He promptly called
upon the new commander and made acquaintance with Lieutenant
Fitzhugh Beverley, who just then was superintending the work of
cleaning up an old cannon in the fort and mending some breaks in
the stockade.
Helm formed a great liking for the big Frenchman, whose breezy
freedom of manner and expansive good humor struck him favorably
from the beginning. M. Roussillon's ability to speak English with
considerable ease helped the friendship along, no doubt; at all
events their first interview ended with a hearty show of good
fellowship, and as time passed they became almost inseparable
companions during M. Roussillon's periods of rest from his trading
excursions among the Indians. They played cards and brewed hot
drinks over which they told marvelous stories, the latest one
invariably surpassing all its predecessors.
Helm had an eye to business, and turned M. Roussillon's knowledge
of the Indians to valuable account, so that he soon had very
pleasant relations with most of the tribes within reach of his
agents. This gave a feeling of great security to the people of
Vincennes. They pursued their narrow agricultural activities with
excellent results and redoubled those social gayeties which, even
in hut and cabin under all the adverse conditions of extreme
frontier life, were dear to the volatile and genial French
temperament.
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