The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-09-02

toned the man servant at the gate to
watch it sand walking down to the land
ing alone escorted the settlers back. The
Indians did not touch them. 1--WE put
50 bold face on it, /" she afterward said,
THAT they thought they had more to fear
than we"
She now ordered the Iroquois to be
fred upon whenever they came in sight.
Toward evening violent wind began to
blow, snow and hail fell and stormy
night set in. The little commander
though to herself that this would be just
the time when the Indians would try to
enter the fort. under cover of the dark.
ness. T assembled all my troops" said
Madeline, gravely; ssthat is my six per-
sons. God has saved us to-day from the
hands OF our enemies" the young girl
said to them, ssbut we must take care not
to fall into their snares tonight. As for
me / want You to see that I sm not
afraid. will take charge of the fort
with an old man of eighty and another
who never fred gun, and you, Pierre
Tontine tthe settler) will go to the block
house with the women and children, be-
cause that is the strongest place; and if
I am taken don't surrender, even if am
cut to pieces and burned before your
eyes. The enemy cannot hurt you in
the block house If you make the least
show of fight"
Madeline now stationed her brothers
on two of the bastions, while she and the
servant took charge of the other two.
This one girl, q man who did not know
how to fire gun, and two little boys
kept guard over the fort az sentinels,
while fall we'll could be heard from time
to time answered back and forth from the
fort to the block-house. The night was
very stormy. About one o'clock the SEN
tinel whose station was near the gate,
called out: "MademoiselIe, hear some.
thing
Madeline went to the gate, where she
coul See, dimly defined upon the snow.
covered ground, the outlines of what few
cattle the Iroquois had not butchered
The other sentinels were in favor of let
ting them into the fort.
God forbidr' exclaimed Madeline
"You don't know all the tricks of the
savages. They are no doubt following
the cattle, covered with skins of beasts,
80 as to get into the fort If we are simple
enough to open the gate for them.
But Madeline at last concluded she
would let the animals in. She made her
brothers stand ready with their guns
cooked in case anything went wrong, and
so she and the man admitted the cattle
in safety. The night passed without any
further incident.
The Indians afterward confessed that
they had held council and decided upon
a plan for taking the fort, but had not
carried it out because the garrison were
SO much on their guard.
The anxious watchers were much
cheered when day dawned. Everybody
now felt courageous except Tontine's
wife. She was very timid, s'as all
Partisan women are," remarked Made
line. She begged her husband to carry
her to p'ace of safety.
s'I will never abandon the fort while
Mademoiselle Madeline is here, said her
husband.
81 will never abandon it" said the
girl; II had rather die than give it up te
the Irpquois. I think it very important
that they should never get possession oil
any French fort, because if they do they
will think they can get others, and will
be more bold and impudent than ever"
Madeline commanded her little garri-
son for week. During this time they
had frequent alarms, for the Iroquois
still moved all about them. II may say
with truth, . said the little heroine, ssthat
did not eat or sleep for twice twenty
four hours. I did not go into my
fathers house, but kept always on the
bastion, or went to the blockhouse to see
how the people were behaving. ] always
kept cheerful and smiling face. and
encouraged my small company with the
hope that help wonld come quickly"
At last detachment of forty men,
under lieutenant named La Momerie,
was sent from Montreal to the relief OF
the fort. They came mp stealthily in the
night, not knowing whether the Iroquois
had taken the fort or not. But one OF
the alert sentineIs thought he heard q
sound and called out: "Qui vive?' The
girl commander had just dropped into q
| dozs, with her head upon table, and
her gun lying across her arms, when the
sentinel spoke to her telling her that he
had heard something from the river.
Madeline Immediately mounted the bas
ton.
"Who are you?" she cried.
We are FreDehmen; it is La Mo
I
merle, who comes to bring you help,
was the answer.
Placing sentinel at the gate Madeline
went down to the river to meet the rein
forcements.
Monsieur, surrender my arms to
you, said the girl, with military sa-
lutte to La Momerie.
"Mademoiselle, they are in good
hands, gallantly answered the Lieu.
tenant.
Better than you think, said Made.
line.
La Momerie accompanied her to the
fort, inspected it, and found all in salts
factory order, with the sentinels at their
posts.
"It is time to relieve them, monsieur, :
said Madeline: eve have not been off oui
bastions for week.
Wanted job.
Yesterday man came into the Boom.
erang Office with the air of a man who is