The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-04-16

| and to appear opulent of knowledge
| and sympathy that made him speak.
| He knew what would please Adrienne,
so why not give her at least q de-
| Bcious foretaste? Surely, when a
| thing was so cheap, one need not be
| so parsimonious as to withhold a mere
anticipation. He was off before the
| girls could press him into details, for
| indeed he had none.
There now, what did I tell you?"
cried Alice, when the big man was
gone. 81 told you Rene would come.
They always come backv'
Father Beret came in a little later.
AS soon as he saw Alice he frowned
and began to shake his head; but she
only laughed, and initiating his hypo-
critical scowl, yet fringing it with a
twinkle of merry lines and dimples,
pointed a taper finger at him and ex-
claimed:
| You bad. bad man! why did you
| pretend to me that Lieutenant Bever-
/ ley was dead? What sinister eccles-
iasticaI motive prompted you to de-
scribe how Long Hair scalped him?
All, Father"
The priest laid broad hand over
| her saucy mouth.
| Something or other seems to have
excited you nightly. ma file, you are
a trifie impulsively inclined today"
Yes, Father Beret; yes | know,
and am ashamed. My heart shrinks
when think of what 1 did; but was
so glad, such a grand Joy came all
over me when saw him, so strong
and brave and beautiful, coming
toward me. smiling that warm, glad
smile and holding out his arms-ah,
when saw all that-when knew
for sure that he was not dead-I, why,
Father Just had to. couldn't help
it,"
Father Beret laughed in spite OF
himself, but quickly managed to re-
sumo his severe countenance.
Ia, ta," he exclaimed sit was a
bold thing for a little girl to do"
$50 it was, so it was. But 1t was
also a bold thing for him to do-to
come back after he was dead and
scalped and look so handsome and
grand! I'm ashamed and sorry, Fa-
Their; but-but, I'm afraid I might do
it again if-well. don't care if I did
$50 there. now!'
But what in the world are you
talking about?" interposed Adrienne.
Evidently they were discussing a most
interesting matter of which she knew
nothing, and that did not suit her
feminine curiosity. Tell me-" She
pulled Father Beret's sleeve. Tell
me, I say!"
1t is probablee that Father Beret
would have pretended to betray Alice's
source of mingled delight and en-
barrassment, had not the rest OF the
/ BOurcier household returned in time
to break up the conversation. A little
| later Alice gave Adrienne q wildly
/ dramatic account of the whole scene.
"Ah. mon DieuP' exclaimed the pc
tite brunette. after she had heard the
exciting story. THAT was Just like
you. Alice. You always do superb
things. You were born to do them.
You shoot Captain Farnsworth. you
wound Lieutenant Barlow, you climb
into the fort and set up your flag
you take it down again and run away
with it-you get shot and do not die
you kiss your lover right before q
whole garTisoni Bon Dieui If I could
but do all those things!' She clasped
her tiny hands before her and added
rather dejectedly:
But I couldn't, I couldn't.
couldn't kiss man in that wayi''
Late in the evening news came TO
Roussillon place. where Gaspard Rous-
sillon was once more happy in the
midst Of his little family, that the In
dian Long Hair had Just been brought
to the fort, and would be shot on the
following day. A scouting party cap
tured him as he approached the town,
bearing at his belt the fresh scalp Of
a white man. He would have been
killed forthwith. but Clark, who
wished to avoid a repetition of the
savage vengeance melted out 10 the
Indians on the previous day, had
given strict orders that all prisoners
should be brought into the fort, where
they were to have a fair trial by
court-martiaL
Both Helm and Beverley were at
Rousillon place. the former supping
wine and chatting with Gaspard, the
latter. Of course. lowering around
Alice. after the manner of a hungry
bee around a particularly sweet and
deliciously refractory flower It was
raining slowly, the fine drops coming
straight down through the cold, still
February air; but the two young PEG.
pie found it pleasant enough for them
on the veranda. where they walked
back and forth, making fair exchange
Of the exciting experiences which had
befallen them during their long sepa-
ration. Between the lines Of these
mutual recitals sweet, fresh echoes of
the old. old story went from heart to
heart. an amoebaean love-bout like
that of spring birds calling tenderly
back and forth in the blooming May
time woods.
Both Captain Helm and NJ Rous-
sillon were delighted to hear of Long.
Hairs capture and certain fate, but
neither Of them regarded the news
as Of sufficient Importance to need
much comment. They did not think
Of telling Beverley and Alice. Jean,
however, lying awake in his little bed,
overheard the conversation, which he
repeated to Alice next morning with
great circumstantiality.
Having the quick insight bred of
frontier experience, Alice instantly
caught the terrible significance of the
dilemma in which she and Beverley
would be placed by Long Hairs stu
alton. Moreover. something In her
heart arose with irresistible power de-
manding the final, the absolute hui
| man syTnOafhv and gratitude M