Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1904-08-18

prise they found themselves below the
line Of Hamilton's cannon, which, be
ing planted on the second floor of the
fort, could not be sufficiently depressed
to bear upon them. A well directed
musket fire, however, fell from the
loopholes of the blockhouses, the bull
lets rafting merrily against the cover
behind which the attacking forces lay.
Clark, in passing hurriedly from com
pany to company around the line,
stopped for a little while when he
found Beverley.
"Haye you plenty of ammunitionf'
was his first inquiry.
"a mighty sight more n we kin see
to shoot with," spoke up Oncle Jazon
"It's a right smart o. dad burn foolish
ness to be wastin' 1t on nothin': seems
like to me at we'd better set the dasted
fort afire an smoke the skunks outr'
Speak when you are spoken to, my
man." said the colonel a trifle hotly,
and trying by sharp scrutiny to make
him out in the gloom where he
crouched.
"Ventrebleui I'm not askin you
Colonel Clark, nor no other man, when
shlll speak. I talks whenever | gifts
ready, an | shoots jes' the same way
So ye'd better go on bout yer business
like q white mani Close up yer oTH
whopper jawed mouth eff ye want any
thing shet up"'
"Oho. is that you, Jazon? You're SC
little / didn't know you. Certainly
talk your whole under jaw off for ali
care" Clark replied. assuming a 10
cose tone. Then, turning again to Bev-
erley: Keep up the firing and the
noise The fort will be ours in the
morning"
whats the use of waiting till morn
ingY" Beverley demanded with impa-
tience. "We can tear that stockade to
pieces with our hands in half an hour"
II don't think so, lieutenant 1t is
better to play for the sure thing. Keep
up the racket, and be ready for 'em II
they rush out. We must not fail to
capture the hair buyer general"
Beverley submitted to Clark's plan
with what patience he could, and all
night long fired shot for shot with the
best riflemen in his squad. 1t was a
fatiguing performance, with apparent
ly little result beyond forcing the garri-
son now and again to close the en-
brasures, thus periodically silencini
the cannon. Toward the close OF the
night relaxation showed itself In the
shouting and firing all round the line
Beverley's men, especially the creoles,
held out bravely in the matter OF noise,
but even they tagged at length, their
volatility simmering down TO desultory
bubbling and half sleepy chatterlne
and chatting.
Beverley leaned upon n rude fence
and for time neglected to reload his
hot rife. pr course he was thinking Of
Alice-he really could not think In any
9ther direction; but 1t gave him n shock
md start when he presently heard
her name mentioned by n little French
man near him on the left.
There III never be another such O
girl In Post Vincennes as Alice Roussil-
lon" the fellow said in the soft creole
patois. "And to think of her being shot
like dogr'
"And by a man who callh himself a
governor, too" said another. "Ah, as
for myself, I'm I'm favor OF burning him
alive when we capture him. That's
me-"
EFT moi aussi," chimed I'm third
voice. "That poor girl must be aveng
ed. The mHn who shot her must die
Holy Virgin, but If Gaspard Rousslllon
were only herer'
"But he is here. I saw him Just after
dark. He was In great fighting temper,
that terrible man. Ouf, but | should
not like TO be Colonel Hamilton and
fall in the way OF that Gaspard Rous-
sillonw
"Arorblcui I should say not. You
lny leave me out OF a chance like that
shouldn't mind seeing Gaspard handle
the governor though. All, that would
be too good. He'd pay him up FOR
shooting Mile. Alice"
Beverley could scarcely hold himself
erect by the fence. The smoky, foggy
landscape swan round him heavy and
strange He uttered u groan. which
brought Oncle Jazon to his side I'm n
hurry.
"Qu' avez-vous? What's the mattcrr'
the old man demanded with quick sym
pathy. "Hev they hit yc? Lieu4nant
mir ye hurt muchr'
Beverley did not hear the old mans
words, did not feel his kindly touch.
"Alicc, Alicew he murmurcd. Dead
dendr'
"Ya-ns," drnwled Oncle Jazon. 81
hearn about It soon as got inter town
It's sorry thing, n mighty sorry thing
But mebby I won't do "a little somcpin
to that
Beverley Strengthened himself and
lifted his gun. forgetting that he had
not RELOADED II since firing last. Tie
leveled II Mt the fort and touched the
trigger. simultaneously with his
movement an cmbrnsure opened and a
cannon finished its roar nnnked on ci.
ther side by n crnckling OF British mus
kcts. Some bullets struck the fence
and flung splinters into Oncle Jazon's
face. A cannon ball knocked a ridge
pole from the roof of house hard by
md sent It whirllng through the air.
"Ventrcblcu-ct apresf What next
Better knock feller'B eyes outw the
old man cried. II amt a-doin' nothin
10 yer'
He capered around rubbing his
lcathcry face after the manner OF n
scaIdcd monkey. Beverley was struck
In the breast by flattened md spent
ball that glanced from a fence picket
The shock caused him TO stngger and
drop his gun. but he quickly picked II
up md turned to his companion.
Are you hurt. Onclc Jnzonr he In
quired. Are you hurtf"
mot bit; Jcs' skccrt mos into n
duck nt Thought n cannon ball had
knocked my whole dang face down
my thront! Notbln' but n handful o.
spllnters In my poo'ty count'nnnce,
maxim my hend feel like n porc'pine.
Eut | sort o. thought heard somcpln'
give you diff."
Something did hit me-" pnid Bcver-
ley. laying q hand on his breast. "but
I don't think II was bullet. They