Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1903-11-25
ALICE OF OLD
NNCFNNES
u MAURICE THOMPSON
oDyI4gAt, 1000, by tho
BOwEN. MERR1LL ConPAn
CHAPTER VII.
THE MAYORS PARTY.

he liked jolly company, q
glass OF something strong and a large
share Of ease. Detroit lay many miles
ioortheastward across the wilderness,
and the English, he thought, would
scarcely come so far to attack his little
post, especially now that most Of the
Indians in the intervening country had
declared in favor of the Americans.
Aecently, too, the weather had been
1aVorlng him by changing from wet to
dry, SO that the upper Wabash and it's
tributaries were falling low and would
ooon be very difficult to navigate with
large batteaux.
Very little was done to repair the
:stockade and dilapidated remnant Of a
blockhouse. There were no sufficient
Barracks, mere shed in one angle
serving for quarters, and the old can
non could not have been used to any
eject In case of attack. AS for the
garrison, it was nominal quantity,
made up mostly of men who preferred
hunting and fishing to the merest pre-
aense Of military duty.
Gaspard Roussillon assumed to know
everything about Indian affairs and
1he condition Of the English at Detroit.
'Hts optimistic eloQuence lulIed Helm
10 very pleasant sense of security.
N43everley was not so easy to satisfy,
hut his suggestions regarding military
htscipline and vigorous prosecution
~ repairs to the blockhouse and stock
@de were treated with dilatory geniali-
~ by his superior officer. The soft
wonder Of perfect Indian summer
Gaorided land, river and sky. Why not
dream and bask? Why not drink ex-
aaiarating toddies?
Meantime the entertainment to be
given by Gaspard Roussillon occupied
averyb0dy's Imagination to an unusual
extent Rene de Ronville, remember
ing but not needing the doubtful sue
cess of his former attempt, went long
beforehand to claim Alice as his
partenaire, but she fatty refused him,
once more reminding him Of his Obliga-
taons to little Adrienne Bourcier. He
would not be convinced.
- you are bound to me-" he said. "You
promised before, you know, and the
party was but put off. hold you to it.
You are my partenaire and am yours;
you can't deny that"
~ NO, you are not my partenaire," she
4rmly said, then added lightly, "Feu
mon partenaire, you are dead and
buried as my partner at that dance"
II -He glowered in silence for few mo-
mehts, then said:
1T is Lieutenant Beverley, l sup
poser"
She gave him a quick, contemptuous
look, but turned it instantly into one
ef her tantalizing smiles
do you imagine that?" she demand
I'd.
Imagine it! l know it, he said
with hot flush. "Have no sense?'
Precious little," she replied with a
merry laugh.
"You think So"
"Go to Father Beret, tell him every
thing, and then ask him what he
thinks she said in Il calm, even tone,
her face growing serious.
There was an awkward silence.
She had touched Rene's vulnerable.
spot. He was nothing if not devout
Catholic, and his conscience rooted it.
self in what good Father Beret had
taught him.
Father Beret was the humble, self
efacing, never firing agent of good in
his community. He preached in a ten
der singsong voice the sweet monot-
DnieS Of his creed and the sublime
truths Of Christ's code. He was in
deed the spiritual father Of his people.
No wonder Rene's scowling expression
changed to one Of abject self concern
when the priests name was suddenly
connected with his mood. The confess
sional doomed up before the eyes of his
conscience and his knees smote togeth-
r.. spiritually if not physically.
''Now," said Alice brusquely, but with
sweet and gentle firmness, ''go to your
aancee, go to pretty and good Adrienne,
ind ask her to be your partenaire.
Refresh your conscience with a noble
draft of duty and make that dear
1ttle girl overflow with joy. Go, Rene
he RonviNe"
Rene felt his soul covering, even
sinking. but he fairly maintained a
good face, and went away without say
ing another word.
"'Ciel. ciel, how beautiful she isv' he
thought, as he walked along the mar
row street in the dreamy sunshine.
But she ia not for me, not for me-"
he shook himself and tried to be
cheerful. In fact he hummed a creole
aftty. something about LA belle jean
1&te, gu -brise mon cour."
Days passed. and at last the time Of
the great event arrived. It. was q
frosty night, clear, sparkling with
stars, keen breath cutting down from
the northwest. NJ. ROussillon, Nine
koussill0n, Alice and Lieutenant Bever-
ley went together to the river house,
whittier they had been preceded by al
most the entire population of Vim.
cennes. Some fires had been built out.
side, the crowd proving too great fol-
the buildings capacity, as there had ia
be ample space for the dancers. Merry