Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-04-06
/ ALICE OF OLD
! VINCENNES
y MAURICE THOMPSON
oapyr41At> 1900 by tho
BoWHN. MERRILL. COMPANY
CONTINUED

He attracted but little attention
however The people and the Soldiery
were all too excited by the special in,
terest Of the occasion and too busy
with making racket Of their own for
any individual. even the great RouSsil-
Ion, to gaip their eyes or ears. He in
| turn scarcely heard the tumult they
made. so self conferred were his burn
ing thoughts and feelings. \ great Oc
casion i'll Nincennes and he, GaSpard
| ROuSSillOn. not recognized as one Of
And he strobe along the wall of the
stockade. turning the corners and heav-
| lily shamblin" over the inequalities till
he reached the postern. 1t was not faS-
tened. some one having passed through
just before him.
"Zitf!" he calculated. stepping into
! the area and shaking himself after the
manner Of a dusty mastiff. "C'est moi!
! Gaspard RousSillon." His massive I'M
| der jaw was set like that of a wise. vet
| it Quivered with rage. a rage which
was more fiery condensation of self
approval than anger
Outside the shouting, singing and
huzzas gathered strength and vol
ume until the sound became a hoarse
roar Clark WAS uneasy. He had over
| heard much OF a threatening character
/ during the siege The crcoles were. he
knew. justly eXaSpcratel. and even his
own men had been showing spirit
! u-1,i y, sill Iva fo .,
! dangerous fame Of vengeance lie
/ was very anxious to have the fOrmau-
! ties of taking possession Of the fort
j over with. SO that he could the better
control his forces. Sending for Bever-
i Icy. he assigned him to the duty of
! hauling down the British flag and run
; ming up that of Virginia. 1t WAS an
! honor Of no doubtful sort, which under
| different circumstances would have
; made the iieutcnants heart glow AS
it was he proceeded without any sense
! Of pride or pleasure, moving as a mere
machine in performing an act siGniti-
cant beyond any other done west of
the mountains in the great struggle
for American independence and the
control of American territory.
Hamilton stood a little way from the
foot of the tall fagpole. his arms fold
cd on his breast. his chin slightly
drawn in, his brows contracted gaz-
ing steadily at Beverley while he was
untying the halyard. which had been
wound around the poles base about
three feet above the ground. The
American troops in the fort were dis
posed so as to form three sides Of Il
hollow square. facing inward. Oncle
Jazon, serving as the ornamental OK
IRENE of one line. was conspicuous for
his outlandish garb and unmilitary
| bearing. The silence inside the stock
ade offered a strong contrast to the
tremendous roar Of voices outside
| Clark made a signal and at the tap of
drum Beverley shook the ropes loose
| and began to lower the British colOrS
| Slowly the bright emblem of earth
| mightiest nation crept down in token
Of the fact that a handful of back
HSo1smcn had won an empire by a
splendid stroke Of pure heroism. Bev-
erley detached the flag and. salutiny,
handed it to Colonel Clark Hamil-
tons breast heavcd and his iron jaws
frightened their pressure until the lines
II his cheeks were deep burrows Of
pain.
Just then there was q Dirdlike move
nent, a Winglike rustic and a light tiy-
are fitted swiftly across the area. All
eyes were turned upon it. Hamilton
recoiled, as pale as death, half lifting
his hands as if to ward off Il deadly
blow, and then a gay flag was flung
out over his head. lie saw before
him the girl he had shot. but her beau
tlful face was not waXen now, nor was
1t cold or lifeless. The rich red blood
was strong under the Drowned yet del
icate skin, the eyes were bright and
brave. the cherry lips. slightly apart
gave a glimpse of pearl white teeth
and the dimples-those rogush dimples
-twinkled sweetly.
Colonel Clark looked on in amaze
ment and in spite Of himself in adj
miration. He did not understand. The
sudden incident had bewildercd him.
but his virile nature was instantly and
wholly charmed. Something like Il
breath Of violets shook the tenderest
chords of his heart.
Alice stood firmly, a statue Of tri-
unlph. her right arm outstretched.
holding the flag high above Hamilton's
head, and close by her side the little
hunclback Jean was posed in his most
characteristics attitude, gazing at the
banner which he himself had stolen
and kept hidden for Alice's sake and
because he loved it,
There was a dead silence for some
moments, during which Munitions
face showed that he was ready to COL