The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-03-16
Alice of Old Vincennes
By Maurice Thompson

the excitement of the violent exercise
Just understanding compounded of
all these and more-affected the good
priest strangely. Involuntary he
crossed himself, as if against a dan
gerous charm.
Mon Dieu, Father Beret," she ex-
claimed with impatience haven't
you a grain of sense left? Take this
flag and hide it, tell you! Don't stay
there gazing and blinking. Here.
quick! They saw me take it, they may
be following me. Hurry, hide it
somewhere"
He comprehended now. rising from
his knees with queer smile broaden
ing on his face. She put the banner
into his hands and gave him a gentle
push.
Hide it, 1 tell you, hide it, you dear
old GOOSE
Without speaking, he turned the
staff over and over in his hand, until
the flag was closely wrapped around
it, then STOPPING he lifted a puncheon
and with 1t covered the gay roll from
sight
Alice caught him in her arms and
kissed him vigorously on the cheek.
Her warm lips made the spot tingle
Don't you dare to let any person
have it, It's the flag of George Wash
Ington."
She gave him strong squeeze.
He pushed her from him with both
hands and hastily crossed himself, but
his eyes were laughing
You ought to have seen me;
waved the flag at them-at the Eng
lish-aRd one young officer took off
his hat TO me! On, Father Beret, it
was like what is in a novel They'll
get the fort. but not the banneri Not
the banneri I've saved 1t. I've saved
it,"
Her enthusiasm gave a splendor to
her ccuntenaIce. frightening its riches
Of color and somehow adding to its
natural girnsh expression an audac-
ious sweetness: The triumphant sue
cess of her undertaking lent the dig
nifty Of conscious power to her look, a
dignity which always sit well upon a
young and somewhat immaturely
beautiful face.
Father Beret could not resist her
fervid eloquence. and he could not run
away from her or stop up his ears
while she went on. So he had to
laugh when she said:
"Oh, If you had seen it all you
would have enjoyed IT. There was
Onc1e Jazon squatting behind the lit
tie swivel, and there was Captain
Helm and Lieutenant Beverley hold
ing their burning sticks over the big
cannon ready to shoOt-all of them
so intent that they didn't SEQ me
and yonder came the English officer
and his army against the three. When
they got close to the gate the officer
called out: Surrender" and then Cap
tain Helm yelled back: Damned II I
do. Come another step and I'll blow
you all to hell in a second" I was
nightly in hopes that they'd come on;
1 wanted to see a cannon ball hit that
English commander right in the face;
he looked so arrogant"
Father Beret shook his head and
tried to look disappearing and solemn.
Meantime down at the fort Hamil-
ton was demanding the flag. He had
seen Alice take It down. and supposed
that It was lowered officially and
would BE- turned over to him. Now
he wanted TO handle Il as the best
token OF his bloodless but important
victory.
Il didn't order the flag down until
after I had accepted your terms. %
said Helm, land when my man started
to obey, we saw young lady snatch
it and run away with IT."
Who was the grip
Il do not inform on women" said
Helm
Hamilton smiled grimly. with a
vexe6 look In his eyes, then turned 20
| Captain Farnsworth and ordered him
| to bring up NJ. Roussillon. who, when
he appeared, still had his hands tied
together.
Tell me the name of the young
woman who carried away the flag
from the fort. You saw her, you
know every soul in this town: Who
was 1t. STRIP
II was a hard question for NJ. Rous-
sillon TO answer: Although his hu-
initiating captivity had somewhat
| cowed him, still his love for Alice
made II impossible for him to give the
| information demanded by Hamilton.
He choked and stammered, but finally
managed to say
IT assure you that I don't know
didn't look-I didn't sect was too
far OF for me to see-I was somewhat
| exctted-T@
Take him away: Keep him secure
/ " bound" said Hamilton. "Conflno
him. Wen see how long it viii take
10 refresh his mind Wen puncture
/ the big windbag:
While this curt scene was passing,
/ the flag of Great Britain rose over the
/ fort TO the lusty cheering OF the vic
| torious soldiers.
Hamilton treated Helm and Bever
| ley with extreme courtesy. He was
a soldier, gruff. INSCRIPTIONS and
| cruel to a degree; but he could not