Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1903-12-31
CONTINUED

from his own mouth. 70 undcrstrapper
will be recognized by me-"
That ended the conference. The
young officer. evidently indignant.
strobe back to his line. and an hour
later Hamilton himself demanded the
unconditional surrender of the fort and
garrison.
Flight for it," Helm stormed forth
We are soldiers"
Hamilton held Il confab with his of
fcers. while his forces. under cover of
the town cabins. We're deploying so
as to form Il half circle about the stock
ade. Some artillery appeared and was
planted directly opposite the gate. not
three hundred yards distant. One blast
Of that battery would. as Helm we'll
knew. level large part of the stock
ade
"S'posn' l hev' cannon. too, seein'
it's the fashion, said Oncle Jazon. II
can't shoot much, but l might skeer
'em. This little one IL do me-
He set his rife against the wall and
with Beverley's help rolled one Of the
swivcs alongside the guns already in
position.
In few minutes Hamilton returned
under the white flag and shouted:
Upon what terms will YOU surren-
der?'
Cali the honors of war;" Helm firmly
replied. Its that or fight. and don't
care which,
Hamilton half turned away. as If
done with the parley, then facing the
fort again he said:
Every we'll, sir Haul down your
dag"
Helm was dumfounded at this
prompt acceptance of his terms. In
deed the incident is unique in history.
AS Hamilton spoke he very naturally
glanced up to where Ia bannierc dAl-
ice Roussillon waved brilliantly. Some
one stood beside it OH the dilapidated
roof of the old blockhouse and was al
ready taking it from its place. His aid,
Captain Farnsworth. saw this. and the
vision made his heart draw in Il strong.
hot flood. 1t was girl in short skirts
and moccasins. with Il fur hood on her
head, her face, thrillingly beautiful, set
around with tufts of wind blown
brown gold hair. Farnsworth was too
young to be critical and too old to let
his eyes deceive him. Every detail Of
the fine sketch. with its steel blue back
ground of sky, flashed into his mind
sharp cut as IL cameo. Involuntary he
took off his hat.
Alice had come in by way of Tie
postern. She mounted to the roof TN
observed and made her way to the
dag just at the moment whom Helm.
glad at heart to accept the easiest way
out of tight place, asked Oncle JaZon
to lower it.
Beverley was thinking of Alice. and
when he looked up he could scarcely
realize that he saw her. But the whole
situation was plain the instant she
snatched the staff from its place. for
he, too, recollected what she had said
at the river house. The memory and
the present scene blended perfectly
during the aeeting instant that she
was visible. He saw that Alice was
smiling somewhat as in her most mis-
chievous moods, and when she jerked
the staff from its fastening she lifted
it high an(. waved it once. twice. thrice
def1antly toward the British lines, then
fed down the ragged roof slope with
it and disappeared. The vision re-
manned in Beverley's eyes forever aft
erward. The English troops. thinking
that the flag was taken down i'll token
Of surrender. broke into wild tumult
Of shouting.
Oncle Jazon intuitively understood
Just what Alice was doing. for he
knew her nature and could read her
face. His blood effervesced in an in
slant.
''Vive Zhorzh Vasinton: Vive Ia ban
mere d'Alice Roussillonw he screamed,
waving his disreputable cap round his
scalpless head. "Hurrah for George
Washington. Hurrah for Alice Rous-
sillon's fag"
It was all over soon. Helm sur
rendered himself and Beverley with
full honors. AS for Oncle Jazon, he
disappeared at the critical moment. 1t
was not just to his mind to be a pris-
oner of war, especially under existing
conditions, for Hamilton's Indian allies
had some old warpath scores to settle
with him dating back to the days
when he and Simon Kenton were COM
rades in Kentucky.
When Alice snatched the banner and
descended with it to the ground she
ran swiftly out through the postern. as
she had once before done, and sped
along under cover Of the low bluff or
swell which. terracelike, bounded the
fat ''bottom" lands southwark Of the
stockade. She kept on until she reach
ed point opposite Father Berets hut,
to which she then ran. the flag stream
ing bravely behind her in the wind.
her heart beating time to her steps.
It was plainly great surprise to Fa-
tier Beret, who looked up from his
prayer when she rushed in. making q
startling CHATTER. the loose puncheons
Ahaking togsther under her reckless
ut
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