Show 1 AFTFra 1 ilrv UlSIANA d at a t BY ARY EVEREUX M MTH ILLUSTRATIONS BY DON C WiLSON Cyo + 3At J9G11 W G1Ykevtomgwv C4 AIglb Q rrcyJ 71Am 6tll CHAPTER XVIII Lafltto and Grelolro wore s Wben InI Into Napoleons cabinet and shored 1e 1l L formers eyes foil upon him ho Fid for so many years longed to see Is taI first sensation was that of pain Is 01 I Uil f The slender form was gone lost tea In the personality of tho stout middle lied man who lounging in a velvet ged noj Kshloned chair looked at Lafitto rroYJ Lrflesslycoldly as at an entire Owl tranger Ills appearance and attitude bore I Dm jrciolres remark that It was ul t Iraktt Lid the emperor was strangely In resets different to everything Every line mean 1 the listless face and relaxed form r Fft Indicated this cxsoldler approached and the ex totkil As owed low a faint smile lightened Na t Sea Aeons repellent expression and head I bl he-ad graciously Greloiro I am ite to d pleased to see you and to know that the I yoU have not forgotten ono who aftm thOUght highly of you In moro pros Pettus roux days Who Is this you bring dh ou1 Sire Captain Jean Lafltte of Lou rid1S g Ilslana answered Grelolre after a Dalle moments hesitancy and Lafltte coming com-ing forward bowed respectfully J > d bl Jean Lafltto Napoleon repeated ion ol I slowly looking not at tho former but at Grelolre I have heard tho name then re ID I before but not to tho wearers credit I I ask you Grelolreand his voice mm Block a yet icier noteyou who are er ani I Ills sponsor why Captain Jean Lafltte lot Louisiana dare present himself Iraajl before me 1 which I I Jean Lafltto will answer your some question Sire I Jean Lafltto of ing oij Louisiana And I say to tho man done thom my boyish heart adored and e W1i thom my mans heart loves that I pectel dire present myself to him because e sea I have ships gold men at my com Fora I I nand and all these with my own r rim 1 bo I Km life are his If he can find use fore voted There was a short silence and ono Tilt tut boy < replied Napolevkl with all his old aIr of affection and tapping the shoulder upon which one of his hands still rested when you have reached my years you will know better than to waste time and thoughts in useless regrets Let the Past go Jean my lad and look only Into the future Tho emperor resumed his seat and resting hU hands upon the arms of the chair stared straight before him while Lafltto stood looking down at the seated form And may I not do something for you urged Lafltte making a final appeal Nono Go you and Grelolro you must leave me for I feel It unwise un-wise that you remain another moment mo-ment You can do nothingnothing for me But I am glad to have seen youboth of you and I thank you Jean my valiant ghost from the past for your offer and your love The emperor as ho spoke leaned I forward in his chair and there was a caress In his smile and tone as well as In his touch upon Lafittes hand If over a time should come Sire when t can serve you may I have the honor and happiness of receiving your commands was asked longing ly l And you would come to me Como to ou1 said Lafltte in atone a-tone so emphatic that the emperor made a gesture of warning Yes Sire through all the ships England might seek to interpose If this be so Jean then perhaps you may some day hear from me Meanwhile your adopted country and hope I may some time see It is at war with England my most implacable implac-able enemy and the conflict may afford af-ford you an opportunity for freeing the namo of Lafltte from obloquy And when this Is done I would ask of you to assume again your rightful namethe one belonging to your fa Under 1 y I J reb rebrobs robs I Iuee II I slmu flash I 3 like I afield I ekage the l u foyer f I 1 In ce ando and-o a I the r mada I her was M d I was v r was palace Rants sent e leI II le-I conJ con-J I Jean Lafitte will answer your question Sire Hit seemed heavy after tho passionate passion-ate voice had ceased Then an Icy d Not tone made sharp contrast as the emperor em-peror said These ships men and nol sold Captain Lafittehow is it that sslon rm come to have them 1 Lafitte found it difficult to control it the himselfto make his volco and bearS Yidar bear-S accord with tho respect ho felt fired and had but now expressed for tho with man whose sarcastic calm turned remit hack the Impetuous torrent of his Met feelings But the tone In which he ihail replied was quiet although husky eft t a tlth repressed emotion ch he Despite Sire the tales which havo dob distorted my name and acts ands and-s my Hlch I perceive have reached your 3 re ears to prejudice you against mo I the claIm that what I have of property tu personally gained bi legitimate meansIn trading and also by ware war-e which was perfectly honorable str1k In Its way i have como with tho use heart for whoso lovo you onco CUed to pray that you let mo servo leans loulf I may and dlo happy in win anew fag back tho peace of mind a reek here less boy threw away opper half h A new light swept llko a softening d The across Napoleons austere face Captain Lafltte ho you are right that I i lad Wt with an entire change of volco liter and manner Ho extended his hand using and Lantte with a rush of now cmo great ° M bowed deeply and pressed it the h 1 lips arose A a he raised his head the emperors f the bgers tightened their clasp and ho ages owe to his feet J are intoman whose heart can treasure vn of into love for me during nil these inlay years Is surely ono who should 0 1 be a misjudged ho said looking y p Into W the > ouK ° r mans facer Jr F a most face-r surely not by mo and at such > sled uma as tho present blDi olds he uttered tho final words ho soffl shoulders red his arms around aflttos lent I 81re and embraced him rttlC 1 Iring easy iu A volume I of omotlons spoke In that test e ale al-e tot snr Sire 1 my whole heart Is grateful Index esteem these words of confidence and 1arg 1m No ono can reallzo better a tof the a ayiejf how sravo was tho mls JU e I vn e nade amitoado aui1 no man would make eater sacrifices to undo It thors title and estates My l fathers name and estates Sire Surely these are but phantoms of the past with which I Jean La fltte can havo no connection The speculative eyes turned a smll Ing glance upon him as the emperor said It Is scarcely a safe thing to aver what may or may not Ho In the future You who seem so desirous of serving me cannot you promise me this Indeed yes Sire was the fervent answer as the speaker bent to touch with his lips the hand pressing his own De It so Nownnd the clasping hand released Its holdou must leave me and bo sure to remember my wish that you remain with Murlo until you hear from me Goodnight Grelolre Goodnight Jean and dark ones exchanged The gray eyes changed a last fleeting glance of partIng part-Ing as Lafitte following Grelolre from tho room paused an instant in the doorway to look back Lafltte quartered In one of Madame Techos dtmttyhung chambers slept mtlo that night He reviewed again and again tho meeting with Napoleon in a turmoil of until his brain was thought that banished sleep would go to Amer If tho emperor ten might not he Lafltte bo the means of getting him there In safety Grelolro went to It was late when sleep still lealf conscious of tho foot next to his own stops in the room and ho awoke to see Lafltte standing by his bedside hour after sun It Is scarcely an rise Grololro and I regret to disturb has just left a But a messenger you with a package with mo together from the emperor requesting message r written that you and I leave tho island questing Possible as speedily as land now rubbing his S01 SAW Grelotre cyesThen It Is best that I leave eyes this comfortable bed Did you say sent you a packet tho Yes emperor And when I tore off tho outer tho Inner one wrapping I found upon exam that I should not his request left the Island until wo had Ino It hectanthe bo tho suppose What do you meaning of this ami wait until you Walt mon ZZIZ open the packet Then I must toll you something that has escaped mil mind until now Breakfast was soon despatched nail after thanking Madame Techo for her hospitality her guests tool theIr leave pursued until out of hear ng by voluble farewells and urgings to come again Murler walked with them to the beach which they found deserted with the full tide rolling In over the lobbied sand In a hushed way as If Its mood were depressed Lafltte drawing a scarlet handkerchief handker-chief from his pocket waved It above his head and the master of the fish ing smack replied with a speedy lull loa that came faintly across the water The fisherman beached his boat near Grelolre who now called to them and stood waiting as they strolled along to Join him The captain of the smack was easily Induced to land his passengers on the French coast and they were scarcely under way before the former masking Qrelolro to accompany him went below to open the package It was somewhat bulky and as his fingers broke the last wrapping a collection of papers some of them discolored by years others evidently of more recent date fell upon the cabin table And In their midst shone the dull gold frame of an Ivory painted miniature For a second Lallttc stared at this then picking It up he looked Intently at the gypsylike face of the portrait Ah mon Dleu How came tho emperor by this he cried choking ly tho sight of tho beautiful face which Margot had taught him to lovo is limo mother whom ho had never known making the past more real than the present Grelolre who was lighting a cigar said dryly Examine the papers and If they do not tell you perhaps I can do so Lafitto glanced at them hurriedly They comprised his parents marriage certificate and all the other papers together with the jewels that had been In the small Iron box so many years ago There were also more recent re-cent papers showing that tho property prop-erty In languedoc had been released from sequestration and held In trust by Napoleon emperor of France for Jean son and heir of the Baron and sometimes known as Jean Lafitte of Louisiana in North America All tho documents were there showIng show-Ing In detail the legal proceedings in stltutcd and perfected under the Consulate I Con-sulate and confirmed under tho Empire Em-pire As tho last paper fell from his hand Lafltte burled his face In his crossed arms amid tho heap of precious pre-cious things upon the table All tho past was rolling in upon him a sea of living reality so distinct and intense that tho present appeared dim and vaporous What had but last night seemed to him legitimate in the light of his everyday world as he met its events now looked honorstained when confronted con-fronted with the appealing sweetness of tho pictured face that had represented repre-sented to his boyhood all that was best and purest and the present sight of which had brought so vividly before be-fore his mental vision the dimmed face of faithful Margot and that proud stately man ho had known as father of whom he could recall no word or act dictated by other than a sense of the highest honor toward his fellows And Bonaparte tho Idol of his youthful heart but for so many years doubted and mistrusted he had obtained ob-tained and treasured these proofs of the wayward boys position as that fathers son and heir while the son himself was risking In alien lands tho sacrifice of his rightful namo and heritage An anguished silence kept him mute and Grelolre as if understanding understand-ing this said nothing To be continued |