La Salle and the discovery of the great West - North Central ...

1687.] THE FATAL SHOT. 429that I scarcely knew him." He soon recovered hisusual calmness; and they walked on till theyapproached the camp of Duhaut, which was on thefarther side of a small river. Looking about himwith the eye of a woodsman, La Salle saw two eaglescircling in the air nearly over him, as if attracted bycarcasses of beasts or men. He fired his gun and hispistol, as a summons to any of his followers whomight be within hearing. The shots reached theears of the conspirators. Rightly conjecturing bywhom they were fired, several of them, led byDuhaut, crossed the river at a little distance above,where trees or other intervening objects hid themfrom sight. Duhaut and the surgeon crouched likeIndians in the long, dry, reed-like grass of the lastsummer's growth, while L'Archeveque stood in sightnear the bank. La Salle, continuing to advance,soon saw him, and, calling to him, demanded wherewas Moranget. The man, without lifting his hat,or any show of respect, replied in an agitated andbroken voice, but with a toneof studied insolence,that Moranget was strolling about somewhere. LaSalle rebuked and menaced him. He rejoined withincreased insolence, drawing back, as he spoke,towards the ambuscade, while the incensed commanderadvanced to chastise him. At that momenta shot was fired from the grass, instantly followedby another; and, pierced through the brain, La Salledropped dead.The friar at his side stood terror-stricken, unable