Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-02-19

daily hated Hamilton, and their hearts
beat high at the prospect of change
in masters at the fort. Every cabin
had its hidden gun and supply of am
munition despite the order to disarm
issued by Hamilton. There was a
hustling to bring these forth, which
was accompanied with guarded yet
irrepressible chattcring, DELIGHTFULLY."-
French and infinitely volatile.
"Tiens, ie vais frotter mon fusil! Jai
WI un singer said Jacques Bourcier to
his daughters the pretty Adrienne, who
was coming out of the room in which
Alice lay.
81 saw monkey just now. I must
rub up my gum He could not be
solemn, not he The thought of an OPP
portunity to get even with Hamilton
was like wine in his blood.
If you had seen those hardy and
sinewy Frenchmen gliding in the dusk
of evening from cottage to cottage.
passing the word that the Americans
had arrived, saying airy things and
pinching one another as they met and
hurried on, you would have thought
something very amusing and wholly
jocund was in preparation for the peo-
pie of Nincennes.
There was a current belief in the
town that Gaspard Roussillon never
missed Il good thing and always some
how got the lions share. He went out
with the ebb to return on the flood.
Nobody was surprised. therefore. when
he suddenly appeared in the midst of
his friends. armed to the teeth and
emotionally warlike to suit the occa-
sion. or course he took charge of ev-
erybody and everything. You could
have heard him whisper bow shot
away.
"Taisons" he Kissed whenever he
met an acquaintance. I'VE will sur
prise the fort and scaIp the whole gar
rison. Aux armcs. Les Americans
vienncnt d'arrivcr!'
At his own house he knocked and
called in vain. lie shook the door vio-
lcntly, for hc was thinking of the stores
under the floor, of the grimy bottles
of the fragrant bordeaux. All. his
throat, how it throbbcd! But where
was Nine. RouSsilon? Where was
Alice? Jean, jean" he cried. forget
ting all prccaution. Come here, you
scamp. and let me in this minute"
y profoundly impressive silence gave
him to understand that his home was
deserted.
"Chif. Frightened and gone to stay
with Nine. Godcre, l suppose, and l Sc
thirsty! Bah! Hum, hum! Apres L
vim In bataillc. Xitr!'
| lie kicked in the door and CROPPED his
way to the liquors. While he hastily
| swiggod and smacked he heard the
/ firing begin with cracking, desultory
volley. He laughed jovially there il
the dark. between drafts and deeI
signs of enjoyment.
EFT moi aussi," he murmured, like
the vast murmur of the sea, Il want
to be in that dance. Pardonnez mes
sieurs Moi, je veuX danser, sill YOU,
plait,"
And when he had filled himself he
hinged out and rushed away, wrought
up to the extreme fighting pitch OF
temper. Dable. If he could but come
across that Lieutenant Barlow, how h,
would smash him and mangle him, II
magnifying his proves with the ions
of Imagination he swelled and putfeC
as he numbered along.
The firing sounded as if it were bs
tween the fort and the river, but pres
entity when one of Hamilton's cannon
spoke NJ. Roussillon saw the yellow
spike of flame from its muzZlc lcal
directly toward the church. and III
thought it best to make n wide detou
to avoid going between the firing lines
Once or twice he heard the whine o
stray bullet high overhead. BefOr
he had gone very far he met maj
hurrying toward the fort 1t wa
Captain Francis jacksonville, one O
Iamilton's chief scouts. who had beer
out on reconnaissance and, cut of
from his party by some of Clark
forces. was trying to make his way I
the main gate of the stOckade.
NJ Roussllon knew jacksonville as
somewhat desperate character. a lead
er of Indian forays and trader i
human scalps Surely the fellow wa
legitimate prey.
"Zif. Diable de gredin" he snarlet
and leaping upon him choked him t
the ground. "Je vais vous scalper in
mediatement,'
Clark's plan of approach Shove
,, mastery strategy. Lieutenant Bale!
with fourteen regulars, made sho'
of attack on the east, while MajC
Bowman led company through tn
town, on line near where Main stree
in Vincennes is now located, to poir
north of the stockade. Charleville,
brave creole, who was at the head {
some daring fellows, by a brilliaI
dash got position under cover of ma
ural terrace ut the edge of the prair
opposite the forts southwestern angl
Lieutenant Beverley, in whom the con
mander placed highest confidence, VIZ
: