The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-03-14
CHAPTER TX

- ASHARD ROU SSllJION was
thoroughly acquainted with
~ savage warfare, and he knew
all the pacific means so successfully
and so long used by French mission
aries and traders to control savage
character; but the emergency now
upon him was startling. 1t confused
him The fact that he had taken a
solemn oath of allegiance to the Amer
lean Government could have been
pushed aside lightly enough upon
pressing occasion. but he knew that
certain confidential agents left in Vim
/ cennes by Governor Abbott had, upon
the arrival of Helm, gone to Detroit,
and of course they had carried thither
full report Of all that happened in
the Church of St. Xavier, when Father
Gibault called the people together. and
at the fort, when the British flag was
hauled down and la banniere d'AliCe
Roussillon run up in its place. His
expansive imagination did full credit
to itself in exaggerating the inpor-
tance Of his part in handing the post
over TO the rebels. And what would
Hamilton think of this? Would he
consider It treason? The question
certainly bore a tragic suggestion.
NJ Roussillon lacked everything Of
being a coward. and treachery had no
rightful place in his nature. He was,
however. so in the habit Of fighting
windmills and making mountains Of
molehills that he could not at first
glance see any sudden presentment
with a normal vision. He had no love
for Englishmen and he did not like
Americans, but he naturally thought
that Helms talk OF fighting Hamilton
was. as his own would have been in
like case, talk and nothing more. The
fort could not hold out an hour. he
well knew. Then what? All, he but
too Well realized the result.
Resistance would infame the Eng
/ ish soldiers and madden the Indians
There would be a massacre and the
belts Of savases would sag with bloody
scalps. He shrugged his shoulders and
felt a chill creep up his back.
The first thing NJ. RoussiIlon did
was to see Father Beret and take
counsel Of him; then he hurried home
to dig a great pit under his kitchen
floor in which he buried many bales
of fur and all his most valuable
things. He worked like a giant beaver
all night long. Meantime Father
/ Beret went about over the town
/ quietly notifying the inhabitants 70
remain In their houses until after
the fort should surrender, which he
was sure would happen the next day.
You will be perfectly safe. my
/ children" he said TO them. NO harm
( can come to you If you follow my
directions"
Relying implicitly upon him, they
Ccrupulously obeyed in every par
/ ticular.
He did not think it necess -- to
call at RoussiIlon place. having
already given VI. Roussillon the best
( advice he could command.
Just at the earliest break Of day,
while yet the gloom Of night scarcely
felt the suns approach. a huge figure
made haste along the narrow streets
in the northern part Of the town. If
any person had been looking out
/ through the little holes, called
windows, in those silent and rayless
huts, it would have been easy to
! recognize VI. Roussillon by his stature
and his gait, dimly outlined as he was.
= thought, which seemed to him an
inspiration Of genius. had taken pos
/ session Of him and was leading him.
as if by the nose, straight away
/ to Hamilton's lines. He was freighted
with eloquence for the ear Of that
nd H.
/ facing the crisp morning air he was
! rehearsing under his breath, en-
| phasizing his periods in tragic
! whispers with sweeping gestures and
liberal facial cOntortions So absorbed
was he in his oratorical solilouuy that
he forgot due military precaution and
ran plumb into the face Of a savage
picket guard who, without respect
for the great n. Roussillon's dignity.
sprang up before him, grunted cavei n
ously, fiOurished a tomahawk and
spoke in excellent and exceedingly
cultural Indian:
''Wah, surrender"
It is probable that no man ever com.
piled with a modest request in a more
docile spirit than did NJ. Roussillon
upon that occasion. In fact. his
promptness must have been admir-
able, for the savage grunted approval
and straightway conducted HON to
HamiltOn's headquarters on d batteau
in the river
The British commander, a hale man
Of sandy complexion and probably I'M
del middle age, was in no very pleas
ant hUmOr. Some of his orders had
been misunderstood by the chief of his
Indian allies, so that a premature ex-
posture Of his approach had been made
to the enemy.
We'll. sir. who are your" he gruffly
demanded. when NJ. RoussiIlon doomed
before him
Il am Gaspard Roussillon, the
mayor of Vincennes," was the lofty
reply. Il have come to announce to
you officially that my people greet you
Loyalty and that my town is freely
at your command" He felt as i'm
portant as if his statements had been
true.
''Humph, that's it, is it? Wen. Mr.
Mayor. you have my congratulations.
but l should prefer seeing the military