Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-10-02

( and ran away with it. Hide 1t, father;
hide it, quick, quick, before they come"
/ The daring light in her eyes, the
witching play of her dimples. the mad
cap air intensified by her attitude and
the excitement Of the violent exercise
/ just ended, something compounded OF
all these and more, affected the good
priest strangely. 1nvoluntarily he
crossed himself, as If against q danger
Gus charm.
Mon Dieu, Father Beretw she ex-
claimed, with impatience Haven't
you grain Of sense left? Take this
4 flag and hide 1t, tell you! Don't stay
there gazing and blinking Here, quick!
They saw mo take IT. they may be fol-
/ lowing me. Hurry, hide it somewhere
He comprehended now. rising from
his knees with a queer smile broaden
ing on his face. She put the banner in
| to his hands and gave him q gentle
push.
Hide 1t, tell you; hide 1t. you dear
old goose!'
Without speaking he turned tie staff
over and over in his hand until the
flag was closely wrapped around it:
then, STOPPING, he lifted puncheon anc
with 1t covered the gay roll from sight.
Alice caught HIM in her arms ana
kissed him vigorously on the cheek.
Her warm lips made the spot tingle.
Don't you dare to let any person
have it! It's the dag Of George Wash
ington."
She gave him a strong squeeze.
He pushed her from him with both
hands and hastily crossed himself, but
his eyes were laughing.
"You ought to have seen me. waved
the flag at them-at the English-and
one young officer took off his hat to
me! oh, Father Beret, 1t was like
what is in novel. They'll get the fort,
but not the banner, not the banner!
I've saved 1t, I've saved it!''
Her enthusiasm gave splendor to
her countenance, frightening its riches
Of color and somehow adding to its
natural girlish expression an audacious
sweetness. The triumphant success Of
her undertaking lent the dignity Of
conscious power to her look, dignity
which always sits well upon n young
and somewhat immaturely beautiful
face.
Father Beret could not resist her fer
yid eloquence, and he could not run
away from her or stop up his ears
while she went on. So he had to laugh
when she said
ooh. If you had seen it all you would
have enjoyed it, There was Oncle ia
xon sQuatting behind the little swivel,
and there were Captain Helm and Lieu
tenant Beverley holding their burning
sticks over the big cannon ready to
shoot, all of them so intent that they
didn't see me, and yonder came the
English officer and his army against
the three. When they got close to the
gate the officer cried out, Surrender!
and then Captain Helm yelled back:
Blessed If I do! Come another step
and I'll blow you all to hades In sec
! ondv I was nightly in hopes that
| they'd come on. wanted to see q
cannon ball hit that English command
er right in the face, he looked so AFRO
CANT
Father Beret shook his head and
tried to look disappearing and solemn.
Meantime down at the fort Hamilton
was demanding the flag. He had seen
Alice take 1t down and supposed that
1t was lowered officially and would be
turned over to him. Now he wanted
to handle it as the best token Of his
bloodless but important victory.
!, IT didn't order the flag down until
after had accepted your terms said
Helm, land when my man started to
obey we saw young lady snatch 1t
and run away with il"
'.Who was the glrl!"
81 do not inform on women" said
Helm.
Hamilton smiled grimly, with
vexed look in his eyes, then turned to
Captain Farnsworth and ordered him
to bring up NJ. Roussillon, who when
he appeared still had his hands tied to-
| gether.
.Tell me the name Of the young wo-
man who carried away the flag from
| the fort You saw her: you know ev-
cry soul in this town. Who was 1t.
sir?"
! 1t was hard question for NJ. Rous-
sillon to answer Although his humili-
ating captivity had somewhat cowed
him, still his love for Alice made 1t I'M
possible for him to give the informa-
/ ton demanded by Hamilton. He chok-
ed and stammered, but finally man
aged to say:
Il assure you that don't know-I
didn't look-I didn't sect was too
! far of for me to-I was somewhat ex-
cited-I"-
'sTake him away. Keep him secure