Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1903-11-27

that and by your prayer in English as
well as by your locket that you are of
good old family"
| Like most southerners, he had strong
faith in genealogy, and he held at his
tongues tip the names of all the old
! families. The Carriers, the Bla1rs, the
Fitzhughs, the Hansons, the Ran
dolphs, the Lees, the Ludwells, the
Joneses, the Beverleys, the Tarletons--
a whole catalogue of them stretched
back in his memory. He knew the
coat Of arms displayed by each house.
He could repeat their legends.
II wish you could tell me more" he
went on. Cant you recollect any
thing further about your early child
hood, your first impressions-the house.
the woman who taught you to pray
the old black nanny? Any little thing
might be Of priceless value as evil
dence."
"There is absolutely nothing more to
tell" she said. "All my life l have
tried to remember more, but it's i'm
possible; l can't get any further back
or call up another thing. There's no
use trying. It's all like dream; prob
ably it is one. l do have such dreams
In my sleep l can lift myself into the
air just as easy and fly back to the
same big white house that l seem to
remember When you told me about
your home it was like something that l
had often seen before. l shall be
dreaming about it next"
every possible point of view. He was
fascinated with the mystery, but she
gave him nothing out of which the
least further light could be drawn. A
half breed woman, it seemed, had been
! her Indian foster mother, silent,
| grave, watchful guardian from whom
not a hint of disclosure ever fell She
was moreover a Christian woman who
had received her conversion from an
English speaking Protestant mission
airy. She prayed with Alice, thus keep
ing in the childs mind perfect men,
DRY of the Lords prayer.
WELL" said Beverley at last, "you
are more of a mystery to me the Ion
! ger know you"
Then l must grow every day more
distasteful to you
| mo; l love mystery"
! He went away feeling a new web of
interest binding him to this inscrutable
maiden whose life seemed to him at
once so full of idyllic happiness and so
enshrouded in tantalizing doubt. At
the first opportunity he frankly ques
toned NJ. Roussillon, with no helpful
result. The big Frenchman told the
same meager story. The woman was
dying in the time of great epidemic
gave Alice to NJ. Roussillon, but told
him not word about her ancestry or
previous life. That was all.
A wise old man when he finds him
self in blind alley no sooner touches
the terminal wall than he faces about
and goes back the way he came. I'm
der like circumstances a young man
must needs try to batter the wall down
with his head. In Beverley's case the
clash was profoundly disturbing. And
now he clutched the thought that Alice
was not mere child of the woods, but
daughter of an old family of cavaliers!
With coat buttoned close against the
driving wind he strobe toward the fort
in one of those melodramatic moods
to which youth in all climes and times
is subject 1t was like slap in the
face when Captain Helm met him at
the stOckade gate and said
well, sir, you are good at hiding"
Hiding, What do you mean, Cap
tain Heinz" he demanded, not in the
mildest tone.
Il mean. sir, that I've been hunting
for you for an hour and more over the
whole of this town. The English and
Indians are upon us, and there's no
time for fooling. Where are all the
men|
Beverley comprehended the situation
in a second Helms face was longest
ed with excitement. Some scouts had
come in with the news that Governor
Hamilton, at the head of 800 or 600
soldiers and Indians, was only three or
four miles up the river.
where are all the menW Helm re-
peated.
Buffalo hunting, most of Them" said
, beverley.
What in thunder are they Off hunt
, ing buffaloes for?" ragged the excited
captain.
/ you might go to thunder and see,"
Beverley said, and they both laughed
in sheer masculine contempt Of a pre-
dicament too grave for anything but
grim mirth.
What could they do? Even Onele ia.
zon and Rene de Ronville were off with
the hunters. Helm sent for NJ. Rous-
sillon in the desperate hope that he
could suggest something, but he lost
his head and hustled off 10 hide his
money and valuables. Indeed the
French people all felt that, so far as
they were concerned, the chief thing
was to save what they had. They well
In hos