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Show Pahtte II' ustcsmANA. J I BY ESARY gEVEREUX I ..... 1 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BV DON C. WILSON (Oyyrfrif, &03. by tKk, Oronn tCbvy " CHAPTER XXI. Having emerged from tho building, Lafltto saw, ns ho wns locking tho door, that many of his men, armed with guns, hnd gathered within tho stockade, tho greater number of them standing around another loghouso nt tho furthermost end, whero two of his sub captains, Belucho and Dominique-You, Dominique-You, had their quarters. He went to tho end of tho stockade, and not seeing Plerro amongst tho men gatherod there, asked If nnyono knew of tho letter's whereabouts. "He was outside, ray captain, when last I saw hlra. Ho was sitting on tho bluff, smoking, and swearing that tho men should do no harm to that boat load of beauties lying off shore," replied re-plied Domlnlque-You, his swarthy faco wrinkling with a grin. The shadows wcro falling fast, nnd tho dampening air was melodious with tho notes of tho mocking-birds that filled tho trees about tho fort, whllo faint but sweet enmo othor fluting voices from tho deeper woods, mingling with tho occasional cry of an owl, or tho reltcratlvo noto of n whlppoorwlll; nnd now and then tho maniacal scream of n loon camo from tho sedges. On tho edgo of tho bluff was Plerro, a gun across his knees, and looking llko a sentlnol on guard, except that ho was stretched upon tho ground smoking. Pierre's head turned quickly at tho sound of footsteps behind him, nnd ho sprang upright as Jcnn said, "Wo must row out thoro, and send thoso follows back to their ship. Tho officers offi-cers will remain hero for tho night." Nothing moro wns said until a small boat had boon pushed off. Jean sat In tho storn, nnd PJcrro, laying his gun ncross tho sent, picked up tho oars and began to row with long, steady strokes thnt sent tho light craft speeding out toward tho English boat, showing black In tho gathering dusk. Jean now tied a handkerchief to an extra oar, and raised It, making a whlto flutter In tho shadows. "Offered they a generous brlbo?" Plerro Inquired softly, turning his head In order to mako suro of tho other boat's bxact position, whllo his powerful nrms worked with tho smoothness of a piston-rod. "Indeed, yes. Thoy offor mo tho rank of captain In tho English navy, nnd thirty thousand dollars In cush." Plorro gavo n low whistle "And tho prlco of nil this honor nnd wo.ilttif" ho nsked, taking nnothor backward glanco. "J?uH a bit more to Jsrbonrd; wo will rtop nt eaBy hnlllng dlstnnco,'1-eald dlstnnco,'1-eald Jean, nftor turning hnlf-wny In his nt Then, In nn cntlroly different dif-ferent tono, ono of concentrated rage, "Tho prlco Is that wo nro to soli our-solves our-solves to tho English, nnd lead thorn, by our own paths and waterways, so that thoy may fall unexpectedly upon Now Orleans, nnd burn tho city, nftor pillaging It. Thoy nro also to buy tho slaves with promlsod freedom, and then add to tho ruin by an insurrection." insurrec-tion." Plorro, although of not so flno a mould ns Jean, shared tho lattor's dls-llko dls-llko to profanity, and rarely indulged in strong language. But ho now uttered ut-tered n terrlblo oath. This was his only comment; nnd it was followed by sllenco, until Jean nnnounced, "Horo wo aro; and we'll Ho on our onrs." Ho sent n challenging shout over tho water. It was answered nt onco; thon camo tho sound of working oars, and Lafltto called again, "Como no nearer. Captains Lockycr nnd Mc-Williams Mc-Williams will remain on tho Island for tho night, nnd havo sent you written writ-ten orders. Stop whero you aro, nnd I will bring thorn to you." A short pauso succoededj then a surly "Ayo, nyo," camo across tho water, nnd tho rowing stopped, Just as a fiery thread of tho rising moon was lifting nbovo tho sen. Plorro soon brought his boat along-sldo along-sldo tho othor ono, nnd Jean, laying a hand' on Its gunwnlo, inquired, "Who Is in command hero?" "I am, sir," roplled ono of tho men, rising so thnt his powerful form stood out nbovo tho others, "I'm bo's'n of tho brig." "Hero aro your orders," said I.afltto, handing tho soalcd paper to tho near-! near-! t man, who passed It along. "You uro to return to tho brig, ana roport hero at noon to-morrow." "Ayo, sir," replied tho boitswaln. Eight onrs touched tho water an ono, and tho English boat wont her way, Plorro soon began to row moro Blow-ly; Blow-ly; nnd Jean asked, In continuation of their recent talk," "Hoard you ovor of a more dastardly plan for whlto men to mnp out." "Not I," growled Pierre. ' Even La-ro, La-ro, scoundrel as ho was, nover did a worso thing. And If wo decline this, Jean, then what Is It to bo, or did they not do us tho honor of doubting our acceptance?" ac-ceptance?" "Baratarla Is to bo overrun by tho English; our ships and property confiscated; con-fiscated; and you and I, togcthor with our men, put to death ns pirates, who havo merited tho vengcanco of Oreat Britain by our seizure of Spanish ves-sols." ves-sols." "Sol" But Plcrro's laugh hnd llttlo of mirth In It. "Louisiana offors a prlco for your hoad, and England threatens to hang you If you will not holp her destroy Now Orleans, so that' sho may have Louisiana by tho throat. A flno choice of favors, this, to Bolect from." Under tho ' jw, cane-thatched roof covering th abodo of Bolucho nnd Dominique-' ou, they nnd tho two La-flttcs La-flttcs nto -nipper In comparative sllenco, sl-lenco, owing to tho coming and going of tho slave, Juniper, who waited upon them. But tho meal ovor, with pipes and bottles upon the cleared tnblo, and Juniper shut apart In his own domain, do-main, they proceeded to discuss tho mattor whoso contemplation had mndo their silence seem sullen. When they wcro all seated, Lafltto, In a low tone, and to tho accompaniment accompani-ment of occasional angry commonts nnd Imprecations, read the two papers, omitting, howover, all mention of tho monoy offered to himself. "Now, toll us, Captain Lafltto," spoke up Bolucho, who llko Plerro, had been smoking contemplatively, apparently revolving what had been read, "toll us what you advlso as the causo to bo pursued. But, first of all, I declare thai never will I tako up arms for England, against America or any othor "Pacing up and down with the hounds for company." nation. As to that, I can count upon enough followers to make It worth my whllo to Ball awny southward, and stop thoro until this troublo Is ovor." "I will toll you that my Idea is to communlcnto promptly with tho nu-thorltlos nu-thorltlos In Now Orloans, offoring thorn, for tho city's dofenso, our services, ser-vices, which tho English nppoar to valuo so highly. Tho prlco I shall demand de-mand Is tho granting to us of pardon for nil past offenses, or supposed of-fensos. of-fensos. To such of my officers nnd men who may suffer materially, I will promlso nil tho holp my prlvato purso can glvo. What say you to this?" Ho glanced nround tho clrclo, his eyes resting on Cntalon and; Doml-nlquo-You. "I say, my captain, that Is all very much to my tasto," replied tho lattor, and Cntalon ndded as emphatically, "Mlno as wolll" "And you, Bolucho; what say youT" Bolucho roplled slowly, "I say, without with-out resorvo, that I am with you In everything that is for America as against England, nnd I know that my mon will bo with mo." "Aye," ndded Catalon, "wo can all fight with a bettor stomnch for Gov-ernor Gov-ernor Clalbornp thnn for King Oeorgo." "And what It Govornor Clalborno rofuso us tho opportunity of fighting for him?" Tho question wns from Plorro, who had left his chnlr, and was knocking tho nshes from his plpo Into tho fireplace. fire-place. "Ho cannot afford to refuse us," de-clarod de-clarod Boluche, with unusual animation, anima-tion, boforo Jenn could speak. And "Not ho!" oxclnlmed Catalon nnd Domlnlquc-You, speaking ns with a single volco. "This, thon, is our courno," said L-fltto, L-fltto, as If Plerro's question had boon fitly nnswored, "nnd which, for tho prcsont, must ho kept strictly to our-solvos, our-solvos, nR our men need not be told for several days to como. Moanwhllo, In tho morning, I will answer Lock-yor Lock-yor and McWIlllams, as I find It best to do. And, Catnlon, rempn.tjer, you and Dominique seo to it ti o, tho mn are ket qutot, and that nothing oi .c'Bb1 ours to prevent my returning the two ' ' SBBI offlcors Bafoly to tholr boat" BBBI Sovcral times during tho night Jean H and Plerro, singly or together, went ' H outsldo to reconnoitre, but tho hours BBBl passed without disturbance. - H Onco, whllo Jean was pacing up and H down bonenth tho bright stars with' BBBl tho hounds for company, tho sound1 H of a far-off wolfs cry changed, as H would havo tho blast bt a trumpet, BBJ tho current of his thoughts. BBBJ Was It real coming, and so near H ns It seemed the day for which 'he BBI had longod, holding for him tho chnnco of redeeming himself In tho estimation of tho Island Rose? And wcro not events seeming to shapo for BBBJ enabling him to fulfil the promlso mndo upon Elba that he would craso "BBBl tho Btlgma from tho namo of Lafltto H In Louisiana? BBl A thrill of hope mado now llfo spring within him, and, with an um voiced prayer, he lifted his wilful fac( to tho heavens, from whence ther seemed to descend a strango peace. CHAPTER XXII. At Runrlso a chango hnd taken plac BBBJ in tho appearance of things about tht BBBJ stockado. Before tho now opened ' B gates a brawn Irishman, ono of Bo BBBJ lucho's trusted' followers, fully armed. paced to and fro, and Lopez stoo BBBJ guard beforo the locked doors of L. fltto's houso. BBBJ As Plorro, Jcnn and tho two under BvAl captains wero finishing breakfast, 4 messenger camo to toll tho formet that tho "Star of tho Gulf" had comtl BBJ to anchor In tho harbor, and was fly BBBJ Ing a signal for his presence on board, BBBJ "It is Zcndanner, from Mexico, nj BBBJ last," ho said, glancing at Jean, "and I am glad to know of his safo arrival, BBBJ Ho should havo been in a week ago, BBBJ "Will you go, or shall I." Plerro ask cd, ns Jean romnlncd silent Tho latter, llko Plorro, knowing tha! full meaning of tho signal, roplled that BBB ho would go aboard, nnd, leaving; BBB Plerro In chnrgo of mattors at tho stockado, ho took his way to tho har- BBB BBB Returning In an hour's tlmo, ho was; coming up tho path from tho beacli when ho heard unmistakable sounds BBB of tumult, followed by tho roar of tha gun mounted upon n pivot In front of his own houso, as a protection against possible disturbances. BBB Pierre, Bolucho and Domlnlque-You wcro standing upon tho steps of tho houso, shouting angrily at tho rioters -for such they wcro, who, armed, and BBB filled with murderous lust, crowded beforo them, demanding "The two BBB English spies!" Bfl (To be continued.) |