Madeleine Takes Command by Ethel C. Brill

Author:Ethel C. Brill
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
Published: 2016-11-10T00:00:00+00:00

XI—A LONG DAY

DAWN CAME slowly while the anxious sentries watched and listened and shouted back and forth in ceaseless vigilance. Not until broad daylight did Madeleine feel sure there was to be no immediate attack. The night was over, and the fort had not fallen. The cry of “All is well” took on new meaning, and the girl breathed a heartfelt prayer of thanksgiving.

The clouds were broken and scattered. The east was flushed with the rose and pale gold of sunrise. But winter seemed to have come overnight. The ground was covered with snow, untracked save for the hoof-prints of the cattle she had admitted. All appeared peaceful. Not an Indian was in sight. Fear and horror seemed like a bad dream. Was the nightmare over? Had the Mohawks slipped quietly away in the darkness? Madeleine might have believed so had it not been for wisps of smoke rising here and there among the trees. The enemy’s cooking fires were alight.

Hearing the approach of steps, Madeleine turned from the loophole. It was Fontaine. “Good morning, Mademoiselle. God be thanked that you are safe and sound.”

“And you also, Monsieur. How is everything in the blockhouse?”

“As well as could be expected. It was a night of fright truly for those poor women and children, fright and grief for the loss of their loved ones. But with the morning they are taking heart and courage. At present Marguerite and our little ones are sleeping. You must be very weary, Mademoiselle. Let me relieve you while you rest and take food.”

“I prefer to stay here,” Madeleine told him, “but if you will take Laviolette’s place, I will send him to bring food for all. The boys must be starving.”

“Very well, Mademoiselle.”

“Tell Laviolette to eat something and to warm himself if he can. I fear there is not a fire burning. Bid him bring me whatever he finds without delaying to cook anything.”

Though she had been awake all night, Madeleine was not conscious as yet of being very tired. Neither did she feel especially hungry. The cold barley cakes Laviolette brought she ate mechanically, her thoughts on the problems and plans of defense. After she had finished and the old man had resumed his post, she made her way to the blockhouse to see for herself how things were there.

As she walked across the palisaded enclosure, she noticed how strange and deserted everything looked—the snow almost undisturbed, the manor house with its steep roof and great chimneys, the workshops and storehouses, the habitants’ cabins, empty of life. Would the Indians notice that no smoke rose from the fort? Would they notice and wonder?

Madeleine found the women in the blockhouse recovered from the panic of the day before. They were self-controlled and steady now, going calmly about their makeshift housekeeping and caring for their children. For the sake of the little ones, they were even cheerful. They might give way to terror for a little while, but once the first shock and horror of the Indian raid was over, the habitant women had plenty of courage.

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