The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-04-14

~ dUdIFt COul0 the 0ry-as5-Q aust
= historians have their day, and
| doubtless 1t viii be thrilingly roman
| tic at every turn if the novelists were
able TO control its current. Fortunate
y neither one nor the other has much
| influence, and the result, in the long
run, IS that most novels are shocking
/ " tame, while the large body of his
| tory is loaded down with picturesque
incidents. which if used in fiction.
would be thought absurdly romantic
and improbable.
Were our simple story OF old Vim
cennes a mere fiction. we should hest
tate to bring in the explosion OF a
magazine at the fort with a view to
sudden confusion. and, by that means,
! distractinS attention from our heroine
while she betakes herself out of a sit
uatiOn which, although delightful
! enough for a blessed minute, has
quickly become an embarrassment
| quite uncomfortable. But we simply
/ adhere to the established facts in his
tory. Owing to some carclessness
there was. indeed, an explosion Of
I twenty-six six-pound cartridges, which
made a mighty roar and struck the
newly installed garrison into a heap,
so to say. scattering things terribly
and wOunding six men. among them
/ Captains Bowman ard Worthington.
After the thunderous crash came a
mOmentary silence, which embraced
/ both the people within the fort and
1 the wild crowd outside Then the
rush and noise were indescribable
Even Clark gave way to excitement.
/ losing command of himself and, of
! course, Of his men. There was
/ stampede toward the main gate by
one wing of the troops in the hollow
square. They literally ran over Bev-
erley and Alice, flinging them apart
and jostling them hither and yonder
without mercy. OF course the turmoil
quickly subsidized. Clark and Beverley
got hold Of themselves and sang out
their peremptory orders with excel
| lent effect. 1t was like oil on raging
water; the men obeyed in a struggling
way, getting back into ranks as best
they could.
| ''Ventrebleu!" sqUeaked Oncle Jazon,
''ef didn't think the ole world had
/ DuSLGO INTO u ullAllOn DleCeS.
He was jumping up and down not
! three feet from BeverleXs toes, way
ing his cap excitedly.
But wasn't skeert! va, va, va!
/ Vive Ia banniere dAlice Roussillon.
Vive Zhorzh Vasintonr'
/ Hearing Alce's name caused Bev-
erley to look around. Where was she?
In the distance he saw Father Beret
hurrying to the spot where some of
! the men burnt and wounded by the
explosion were being stripped and
cared for. Hamilton still stood like a
statue. He appeared to be the only
cool person in the fort.
! Where is Alice?-Miss Roussillon
where did Miss Roussillon go?"
Beverley exclaimed staring around
like a lost man. Where is she?"
'D'know," said Oncle Jazon, resum-
ing his habituaI expression OF droll
| dignity, "she shot apast me jes' as
tibet thing busted loose, an she went
like er hummin' bird. skitchl-jes tibet
way-an' didn't see r no more.
Cause I was skeert mighty nigh inter
seven fits; spect that 'splosion bowed
her clean away Ventrebleu! never
was so plum outen breath an dead
crazy weak O. bein afeardr'
Lieutenant Beverley" roared Clark
in his most commanding tone, 'go to
the gate and settle thtags there. That
mob outside is trying to b. eak inr'
The order was instantly obeyed, but
Beverley had relapsed. Once more his
soul CROPPED in darkness, while the
whole of his life seemed unreal. a
wavering. misty, hollow dream. And
yet his military duty was all real
enough. He knew just what to do
when he reached the gate.
Back there at once!" he COM
manded, not loudly, but with intense
force. back therer' This to the in
ward surging wedge Of excited out
siders. Then to the guard:
Shoot the first man who crosses
the liner
'Ziff! me voici! moi! Gaspard Rous-
siIlon. Laissezmoi passer, messieurs. "
a great body hurled itself fran
tically past Beverley and the guard,
going out through the gateway
against the wall of the crowd, bear
ing everything before it and shout
ing:
Back. fools! you'll all be killed