Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-02-10
ALICE OF OLD
V|NCENNES
b MAURICE THOMPSON
0npyT4xAt 100, by the
BoWN.M1RRIIx. CoNPAXY
b MAURICE THOMPSON
CHAPTER XIV.
VIRTUE IN A LOCKET.


II the information that he was to
run the gantlet. The prepare
tons We're simple and quickly made.
Each man armed himself with a stick
three feet long and about three-quar-
tiers Of an inch in diameter. Rough
weapons they were, cut from boughs Of
scrub oak, knotty and tough as horn.
Long Hair unbound his body down to
the waist. Then the lines formed, the
Indians in each row standing about as
far apart as the width of the space in
which the prisoner was to run. This
arrangement gave them free use Of
their sticks and plenty Of room for full
swing Of their 1.-THE bodies.
In removing Beverley's clothes Long
Hair found Alice's locket hanging over
the young mans heart. He tore it
rudely of and grunted, glazing vicious
~ first at 1t, then at Beverley. He
seemed to be nightly wrought upon.
"White man thief!' he growled deep
in his throat. ''Stole from little girl!''
He put the locket in his pouch and
resumed his stupidity Indifferent expires.
sion.
When everything was ready for the
delightful entertainment to begin Long
Hair waved his tomahawk three times
| over Beverley's head and, pointing
down between the waiting lines. said:
ugh. rum
But Beverley did not bulge He was
standing erect, with his arms, deeply
creased where the thongs had sunk,
folded across his breast. A rush Of
thoughts and feelings had taken to-
| multuous possession Of him. and he
could not move or decide what to do. A
mad desire to escape arose in his heart
the moment that he saw Long Hair
take the locket. 1t was as if Alice had
cried to him and hidden him make a
dash for liberty.
ugh, run!'
The order was accompanied with a
push of such violence from Long Hairs
left elbow that Beverley plunged and
FELL for his limbs, after their long and
painful confinement in the rawhide
bonds, were stiff and almost useless.
Long Hair In no gentle voice babe him
get up. The shock Of falling seemed to
awaken his dormant forces: a sudden
resolve leaped into his BRAIN He saw
that the Indians had put aside their
bows and guns. most Of which were
leaning against the boles of trees here
and yonder. What if he could knock
Long Hair down and run away? This
might possibly be easy, considering the
indians broken arm. His heart jump
ed at the possibility. But the shrew,,
ssvage was alert and saw the thought
come into his face.
you try git way, kill deadv' he
Snarled, lifting his tomahawk ready
for stroke. brains QUIZ
Beverley glanced down the waiting
and eager lines. Swiftly he speculated,
wondering what would be his chance
for escape were he to break through
But he did not take his own condition
Into account.
ugh, rum
Again the. elbow of Long Hairs hurt
arm pushed him toward the expectant
rows Of Indians, who fourished their
clubs and uttered impatient grunts.
Beverley made direct dash for the
narrow lane between the braced and
watchful lines Every warrior lifted
his club. Every copper face cleaned
steadily, a mask behind which burned
strangely atrocious spirit. The two
savages standing at the end nearest
Beverley struck at him the instant ne
reached them, but they were taken
quite by surprise when be checked him
self between them and, leaping this
way and that, swung out two powerful
blows, left and right, stretching one Of
them fat and sending the other Keeling
and staggering half a dozen PAGES
backward with the blood streaming
from his nose. S.3,s i 81 II ii 5.ss
This done. Beverley turned to- run
away. but his breath was already short
and his strength rapidly going.
Long Flair. who Was at his heels,
leaped before him when 10 had sons
hut q few steps zand 60 moto dons.