The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-03-17
Alice of Old Vincennes
By Maurice Thompson
CoPYRIGHT 1908 ALICE THOMPSON

/ ing me that to"
You can verify 1t, Mademoiselle, by
calling upon the commander at the
I fort. I am sorry that you doubt my
/ veracity. II you Will go with me I
viii show you NJ. Roussillon a tightly
| bound prisoner"
+ Jean had crep out of the gate and
was standing just behind Alice with
/ his feet wide apart, his long chin ele-
waited, his head resting far back be-
J tween his upthTust shoulders, his
hands in his pockets, his uncanny eyes
gazing steadily at Farnsworth. He
looked Ike a~deformed frog ready to
jump.
Alice Enthusiastically saw truth in
the captains countenance and felt it
in his voice. The reality came to her
with uuhindered effect. II. ROussil
lens life depended upon the return
CT the kag. She put her hands to-
eether and for a moment covered her
eyes with them
''I viii go now, mademoiselle," said
Farnsworth; but I hope you VIII be
In great haste about returning the
flag"
He stood looking at her. He was
profoundly touched and felt that to
say more would be too brutal even for
his coarse nature; so he simply lifted
his hat and went away.
Jean took hold of AHce's dress as
she turned to go back into the house.
rs he going to take the fiag- Can
he find it? What does he want with
it? What did YOU Go with the flag,
ALce?" he whined, in his peculiar,
quavering voice. Where is it,"
Her skirt dragged him along as she
walked.
Where did you put it, AHce?"
Father Beret hid It under his
floor" she answered. involuntarily,
and almost unconsciously Il shall
have to take 1t back and give IL up. 80
'No-no-I wouldn't" he quavered,
dancing across the veranda as she
ouiczened her pace and fairly spun
him along. Il wouldn't let EN- have
il az ALL"
Auce's mind was working with
lightning speed. Her Imagination
took strong grip on the situation so
briefly and effectively sEetched by
Captain Farusworth. Her decision
formed itself quickly.
Stay here, Jean. ! am going to
the fort Don't tell Mama BoussiHon
a thing. BE q good boy
She was gone before Jean could say
q word. She meant TO face Hamilton
al once and be sure what danger men
aced NJ Eoussllon. OF course, the
aag must be given up if that would
save her foster father any pain; and
if his life were in question there could
not be too great haste on her part.
she ran direc ly 20 the stockade
and breathIessly informed sentinel
that she must see Governor Hamilton,
into whose presence she was soon led.
CAPTAIN Frauswovth had preceded her,
bur a minute or two and was present
when she entered the miserable shed
room where the commander was hay
ing another talk with NJ. ROussllion.
The meeting was q ta5leau which
would have been c0mlCI but for
the pressure OF its tragic posslbii-
ties. Hamilton, stern and contentious,
stood frowuiug upon NJ. Roussilion.
Who sat upon the ground, his feet ana
hands lightly bound a colossal statue
of injured innocence.
Alice. as soon as she saw NJ Rous-
sill0n, uttered a cry Of sympathetic
enoearmeut and flung herself toward
[ him with open arms. She could not
reach around his great shoulders; but
she did her best to include the whole
bulk.
Papa. Papa RoussilIon" she CHR
iupaa between the kisses that she
: showered upon his weather-beateu face.
Hamilton and FaruswOrth regarded
the scene with curious and surprised
interest. NJ R0ussillon began speak
ing rapidly, but being a FTenchuan,
he could not get on well with his
. tongue while his hands were tied. He
could shrug his shoulders; that helped
him some.
II am 70 be shot, ma petite he
patheucauy growled in his deep bass
voice, shot Ike a dog At sunrise to-
morrow
Alice kissed ". Roussillon's rough
/ cheek once more and sprang to her
/ feet facing Hamilton.
You are not such a flend and brute
as to kin Papa ROus5Ilion, she cried.
/ Why co you want to lnjure my poor,
good papaI"
/ II believe you are the young lady
that stole the dag?" Hamilton re-
marked. smiling contemptuously.
She looked at him with a swift fash
/ Of Indignation. he uttered these words:
/ II am not a thief. I could not
steal what was my own. I helped to
make that flag. It was named after
me. I took 1t because it was mine
/ You understand me. monsieur"
/ TELL me where it is and your
/ fathers life viii be spared"
| She glanced at II. ROusslllon.
/ No Alice" said he. with a pa.
theticaly futile effort to make a fine
/ gesture. don't do It. am brave
/ enough to die. You would not have
me act the coward
/ No onIooker would have even re
motley suspected the fact that NJ.
/ Roussillon had CHANGED to overhear
O conversation between Hamilton and
/ Farnsworth, In which Hamilton stated
that he really did not intend to hurt
/ ~ Poussillon in any event; he merely
I purposed to humiiiate the big wind
bag"
"Ah, no. let me die bravely for
honor's sake-I fear death far less
4 -han dishonor! They can shoot me.
my little one, but they cannot break
my proud spirit" He tried to strike
/ his breast over his heart.
Perhaps it would be just as we'll
/ to let him be shot" said Hamilton
/ grufTly. and with dry Indifference. Il
I