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


gan to lower the British
co,ors. Slowly the bright emblem OF
earth's mightiest nation crept down
in token of the fact that handful Of
k-woodsmen had won an empire
by a splendid stroke of pure heroism.
Beverley detached the flag, and salu-
ting. handed 1t to Colonel Clark. Ham
ilton's breast heaved and his iron
Jaws frightened their pressure until
the lines Of his cheeks were deep fur
rows of pain.
Father Beret, who had just been
admitted, quietly took a place at one
side near the wall. There was fine,
warm, benignant smile on his old
face, yet his powerful shoulders
dropped as If weighted down with a
heavy load. Hamilton was aware
when he entered, and instantly the
scene Of their conflict came into his
memory with awful vividness, and
he saw Alice lying outstretched, stark
and co.'s. the shining strand Of hair
futtering across her pallid cheek. Her
ghost overshadowed him.
Just then there was a bird-lke
movement, a wing-like rustic. and
light figure fitted swiftly across the
area. All eyes were turned upon it.
Hamilton recoiled, as pale as death,
half lifting his hands, as II to ward
off a deadly blow, and then a gay
flag was flung out over his head. He
saw before him the girl he had shot;
but her beautiful face was not waxen
now nor was it cold or hfeless- The
rich. red blood was strong under the
drowned. vet delicate skin, the eyes
were bright and brave, the cherry
hps. slightly apart. gave a glimpse OF
pearl white teeth, and the dimples-
those rogIish dimples-twinkled
sweetly.
Colonel Clark looked on in amaze
rnent. and in spite of himself, in ad-
uiration. He did not understand
the sudden incident bewildered him;
but his virile nature was instantly
and wholly charmed. Something Ike
a breath Of violets shook the tender
est chords Of his heart
Alice stood firmly, a statue OF tn
umph. her right arm outstretched'
holding the fiag high above Hamll-
toms head: and close by her SIDE the
little hunchback Jean was posed in
his most characteristic attitude, gaz-
ins Ar the banner which he himself
had stolen and kept hidden for Ahce' 5
sake, and because he loved II
There was a dead silence for some
moments, during which Hamilton
face showed that he was ready 10
cOIIapse; then the keen voice CT Oncle
Jazon broke forth:
'eVive Zhorsh Vasinton. Five Ia
banniere d'AIce Roussillon!
He sprang TO the middle Of the area
and flung his old cap high IN air
with a shriu war-whoop-
seH'ist it, hist it. hissez Ia banniere
de Mademoiselle Alice Roussillon'
VOLTA. que c'est glorieuse, cette ban
Mere la Hist it. hist it,!
He was dancing with a rickety live
illness. his goatish legs and shriVeled
body giving him the look OF an
emaciated satyr.
Clark had been told by some OF his
creole officers the story Of how Alice
raised the flag when Helm took the
fort and how she snatched IL from
Hamilton's hand, as it We're and
would not give it UP when he de-
msnded #. The whole situation
nrettv soon began to explain itself, as
he saw what Alice was doing. Then
he heard her say to Hamilton, while
she slowly swayed the ripping flag
back and forth:
It said. as you win remember. Mon
sieur le Gouverneur, that when you
next should see this flag, 1 should
wave it over your head. Well, look
am waving it, Vive Ia repubhquel
Vfve George Washington, What do
YOU think Of it, Monsieur le Cow
erneur?"
Tbs poor little hunchback Jean took
off his cap and tossed it in rhythnical
emphasis, keeping time to her words.
And now from behind the hollow
square came a mighty voice:
"C'est moi, Gaspard Roussillon; me
voici. messieurs!"
There was a spirit in the air which
caught from Alice a thrill Of romantic
energy. The men in the ranks and
the officers in front of them felt a
wave Of irresistible sympathy sweep
through their hearts. Her picturesque
beauty, her fine temper, the fitness Of
incident to the occasion. had an in
.taneous power which moved all men
alike.
Raise her flag! Run up the young
.ady's flag. some one shouted, and
hen every voice seemed to echo the
words. Clark was a young man OF
noble type, in whose veins throbbed
the warm chivalrous blood of the
cavaliers. A watt Of the suddenly pre-
vailing influence bore him also quite
off his feet. He turned to Beverley
and said:
DO it! It viii have a great effect.
II is a good idea; get the young
Iady's flag and her permission to run
it up"
Before he finished speaking, indeed
at the first glance. he saw that
Beverley, like Hamilton, was white
as a dead man; and at the same time
it came to his memory that his young
friend had confided to him. during
the awful march through the prairie
wilderness, a love-story about this
very Alice Roussillon. In the worry
and stress of the subsequent struggle,
he had forgotten the tender basis up
on which Beverley had rested his ex-
cuse for leaving Vincennes. Now 1t
all reGppeared in justification of what
was going on. It touched the
romantic core of his Southern nature.
IT say, Lieutenant Beverley" he
repeated. beg the young lady's per-
mission to use her flag upon this glori-