Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-01-07


Permit ME to go myself and get
It," said Alice. II can do It quickly.
May l. please, MONSIEUR
Hamilton looked sharply at her.
"Why, certainly, mademoiselle. cor
tainly. Captain Farnsworth. you will
| escort the young lady"
ut is not necessary, monsieur"
"Oh. yes. it is necessary. my dear
young lady, very necessary; SO let's
not have further words. III try to
entertain his honor. the mayor. while
you go and get the flag. feel sure.
mademoisclle. that you'll return with
1t in few minutes But you must
not go alone"
| Alice set forth Immediately. and
Farnsworth. try as hard as he would,
could never reach her side so swift
was her gait.
When they arrived at Father Beret's
! cabin, she turned and said with i'm
perious severity:
Don't you come in. You stay out
here. CPL get it in a minute"
Farnsworth obeyed her command.
The door was wide open, but Father
Beret was not inside; he had gone to
see sick child in the outskirts Of the
village. Alice looked about and hest
tated. She knew the very puncheon
that covered the flag, but she shrank
from lifting it. There seemed nothing
else to do. however; so, after some
trouble With herself, she knelt upon tho
floor and turned the heavy slab over
with great thump. The flag did not
appear. She peeped under the other
puncheons. 1t was not there. The
only thing visible was little ball of
paper fragments not larger than an
egg.
Farnsworth heard her utter low
cry of surprise or dismay. and was on
the point of going in when Father
Beret, coming around the corner of the
cabin, confronted him. The meeting
was SO sudden and unexpected that
both men recoiled slightly, and then,
with a mutual start. saluted.
Il came with young lady to get the
flag" said Farnsworth. "She is in
side. 1 hope there is 10 serious in
trusion. She says the flag is hidden
under your floor"
Father Beret said nothing, but frown-
ing as if much annoyed, stepped
through the doorway to Alice's side.
and STOPPING where she knelt. laid a
i hand OIL her shoulder as she glanced
up and recognized him.
"What are you doing, my child?"
ooh. father, where is the f1ag?' 1t
was all that she could say. "Whcrc is
the flag"
"Why. isn't it there?"
mo. you see it isn't there! Where
| is it,"
The priest stood as if dumfounded.
| gazing into the vacant space uncovered
| by the puncheon.
els it gone? Has some one taken it
away:'
They turned up all the floor to no
avail La banniere d'Alice Roussillci,
had disappeared and Captain Far
worth went forthwith to
fact to his commando
| reached the shed at I!
fort he found Cover.
ting stupid and d. ur
| One jaw ~: 60 49,.
| and an ey" .:.' u...,,.
| shot. He ir "a I:A.l-
ful, Irregular ..;:;i lis chin
sagged.
Farnswoi;:t $:l1:.n:. to hin, and lifted
him to his feet. but he could scarcely
stand. He licked his lips clumsily.
"What is the matter? What hurts
you:"
The governor rubbed his forehead.
trying to recollect.
'He struck me-" lie presently said
with difficulty. Gle hit me with his
fist. Where-where is he?'
"Who:"
'That big French idiot-tllat Rols-
sillon. Go after him. take him. shoot
hinl-quick! l have been stunned.
don't know how long he's been gone
Give the alarm-do solncthiEg!"
Hamilton, as he gat cred Ills wits
together, began to fs.A. VITA rage. and
his passion gave his bruised and swol-
en- face terrible look
The story was short and may be
quickly told. NJ. Roussillon had taken
advantage Of the first moment whel,
he and Hamilton were left alone. One
herculean buffet, swinging smash of
his enormous fist on the point Of the
governors jaw, and then he walked out
Of the fort unchallenged. doubtless on
account of his lordly and masterful air.
'Ziffw he exclaimed. shaking himself
and lifting his shoulders when lie had
passed beyond hearing of the sentinel
at the gate. "Ziff! l can punc, Z,
good stiff stroke yet. NJ. lie Gouverncur
All, Ziff!'' and he blew like porpoise.
Every effort was promptly made to
recapturc NJ. Roussillon. but his dis.
appearance was absolute. Even the
reward offered for his scalp by Ham
ilton only gave the Indians great trou.
BILE; they could not find the man.
Such a beginning of his administra
ton of affairs at Vincennes did not put
Hamilton into good humor He was
0verbearing and irascible at best. and
under the irritation of small but ex.