Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-12-15


preached with sturdy steps, led by a
tall, erect, ruddy faced young officer.
CHAPTER TX.
THE HoNoRs OF WAR.
| - ASPARD ROUSSILLON was
thoroughly acquainted with
savage warfare, and he knew
all the pacific means so sue
cessfully and so long used by French
missionaries and traders to control saw
age character, but the emergency now
upon him was startling. 1t confused
him. The fact that he had taken sol
emn oath of allegiance to the American
government could have been pushed
aside lightly enough upon pressing Oc
| casion, but he knew that certain conf
dental agents left in Vincennes by
| Governor Abbott had, upon the arrival
| of Helm, gone to Detroit, and OF course
| they had carried thither Il full report
| of all that happened in the Church OF
| st. Xavier when Father Gibault call
ed the people together, and at the fort
when the British flag was hauled down
and la banniere d. Alice Roussillon run
up in its place. His expansive imagina'
ton did full credit to itself in eXagger
ating the Importance of his part in
handing the post over to the re ie's.
And what would Hamilton think OF
this? Would he consider 1t treason:
The question certainly bore tragic
suggestion.
VI. Roussillon lacked everything OF
being a coward, and treachery had nc
rightful place in his nature. He was.
however, so in the habit Of fighting
wndmills and making mountains oi
molehills that he could not at first
glance see any sudden presen;mcnl
with Il normal vision. He had 10 love
| for Englishmen, and he did like Amer
leans. but he naturally thought that
Helms talk Of fighting Hamilton was,
as his own would have been in like
case, talk and nothing more. The fort
could not hold out an hour. he well
| knew Then what? All, lie but too
well realized the result.
Resistance would inhame the English
| soldiers and madden the Indians. There
would be q massacre, and the belts OF
savages would sag with bloody scalps.
| He shrugged his shoulders and felt a
chill creep up his back.
The first thing NJ Roussillon did was
| to see Father Beret and take counsel OF
| him: then he hurried home to dig Il
great pit under his kitchen floor in
which he buried many bales of fur and
all his most valuable things. He work
ed like a giant beaver all night long.
Meantime Father Beret went about
over the town quietly notifying the in
habitants to remain in their houses un-
til after the fort should surrender.
which, he was sure, would happen the
next day.
"You will be perfectly safe, my chill
dren," he said to them. mo harm can
come to you If you follow my direc-
tiOns."
Relying implicitly upon him, they
scrupulously obeyed In every particu'
lar.
He did not think It necessary to cali
at Roussillon place, having already
given NJ. Roussillon the best advice hs
could command.
Just at the earliest break Of day,
while yet the gloom Of night scarcely
felt the suns approach. Il huge figure
made haste along the narrow streets IN
the northern part of the town. If any
person had been looking out through
the little holes called windows in those
silent and rayleA huts it would have
been easy to recognize NJ. Roussillon by
his stature and his gait, dlmly outlined
as he was. \ thought which seemed Il
him an inspiration Of genius had takel
possession of him and was leading him
as if by the nose straight away to Ham
| ilton'. Ines. He was freighted with ell
Oquence for the ear Of that commander
and as he strobe along facing the crisI
morning air he was rehearsing under
his breath, emphasizing his periods IN
tragic whispers with sweeping gestures
and liberal facial cOntortiOns. So alb
sorbed was he in his Oratorical sOlilo
guy that he forgot due military precau
ton and ran plump into the face of q
savage picket guard, who. without re-
spect for the great NJ. ROussillon's dig
nifty, sprang up before him, grunted
enormously, fiourished tomahaws
and spoke in excellent and exceedingly
cultural Indian:
"Wah, surrender"
1t is probable that no man ever com
piled with a modest request in a more
docile spirit than did NJ. Roussilloi
upon that occasion. In fact. his
promptness must have been admirable
for the savage grunted approval and
straightway conducted him to Hamil
tons headquarters on batteau in tht
river.
The British commander, hale maj
of sandy complexion and probably un
der middle age, was in no very pleas
ant humOr. Some of his orders hat
been misunderstood by the chief of his
Indian allies, so that premature ex
posure of his approach had been made
to the enemy.
"Well, sir, who are you?" he gruffi!
demanded when NJ. Roussillon loomet
before him.
81 am Gaspard ROussillon, the mayor
of Vincennes," was the lofty reply. 81
have come to announce to you officially
that my people greet you loyalty ant
that my town is freely at your com
mand." He felt as important as If hi
statements had been true.
"Humph! That's 1t, is It? Well
Mr.. Mayor, you have my congratula
tions, but l should prefer seeing TIN