The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-11-07
CHAPTER III.

SO 10 ANNhAAa oGNAAAth W
cate. 1t was all about a small
dame Jeanne of fine brandy which an
Indian of the name Of Long Hair had
seized and run Off with at the height Of
the carousal. He must have been so
berer than his pursuers or naturally
heeter, for not one Of them could catch
him or even keep long I'm sight OF him
Some pistols were emptied while the
race was on, and two or three of the
men swore roundly to having seen Long
Hair jump sidewise and stagger, as II
one Of the shots had taken effect. But,
although the moon was shining. he
some way disappeared, they could not
understand Just how, far down beside
the river below the fort and the church.
II was not an uncommon thing for an
Indian to steal what he wanted, and In
most cases light punishment followed
conviction. but Il was felt to be a cap
ital offense for an Indian or anybody
else to rape a demijohn Of fine brandy,
especially one sent as a present by a
friend In New Orleans 70 Lieutenant
Governor Abbott, who had until re-
Gently been the commandant of the
post. Every man at the river house
recognized and resented the enornity
OF Long Hairs crime. and each was for
the moment ready to be his judge and
his executioner. He bad broken at
once every rule Of frontier etiquette and
every bond OF sympathy. Nor was
Long Hair ignorant of the danger In
volved In his daring enterprise. He
had beforehand carefully and stolidly
weighed the conditions, and true TO his
Indian nature had concluded that lit
tie wicker covered bottle Of brandy
was well worth the risk OF his life. SO
he had put himself in condition for
great race by slipping out and getting
nd OF his weapons and all surplus
weight OF clothes.
This Incident brought the drinking
bout at the river house TO a sudden
end, but nothing further came OF Il
that night and no record OF 1t would be
found In these pages but for the fact
that Long Hair afterward became an
important character In the stirring
historical drama which had old Vim
cennes for it's center OF energy.
Rene de Ronville probably felt him.
self I'm bad luck when he arrived at the
river house just too late to share in
the liquor or 10 join in chasing the
bold thief. He listened with interest,
however, to the story of Long Hairs
capture OF the commandant's demijohr
and could not refrain from saying thai
II he had been present there would
have been a quite different result.
II would have shot him before h
got 10 that door, he said, drawing hi
heavy fiIntlock pistol and goinl
through the motions OF one aiming
quickly and firing. Indeed, so vigor
ously in earnest was he with the pan
tomime that ne actually did fire, unin
tentionallysOf course, the ball buryin
Itself In the doorjamb.
He was laughed at by those prcsen
for being more excited than they VIII,
witnessed the whole thing. One ol
them. leathery faced and grizzled olc
sinner, leered at him contemptuously
aud said I'm queer French, with a
curious accent caught from long use
OF backwoods English:
'Tisten how the boy brags! Y6
might think TO hear Rene talk that
he actually amounted 10 a big Pile"
This peFsOnnge was known 10 every
soul in Vincennes as oncle Jazon, and
when Oncle JazOn spoke the whole
town felt bound 10 listen.
"An' how well he -shOOts. too" he
added. with an intolerable wink.
"Almed at the door and hit the post
Certainly Long Hair would have bee
IN great danger! on, yes, he'd ave
killed LOng Hair at the first shot
wouldn't he thoughP
"All right. Oncle Jazon," said Rene
laughing and blowing the smoke Oui
OF his pistol. Twas you, all the same,
who let Long Hair trot on with the
governors brandy; not /. II you coula
have hit even a dOorpOst II might have
been better"
Oncle Jazon took OF his cap and
looked down into Il In a way he had
when about to say something hnal
"Ventrebleul l did not shoot at Long
Hair at all" he said. speaking slowly
'beeause the scoundrel was unarmed.
He didn't have on even a knife, and ne
was havIn' enough to do dOdgin' the
bullets that the rest OF 'em were
plumpin' at i'm without any comph-
ments from me to bother I'm more"
We'll" Rene replied, turning away
with laugh, n I'D been scalped BY
the Indians as you have | don't think
there would be- any particular reason
why should wait for an Indian thief
10 go aud arm himself before 4 ae'
eepted him as a target"
Onele Jazon lifted q hand inTOluntar-
uy and rubbed his scalpless crown;
then he ehuekled with a gr0tesque
Rrimace a. II the recollection OF haY-
ing his head skinned were the funniest
thing imaginable.
when you've killed as many Of 'en
a. Oncle Jaz0n has," remarked by-
stander 20 Rene. 'you'n not be 20
hnnEry for blood. maT0e."