Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-12-25
Beverley is actually gone. Did you
know of his departureT'
"What are you saying, sirT

keep cool. You need not answer If
you prefer silence or evasion. You may
I want to go yourself soon"
Helm burst out laughing, but quick
ly growing serious said:
HAS Beverley been such a driveling
fool as that? Are you in earnestY
HE killed two of my scouts, wound
ed another and crossed the Wabash in
their canoe. He is going straight
toward Kaskaskia."
1.-THE idiot! Hurrah for him If you
catch your hare you may roast him.
but catch him first, GOVERNOR
you'll joke out of the other corner
of your mouth, Captain Helm, If find
out that you gave him aid or counte-
nance In breaking his parole"
"Aid or countenance! l never saw
him after he walked out of this room.
You gave him Il mighty sight more
aid and countenance than l did. What
are you talking about! Broke his pa
role! He did no such thing He re-
turned it to you fairly, as you well
know. He told you he was going"
well, I've sent twenty of my swift
]
back. I'll let you see him shot. That
ought to please you"
They'll never get him, governor. I'll
bet high on him against your twenty
scalp lifters any day. Fitzhugh Bever-
ley is the best Indian fighter, Daniel
Boone and Simon Kenton excepted, in
the American colonies"
On her way home Alice met Father
Beret. who turned and walked beside
her He was so overjoyed at her re-
lease that he could scarcely speak, but
held her hand and stroked it gently
while she told him her story. 1t was
beginning to rain, Il steady, cold show
err, when they reached the house. and
for many days and nights thereafter
the downfall continued almost inces-
sanity.
Dear child,'' said Father Beret.
stopping ut the gate and looking be-
seechingly into Alice's face, you must
stay ut home now-stay in the house. 1t
will be horribly dangerous for you to
pass about in the village after your
after what has happened"
do not fear, father; | will be careful.
Aren't you coming in? I'll find you a
cake and a glass of Wine"
mo, child-not now"
Then goodby, goodby," she said,
turning from him to run into the house.
Come soon; | shall be so lonesome"
On the veranda she suddenly stopped.
running her fingers about her neck and
into her bosom.
"Oh, father Father Beret, I've lost
my locket.' she cried. "See if
dropped it there"
She went back to the gate, searching
the ground with her eyes. OF course
she did not find her locket. 1t was
miles and miles away. close TO the heart
of her lover. If she could but have
known this it would have comforted
her. Beverley had intended to leave it
with Jean. but in his haste and excite
ment he forgot Writing the note dis
tracted his attention, and SO he bore
Alice's picture on his breast and in his
heart while pursuing his long and
perilous journey.
Four of Hamilton's scouts came up
on Beverley twenty miles south of Vim
cennes, but having the advantage of
them he killed two almost Immediately
and, after Il running fight. the other
two attempted escape in a canoe on
the Wabash. Here, firing from a bluff
he wounded a third. Both then plunged
headforemost into the water. and by
keeping below the surface got away.
The adventure gave Beverley new
h 10 fnIt hot
he could accomplish anything neces-
sary to his undertaking. In the cap
tured pirogue he crossed the river. and
to make his trail hard to find. sent the
little craft adrft down the current.
Then alone, in the dead of winter he
took his bearings and struck across the
dreary, houseless plain toward st.
Louis.
AS soon as Hamilton's discounted
scouts reported to him he sent Long
Hair, with twenty picked savages
armed and supplied for continuous and
rapid marching, in pursuit of Beverley.
There was a large reward for bringing
him in alive, a smaller one for his
scalp.
When Alice heard of all this her
buoyant and happy nature seemed en-
tirely to desert her for q time She
was proud TO find out that Beverley
had shown himself brave and capable
1t touched her love of heroism-but she
knew too much about Indian warfare
to hope that he could hold his own
against Long Hair, the widest and
boldest of scalp hunters, and twenty
of the most experienced braves in
Hamilton's forces. He would almost
certainly be killed and scalped or cap
tured and brought back to be shot or
hanged in Vincennes. The thought
chilled and curdled her blood.
Both Helm and Father Beret tried to
encourage and comfort her by repre-
senting the probabilities in the fairest
light.
ITS like hunting for a needle in n