Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-11-04

AiUA
lou avez-vous? What's the matter?"
the old man demanded with quick sym
pathy .Hev they hit We? Lieutenant.
air We hurt much y
Beverley did not hear the old mans
words, did not feel his kindly touch.
"Alice, Alicev' he murmured. Dead,
dead!"
"Ya-as,' drawled Oncle Jazon. II
hearn about it soon as got inter town.
It's sorry thing. mighty sorry thing.
But mebby / wont do little somepin'
to that
Beverley Strengthened himself and
lifted his gun, forgetting that he had
not reloaded 1T since firing last. He
leveled it at the fort and touched the
trigger. simultaneously with his
movement an cmbrasure opened and d
cannon flashed. its roar fanlled on Ell
Their side by cracking of British mus
kets. Some bullets struck the fence
and flung splinters into Oncle Jazon's
face A cannon ball knocked ridge
pole from the roof of house hard by
and sent 1t whirling through the air.
"Ventrebleu-et apres? What next?
Better knock feller's eyes out!' the
old man cried. Il amt a-doin' nothin'
to yer
He capered around rubbing his
leathery face after the manner Of a
scalded monkey. Beverley was struck
in the breast by flattened and spent
ball that glanced from fence picket.
The shock caused him to stagger and
drop his gun. but he quickly picked it
up and turned to his companion.
Are you hurt, Oncle Jazon9" he in
qulred. Are you hurt7"
Not bit; jes' skeert mos into a
duck fit Thought cannon bali had
knocked my whole dang face down
my throat! Nothin' but handful O.
splinters in my poorly count'nance,
maxim my head feel like poro'pine.
But l sort o thought heard somepin'
give you a diff"
Something did hit me-" said Bever-
ley. laying hand on his breast, but
don't think it was bullet. They
seem to be getting our range at last.
I'll l1ts iuCu W hCSp NCli uIipSts SONGAs
They must not expose themselves until
we are ready to charge"
The shock had brought him back to
his duty as leader of his little COM
pany, and with the funeral bell of all
his life's happiness tolling in his ago
nized heart he turned afresh to direct
ing the fire upon the blockhouse.
About this time runner came from
Clark with an order to cease firing and
let a returning party of British scouts
under Captain Lamothe re-enter the
fort unharmed A strange order 1t
seemed to both officers and men, but.
1t was implicitly obeyed. Clark's genius
here made another fine strategic flash.
He knew that unless he let the scouts
go back into the stockade they would
escape by running away, and might
possibly organize an army Of Indians
with which to succor Hamilton. But
il they were permitted to go inside
they could be captured with the rest
Of the garrison. Hence his order.
A few minutes passed in dead 81
lence Then Captuin Lamothe and his
party marched close by where Bever-
ley's squad was lying concealed. 1t
was difficult task to restrain the Gre
oles, for some Of them hated Lamothe.
Oncle Jazon sQuirmed like snake
while they filed past all unaware that
an enemy lurked SO near. When they
reached the fort, ladders were put
down for them and they began to
Chamber over the wall. crowding and
pushing one another in wild haste
Oncle Jazon could hold in no longer.
"Ya! va! Yav' he yelled. Look
out! The ladder is afallin' wi .ye!"
Then all the lurking crowd shouted
as one man, and. sure enough. down
came ladder-men and all in crash
ing heap.
"silence! silence!" Beverley COM
manded, but he could not check the
wild jeering and laughing, while the
bruised and frightened scouts hastily
erected their ladder again, fairly tum-
bling over one another in their haste
to ascend, and so cleared the wall, fall
| ing into the stockade to Join the gar
rison.
"ventrebleu!" shrieked Oncle Jazon.
''rhey've gone to bed. but we'll wake
'em up at the crack O day an give
'em breakfas' o. hot lead!
Now the fighting was resumed with
redoubled spirit and noise, and when
morning came, affording sufficient light
to bring out the bead sights on the
kentucky rifles. the matchless marks
men in Clark's band forced the British
to close the embrasures and entirely
cease trying to use their cannon, but
the fight with small arms went merrily
on until the middle Of the forenoon.
Meantime Gaspard Roussillon had
tied Francis Maisonville's hands fast
and hard with the strap Of his bullet
pouch.
Now, I'll scalp you" he said in a
rumbling tone terrible to hear. And
with his words out came his hunting
knife from its sheath.
"Oh, have mercy, my dear NJ. Rous-
sillonw cried the painting captive.
"Have mercy"
Mercy! Yes, like your cofonel's;
4 that's what you'll get. You stand by
that forban, that scelerat, that bandit.
and help him. oh. yes, you'll get mer-
cy! Yes, the same mercy that he
showed to my poor little Alice! Your
scalp, monsieur, If you please. A small
matter; 1t won't hurt muehP