Part 20 (1/2)
”Sir,” said he, addressing the commander, ”I speak for France as well as for Spain I hand over to you the title from France, as I hand over to you the rule froentlemen!”
With the ruffle of the few A of Spain slowly dropped from the staff where it had floated That of France took its place, and for one day floated by courtesy over old St Louis On theof the United States It was supported by one coulars and by the little army of joint command--the army of Lewis and Clark--twenty-nine enlisted men in leather!
”Time now, at last!” said William Clark to his friend ”Ti, andto see the buffalo plains What is the latest news in the village, Merne?” he added ”I've not been across there for teeks”
”News enough,” said Meriwether Lewis gravely ”I just have word of the arrival in town of none other than Colonel Aaron Burr”
”The Vice-President of the United States! What does he here? Tellin all this talk I have heard about Colonel Burr? Is he alone?”
”No I wish he were alone Will, she is with hihter, Mrs
Alston!”
”Well, what of that? Oh, I know--I know, but why should youhere in the society of this little tohose people are like one family? They have been invited by Mr
Chouteau to couest there Will, what shall I do? It torht-hearted William Clark ”What shall you do?
Why, in the first place, pull the frown fro lady forsakes her husband, travels--with her father, to be sure, but none the less she travels--along the sa man down the Ohio, up the Mississippi, here to St
Louis Should you call that a torment? Not I! I should flatter myself over it A tore in sweetness as we ride along through the wood a torment? Let them beware of me! I am no respecter of fortune when it comes to a pretty face, my friend It is mine if it is here, and if I may kiss it--don't rebuke me, Merne! I am full of the joy of life Woman--the nearest woman--to call her a torment! And you a soldier! I don't bla as you allow it Then don't allow it!”
”You preach very well, Will Of course, I know you don't practise what you preach--who does?”
”Well, perhaps! But, seriously, why take life so hard, Merne? Why don't you relax--why don't you sith the current for a time? We live but once Tell me, do you think there was but one woman made for each of us men in all the world? My faith, if that be true, I have had ! But even when it co an acre of corn-land and raising a shoat or two for the family--tell me, Merne, oman does a man marry? Doesn't he ? Do you think fortune would always place the one woman in the world ready for the oneand the shoat-raising was to the fore? It is absurd, man! Nature dares not take such chances--and does not”
Lewis did not answer his friend's jesting argument
”Listen, Merne,” Clark went on ”The memory of a kiss is better than the memory of a tear No, listen, Merne! The print of a kiss is sweet as water of a spring when you are athirst And the spring shows none the worse for the taste of heaven it gave you Lips and water alike--they tell no tales They are goods the Gods gave us as part of life But the great thirst--the great thirst of a er, for adventure, for accomplishment--ah, that is ours, and that is harder to slake, I a! A man's deeds are his life They tell the tale”
”His deeds! Yes, you are right, they do, indeed, tell the tale Let us hope the reckoning will stand clean at last”
”Merne, you are a soldier, not a preacher”
”Will, you are neither--you are only a boy!”
CHAPTER XIV
THE RENT IN THE ARMOR
Aaron Burr ca of 1804 asnone too well for hi advices from the lower country, where lay the center of his own audacious plans; but the thought of the people was directed ard, up the Missouri
The faathered volume