Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-11-18
ence. The men caught the girls spirit,
or it caught them, and they made haste

ence. The men caught the girls spirit,
or it caught them, and they made haste
| to be noisy
'V'la! Via! L'p'tite Alice ct la BAN
Mere de Zhorzh Vasinton!' C'Look,
look! Little Alice and George Wash
| ington's fagv') shouted Oncle Jazon. He
put his wiry little legs through a sort
of pas de zephyr and winked at him
self with concentrated approval.
| All the men danced around and yelled
till they were hoarse.
BY this time Rene had reached Alice's
side, but she did not see him. She ran
into the blockhouse and climbed up a
rude ladder way. Then she appeared
on the roof, still accompanied by Rene,
| and planted the staff in a crack of the
slabs, where it stood bravely up, the
colors floating free. She turned about
to descend and for the first time saw
that Rene had followed her. His face
was beaming.
"What girl you arev' he exclaimed
| in tone of eXultant admiration.
''Never was there another like your
Alice walked quickly past him with
out speaking, for down in the space
where some women were huddled aside
| from the crowd. looking on, she had
| seen little Adrienne Bourcier She
made haste to descend. Now that her
| lmpulsively chosen enterprise was COM
pleted her boldness deserted her, and
| she slipped out through a dilapidated
postern opposite the crowd. On her
| right was the river. while southwark
before her lay great fat plain, beyond
which rose some hillocks covered with
| forest. The sun blazed between masses
Of slowly drifting clouds that trailed
| creeping fantastic shadows across the
marshy waste.
Alice walked along under cover Of the
slight land swell. which then. more
| plainly marked than it is now, formed
the contour line Of hummock upon
which the fort and village stood A
watery swale grown full Of tall aquatic
weeds meandered parallel with the
bluff, so to call it. and there was a soft,
melancholy whispering of wind among
the long blades and stems. She passed
| the church and Father Berets hut and
| continued for some distance in the d.
rection of that pretty knoll upon which
the cemetery is at present so tastefully
kept. She felt shy now, as if to run
away and hide would be a great relief.
Indeed. so relaxed were her nerves that
a slight movement in the grass and cat
q - NV Gro lid I P,,ll 1y
making her jump like a fawn.
Little friend not be 'fraid," said a
cultural voice in broken French. Lit
tie friend not make noise.'
At a glance she recognized Long
Hair, the Indian, rising out of the mat
| ted marsh growth. 1t was hideous
| vision of embodied cunning, soulless-
ness and murderous cruelty.
''Not tell white man you see me?"
he grunted interrogatively, stepping
close to her. He looked so wicked
that she recoiled and lifted her hands
Extensively.
She trembled from head to foot, and
her voice failed her, but she made u
negative sign and smiled at him, turn
| ing as white as her tanned face could
become.
| In his left hand he held his bow,
while in his right he half lifted MUIR
derous looking tomahawk.
"What new flag mean?' he demand
ed, waving the bows end toward the
fort and bending his head down close
to hers. "Who yonder?"
''The great American father has tax
en- us under his protection" she ex-
planned. I'VE are big knives now"
It almost choked her to speak.
ugh, heap big fools!' he said with a
dark sco@vl. Little friend much big
fool.'
He Strengthened up his tall form
and stood leering at her for some Sec
onds, then added:
Little friend get killed, scalped,
maybe"
The indescribable nobility of animal
largeness, symmetry and strength
showed in his form and attitude, but
the expression of his countenance was
! absolutely repulsive-cold, hard, beast
ly.
| He did not speak again, but turned
quickly and, STOPPING low, disappeared
like a great brOwnish red serpent in
the high grass, which scarcely stirred
as he moved through it.
| Somehow that day made itself
strangely memorable to Alice. She had
been accustomed to stirring scenes and
sudden changes Of conditions, but this
was the first time that she had ever
Joined actively in public movement
of Importance. Then, too, Long Hairs
! picturesque and rudely dramatic reap
+ VIZ !
& ~ s =