Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-03-30
ALICE OF OLD !
!: WNCENNES
u MAURICE THOMPSON
ouUgx1gAt. 1om BY the }
BoW1H. MR1lIx. CohpAUY
[CONT1NUED.1
y MAURICE THOMPSON


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
IN until the middle of the forenoon.
Meantime Gaspard Roussillon had
tied Francis Maisonville's hands fast
and hard with the strap of his bullet
pouch.
"Now. III 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 NJ ,Rous-
sillon!' cried the painting captive.
Have mercy"
Mercy! Yes. like your colonel's;
that's what you'll get. You stand by
that forban. that scelcrat. that bandit.
and help him. Oh, yes. you'll get mer-
cy! Yes, the same mercy that he
showed to my poor little Alice! Your
scalp, monsieur, if you please. 4 small
matter; it won't hurt muchv'
But, for the sake Of old friendship,
IdSparu. lot tue sake -
''Ziff! Poor little Alice!"
but swear to you that r.
"Tout de meme. monsieur, je yais
vous scalper maintenant.'
In fact, he had taken off a part of
Ma1sonville's scaip when !, party Of
soldiers. among whom WAS Maison-
villes brother, brave fellow and 10y
al to the American cause. were at
tracted by his cries and came to his
rescue
NJ Roussillon struggled Savagely, in.
sisting upon completing his cruel per-
Torrance, but he Was ut last Overpow-
cred, partly by brute fo.' and l,artly
by the pleading OF Maisonville's broth
er, and made to deSist. The big man
wept with rage when he saw the
bleeding prisoner protected. Eth bien:
I'll keep what I've got" he roared
land III take the rest Of it next
time"
He shook the tuft Of hair at Mason
vile and slared like Il mad bull.
Two or three other members of La
mothe's band were captured about the
same time by some of the French mill
t1amen, 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 fell
lows and were firing from behind them.
OF course the commander promptly put
an end to this cruelty, but they consid-
cred it exquisite fun while it lasted
1t was in broad daylight, and they
knew that the English in the fort
could see what they were doing.
tits shameful to treat prisoners in
this way" said Clark. Il will not per-
NIT 1t. Shoot the next man that offers
to do such a thing"
One Of the creole youths, hand
some, swarthy Adonis in buckskin.
tossed his shapely head with deb,
onair smile and said:
To be sure, mon colonel. But what
have they been doing to us? 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
~ what the people of Vincenhes had
suffered under Hamilton's brutal adj
ministrati ton.
At 9 o'clock an order was passed to
cease firing. and flag of truce was
seen going from Clark's Headquarters
to the fort. It was a peremptory de-
mand for unconditional surrender.
Hamilton refused, and fighting was
0ercely resumed from behind rude
breastworks meantime erected. Every
loophole and opening of whatever sort
was the focus into which the unerring
backwoods rifles sent their deadly bull
lets. Men began to fall in the fort, and
every moment Hamilton expected IN
assault in force on all sides of the
stockade. This, If successful, would
mean inevitable massacre. Clark had
warned him Of the terrible conse-
quences of holding out until the worst
should come. "For," said he in his note
to the governor, III l am obliged to
storm, you may depend upon such
treatment as is justly due to a muir
derer."
Historians have wondered why Ham
lton became so excited and acted so
strangely after receiving the note. The
phrase Justly due to a murderer is
the key to the mystery. When he read
It his heart sank and a terrible fear
seized him. Justly due to a murder
err" All, that calm, white, beautiful
girlish face, dead in the moonlight.
with the wisp of shining hair across
It! Such treatment as is justly due
to a murderer" Cold drops of sweat
broke out on his forehead and shiver
went through his body
During the truce Clark's weary yet
still enthusiastic besiegers enjoyed a
good breakfast prepared for them by
the loyal danes Of Vincennes. Little
Adrienne Bourcier was one Of the
handmaidens Of the occasion. She
brought to Beverley's squad a basket,
almost as large as herself, heaped high
with roasted duck and warm wheaton
bread, while another girl bore two
huge jugs of coffee. fragrant and
steaming hot. The men cheered them
Justify and complimented them with
out reserve, 90 that before their serv-
Ice was over their faces were glowing
with delight.
And yet Adrienne's heart was uneasy
and full of longing to hear something
Of Rene de Ronville. Surely some one
Of her friends must know something
about him. All, there was Oncle Jazon!
Doubtless be could tell her all that
she wanted to know. She fingered
after the food was distributed and