Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-05-19

to where Alice and Beverley stood in
sulated and isolated by their great de
| light in each others company, cit:
time to go home"
Beverley looked at his watch. 1t wa:
q quarter to three!
Alice also looked at the watch, and
saw engraved and enameled on its mas
sive case the Beverley crest, but she
| did not know what it meant. There
was something of the sort in the back
of her locket, she remembered with sat
| isfaction.
Just then there was peculiar stir il
| the tagging crowd. Some one had ar
| rived, coureur de boiS from the north
| Where was the commandant? The
| coureur had something important fol
| him.
Beverley heard remark in startled
| voice about the English getting ready
for q descent upon the Wabash valley
| This broke the charm which thralled
| him and sent through his nerves the
bracing shock that only soldier can
feel when Il hint of coming battle
reaches him,
Alice saw the flash In his face.
where is Captain Helm? l must
see him Immediately. Excuse me-" he
said, abruptly turning away and look
ing over the heads of the people. "Yon-
der he is; l must go to him."
The coureur de bois, Adolphe Dutrem-
Bile by name, was just from the head
waters of the Wabash. He was speak
ing to Helm when Beverley came up.
NJ. RoUssillon followed close upon the
lieutenant's heels, as eager as lie to
know what the message amounted to;
but Helm took the coureur aside, mo-
tioning Beverley to join them. NJ.
Roussillon included himself in the CON
ference.
After all it was but the gossip Of
savages that Dutremble communicate
ed, still the purport was startling In
the extreme. Governor Hamilton, 50
the story ran. had been organizing a
large force. He was probably now on
his way to the portage of the Wabash
with flotilla of batteaux, some COM
panies of disciplined soldiers. artillery
and a strong body of Indians
Helm listened attentively to Dutrem-
ble's lively sketch, then cross ques-
toned him with laconic directness.
"Send Mr.. Jazon to me-" he said TO
NJ. Roussillon, as if speaking to serv-
ant
The master Frenchman went prompt
ly, recognizing Captain Helms right to
command, and sympathizing with his
unpleasant military predicament if the
news should prove true.
Oncle JaZon came in minute, his
fiddle and bow clamped under his arm,
to receive verbal commission, which
sent him with some scouts of his own
choosing forthwith to the Wabash port
age, or far enough to ascertain what
the English commander was doing.
After the conference Beverley made
haste 10 join Alice. but he found that
she had gone home.
"a fix We'll be in If Hamilton
comes down here with good force"
said Helm. Beverley was young, ell
ergetic. bellicose, and to him every
thing seemed possible; he believed in
vigilance, discipline, activity, dash; he
thusiasm.
"We must organize these French
men," he said "They will make good
fola.-a-s.;s
as, body. There's no time to be lost,
but we have time enough in which to
do great deal before Hamilton can
arrive, II we go at it In earnest"
fhanry lianfCn.
ant, but the practice of IL won't be
worth much," Helm replied with per-
feet good nature. I'D like to see you
organize these parlyvoos. There amt
dozen of 'em that wouldn't accept
the English with open arms. I know
'em. They're good hearted. polite and
all that: they'ii hurrah for the
Aag-that's easy enough-bus put 'em
to the test and they'll join in with the
strongest side; see if they don't. pf
course there are z few exceptions,
There's Jazon, he's all right, and l
pave faith in HoSseF0n. and Legrace,
andSyeuna Ronville."
"Roussillon"- Beverley began.
Us much of blowhard," Helm lntere
rupted, with laugh 4iarks loud, but
his biting 4!isslpoaition h probably not
vi:cA3as.
''He and Father Beret control the
whole population at all events" said
Beverley.
"Yess aud such peputattonw
While joining In Captain Helms
laugh at the expense of Vincennes,
Beverley took leave to indulge in u
mental reservation In favor ef Alice.
His heart was full ef her. She had
sniP y @:s'sd iss IRE and filled it as
WIN wonderful, haunting song. Ana
yet, in his pride-and it was not raise
pride. but rather noble regard for hls
birthright-he vaguely realized how rar
she was from him, how impossible.