His detention
will depend on the actions of the besieged Fremont.
Valois prays that bloodshed may not occur. His slender chances hang
now on a peaceable solution of the question of this Yankee visit.
There have been days in the dreary winter, when Maxime Valois has
tried to divine the future of the magnificent realm he traverses.
His education and birth gave him the companionship of the scientific
subordinates of the party. His services claimed friendly treatment
of the three engineer officers in command. That the American flag
will finally reach the western ocean he doubts not. Born in the
South, waited upon by patrimonial slaves, he is attached to the
"peculiar institution" which throws its dark shadow on the flag of
this country. Already statesmen of the party have discussed the
question of the extension of slavery. Maxime Valois knows that
the line of the Missouri Compromise will here give a splendid new
southern star to the flag south of 36 deg 30 min. In the long,
idle hours of camp chat, he has laughingly pledged he would bring
a band of sable retainers to this western terra incognita. He
dreamed of establishing a great plantation, but the prison cell
shatters these foolish notions.
Pages:
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78