Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-01-23

bruised ana frightened scouts hastily
erected their ladder again, fairly tum.
bling over one another in their haste.
to ascend, and so cleared the wall, fall
ing into the stockade to join the gar
rieon.
''ventrebleup shrieked Oncle Jazon.
They've gone to bed, but wen wake
'em up at the crack o. day an give |
'em breakfas' o. hot leadr'
Now the fighting was resumed with
redOubled spirit and noise, and when
morning came, affording sufacient light
to bring out the bead sights on the
Kentucky rifles, the matchless marks
men In Clark's band forced the British
TO close the embrasures and entirely
cease trying to use their cannon, but
the fight with small arms went merrily
on until the middle Of the forenoon.
Meantime Gaspard Roussilion had
tied Francis Malsonvllle's hands fast
and hard with the strap Of his bullet
pouch.
"Now, I'll scalp you" he said in
rumbling tone terrible to hear And
with his words out came his hunting
knife from it's sheath.
"Oh, have mercy, my dear M. Rous-
gillOnw cried the painting captive.
"Have mercyr'
Mercy Yes, like your cOlonel's;
that's what you'll get You stand by
that forban, that scelerat, that bandit,
and help him. Oh, yes, you'll get mer-
cyl Yes, the same mercy that he
showed to my poor little Alicel Your.
scalp, monsieur, II you please. A small
matter; II won't hurt muchr'
"But, for the sake of old friendship,
Gaspard, for the sake''-
"Zinl Poor little Alicer'
"But l swear to you that IT,
'Tout de meme, monsieur, Je vaisl
vous scalper maintenant.T
In fact, he had taken or a part Of
Maisonvilie's scalp when q party OF
soldiers, among whom was Maison-
ville's brother brave fellow and 10y
al to the American cause, were at
tracted by his cries and came to his
rescue.
M. Roussillon struggled Bavagely, In
sisting upon completing his cruel per-
formance, but he was at last overpOw-
cred, partly by brute force and partly
by the pleading of Maisonvilles broth.
er, and made to desist. The big man
wept with rage when he saw the
bleeding prisoner protected. "Eh bieni
I'll keep what I've got" he roared,
''and I'll take the rest OF IL next
time"
He shook the tuft OF hair at Maison-
Vile and glared like a mad bull.
Two or three other members OF La
mothe's band were captured about the
same time by some of the French milf
tlamen. and Clark when ON his round
cheering and directing his forces dis
covered that these prisoners were being
used as shields. Some young creoles,
gay with drink and the stimulating ef-
feet OF fight, had bound the poor fel
/ lows and were firing from behind them.
! or course the commander promptly put
an end 10 this cruelty, but they consld-
cred It exquisite fun while Il lasted.
II was In broaI daylight and they
knew that the English In the fort
could see whnt they were doing.
ITS shameful to treat prisoners In
this way" said Clark. II will not per
NIT II. Shoot the next man that offers
! TO do such n thing"
One OF the creole youths, hand
some, swarthy Adonls In buckskin.
tossed his shapely head with a deb
onair smile and said:
"To be sure. mon colonel. But what
have they been doing to us1 We have
amused them all winter. It's but fair
that they should give US a little fun
now"
Clark shrugged his broad shoulders
and passed on. He understood perfect
ly what the people Of Vincennes had
suffered under Hamilton's brutal ad-
ministration.
At Q O'Clock an order was pasAld 10
cease firing, ana a dag OF truce was
seen going from Clark's headquarters
TO the fort. II was a peremptory de
mand for unconditional surrender.
Hamilton refused, and lighting was
feFcely resumed from behind rude
breastworks meantime erected. Every
loophole and opening OF whatever sort
was the focus into which the unerring
backwoods rides sent their deadly bul-
let's. Men began to fall in the fort, and
every moment Hamilton expected an
assault I'm force on all sides OF the
stoekade. This. II successful. would
mean inevitable massacre. CLARK had
warned him OF the terrible eOnse-
quences OF holding out until the worst
should come. "Eor." said he in his note
70 the governor, III l am Obliged 10
storm. you may depend upon such
treatment as is jnStly due TO a mur-
derer."
Historians have wondered why Ham
iltOn became 30 excited and acted 70
strangely after receiving the note. The
phrase 'justly due TO a murderer II
the key TO the mystery. When he read
II his heart sank and terrible fear
seized him. Justly due 20 a murder
err" All that calm, white, beautiful
girlish face, dead Ia the moonlight