The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-07-28
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MAURICE AesSs~9ss,9~~=. THOMSON IA
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Then take the consequences"
Farnsworth lifted his sword. not TO
thrust, but to strike with its fiat side,
and down it flashed with noisy whack.
Father Beret flung out an arm and
deity turned the blow aside. Ii was
done so easily that Farnsworth sprang
back glaring and surprised.
You old fool" he cried. leveling his
weapon for direct lunge- You devil
ish hypocrite,"
Il was then that Father Beret turned
deadly pale and swiftly crossed him
self. His face looked as if he saw
something stratling just beyond his ad-
versary- Possibly this sudden change
Of expression caused Farnsworth 10
hesitate for a mere point of time Then
| there was the swish of a woman's
skirts; light step battered on the
I frozen ground, and Alice sprang be-
tween the men, facing Farnsworth. AS
she did this something small and yellow
the locket at her throat-feH and
I rolled under her feet. Nobody saw it.
In her hand she held an immense
horse pistol, which she leveled in the
captains face, its fiaring, bugle-shaped
muzzle gaping not a yard from his nose.
The heavy tube was as steady as if in
a wise
Drop that sword!r
That was all she said: but her finger
was pressing the trigger. and the flint
in the backward slanting hammer was
ready to click against the steel. The
leaden slugs were on the point of leap
| ing forth.
Drop that sword"
The repetition seemed to close the OPP
portunity for delay.
Farnsworth was on his guard in a
twinkling. He set his jaw and uttered
nuUrtN h
he struck sidewise at the pistol with
his blade 1t was a move which might
have taken less alert person than
Alice unawares: but her training in
sword play was ready in her wrist and
| hand. An involuntary turn, the slight
est imaginable, set the heavy barrel of
her weapon strongly against the blow,
partly stopping it, and then the gap
ing muZzle spat its load of balls and
slugs with a below that awoke the
drOWsy village.
Farnsworth staggered backward, let
ting fall his sword. There was a rent
in the clothing of his left shoulder. He
reeled; the blood spun out; but he did
not fall, although he grew white.
Alice stood gazing at him with a look
on her face he would never forget. 1t
was look that changed by wonderful
swift gradations from terrible hate to
something like sweet pity. The instant
she saw MIN hurt and bleeding, his
countenance relaxing and pale, her
heart failed her. She took a step to-
| ward him, her hand opened, and with
! a thud the heavy old pistol fell upon
the ground beside her.
Father Beret sprang nimbly to sus-
tain Farnsworth, snatching up the
pistol as he passed around Alice.
You are hurt, my son." he gently
said, ''let me help ysu-" He passed his
arm firmly under that of Farnsworth,
seeing that the captain was unsteady
on his feet.
Lean upon me. Come with me. Alice,
my child, and 1 will take him into the
house.
Alice picked up the captains sword
and led the way.
1t was all done so quickly that Farms
worth. in his half-dazed condition,
scarcely realized what was going on
until he found himself on a couch in
the ROussillon home, his wound Ga
Jagged furrow pIoWed out by slugs that
the swords blade had first intercepted
neatly dressed and band8ged, while
Alice and the priest lowered over him
busy with their careful rninistrat tons.
Hamilton and Helm were, as usual
playing cards at the formers quarters
when a guard announced that
MademOiselle Roussilion wished an au-
dlence with the governor
Bring the girl in" said Hamilton
throwing down his cards and seowling
| daTkly
Now you'd better be wise as a ser
pent and gentle as a dove" remarked
Helm. There is something up, and
that gunshot we heard awhile ago may
have a good deal to do with it, At any
rate. you'll find kindness your best
! card to play with Alice Roussillon Just
at the present stage of the game
Of course, they knew nothing of what
/ had happened to Farnsworth: but they
/ had been discussing the strained rela-
tions between the garrison and the
/ French inhabitants when the roar OF
! Alice's big-mouthed pistol startled
! them. Helm was slyly beating about
T to try to make Hamilton lose sight OF
/ the danger from Clarks direction. To
/ do this he artfully magnified the in
I sidious work that might be done by the
! French and their Indian friends should
/ they be driven to desperation by op-
| pressive or exasperating action on the
J part of the English
/ Hamilton felt the dangerous uncer-
Z tainty upon which the situation rested
I but, like many another vigorously self
reliant man, he could not subordinate
! his passions to the dictates of policy
/ When Alice was conducted into his
/ presence ne instantly sweIIed witt, an-
-ger. II was her father who had struck
him and escaped, it was she who had
/ carried off the rebel flag at the moment
( of victory.
We'll Miss, to what do I owe the
! honor of this visit >" he demanded
with a supercilious air, bending card