OCR Text |
Show MjitiiWMHj J!l''llIllJtili!ItittRTll ALICE of OLD I VINCENNES 1? ::3 By MAURICE THOMPSON ":' :x r: 1 ' "W J Copyright, WOO, by Ih. DOWEN-MERRILL COMfANr 1 fflTil 1 1 1 ti 1 u 7TTIT 1 m n 1 1 m h 1 1 in t imTm 1 1 1 1 i4- i CHAPTER III. TIIK BAI'K Of TUT DEMIJOHN. THE row down at the river house was more noise than tight, so fur iim result seemed to Indicate. Indi-cate. It was nil nboiit a small dame Jeanne of Hue briind.v which nn Indian of the imnic of Long ilnlr bud seized nnd run off with at tlie height of tin; cnrousul. He must have been soberer so-berer tlinn bis pursuers or uiitunilly fleeter, for not oue of them could catch him or even keep 'ng in sight of him. 8ome pistols were emptied while the race wns on, and two or three of the men swore roundly to having seen Long Hair Jump sitlewlse and stngger, a if one of the shots hud taken effect. Rut, although the moon wns shining, be some way disappeared, they could not understand Just how, far down beside U10 river below the fort and the church. It was not nn uncommon thing for an Indian to steal what be wanted, and in most cases light punishment followed conviction, but It was felt to be a capital cap-ital offense for an Indian or anybody else to rape 11 demijohn of line brandy, especially one sent as a present by n friend In New Orleans to Lieutenant Governor Abbott, who bad until recently re-cently Iteen the commandant of the post. Every man at the river bouse recognized and resented the enormity of Long Hair's crime, and each was for the moment ready to be bl.s Judge and bis executioner, no had broken at once every rule of frontier etiquette nnd every bond of sympathy Nor was Long Hulr Ignorant of the. danger Involved In-volved lu bis daring enterprise. He had lteforehnnd carefully and stolidly weighed the conditions, and true to bis Indian nature bad concluded that a little lit-tle wicker covered bottle of brnndy was well worth the risk of his life. So he had put himself In condition for a great race by slipping out and getting rid of bis weapons and nil surplus weight of clothes. This Incident brought the drinking bout nt the river bouse to a sudden end, but nothing further came of It that night and no record of it would bo found In these pages but for the fact that Iong Hair afterward became nn Important character In tho stirring historical drama which had old Vln cennes for Its center of energy Rene de Itouvlllc probably felt himself him-self In bad luck When be arrived at the river house Just too late to shard In the liquor or to Join In chasing the bold thief. He listened with Interest, however, to the story of Long Hair's capture of the commandant's demijohn nnd could not refrain from saying that if he had been present there would have been 11 quite different result "I would have shot him before be got to that door," he said, drawing bis heavy lllntlock pistol and going through the motions of one nlmlng quickly nnd tiring, Indeed, so vigorously vigor-ously In earnest was lie with tho pantomime pan-tomime that lie actually did fire, unintentionally unin-tentionally of course, the ball burying Itself In the doorjamb. He was laughed ut by those present for being more excited than thoy who witnessed the whole thing. One of . them, a leathery faced and grizzled old sinner, leered at him contemptuously and said in queer French, with a curious accent caught from long use of backwoods English: "Listen how the boy brags! Yo might think to hear Rene talk that he actually amounted to n big pllo." This personage was Uuown to every soul In VIncennes ns Oncle Jazon, nnd when Oncle Jazon spoko the whole town felt Isiund to listen. "An' bow well be shoots, too," he added, with 1111 Intolerable wink. "Aimed at the door and lilt the post Certainly ling Hair would have been in great danger! Oh, yes, he'd 'avo killed Iajiik Hair at the first shot, wouldn't he though!" "All right, Oncle Jazon," snld Rene, laughing and blowing the smoke out of his pistol. '"Twos you, all the same, who let Long Hair trot off with tho governor brandy; not I. If you could have hit even 11 doorpost It might hnve been better." Oncle Jazon took off bis cap nnd looked down into It in n way ho bad when about to say something final. "Ventrebleu! I did not shoot at Long Hair at all," lie said, speaking slowly, "because tho scoundrel was unarmed. He didn't have on even n knife, and he t ' ' was bavin' enough to do dodgln the bulletn that the rest of 'em were plumpin' at 'im without any compliments compli-ments from me to bother 'Im more." "Well," Rene replied, turning away with a laugh, "if I'd leen scalped by the Indians as you have I deVt think thcro would bo any pnrtitulat reason why I should wait for an Indian thief to go and arm himself before 1 nc-ccpted nc-ccpted him ns n target." Oncle Jazon lifted 11 hand Involuntarily Involuntar-ily and rubbed his sculpless crown; thon bo chuckled with a grotesque grimace ns If the recollection of having hav-ing bis bend skinned were the funniest tiling Imaginable. "When you've killed ns ninny of em an Oncle Jnzonihas." remarked u bystander by-stander to Rene, "you'll not bo so hungry far blood,' muybe:" "Especially after yo'vo took llfty-nine senljis tjjiftfp.r-yefrono,'.' iJ Oncle JiuouT replacing liHTcap over the hair-less hair-less nren of his crown. , The men who had been clinslug Long Hair presently came straggling back with their stories each bad a distinct 1 one of how the fugitive escaped. They , were wild looking fellows, most of , them somewhat Intoxicated, nil pro I fusely liberal with their stock of pic tuivsque profanity. They represented ' tho roughest element of the well nigh lawless post. "I'm positive that he's wounded," snld one. "Jacques and 1 shot at him together, so that our pistols sounded Just as If only one hail len llred bang! that way and be leaiH'd side ways for all the world like a bird with a broken leg. I thought he'd fall, but ve! he ran faster'n oxer, and all at once be was gone Just disappeared." "Well, tomorrow we'll get him " said another. "You and 1 and Jacques we'll take up his trail, the thief, and follow him till we find him. He can t get off so easy." "1 don't know so well about that " said another. "It's Long Hair, you mint remember, and Long Hair Is no com moil buck that Just anybody can llml asleep. You know what Long Hair Is. Nobody's ever got even with "Im yet That's so, ain't It? Just ask Oncle Jazon, If you don't believe It!" The next morning Long Hair was tracked to tho river's edge. He had been wounded, but whether seriously or not could only bo conjectured. A sprluklo of blood, here nnd there quite a dash of It, reddened the grass and clumps of weeds be had run through, and cndisl v'ose to the water, Into which it looked ns If be had plunged with a view to batlllug pursuit. In deed pursuit was buttled. No further trace could be found by which to follow fol-low the cunning fugitive. Some of the men consoled themselves by saying, without believing, that Iong Hair was probably lying drowned at the bottom bot-tom of the river. "Pas du tout" observed Oncle Jazon, his short pipe askew far over In the corner of his mouth; "not a bit of it Is tbnt Indian drowned. He's Jes' as Ilvn as a fat cat this minute, mid us drunk as the devil. He'll get some o' yer sculps yet nfter he's guzzled nil tbnt brandy and slep' n week." It dually transpired tliat Oncle Jazon was partly tight and partly wrong. I-ong Ilnlr was nllve, even as a fat ent perhaps, put not drunk, for lu trying try-ing to swim with the rotund little dame Jeanne under his arm be lost hold of It and It went-to tho bottom of the Wabash, where it mny be lying nt this moment patiently waiting for some one to tlsh it out of Its bed deep In the sand and mud nnd break the (indent wax from its neck! Reno de Ronvllle, after tho chase of Long Hair bad been given over, went to tell Father Beret what hud happened, hap-pened, nnd, llndlng the priest's but empty, turned Into the path leading to the Roussllloii place, which was at the head of 11 narrow street laid out in n direction at right angles to the river's course. He passed two or three dlmln-utivo dlmln-utivo cabins, nil as much alike ns beehives. As Rene passed along be spoko with n gay French freedom to tho dames and lasses who ehnnced to Imj visible. His air would bo regarded as violently brigandish In our day. We might oven go so far aa to think his whole appearance comical. His Jnunty cap, with n tall that wagged as ho walked; his short trousers nnd leggiugs of buckskin buck-skin nnd his loose sblrtllke tunic, drawn in ut the waist with a broad belt gnvu bis strong tlguro Just the dash of wlld-ncss wlld-ncss suited to the armament with which It was weighted. A heavy gun lay lu tho hollow of bis shoulder, un der which hung nn otter skin bullet pouch with Its clear powder horn nnd white lione charger. In his belt were two huge flintlock pistols nnd a long case knife. "Hon Jour, Mile. Adrlenne," bo cheerily called." waving his free hand in greet lng to a small, dark lass standing on the step of a veranda nnd Indolently swinging -i broom. "Comment allez-vous allez-vous an Jourd'hul?" "J'm'porte trva bleu, mercl," M'sleu' Rene," was the quick response. "Et VOUH?" "Oh, I'm as lively as u cricket." "Going a-huntlng?" "No, just up hero n little way Just on buslness-up to M'sleu Rousslllon's for a moment." 9 "Yes," tho girl responded In a tone Indicative of something very like spleen. ''Yes, undoubtedly, M'slou' tie Ronvllle. Your business there seems quite pressing of late. I have noticed your Industrious application to that business." "Tn-ta, little one," ho wheedled, low fring his voice. "You mustn't go to making bugbenrs out of nothing." "Rugbears!" she retorted'. "You go on nbout your business, and I'll nttund to mine," nnd she lllrtod Into tho house. Reno laughed under bis breath, standing stand-ing a moment as If expecting her to como out again, but she did not nnd ho resumed his walk singing softly: "Ella a le Joum vermelllca. vermalllts. Ma btllo, ma belto petits." But'rcilt60iJfoo,WM,not tbtnldiutfoa Mile. Adrtermo Ionrcior. His trdna? however, imut!bavo been absorbingly occupied, for In the straight, ohii way ho met Father Ileret and did not son him until became near bumping 'igainst the old man. who stopped aside with astonishing agility and s.ild "Dleu vous benlssc, 111011 ills, but what Is your great hurry? Where can you be going lu such happy haste?" Rene did not stop to pnrlej with the priest He Bfd lu his mind what ho was going to say when Alice and ho should be ntotie together It was a pretty speech, he thought Indeed n very thrilling little speech by the way It stirred bis own nerve centers as hn conned it over. Mine, ltousslllon met him nt the door In not n very gtxnl humor "Is Mile Alice here?" he vintured to demand "Alice-' No. she's not here she's never here Just when I wnnt her most Vln le ptcbols et hi grlve (see the . woodpecker and the robliu eating the I Wk 1 " 1 lie lifted M head ind (flared. cherries, eating every one of them, and that girl running off somewhere Instead of staying here nnd picking them," sl.e railed In answer to the young man's polite Inquiry. "1 haven't seen her these four hours, neither her nor that mscally hunchback, Jean. They're up to some mischief, I'll be bound!" Mine. ltousslllon puffed audibly between be-tween phrases, but she suddenly btv came verj mild when relieved of her tirade. "Mais eutrez," she added In n pleasant pleas-ant tone, "come In and tell me tho news " Rene's disappointment rushed Into bis face, but be mannged to laugh It aside. "Father Iteret has Just been telling me," said Mine. ltousslllon, "that our friend Long Ilnlr made some trouble last night. How about It?" Rene told her what he knew and added that Iong Hair would probably never be seen again. "Ho was shot, no doubt of It," he went on, "and Is now being nibbled by flsh nnd turtles. We trnckod him by bis blood to where he jumped Into the Wabash, lie never came out." Strangely enough. It happened that nt the very time of this chat between Mine. ltousslllon and Rene, Alice was bandaging Long Hair's wounded leg with strips of her apron. It was under some willows which overhung tho bank of a narrow and shallow lagoon or slough, which In those days extended a mile or two back Into the country on the farther side of the river. Alice nnd Jean went over In a pirogue to see If the water lilies, haunting u pond there, were yet beginning to bloom. They landed at a convenient spot some distance un the little lagoon, made the boat fast by dragging Its prow high ashore, nnd were on the point of setting out neross a neck of wet, grassy land to the pond, when a deep grunt, not unlike that of n self sntlslled pig, attracted at-tracted them to the willows, where they discovered Umg Ilnlr, badly wounded, weltering in some black mud. His hiding place was cunningly chosen, save tbnt the mire troubled blm, letting lilm down by slow degrees, and threatening to engulf blm bodily; and he was now too weak to extricate himself. He lifted his head and glared. His face was grimy, his hair matted witli mud. Alice, although brave enough and quite accustomed to startling start-ling experiences, uttered n cry when he saw those snaky eyes glistening ho savngely amid tho shadows. Hut Jean was quick to recogulze Long Hair. He had often seen him about town, n figure not to be forgotten. "They've been hunting blm everywhere," every-where," ho said In n half whisper to Alice, clutching tho skirt of her dress. "It's Long Hair, tho Indian who stole tho brandy. I know him." Alice recoiled n pace or two. "Let's go back und tell 'em," Jean added, ctlll whispering. "They wnnt to kill him; Oncle Jnzou said so. Come on!" He guve her dress a Jerk, but she did not move nny farther back. Sho was looking at tho blood oozing from a wound In the Indian's leg. "He Is shot; ho Is hurt, Jean; wo oust help blm," sho presently said, recovering re-covering her self control, yet still pale. "We must get blm out of thnt bad place." Jean caught Alice's merciful spirit, with sympathetic readiness and showed Immediate willingness to aid her. It wns a difficult thing to do, but there was n will nnd of course a wny They had knives with which they cut willows to mako n standing place ou, tho mud. While they were doing thin they spoke friendly words to Ing Hair, who understood French n little nnd nt last they got bold of his arms.1 tugged, rested, tugged again and finally iCofitlnued On oth page Alice oJ, Vincennes. ic6n tlnued from tlilid page mnnaRetl to help lilin to n tlry place, Btlll under the willows, where he conM llo more nt onso. Jonn carried water in tils cap with which they wnnherf.tho wotmil nml the ninlltl KnvnRp face.J Ttien A lire tore up her cotton npron.Un which she hud horKsl to hour homcln load of lilies, und with the Htrlps honnd the wound pry neatly It took a long time, durliiK which the Inillnn remnlnl allont nntl iippurnitly quite IntllfTerent.' Iiiik Hnlr was a inuii of superior physique, tnll. HtmlRht, with the raus-clci raus-clci of n Vulcan, nml while ho lny Btrotched on the cromiil, half clad nnd motlonlem, he would Imve been n crnnd inotlel for n hemic Uj;urc In broii7.p. Vet from every lineament there eume it utrnnae repelllnff Inllti-ctico, Inllti-ctico, llko that from a Miiuko. Alice feit almost unbenrnlih tllsfiUKt while dolnp her nierclful tnsk, but she bravely persevered per-severed until It wns thilshetl. It was now lute In the afternoon and the sun Wi.uld be settltn; before they could reach home "Wo must hurry back, Jean," Alice said. tltrnliiK to depart. "It will be nil we can do to reach the other side in daylight I'm thinking that they'll bo out luiiitliiK for us. too, If we don't move ilKht lively Come." She cave the Indian another clanre when, she had taken but a step. He Krtinled and held up soniethlm; In his hand- soiuethlin; that shone with n dull yellow llt;ht. It was n smill, oval, sold locket w hleh she had nl-ways nl-ways worn In her bosom. She sprang nnd siiateheil It from his palm. "Thank you," she exclaimed, stnlllnR gratefully "I am so lnd you found It" The chain by which the locket had hung was broken, doubtless by some movement while dragging IOtig Hair out of the mud, and the lid hud sprung open, exposing a miniature or-trait or-trait of Alice painted when she wm a little child, probably not two years old. It was a sweet baby face, archly bright, almost surrounded with a fiiff of golden hair. The neck and upoer line of the plump shoulders, with a trace of richly dellcute lace and a string of pearls, gave somehow a suggestion sug-gestion of patrician daintiness Iong Hnlr looked keenly Into Alice's eyes when she stooped to take the locket from his band, but said nothing. She and Jean now hurried away, and, so vigorously did they pnddle Uietr pirogue, that the sky was yet red In the west when they reached homeland duly received their expected scolding from Mine, llousslllon. Alice Healed Jeah's lips as to their ndventure, for fihe had made up her mind to save Long Hair If possible, and she felt sure that tho only way to do It would bo to trust no one but Father Iteret It turned out that Iong Hair's wound was neither n broken bonp nor a. cut artery. The flesh of his leg, midway between the hip nnd tho knee, was pierced. The bullet had bored a neat hole clean through. Father lieret took the ease In hand nnd with no little surgical skill proceeded to set the big Indian upon his feet again The affair had to lie cleverly managed. Food, medicines and clothing were surreptitiously surrepti-tiously borne across the river, a bed of grass was kept fresh under Long Hair's back, his wound was regularly dressed nnd finally his weapons -a tomnhnwk, a knife, it strong bow and a quiver of nrrows which be had hidden on the night of his bold theft, were brought to him. "Now go and sin no more," snld good rather Hcret, but he well knew that bis wotds were mere puffs of articulate wind In tho ear of tho grim nnd silent savage, who limped away with an air of stately dignity into the wilderness. A load fell from Allen's mind when Father lieret Informed her of Long Ilnlr's recovery nnd departure. Day nnd night the dread lest some of the men should II ml out his hiding place and kill blm bad depressed and worried her. Long Hair's Imperturbable calmness, calm-ness, bis Btolld, Immobile countenance, tlie mysterious rcptUInn gleam of his shifty black eyes and the soulless expression ex-pression always lurking In them kept a fascinating hold on the girl's memory. They blended curiously with tho Impressions Im-pressions left by the romances sbo had rend In M. ItniiRsllton's mildewed books. Ixiug Hair was not it young mini, but It would have been Impossible to guess near bis age. His form and face simply sim-ply showed long experience und Immeasurable Im-measurable vigor Alice remembered with n shuddering sensation the look he gave her when she took the locket from his band. It was of but a m-c-ond's duration, yet It seemed to search every nook of her being with Its subtle power " Continued Next Issue. |