The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-08-11
CHAPTER XIX.
The Attack.

II has already been mentioned fhaf
/ Indians, arriving singly or in SQUADS.
10 report to Hamilton's Headquarters.
were in the habit of firing their guns
| before entering the town or the fort
not only as signal of their approach.
but in order TO rid their weapons of
their charges preliminary 10 cleaning
them <ssfore setting out upon another
scalp-hunting expedition A shot.
therefore, or even volley. heard on
the outskirts of the village. was not a
noticeable incident in the daily and
| nightly experience of the. garrison.
Still, for some reason, Governor Ham
ilton started violently when, just after
! nightfan, five or six rifles cracked
sharply a short distance from the
Stockade.
He and Helm with two other officers
were in the midst Of a game Of cards.
while a Kettle, swinging on a crane in
the ample fireplace, sang a shrilI
promise of hot apple-jac toddy.
BY JoyeI" exclaimed Farnsworth.
who. although not in the game, was
amusing himself with looking on; you
jump like a fine LADY, I almost fancied
l heard a bullet hit YOU
You may all jump while you can. -
remarked Helm. That's Clark, and
your times short. He'll have this fort
tumbiing on your heads before daylight
or tomorrow morning comes"
AS he spoke he arose from his seat at
the card table and went to look after
the toddy, which, as an expert, he had
under supervision.
Hamilton frowned. The mention of
Clark was disturbing. Ever since the
strange disappearance of Lieutenant
Barlow he had nursed the fear that
possibly Clark's scouts had cantured
him and that the American forces
might be much nearer than Kaskaskia
Besides, his nerves were unruly, as
they had been ever since the encounter
with Father Beret; and his vision per-
sisted in turning back upon the accus-
ing cold face of Alice, lying in the
moonlight. One little detail of that
scene almost maddened him at times:
ii was a sheeny, crinkied wisp of warm
looking hair looped across the cheek in
which he had. often seen a saucy dim
pie dance when Alice spoke or smiled.
He was bad enough. Slit not wholly
bad, and the thought of having dark
ened those merry eyes and stilled those
sweet dimples tore through him with a
cold, rasping papg.
Just as soon as this toddy is prom
erly mixed and tempered said Helm
with a magnetic jocosity beaming
from his genial face, I'm going to
propose toast to the banner of Alice
Roussillon, which a whole garrison of
British braves has been unable to
take"
IF you do I'll blow a hole through
you as big as the south door Of, he'll, -
said Hamilton, in a voice fairly shaken
to husky quaver with rage. You
may do a great many insulting things:
but not that"
Helm was in a half STOPPING attitude
with ladie in one hand, a cup in the
~ r,v- T.
ering look with a peculiarly innocent
smile, as if to say; What in the
world is the matter now? / never felt
IN a better humOr in all my life. Can't
you take a joke, I wonder2" He did
not speak, however, for a rafting vol
ley of musket and rifle shots hit the
top of the clay-daubed chimney, send
ing down into the toddy a shower Of
SCOT and dirt
In a wink every man was on his feet
and staring.
Gentlemen" said Helm, with an i'm
pressive oath; that is Clark's soldiers.
and they viii take your fort: but they
ought not TO have spoiled this apple
toddy,''
oh. the devi1t" said Hamilton. fore
IDLY resuming calm countenance, 1t
is only a squad of drunken Indians
coming In Well foregO excitement:
there's no battle on hand, gentlemen -
I'm glad you think so, Governor
Hamilton" Helm responded, but 1
should imagine that I ought to know
the crack of a Kentucky rifle. I've
heard one occasionally in my life Be
sides, l got a Whit of freedom Just
now
Captain Helm is right observed
FarnSworth- THAT is an attack"
Another Voiley, this time nearer and
more concentrated, convinced Hamilton
that he was, indeed, at the opening of
light. Even while he was giving
some hurried orders to his officers, a
man was wounded at one of the port
holes Then came a series of yens. an
swered by a ripple of sympathetic
French shouting that ran throughout
the town. The patrol guards came
struggling in, breathless with excite
ment- They swore to having seen 1000
men marching across the water covered
meadows
Go Be Continued Tomorrow