The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-03-20

ing, from the Connecticut to the Wa
bash.
Beverley's advent could not fail to
mean great deal in the life Of a girl
like Alice: new era, as it were, would
naturally begin for her the moment
| that his personal influence touched her
/ imagination; but 1t is we'll not to meas
IRE her too strictly by the standard OF
our present taste and the specialized
forms Of our social and moral CODE
/ She was a true child of the wilderness,
a girl who grew, as the wild prairie
rose grew. not on account of innumer-
able eXigencies, accidents and hard
ships, but in spite of them. She had
blushed unseen, and had wasted di-
vine sweets upon a more than desert
air. But when Beverley came near
her, at first Carelessly drOning his
masculine monotonies, as the wander
ing bee to the lonely and lovely rose
and presently striking her soul as with
the wings Of love. there fell a change
into her heart Of hearts, and 10! her
haunting and elusive dreams began
to cOndense and take on forms that
startled her with their wonderful
splendor and beauty. These she saw
all the time, sleeping or waking; they
made bright summer of the frozen
stream and swapping gale, the snow
drifts and the sleet. In her brave
young heart, swelled the lneffabIe song
the music never yet caught by
syrinx or flute or violin, the words no
tongue can speak.
All, here may be the secret of that
vigorous, brave, sweet life Of our
pioneer maids. wives and mothers. It
was love that gave those tender hearts
the iron strength and heroic persist
ence at which the world must forever
wonder. And do we appreciate those
women? Let the old world boast its
crowned kings it's mailed knights. it's
ladies' Of the court and castle: but we
OF the new world we of the powerful
West, let us brim our cups with the
wine Of undying devotion. and drink
to the memory Of the Women of the
Revoluuon-to the humble but good
and marvelously brave and faithful
women like those of old Vincennesg.
But if Alice was being radically in
duenced by Beverley. he in turn found
a new light suffusing his nature, ana
he was not unaware that it came out
Of her eyes. her face, her smiles, her
voice, her soul It was the old. Well
known. ineXpicable. mutual magnet
ism, which from the first has been the
same on the highest mountain top and
in the lowest valley. The queen and
the milkmaid, the king and the hind
may come together only to find the
king walking off with the lowly
beauty and her fragrant pail. while
away stalks the lusty rustic. TO be
lord and master of the queen. Love
is love, and it thuves in all climes
ander all conditions.
There is an Inevitable and curious
protest that comes up unbidden be
-ueen lovers: it takes many forms In
accordance with particular circum-
stances. It is the demand for equality
and perfection. Love itself Is without
degrees-it is perfect-but when shall
it see the perfect object? 1t does see
it, and il does not Sc it, in very be
loved being. Beverley found his
mind turning. as on pivot, round and
round upon the thought that Alice
might be impossible to him. Tho mys-
terry Of her life seemed to force her
below the line Of his aristocratic Wis
ion. so that ne could not fairly con
slider her. and yet with all his heart
he loved her. Alice. on the other hand,
had her bookish ideal to reckon with.
despite the fact that she daily dashed
it contemptuously down. She was
different from Adrienne Bourcier. who
bewailed the absence of her untamable
lover; she wished that Beverley had
not. as she somehow viewed It, weakly
surrendered to Hamilton. His ap-
parently complaCent acceptance Of
idle captivity did not comport with her
dream Of knigkthood and heroism She
had been all the time half expecting
him to do something that would stamp
him a hero.
Counter protests Of this sort are
never sufficiently vigorous to take
fall out Of love; they merely serve to
worry his temper by lightly hindering
his feet. And 1t is surprising how
love does delight himself with being
entangled.
Both Beverley and Alice day by day
felt the cord tightening which drew
their hearts together-each &c
knowledged it secretly. but strove not
TO evnce It openly. Meantime both
We're as happy and as restlessly dis
satisfied as love and uncertainty could
make them.
Amid the activities in which Hamil-
ton was engaged-his dealings with
the Indians and the work Of recon
structIng the fort-he found time to
worry his temper about the purloined
flag. Like every other man in the
world. he was superstitious, and It had
come into his head that to insure him.
self and his plans against disaster, he
must have the banner Of his captives
as a badge OF his victory. 1t was
small matter; but it magnifed itself as
he dwelt upon 1t. He suspected that
Alice had deceived him. He sharply
questioned Father Beret, only to be
half convinced that the good priest
told the truth when he said that he
knew nothing whatever on the subject
beyond the fact that the banner had
myseriously disappeared from under
his floor.
Captain FarnswOrth scarcely sym
pathized with his chief about the flag,
but he was nothing If not anxious to
gain Hamilton's highest confidence
His military zeal knew no bounds. and
he never let pass even the slightest
opportunity to show 1t. Hence his
persistent search for a clew to the
missing banner He was no respecter
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