Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-01-30

Ms WIZ NhVAn hN AAuN AAbN 9tN nNIhs
He gathered the two girls In his
mighty arms, tousling them with rough
tenderness. Alice returned his affec
tionate embrace and told him where to
find Nine Roussillon, who was with
Dame Godere, probably at her house.
Nobody killed." he said, i'm answer
to Alice's inquiry about the catastrO-
phe at the fort. "Some of 'em hurt and
burnt little. Great big scare about
nearly nothing. Ziffl my children, you
should have seen me quiet things. l
put out my hands this way-cOmme ca
-poufl 1t was all over. The people
went home"
His gestures indicated that he had
borne back an army with open hands.
Then he chuclled Adrienne under the
chin with his finger and added in his
softest voice:
81 saw somebody's lover the other
day over yonder in the Indian village.
He spoke to me about somcbody-eh,
ma petite, que voulez-vous direp
"Oh, Papa Rousslllon, we were JUST
talking about Renew cried Alice.
"Have you seen himW
IL saw you, you little mink, jumping
into a mans arms right under the eyes
of whole garrison! Bah! could not
believe it was my little Alicew
He let 20 a grand guffaw which
seemed to shake the cabins walls. Al
ice blushed cherry red. Adrienne, too
bashful TO inquire about Rene, was
trembling with anxiety. The truth
was not in Gaspard Rousslllon just
then, or II 1t was It stayed in him, for
he had not seen Rene de Ronville. 1t
was his generous desire to please and
to appear opulent Of knowledge and
sympathy that made him speak. He
knew what would please Adrenne, 80
why not give her ut least delicious
foretastc? Surely, when Il thing was
so cheap one need not be so parsimoni-
ous as TO withhold n mere anticipation.
He was off before the girls could press
him into details, for indeed he had
none.
There, now, what did ( tell your"
cried Alice when the big man was gone
IL told you Rene would come. They
always come back"
Father Beret came in a little later.
AS soon as he saw Alice he frowned
and began to shake his head, but she
only laughed and, initiating his hypo-
critical scowl, yet frlnging 1t with
twinkle of merry lines and dimpes,
pointed a taper finger at him and ex-
claimed:
"You bad, bad mani Why did you
pretend to me that Lieutenant Bever-
ley was dead? What sinister eccleslas-
tical motive prompted you to describe
how Long Hair scalped him? All, IA
ther"-
The priest laid broad hand over her
saucy mouth.
Something or other seems TO have
excited you nightly, ma file. You
are a trifle impulsively inclined today"
ayes, Father Beret yes, know, and
am ashamed. My heart shrinks when
think of what / did. But l was so
glad, such a grand JOY came all over
me when I saw him 80 strong and
brave and beautiful coming toward me,
smiling that warm, glad smile and
holding out his arms-ah, when / saw
all that-when knew for sure that he
was not dead, /, why, father-I Just
had to. 1 couldn't help It,"
Father Beret laughed in spite OF him
self, but quickly managed TO resume
his severe countenance.
"Ta, tar he exclaimed. at was a
bold thing for a little girl to do"
$50 It was, so It was. But 1t was also
a bold thing for him TO do-to come
back after he was dead and scalped
and look so handsome and grand! I'm
ashamed and sorry, father, but - but
I'm afraid l might do II again lf-well,
don't care II didl SO there, noww
"But what in the world are you talk
ing abOutT interposed Adrienne. Evil
IDENTITY they were discussing a most in
teresting matter of which she knew
nothing and that did not suit her fem
mime curiosity "Tell me-" She pulled
Father Berets sleeve. "Tell me. I
Bayp
II is probable that Father Beret
would have pretended to betray Alice's
source OF mingled delight and embar.
rassment had not the rest OF the Bour-
cier household returned in time TO
break up the conversation. A little
later Alice gave Adrienne vividly
dramatic account of the whole scene.
"Ah, mon Dieuw exclaimed the pc
tite brunette after she had heard the
exciting stoly "That was just like
you, Alice. You always do superb
things. You were born to do them.
You shoot Captain Farnsworth. you
wound Lieutenant Barlow, You climb
on to the fort and set up your dag; you
take II down again aud run away with
II, you get shot and you do not die, you
kiss your lover right before whole
garrison! Bon Dieul II / could but do
all those thingsl She clasped her tiny
hands before her and added rather de
Jectedly:
But couldn't, couldn't / couldn't
kiss a man In that wayw