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


Hamilton was ambitious to prove
himself conspicuously valuable to his
country. He was dreaming vast dreame
and laying large plans. The .ndians
were soon anxious to gain his favor,
and to bind them securely to him he
offered liberal pay In rum and fire.
arms, blankets. trinkets and ammuni.
ton fer the scalps OF rebels. He kept
this Is secret as possible from his pris.
oners. but Beverley soon suspected that
traffic in hair" as the terrible bust.
ness had been named. was going on.
Savages came in from far away with
scalps vet scarcely dry dangling at
their belts. 1t made the young vir.
ginian's blood chill in his heart. and
he regretted that he had given Hamil.
ton his parole Of honor not to attempt
to escape.
Among the Indians occasionally re.
porting to Hamilton with their CHASTITY
but valuable trophies was Long Flair,
who slipped into the fort and out again
rather warily. not having much conf.
dence in those Frenchmcn who had
once upon Il time given him a mem.
orable run for his life.
Winter shut down. not cold. but
damp, changeable. raw. The work on
the fort was nearly completed, and
Rene de Ronville would have soon been
relieved of his servile and exasperat-
ing employment under the Irish cor
poral, but just at the point of time
when only few days work remained
for him he became furious, OH account
Of an insulting remark, and struck the
corporal over the head with hand
spike. This happened in wood some
miles from town, where he was loading
logs upon sled. There CHANGED to
be no third person present when the
deed was done, and some hours passed
before they found the officer quite cold
and stiff beside the sled. His head
was crushed to pulp.
Hamilton. now tholUr..:::;: cXasper-
ated, began to look upon the French
Inhabitants of Fincenncs as all like
NJ. Roussillon and Rene-but waiting
for an opportunity to strike him una
wares. He increased his military Wig
lance, ordered the town patrolled day
and night, and forbade public gather
ings of the citizens. while at the same
time he forced them to furnish him a
large amount of provisions.
When little Adriennc Bourcier heard
If Rene's terrible. act. followed by his
successful escape to the woods and of
the tempting reward offered by Hamil-
ton for his scalp, she ran to Roussillon
place we'll nigh crazcd with excitement.
She had always depended upon Alice
for advice. encouragement and comfort
In her troubles, but in the present case
there was not much that her friend
could do to cheer her. With NJ. Rous-
sillon and Rene both fugitives, tracked
by willy savages, price on their heads,
while every day added new dangers to
the French inhabitants of Vincennes.
no rosy view could possibly be taken
Of the situation. Alice did her best.
however. to strengthen her little
friends faith in a happy outcome. She
quoted what she considered unimpeach-
able authority to support her optimistic
argument.
lieutenant Beverley says that the
Americans will be sure to drive Hamil-
.on out of Vinccnnes or capture him.
Probably they are not so very far
away now. and Rene may join them
Ind come back to help punish these
brutal Englishmen. Don't you wish he
would, Adrienne? Wouldn't it be ro-
mantic?"
"He's armed: l know that" said
Adrienne. Frightening little. land
he's brave, Alice; brave as can be. He
came right back into town the other
night and got his gun and pistols. lie
was at our house, too, and. OH
She burst outcrying again. Adrien:l>'s:
simple heart could not grasp the ra
mantle criterion with which Alice W.:
wont to measure action. Her mi.
was single, impulsive, narrow and
rect in all it's movements. She Low
hated, desired, caressed, repulsed
for any assignablc reason more !:
or more luminous than "becausc' j
adored Rene and wanted him r"l At
"Why couldn't he he cu;"; AMI ,.
your man, Lieutenant I;cvs:ir:'. j:
she cried in sudden ci:::.4, ni -
the tears streaming dcv. g.. :er
lieutenant E""rrl"y ..,'.; a.. i:
took the cc: -. ;::'.;..s. az ii; -
son:ti..~'..' 'l,.I u.t q ,.l.'
Alice ~. co
here T: - .:.,;-;.