Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-12-16
! ALICE OF OLD
WNCENNES
} BY MAURICE THOMPSON
Copyright, 1900 by tho
BoWu.MERRrIL ConPAn
CONTINUED

W Hen 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
fiat bottom" lands southwark Of the
stockade. She kept on until she reach
ed point opposite Father Beret's hut,
| to which she then ran. the flag stream
i ing bravely behind her in the wind.
her heart beating time to her steps.
1t was plainly a great surprise to Fa-
Their Beret, who looked up from his
, prayer when she rushed in, making a
: startling clatter. the loose puncheons
shaking together under her reckless
feet.
"Oh. father, here it is! Hide, it; hide
1t, quickv'
She thrust the flag toward him.
"They shall not have it! They shall
| never have it'
He opened wide his shrewd, kindly
eyes, but did not fairly comprehend her
meaning.
| She was painting, half laughing. half
crying. Her hair, wildly disheveled,
hung in glorious masses over her shout
ders. Her face beamed triumphantly.
'They are taking the fort" she breath.
lessly added, again urging the flag upon
him. They're going in. but l got this
and ran away with it. Hide it, father;
hide 1t, quick, quick. before they comet"
The daring light in her eyes, the
witching play of her dimples, the mad
cap air intensified by her attitude and
j 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 danger
BUS charm.
/ Mon Dieu, Father Beret!" she ex-
claimed, with Impotence. Haven't
you grain of sense left? Take this
dag and hide it, 1 tell you! Don't stay
there gazing and blinking. Here, quick:
They saw me 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 a gentle
push.
Hide it, tell you; hide it, you dear
I'D goose!"
Without speaking he turned the staff
over and over in his hand until the
flag was closely wrapped around it:
then, STOPPING, he lifted a puncheon and
with it covered the gay roll from sight.
Alice caught him in her arms and
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 flag of George Wash
lngton."
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. l waved
the flag at them-at the English-and
one young officer took off his hat to
me! Oh, Father Beret, it was like
what is in a novel. They'll get the fort,
but not the banner, not the banner!
I've saved it, I've saved it!'
Her enthusiasm gave splendor to
her countenance, heightening its riches
Of color and somehow adding to it's
natural girlish expression an audacious
sweetness. The triumphant success of
her undertaking lent the dignity Of
conscious powS' to her look, dignity
which always sits we'll upon a young
and somewhat immaturely beautiful
face.
Father Beret could not resist her fer
vid 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: ,a
"Oh: if you had seen it all you would
have enjoyed It. There was Oncle ia
ION squatting behind the little swivel.
and there were Captain Helm and Lieu
tenant Beverley holding their burning