face. Its crimson spread to the roots of her hair. She drew herself up, her chin moved forward, her hand, tightly clenched, was extended. It was the very air Renot La Pierre himself had whenever he stood in front of his line of men and declared that for their honor and their right to this territory of New France they were ready to give life itself.

'' I am not a coward ! Monsieur Renot La Pierre knows that as well as I ! "

The words rang out with a steady intonation that no young warrior, declaring his readiness for the battle, could have rendered stronger or steadier.

*' Listen to me, my father. Were your life and mine in danger, should these men find out our retreat and come here to attack us, did they attempt to scale these walls, there would be no hand readier to help beat them back than mine! Yea, I could wield even the sword iteelf ; I could cut with the axe if need be ; I could slay — my father, do you not hear me ? I would show you then, even if I am a girl, that I have not forgotten what it is to be a La Pierre ! "

Her eyes were flashing, her form drawn erect and quivering with excitement; so might a young soldier look as he awaited the onset of battle.

Her father regarded her with admiration. He could not keep the joy, the pride from his eyes. His heart swelled at her words, her manner. He could not at that moment doubt that, in the event opportunity offered, she would make good her declaration. He said to her gently,

" If you feel this way, my Louie, if heart and hands are ready to wage such brave warfare against these wretches, why can you not then bind yourself by this oath to spare not any one of them that circumstance may place at your mercy? Yea, that you will put to death, even with those fair girl hands, any or all of these vile creatures whenever the power is yours so to do ? Why can you not so bind yourself?" he repeated.

" Because," she answered slowly and steadily, and looking at him now unflinchingly,

" such, my father, is not in accord with the teachings of my Lord and Master, whose I am and whom I seek to serve ; nor with the example He has Himself given me of gentleness and love. I can no longer call myself His follower if I so wilfully disregard what He tells me. While I bear in my heart the badge of His meekness, of His forgiveness, the remembrance of His own forbearance toward me, I cannot attach to my clothing, even at your request, my father, the emblem of a cruel, an awful oath. Yea, I cannot forget the tremendous price He paid that just such obligation might be won from me— to remember always the law of mercy and of forgiveness."

" Do not talk of mercy, of forgiveness for such wretches as these 1 " her father cried, flying into a passion. " So soon speak of mercy for a venomous reptile that had bitten you, or forgiveness for a ferocious beast that had sought to rend you in twain. I tell you, Louie, that could that Spanish fiend and his band of ruflBans discover our retreat, and were this fort to fall before his attack, he would grant no quarter, neither he nor his butchers, would not spare even the most helpless. The aged, the sick, the innocent babe, the wounded, the dying would alike fall before the mercilefis sword. Girl, have we not both lived through La Caroline? Did we not see with our own eyes and hear with our own ears? Oh, that a merciful God would but cloud the memory of those days I Yet seared as those scenes are upon heart and brain, how is the fire ever to be quenched ? "

He bowed his head upon his hands and groaned aloud in the bitterness of spirit.

She moved nearer to him and grasping his sleeve, drew his hand downward, placing it against her cheek.

" Father," she began.

He did not seem to hear her, though he assuredly was not unmindful of the caress. But his thoughts were still on the matters that so disturbed him, and his words followed fast upon his thoughts.

" Ever since that day in the woods," he continued, "when a band of twenty-two of us preferred to throw ourselves upon the mercy of savages, to take the risks from wild beasts, rather than trust to the word of Menendez, he and his horde of butchers have been seeking our trail. How fortunate for us, fortunate, too, for them, that some poor wanderers cast ashore from the wrecked ships of Ribaut crossed our paths and through the kindness of our Indian friends were led to us. Through this mutual good-fortune we have now a garrison of full threescore, not to mention women and children. We have, too, arms and ammunition, besides various things to make living more comfortable. For our brethren, remembering where the stores brought ashore were concealed, we made many secret expeditions thither, returning with supplies."

"Yes," exclaimed Louise, " should our enemies come, we could give them staunch battle, since now we are so well prepared. Even the girls and women will show you, my father, how well they can fight. We can pray, too, as we fight, and God will surely give us the victory over these merciless men who seek with such persistency to destroy us."

" You can talk that way, and yet you cannot — say will not, bind yourself by the oath that would but mete out to these fiends their just deserts. What perversity, what unaccountable wilfulness is this ? "

" Oh, call it not so, my father, I entreat

It is but the conviction of my better nature. All my woman's heart speaks out against this awful vow by which you would have me bind myself. My soul turns sick at the thought. You would have me pledge to slay wantonly, to give death even in the midst of helplessness. Oh, I cannot promise to so act even to these men who have been so merciless to me and mine 1 I pray you remove the cord of scarlet. I beseech thee, my father, torture me no more with the request that I wear it 1 "

" Obstinate girl 1 " began the governor.

But just then there was a noise at the farther entrance to the hallway, the clank of a sword and a firm soldier-like tread upon the wooden blocks that formed the flooring.

" Ah I " exclaimed the governor, *' here is our dear Monsieur Gaillard ! Let us see if he cannot add such persuasion to that with which my tongue has already assailed you as shall convince you, rash girl, that such obstinacy as you display can only bring shame and reproach upon you and overwhelming bitterness to me."

" What I yield not for your sake, my father," her beautiful eyes fixed now with unutterable tenderness upon him, ''I assuredly will not for another, though that other be one for whom I entertain such high regard as for my dear Monsieur Gaillard."

" We shall see," replied the governor stead-

Chapter II The Fortress In The Wilderness

Monsieur Gaillard came on, his sword clanking, his fine old head held erect, looking every inch the soldier that he was I

When within a few paces of the commandant he halted and saluted. Then, wheeling slightly, while his eye twinkled, he saluted Louise, too, and with all the fine flourish he had bestowed upon the governor. This done, his gravity unbent, and, turning to Captain La Pierre, he asked,

" What is it, my dear Renot, into the doing of which I am to persuade our lass ? Judging by her countenance at this moment, it is naught to which her liking inclineth. I beg you not to set me to win her against her own heart, for our Louie hath ever one that is just and true, and that prompteth her to the kindly deed and the generous act. If it is aught at present that setteth itself against your will and judgment, then put it down to an error of the head, for we must not count upon one so young

20 The Little Lady u£ the Fort

having the wisdom of our maturer years. One must not expect the eyes of sixteen to see as do those of forty-six."

Instantly a smile went from Louise to the brave old soldier ; but the commandant shook his head. At the same time he made a vigorous gesture.

" You know not whereof you speak, Nicholas, though there is fair meaning in what you say, I will admit. But wait until you hear what it is against which our lass has set herself so persistently. Lool^ first upon that which lies at our feet."

As he spoke the commandant bent his own head downward and pointed with his sword.

For an instant there was a flash in the eyes of Monsieur Gaillard like the quick catching of powder, then he spoke calmly.

" The scarlet token ! It lies there upon the floor instead of upon the bodice of the lass? "

" Exactly."

" She refuses to wear it? "

"Yes."

" Wait, my friend. Do not press the lass too closely now. Give her more time. She is of such metal as yieldeth not readily, especially when upheld by the firm temper of conscience.

Remember she hath not our hot passions, neither does the pulse of revenge leap with such madness in her veins."

"But she refuses to do that which every woman and girl, even those of our lowest minions throughout the fort have done. Surely they have not been led thereto through the hot passions or the mad pulse of revenge."

*' Apes some of them, and naught else I " declared Monsieur Gaillard warmly; "cowards, too, in that they fear to go against popular clamor. But our lass is of diflferent fibre. No voice can persuade her against that of her conscience ; she owns no guide in such matters but her God."

Louise looked at him gratefully, and essayed to speak, but he, recognizing that silence was the best for her then, added quickly,

"So, Renot, I entreat that you give the lass more time. Perhaps she will then come to our way of thinking. But thou canst not drive her to it now. It will be like the stricken bird beating itself against the bars of its despair."

He paused a moment, then drawing nearer still to La Pierre, and, dropping his voice, added :

" The lass has ever been delicate, you know, like that frail one you cherished so tenderly, from whom you saw the life go out that terrible day in the wilderness. I beseech you, remember and have patience. Come, deal gently."

The words went straight to the mark. Captain La Pierre's face whitened, his limbs trembled. Involuntarily he turned to Louise. There was a softened, a yearning look in his eyes. He seemed about to approach her, but the next moment words of Monsieur Gaillard arrested him.

" Wait, Renot ! There is that further which I feel that I must say."

Monsieur Gaillard paused for a brief space, then, as the line of his lower lip grew firmer, he added :

" Sometimes I think me we have been too harsh in this matter, too hasty withal. It is a terrible oath, and there is naught provided by which it may be modified. There should be some leaning to mercy in the face of harrowing circumstances. Then, too, all Spaniards were not with this butcher, Menendez, neither can I believe that all are such fiends. I had friends among the Spaniards at our court, and they were gentlemen ; men of gentleness and courtesy/'

A gleam of sudden suspicion flashed into the eyes of the commandant. His brows were knit sternly for the space of a second or so as he intently regarded the lieutenant. He had heard that Monsieur Gaillard's only sister had married a young Spaniard of noble birth and that her home was now at Valladolid. Might not the lieutenant, after all, have a weakling heart when it came to dealing with his sister's adopted countrymen ? But the next moment, the commandant banished the thought as unworthy of him, as a wrong, too, to the noble man before him. Did not the token gleam upon his breast ? Had he not taken the oath, and was not Monsieur Gaillard a man of sterling honor? Yet he could not help saying:

**I fear me much, Monsieur, that should the harrowing circumstances present themselves, yours would be an unsteady hand.'*

" I have not yet been put to the test, my Captain," he remarked diplomatically.

Then drawing himself erect, and once more the soldier, he saluted, saying,

'' Commandant, I am come hither on a

24 The Little Lady of the Fort matter of grave import. Let us talk of that now."

"But my daughter?"

" The lass may remain. It is naught that she may not hear."

"Then speak on, Monsieur. I give my close attention."

"It is this, commandant. Two Indian runners have just arrived. They come from San-u-tee, chief of the Huspahs. The chief has at last sent a delegation of his principal warriors. As evidence that they come seeking our good-will and on an errand of peace, their wives and children accompany them. They are now within two hours' march of the fort and are expected to arrive here a little past noon. They desire a conference with your Excellency ; after which they will retire to camp near the fort for to-night and the following day and night. It is probable they will seek still another conference on the morrow."

" It is well," added the commandant. " I am glad the Huspahs come. I have long wished to reach the chief. In our isolated condition it behooves us to make allies of these Indians who are our nearest neighbors. See to it, my lieutenant, that such feasting is given these warriors and their families as our moderate stores will permit. Look to it, too, that such trinkets as we have are bestowed upon their women. I will be in readiness on the hour. We must not keep them waiting."

*'A11 right, my commandant. You will find things prepared as you desire.'*

He was going away, but turned to add :

" I have neglected to say that Combee has been sent by the chief as head of the warriors."

The commandant's face suddenly brightened.

'' I Bfin glad of that. I like the Huspah. He has always proven our friend. But I must say," unconsciously lowering his voice, " that until this movement on the part of the chief toward friendly relations, I had felt an uneasiness concerning him. Somehow the feeling has been strong within me that did occasion oflPer San-u-tee could be bought by our enemies."

" It is best to be cautious even in the face of the present overture," declared Monsieur Gaillard.

" That it is. We'll have our wits about us, you may rest assured. Let the guards along the walls be trebled, lieutenant. See to it, too, that the armament is ready, and the men who attend us to the conference are well armed."

" Oh, father ! " exclaimed Louise, now approaching, "how bad this is that you must take all this caution ! for now I fear me that none of the women and children of the fort will be permitted to be present."

" There is no reason why you should not be there, my Louie. Indeed it is my desire that such should be the case. If they show us the confidence to bring their women and children, we can do no less than to meet them surrounded by our own."

"How glad I am to hear you say this, fathw I I was so afraid you might deem it unsafe and thus keep us within the fort."

" I am not sure that it is safe, my Louie," he said in a low voice. "But I shall take every precaution," he added. " We'll meet between the gates and the great doors, and not outside the gates as you may suppose."

The governor had need of this caution, for they were in the midst of troublous times, and their position was indeed one of peril.

The year was 1572, and the scene of our story a portion of the well-nigh trackless wilderness, some two hundred miles above the mouth of the St. John's Rivei^, in Florida, and within the territory now known as South Carolina.

Ten years before, Jean Ribaut, that noble but ill-fated pioneer of French explorations in the New World, after cruising along the coasts of Florida and Georgia, had founded the colony at Port Royal, building a fort there which he named Fort Charles, in honor of Charles IX. The short life of the Port Royal settlement, because of the shiftlessness and lack of moral strength of the men left in charge of it, is one of the sad facts of history.

On June 25, 1564, a fleet of French ships for the second time dropped anchor off the shores of that portion of the American Continent to which was soon to be given the name of New France. The commander of this fleet was Ren6 de Laudonniere, a brave and polished gentleman, a relative of the illustrious Coligny, Admiral of France. Laudonniere chose ifor the sight of his colony a beautiful bluff overlooking the waters of the St. John, near its mouth. A fort was erected which was again called in honor of the King of France, La Caroline.

This colony, like the first, had a struggle for existence. But as the men who composed it were of different fibre from the others, with but few exceptions they held together, and despite the appalling conditions by which they were surrounded, managed to keep the fleur-de-lis proudly waving from the rude battlements of this outpost of France in the New World. The greater credit for this was due the intrepid young commander, who in the midst of all his trials, never lost heart but once. This was when famine stared them in the face, and the last hope of the arrival of overdue ships from France had given out.

Even then his nerve did not fail him, if his heart did. Though his soul sank within him, yet would he not speak the order to march away, abandoning the post so long and so bravely held. It was at his darkest hour that the storm clouds rolled away and above shone the radiant skies. For on the morning of August 29, 1565, just as Laudonniere had thrown himself in despair upon his rude bunk, exhausted from his long and hopeless watch upon the battlements, the joyous shout arose that the French ships were in sight.

Yes, there they were ! seven as fine, smart crafts as could be found at that day. There they were, gaily entering the harbor, bedecked with flags from stem to stern, their decks crowded with men in armor, and, a more pleasing sight still, women and children !

Men shouted themselves hoarse, cannon boomed, and as the flagship, the Trinity, with Ribaut himself aboard, rounded ahead of its fellows, and came to anchor opposite the fort, the air was rent with welcomes and their ringing responses. Then as good Pere Michel, aboard the Trinity, and the young minister of the fort, Paul Loubet, raised their hands with simultaneous movement, a silence fell upon all, and those aboard the ships and those upon the shore, rescuers and rescued, alike fell upon their knees, rendering praises to Almighty God. Now, indeed, would the fleur-de-lis be firmly planted in the rugged wilderness of the New World, and persecuted ones find here what their own country had denied them, civil and religious liberty. But alas for human hopes ! for the bright star of fond dreams, of commendable aspirations enkindled within courageous hearts !