Show r7 > omJc AFITIE 111 UISIANA BY ARY SEVEREUX I Kim ILtUSnWnotlS < BY DON C raSOK C jr7 3At 1a 6y Lirykt nscakMy AZY t4j aimJ p JerrQ CHAPTER XIV Xbe Island of GrandeTerre oft the a Lst of Louisiana runs parallel with mainland and at Its western end a secure harbor reached by tho n at Pass of Baratarla whoso water from nine to ten feet In depth 1 Here on Grando Terre were sold je captured cargoes and prizes and jople from all parts of Louisiana n LS hither to purchaso them with t apparent attempt or desire to con Li I the object of their mission jjean Lafltte was with Pierre sit t kg la the diningroom of his own 5 use of which however the latter nominal master R s t tAnd so Laro is dead and tho Barra h Hlcrro In English hands Pierre is saying ml Tell me ot thy plans and what Is become of the lovely Senorita La t Pie a At this Jean putting aside his for I r mood sketched out clearly all his 9 ended operations telling In detail q his Interview with Philip La Roche U a with his widowed sister Madame b jet would take tho Spanish n Uty Into their charge pi was now some two months since z governors edict had been Issued at latest the Introduction of African ma ves and he had followed this by it address To all whom It might Jnccrn In the territory stating that ill Ihad come to his knowledge that os Illlald plans existed to defeat and tit ado this edict by way of Barataria pn Id as Jean now learned from Pierre Pt rumor was afloat that tho governor irk Titemplated setting a price upon the ari lad of Jean Lafltte smuggler slave r0 der and pirate In jit Is only a rumor as yet an erect Pierre with no sign of anxl it and together with tho stories nth Ftad feeling growing between these Ott Lies and England It gives tho people little of the excitement they ever ct 1m to crave s less L 1vJ Ill I-ll 3 ney be Ius rib IJne stu and be ou l l f l I m rom J ICJ sloe ties I ell Will you promise to do this IOU wtS1l mere would be war declared I ads Inst Great Britain declared Jean dim 1 BA sudden animation as ho nodded am V acquiescence In Pierres reason you She has been sneaking around the m B s country ever since her whipping two Be trying without appearing to try obtain another hold upon It She ab w seems to really know when sho In well thrashed beIr BUas now Pierres turn to nod ling iT I It war came continued Jean his bas Un sparkling as If with satisfaction for the I j idea do you know I think nth Botld go to the governor and offer ion Blhavo I for his assistance b Ahr said Pierre with a slight ants i Kvatlon of his heavy eyebrows case Yes for you and I with our men 1905 v Jd then tight like any respectable toe Wizens in defence of this country II I Hthst tho English That might be was Pierres spec the remark But his tone changed re he added bending his oyes filled s h a meaning look upon Jeans 1m ups clr stoned face aglow with a now and ght ter enthusiasm And England I es Bonaparte ben tort littes Yes but fears as well ant It I can but help lay low his most are ed enemy I shall feel in dying for nay the greatest happiness lover w in ling Pierre whistled softly and reaching one J sfagon of wine filled two glasses Jon here Jean ho said lifting ono of h Is Kl let us drink to tho overthrow be BU English Power In any land wherein 110 Kiaf abldo and long lIfo and prose pros-e a TV to him you love ulli t r log ligy i was coming when Jean lA day took his way to tho house of log bl de Cnzoneau her tp ole tb e uvcnuo of live oaks upon branches tho draped tteni gray moss lUents male meats h looking ghostly In tho twl be say the thepassetl to tho Pillared portico counts H i Ian pe 8 residence and as was baa J > Pdvilego enter its wIde door IDounced IC j To 1 low bv strumming of a guitar from psy lieby rOOm drew H lt his footsteps to and and bo Was soon standing on resbolll candle to e dran were lit but a womans t r end apery gleamed trom tho far In a ar Win an alcov ° wlndowod ro coking R out to the western sky c c where tine evening 1 to was glittering I In the days gray ashes It was the Island Hose and the song was one her mother had taught herono Lalltto had heard the girl sing during their journey from the Choctaw country Mademoiselle Hose ho said speaking very softly as the sweet volco died away breathing tho final words like a sigh from a breaking heartWho Who is Itwhat do you wish she Inquired timidly and not a little startled It Is I mademoiselle Do you not I remember mo Ah 1 It was a cry of joy and two small hands white as her snowy draperies were held out to him It Is my Captain Jean And oh how glad I am to see yowl Are you was all he was able to say in reply as ho took her hands and wondering to himself for being so tonguetied In the presence of this mere child Surely I am So often have I asked myself during this long summer where you were and what doing Oh Captain Jean I am so very glad you have come back And now you will stop in New Orleans She spoke eagerly fearlessly as If happy in showing her liking for him I fear not mamselle I am hero for a few hours only on business and I camo to see your grandfather You speak of tho summer being long Were you not happy mamselle She moved uneasily and her head drooped but sho did not reply Tell me little Island Hose were you not happy he asked again taking tak-ing her hand Remember that It was I who brought you hereI who loved and revered your mother And I must feel the deepest regret to have been tho means of bringing her child to unhappiness un-happiness Is not your grandpero kind to you Oh yes was ner nasty reply Ho has beenmeans to be very kind I am sure Ho has given mo many pretty thingsclothes and jewels Jew-els and books things of which I never know before In all my life Yet little Rose I feel that something some-thing Is troubling you Lafitto declared de-clared confidently I wish you would tell me what It Is and perhaps I can find the way to make you as happy and contented as I want to feel you aro In this now homo to which I brought you Ills voice with its gentle insistence insist-ence tho firm pressure of his hand upon her small fingers these Impelled Im-pelled her after a brief hesitancy to say speaking very softly There seems to be some mystery about my surroundings something is I my grandperos lIfo I cannot understand I and this makes mo uncomfortable And ho has such strange associates i I It was well for both the girl and the man that the darkness hid the look of tho face when ho heard these words On tho island where wo spent tho I summer such rough dreadful 1ooking disap men camo to seo him and then I never spoke with peared suddenly of out them for ho bade mo keep frightened me for their way but they they looked wicked and cruel and darkskinned of them were as many as our slaves Somo rethem were I dressed so oddly with red caps on their heads and rings In their ears wonder why ho should I could not but to enter his house permit such men and what could be their business with him strangers and Thero are many roughlooklng men about Now Orleans obliged 1 to and wo are llttlo nose ctwith horn I buri Into contact como said LaHtto I too now matters speak and I know of whom you thoso bo would never harm you shedhad they patted reassuringly the hand sho had 1 imt offered to withdraw not ° But Ito added you had better I as your i such men from keep away bade you for you must ben grantlllero and knows 1I0vo that for you OU too meat is best for you Hemember rely I live you can us that so long what safe from you to keep upon mo make Val unhappy over might harm you or happy Ah that Is pleasant for me to hear I and to know Captain Jean she ro Riley with childish frankness releas Ing her hand and laying It on lls mn But now with somo nnxlet how can you ever be able to do much for me should I need l you It Is long since I have seen you or known where you were and l now you tell mo you are hero but for a few hours and l will then go away again I know not where Although seemingly twixt smiles and tears she spoke with an arch naivete that affected afHto most curiously i curi-ously ouslyYou You know Zeney the called ono a witch your grandperos slave ho inquired In-quired with apparent Irrelevance Yes of course answered l Iloselle surprise showing in her voice Sho Is a dreadfullooking old woman with big black eyes At first I was afraid of her but now I am not for sho knew and loved my mother and has talked to me of her So Well that Is quits as It should be And now little Hose again taking her hand remember always al-ways what 1 say to you now Should you ever wish to tell me anything or need any service you think I can render ren-der all you need l do Is to tell Zcnuy and then allow three days to pass In which to nee me or hear from nio Will you promise to do this Ho bent toward her with an earnestness earnest-ness In his manner that caused her to wonder at the time and afterwards Yes I promise and I thank you she answered softly and left him A few moments later the Count do Caxcncau entered the room and greeted greet-ed Lafltte with a cordiality ho accorded accord-ed to few men but the Island Hoso did not return To bo continued |