Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-04-13
ALICE OF OLD
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D MAURICE THOMPSON
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coming was just in time to interrupt
Clark, who had turned to the waiting
platoon with the order of death on his
lips. She made no noise. save the nut
tering Of her skirts and her loud and
rapid painting on account Of her long,
hard run. She sprang before Long
Hair and faced the platoon.
"You cannot. you shall not kill this
man" she cried in a voice loaded with
excitement. Put away those guns
Woman never looked more thrillingly
beautiful to man than she did Just
then to all those rough. stern back
woodsmen. During her flight her hair
had fallen down, and it glimmerel like
soft sunlight around her face. Some
thing compelling flashed out Of her
eyes, an expression between trium.
plant smile and ray OF Irresistible
beseechment. 1t took Colonel Clark's
breath when he turned and saw her
standing there and heard her words.
This man saved Lieutenant Bever~
lsy's life" she presently added, getting
better control of her voice and sending
not harm him; you must not do it,:
Beverley was astounded when he
saw her, the thing was 50 unexpected,
70 daring and done with such high, i'm
perious force. Still it was but a real
lzation of what he had imagined she
would be upon occasion. He stood gaz-
Ing at her, as did all the rest, while she
>l.A@ -
men. 10 hear his own name pass her
Quivering lips in that tone and in that
connection seemed to him a consecra-
ton.
"Would you be more. savage than
your Indian prisoner?' she went on:
LESS grateful than he for life saved?
I did him a small-a very small-serv
Ice once, and in memory Of that he
saved Lieutenant Beverley's life, be-
cause-because'-sh faltered for a sin.
gle breath, then added clearly and with
magnetic Observation-Disclosures Lieuten-
ant Beverley loved me and because /
loved him. This Indian Long Hair
showed a gratitude that could over
come his strongest passion. You white
men should be ashamed to fall below
his standard"
Her words went home It was as If
the beauty Of her face, the magnetism
Of her lissome and symmetrical form,
the sweet fire of her eyes and the pas
sionate appeal of her voice gave what
she said a new and irresistible force Of
truth. When she spoke Of Beverley's
love for her and declared her love for
him there was not a manly heart In all
the garrison that did not suddenly beat
quicker and feel strange, sweet watt
Of tenderness. A mother somewhere. a
wife, a daughter, q sister, a sweetheart.
called through that voice OF absolute
WomanhOod.
beverley, what can do?' muttered
Clark, his bronze face as pale as it
could possibly become.
'Do!' Numbered Beverley. do! You
cannot murder that man. Hamilton is
the man you should shoot! He offered
large rewards, he inflamed the passions
and fed the love OF rum and the cupidi
II of the poor wild men like the one
standing yonder. Yet you take him
| prisoner and treat him with distin-
guished consideration. Hamilton offer
ed large sum for me taken alive, I,
smaller one for my scalp. Long Hair
saved me. You let Hamilton stand
yonder in perfect safety while you
shoot the Indian. Shame on you. Colo
mel Clark! Shame on you If you d. it. ~
| Of <ho o<ni> #
commander while Beverley was pour
ing forth his torrent Of scathing refer
ence to Hamilton, and she quickly saw
that Clark was moved. The moment
was ripe for the finishing stroke. They
say it IL genius that avails itself Of op.
portunity. Beverley knew the hght
was won when he saw what followed
Alice suddenly left Long Hair and ran
to Colonel Clark, who felt her warm
strong arms loop around him for 4 sin
gle point Of time never to be effaced
from his memory; then he saw her
kneeling at his feet, her hands up.
stretched, her face 4 glorious prayer
while she pleaded the Indians cause
and won 1t.
| Doubtless, while we all rather feel
that Clark was weak to be thus sway.
ed by girl, we cannot quite blame
him. Alice's flag was over him. He
had heard her history from Beveriey's
cunning lips. He actually believed that
Hamilton was the real culprit, aud be
sides he felt not little nauseated with
Ghinann