The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-03-26


now We don't speak to me! Ye've not
forgot me. Fitz!''
"Mebby he don't like ye as well as
We thought he did," drawled Oncle ia
son. II hev known o. fellers a bein'
mistaken jes' tibet way"
Beverley got his wits together as
best he could, taking in the situation
by such degrees as seemed at the time
unduly slow, but which were really
mere momentary gatherings.
''Why, Kenton! Jazon" he present
ly exclaimed, a cordial gladness blend
ing with his surprise. How did you
get here? Where did you come from?"
He looked from one to the other
back and forth with a wondering
smile breaking over his bronzed and
determined face.
We've been hot on yer trail for
thirty hours" said Kenton. "Roussil-
lon put us on it back yonder. But
what are We up to? Where are we
goin'?"
I'm going to Clark at Kaskasllia
to bring him yonder." He waved his
hand eastward. Il am going to take
Vincennes and kill Hamilton
We'll, we're taking a mighty queer
course, my boy, if We ever expect to
find Kaskaskia. Ye're already twenty
miles too far South"
"Carryin' his gun on the same
shoulder all the time" said Oncle ia
ION, has made i'm kind o swing in n
curve like. faint good luck no how
to carry yer gun on yer lef' shoulder.
When you do it meks yer take
longer step with yer right foot than
We do with yer lef', and ye can't walk
a straight line to save yer liver. Ven
trebleu! Ia venaison brule encore. Look
at that dasted meat burnin' aginr'
He jumped back to the fire to turn
the scorching cuts.
Beverley wrung Kenton's hand and
locked into his eyes. as a man does
when an old friend comes suddenly out
Of the past, so to say. and brings the
freshness and comfort Of strong,
true soul 10 brace him in his hour or
greatest need.
"Of all men in the world, Simon
Kenton, you were the least expected
but how glad I am! How thankful.
Now I know I shall succeed. We are
going to capture Vincennes. Kenton,
are we not? We shall sha'nt we
Jazon? Nothing, nothing can prevent
us. can it?'
Kenton heartily returned the
pressure of the young mans hand.
while Oncle Jazon looked UP quizzical-
" and said.
We're a toI'ble spectacle lot to
prevent; but then we might git per
vented. I've seed better men an us
purity constable prevented lots o
times in my life"
In speaking the colloduial dialect
of the American backwoodsmen. Oncle
Jazon. despite years OF practice
among them, gave to it a creole lisp
and some turns Of pronunciation not
TO be indicated by any form OF
spelling. 1t added to his talk
/ peculiar soft drOllery. When he spoke
French it was mostly that of the
coureurs de bois, a patols which still
fingers in out-of-the-way hooks of
Louisiana.
For my part" said Kenton. II am
with ye. old boy. in anything We want
to do. But now we've got to tell me
| every thing. I see that ye're keeping
something back What is it," He
glanced sidewlse slyly at Oncle Jazon.
Beverley was frank to a fault; but
somehow his heart tried to keep Alice
all to itself He hesitated; then-
II broke my parole with Governor
Hamilton" he said. He forced me
to do it. I feel altogether justified.
I told him beforehand that I should
| certainly leave Vlncennes and go get
q force to capture and kill him; and
/ III do It, Simon Kenton, I'll do it."
Il see, I see" Kenton assented,
| but what was the row about? What
| did he do to excite ye-to make ye
| feel justified in breakin' over yer
| parole in that high-handed way? Fftz,
| ! know ye too well to be fooled by We
you've got sonethin' in mind that
/ We don't want to tell. Well, then
don't tell it. Oncle Jazon and I Will
/ go it blind, won't we, Jazon?"
/ Blind as two mules" said the old
man; but as for tibet secret" he ad-
| ded, winklng both eyes at once, Il
don't know as it's so mighty hard to
guess. It's always safe to imagine a
woman in the case. It's mostly
women at sends men a trottin' off
bout nothln', sort o. crazy like"
Beverley looked guilty and Oncle
/ Jazon continues:
"They's a poorly gal at Vincennes.
an I see the young man a-steppin'
into her house about fifteen times a
day fore lef' the place. Mebbe she's
tuck up wi one o. them English Of
fcers. Gals is slippery an onsar-
tim"
"Jazon"' cried Beverley, stop that
instantly, or I'll wiring your old neck"
His anger was real and he meant what
he said. He clenched his hands and
| ElOwered.
| OncIe Jazon, who was still squat
| ting by the little fire, tumhled over
! backwards. as if Beverley had kicked
! him; and there he lay on the ground,
with his slender legs quivering akimbo
in the air, while he laughed In a
strained treble that sounded like the
/ whining of a screech-owl.
The old scamp did not know all the
facts in Beverleys case, nor did he
even suspect what had happened; but
he was aware of the young mans ten
der feeling for Alice. and he did
shrewdly conjecture that she was a
factor in the problem.
The rude jest at her expense did
not seem to his withered and tough