Chapter I: Front Matter

“‘THE SWORD AND THE CRUCIFIX,’ WHISPERED DE SANCERRE, POINTING TO THE SOLDIER AND THE PRIEST”]

With
Sword and Crucifix

_Being an Account of the Strange Adventures of
Count Louis de Sancerre, Companion of Sieur
de la Salle, on the Lower Mississippi
in the Year of Grace 1682_

BY
EDWARD S. VAN ZILE

ILLUSTRATED

NEW YORK AND LONDON
HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
1900

Copyright, 1899, by HARPER & BROTHERS.

_All rights reserved._

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I. IN WHICH A GREAT EXPLORER LISTENS AT MIDNIGHT TO A TALE
OF LOVE 1

II. IN WHICH DE SANCERRE IS CONFRONTED BY A MYSTERY 9

III. IN WHICH A MAIDEN SHOWS HER HEART 18

IV. IN WHICH DE LA SALLE REACHES A FATEFUL DECISION 26

V. IN WHICH A DAUGHTER GRANTS A FATHER’S WISH 33

VI. IN WHICH JUAN RODRIQUEZ UNDERGOES AN UNPLEASANT HALF-HOUR 40

VII. IN WHICH JUAN RODRIQUEZ TAKES HIS REVENGE 49

VIII. IN WHICH SATAN HAS HIS WAY WITH THE _CONCEPCION_ 58

IX. IN WHICH TWO CHILDREN OF THE SUN ASTONISH A SCOUNDREL 64

X. IN WHICH THE CROSS IS CARRIED TO A CITY OF IDOLATERS 72

XI. IN WHICH THE BROTHER OF THE SUN WELCOMES THE CHILDREN
OF THE MOON 81

XII. IN WHICH CHATÉMUC FINDS THE INSPIRATION WHICH HE LACKED 92

XIII. IN WHICH DE SANCERRE RUNS A STUBBORN RACE 103

XIV. IN WHICH THE RESULTS OF CHATÉMUC’S ENTHUSIASM ARE SEEN 114

XV. IN WHICH THE GRAY FRIAR DONS THE LIVERY OF SATAN 123

XVI. IN WHICH A SPIRIT SAVES DE SANCERRE FROM DEATH 133

XVII. IN WHICH DE SANCERRE BREAKS HIS FAST AND SMILES 146

XVIII. IN WHICH DE SANCERRE HEARS NEWS OF THE GREAT SUN 156

XIX. IN WHICH COHEYOGO EXHIBITS HIS CRAFTINESS 167

XX. IN WHICH A WHITE ROBE FAILS TO PROTECT A BLACK HEART 181

XXI. IN WHICH DE SANCERRE WIELDS HIS SWORD AGAIN 194

XXII. IN WHICH THE CITY OF THE SUN ENJOYS A FÊTE 206

XXIII. IN WHICH DE SANCERRE UNDERGOES MANY VARIED EMOTIONS 219

XXIV. IN WHICH SPIRITS, GOOD AND BAD, BESET A WILDERNESS 232

XXV. IN WHICH DE SANCERRE WEEPS AND FIGHTS 242

XXVI. IN WHICH DOÑA JULIA IS REMINDED OF THE PAST 253

XXVII. IN WHICH ST. EUSTACE IS KIND TO DE SANCERRE 264

XXVIII. IN WHICH DE SANCERRE’S ISLAND IS BESIEGED 277

XXIX. IN WHICH THE GREAT SPIRIT COMES FROM THE SEA TO
RECLAIM COYOCOP 290

ILLUSTRATIONS

“‘THE SWORD AND THE CRUCIFIX!’ WHISPERED DE SANCERRE,
POINTING FROM THE SOLDIER TO THE PRIEST” _Frontispiece_

“THE CAPTAIN HURLED HIM DOWN UPON THE DECK” _Facing p._ 46

“THE FRENCHMAN, WITH A GRAY SMILE UPON HIS PALLID FACE,
RUSHED PAST THE LINE, A WINNER OF THE RACE BY TWO
FULL YARDS” “ 112

“COOL, MOTIONLESS, WITH UNFLINCHING EYES, THE FRENCHMAN
STOOD WATCHING THE CHIEF PRIEST” “ 176

“A WHITE-FACED MAN PRESSING TO HIS BREAST A DARK-HAIRED
MAIDEN” “ 238

“HE FELT A LIGHT HAND UPON HIS ARM, AND GAZED DOWN INTO
THE DARK EYES OF THE MAIDEN” “ 296

WITH SWORD AND CRUCIFIX