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Show ach wer waiting for 8peak unt!1 th former, takin 8.tred Paclago he had from the table, said In a tone hose gravity held something akin to thathMato 5! ON THE The Tail of the Serpent. Capt Lafltte- J0" Mnder. and, of course, that I. an offleer of e army, cannot criticise In - DY ARY gEVEREVX mTH ILLU3TPAT10N3 by & htfk, Bronn &$M ftxrmfj CHAPTER XXVII. 1814, Oen. Jack- New Orleans. some time before this, Sat seen a copy of the Jackson while Mobile, after the general had & full ?tlved from Gov. Claiborne to made the of proposition (lent with 1 together English, the tt by offer of serv-L Barstarian leaders behalf of himself and his folaell Island, Issued by tarnation Lovtl Whf and i L :hd. f and 9 oclock of an even-the middle of December, Cveen 3 Of J t Of II knc toward L Claiborne were seat-of the latters in an earnest dlscus-of some of the many perplexing Cjtions with which they were convtioa and Gov. the library resl-engag- C wrttii Id tted tilted. bll too weak, by far, I tell you, Gen. Jackson was saying (feare Wne," rm emphasl8, and without a sufficient strength to now at our very doors. 'l(tlto be frank with you some (lit 0f our ability to sustain the QMt enthusiasm of these people so lately of capltu-L- , M were talking Irascible ami rrthins like (jd what Is ra at to 8 Cfc Prol tal. iself Britishers. echoed the governor. emulating! at this late day, and tie face of the pledges they have neither the legislature nor the kuu would return to any. such ny V and man L ider not so sure of that, If they you and I, to real-outnumbers ns ten more to one, growled Jackson. whose back Before the governor a to the door could reply to this worst, he became aware that a H person had entered the room; yC be glanced over his shoulder to ho It might be, while bis face Wed the Irritation he felt at any it presuming to Interrupt him at 1 be am forced, as are that the enemy feak SUCK feet, not; a U'J old ffia ) damned to IVIlli man Vi i time. sided j in jipled im f 0 hi lot bis expression changed to one of anger and consternation; and had been sternly who jetooa. re-- DOM C. WILSON Caw?) a him a9 if in wonder at his youth and appearance. Jfl ask, general, he said, that you d you, also, Gov. Claiborne, will accord me the honor to read the documents I received some original time ago from your enemies, and in respect which I understand my statement to was condemned as falbe." Be 8eted. Capt. I.aflite," said Gov. C.aiborne, with rather reluotaut courtesy. The former bowed slightly in recognition of the Invitation, but remained standing as be continued, with Increased emphasis, "The statements I made were true, and my former otter was submitted In perfect good faith, Inspired by earnest desire to fulfil my duty to the country in which I have made my home, and whose laws I have never been found guilty of transgressing. All I asked In return was that the namea of myself and followers should be freed from the obloquy which has unjustly become attached to them. Laflttes words and manner were full of stern dignity, and Claiborne made neither reply nor comment Jackson, however, accepted the Implied challenge. "Have you never been accused of smuggling, and Capt Lafitte, and of being a privateer?" he asked, In a tone of dry sarcasm. Accused, yes; but never convictI was ed," was the quick reply. once, as Gov. Claiborne will tell you, indicted; but I was tried before an impartial Judge, and acquitted by a s jury composed of the foremost of the state," Jacksous face expressed surprise, end he glanced inquiringly at Claiborne, who nodded, as If In affirmation of the statement. Then the former, again turning his stern eyes upon Lafitte, asked, "How is it with you in regard to privateering?" Let me ask how it Is with you, Gen. Jackson, and with your own country, slave-tradin- cltl-s:tn- ealoi Id M ihnif NOI tin Itr Dii inat! r ( , i d' 'an! Surely tflit I I will not flro upon an unarmed man! Gen.-Jackso- the Intruder, started to bis tiler bowing respectfully, atood silent, while the new-- ! his black tearched with curious intentnesa item face of Gen. Jackson, whose 'lit band bad stolen into the breast tie coat. Tie governor, who had risen when the key turned in the door, le a step or two toward the bere lay his aword; but the picking up the weapon eould reach It, present-t- h to the latter with a graceful bow, 4 with a courteous Permit me, J Pr. ft" I ften, turning quickly to Jackson, extfndiK both arm to their w1, . length, either aide of him, ,wl Sure-Q- not Are upon an pne4 man!" And he advanced to Jackson will table. 50- - Claiborne's face had reddened fifty is he took hla sword from the lttr'a hands and replaced it on the nd IJ Jackson's expression omewhat, as, with "Assur-e- . lr." be withdrew hla hand I lt4 tbs pistol. JJbeg gentlemen, that you will par-fi Intrusion, said the unknown C rlt. r. "until you shall hear the oh my mission. And I pray you t'Wieve that I come here for no feason than a desire to be of Jo you, and to the country both proa t serve." 'tl0w W. L". Claiborne, your name, air? stiffly, and with a LPttlness of manner In which there of softening, the mnn whom your excellon-r- been pleased to proclaim an ,nd ,or whoso capture you offered a rewnrd f five hundred Hi'' nmn" now fixing his !gn ,lpon bis Jason's fee sir. followers, you, ' 0ran,!ed as 'hellish banditti. end filrnli-V ',bn!te." ,re sure Nft of Unrntarla. 1 em bold man, Capt. Lafitte, into N(w Orleans, to say Presenting yourself here," 0T9r,W unconclllatory re-bowed, as if acknowlodlng a end drawing a package Vt,M breast hrt, It acrost the t Ip. regard to privateering? And a curl of acorn touched Lafittes lips. Tell me, I pray you, air, bow many scores of vessels, flying the flag of the Uclted States, are, at this moment, preying upon foreign commerce?" "But only upon the commerce of Great Britain, with whom we are at war, declared Jackson, hla grim features relaxed but only for an Instant by a satisfied smile; and they are acting under regular letters of marque and reprisal. True; and the vessels In which I have been Interested acted under letters of marque from the Republic of Carthagena, and sailed under the flag of that nation. Never, since I controlled them, have they Interfered with the ships of any nation excepting Sratn. with whom, as you are aware, the Republic of Carthagena la at war." Jackson was silent, and glanced scowllngly at Claiborne, who was tapping the tabled abstractedly, and aprefecpeared absorbed by hia own tions. Lafitte I thank you, general, resumed, speaking with less emhave phasis, for the opportunity you matters. give me to explain these far And, without going Into them anymore thor, I wish to assure you once that my former offer was made from legitimate and patriotic motives. acqulcs-ccncJackson bowed, aa if in o, a sudden "But, demanded lAfltte, m bis sounding of Indignation rush moMy received? It was voice, how statement tives were Impugned my were branded aa false; my messenger! sequence a imprisoned. And, aa fitting a i ent to this, an armed expedition butch. red, to Ilnratarla; my men were ilxed. vessels my or token prisoners; In bH destroyed. e.nd my property thRn all e ho, tlon to this, and harder aHer being mor . my was brought to New tally wounded, the common gaol. Into Orleans, thrown die." and left there, to all thi Ufituf had been landing ipeak-In- g finished he nut now. hi folded and ho seated himself exprea-sloan took far hi while of stoical Indifference sharply with the 1'1r;BSK'f,"1,',11,!g that had Jnst poured on d I" Jaekson ard dnieme foster-brother- n your presence anything that took place to prior my assuming command here. But, speaking as a man, and aa one who has had hla own share of hardship and sorrow, I may venture to extend to you my regret and sympathy lor the trouble and bereavement thut em to have been yours." Lafitte bent hla head silently. Claiborne, who had been fidgeting Impatiently, now hastened to say, ou will do me the Justice, Capt. Lafitte, to believe that I wished to accept your offer. But my personal views were overruled by those upon Judgment I relied; and the expedition to Baratarla was sent at their instigation not mine." And yet," said Lafitte, with dry s&rcasm that brought a faint smile to Jacksons firm lips, "you are the governor of Louisiana. Claiborne winced; but before lie eould answer the thrust I.afitte added, with a shrug of his shoulders, "But It matters not at whose Instigation the outrage was committed. The tacts are as I have stated, and what is past must stand. Now, Gen. Jack-son- , may 1 ask that you open that package, and read the papers It contains? As Jackson perused the first paper, the Impressions he gathered were plainly observable in his look, anu comments. "Fine bombast," he growled, before going very far. Then, a little way on, Savors of "Sophomorlcal rubbish! Eton, with some of George the Third's And so on, until silly maunderlcgs. the end was reached. Claiborne had seated himself closei to Jackson; and presently, the latter with an exclamation of the strongest disgust, handed him the paper. "Here, Claiborne, you have seen a copy of this; but you had better refresh your memory by reading the original. The governor took the paper, and l ad begun to read it, when, chancing to glance at Lafitte, he was puzzled b; the expression of the latter's face. He was leaning back In his cbali his lips and his face soft tr.ed by a glow seeming to come from aa Inward light, as his eyes rested upon something hanging against the w all, back of the governor. It was an old engraving of Napoleon, one that, as the governor knew, was brought from Baratarla by a soldier from whom he an ardent admirer of the emperor had rescued It The thought of this made him In the new light thrown by Lafltte's accusations with reference to the attack upon Baratarla feel uncomfortable; for, should Lafitte recognize the picture aa hla own property, Its present possessor would be placed In an unenviable position. He had forced hla eyes back to the paper, whose contents he recalled quite accurately. But now, with the Impression already made upon him by Laflttte, and the latter'a face aa he had Just seen It Intruding Itself between hlB eyes and the writing, be was forced to acknowledge to himaelf that, pirate and outlaw as he had been named, the Baratarlan leader had shown the greatest generosity and patriotism, together with a personal courage which appealed strongly to hla the governors sense of loyalty. Possessed by this feeling, be glanced again at the younger man, to see him still looking In the same direction, apparently oblivious of all surroundings, while hla rapt expression tn&de the governor wonder. Jean Laflttes heart was In communion with that pictured face, and with Its original, whom he seemed to be once more facing upon Elba, looking into the eyes that had rested so kindly upon him at the last, and hearing the voice uttering word of fialf-audlbl- e balf-parte- . low-dow- 'I e, mocked. "I dont believe you love a thing on earth except yourself and that brute of a pony you ride. Considering that her love for Nigger was fully aa great as his own, the remark showed that she was becoming quite unreasonable, and the man smiled. "Of course I love Nig, he said, and so do you. She stared unwinklngly at the distant mountains. Still, I love you better than anything else In the world, Mol lie. Jim I Noman told me the same thing only yesterday, she said, with a aide glance at hla troubled face. If I catch that coyote prowling around here, be growled, Ill attend "Jealous, she laughed. Realizing that be was getting the worst of it, as men always will in such encounters, and also feeling hla hot temper rising, he left her abruptly. Presently, aa she worked, a voice from a near-b- y window startled her. It May I come In, Miss Mollle? said. Why, Mr. McIntyre, where did you come from? Same old place, laconically. And what brought you here? Innocently. Same old thing no I mean er the same Your horse? Ignoring his meaning glances. "Well, I rode the pony, of course," he laughed, aa I am much too lazy to walk. However, I did not come to see the horse, with a suggestive accent on the see.", "Want to see dad?" clattering the dishes she was washing. "Saw him on the way over. Maybe you want to see Mr. Farrel? Hes down" ' ard?" , Mollle could see the white of McIntyres cheek growing a dull red, the muscles of his neck swelling tense and hard, then she scrambled through the window. she "Jim Notnun, you quit! creamed. McIntyre thrust the girl aside, an art of chivalry which saved hla life, for hla enemy fired the Instant he moved, and while the bullet missed hla heart It shattered hla arm. "Dont, Jim, dont!" screamed the girl, wildly, throwing herself between them, unconscious that she clutched McIntyres mangled arm. "Oh, dont!" aa Nomans gun again flashed to a level. The man,hlalust for blood flaming up fiercely at sight of hla helpless enemy, smiled wolfishly, pauslhg only to b certain of hla aim before firing the fatal shot A spurt of flame and smoke, and the girl hid her fare In her arms, that she might not see. Then she heard a steady voice. Now, you hit the trail, Jim Noman," and looked up to see the man holding his mangled hand, which he gazed at In horror, with Farrel standing by, smoke still curling from the inutile of hla gun. "Vamos!" Farrel continued, "and If I sight you again I'll kill you, just the same as I would any other wolf. Leave that alone, as Noman reached for hi pistol. "Now, git! When Noman was out of sight, Fae rel turned to McIntyre. Bad hurt. Chase? he asked. Winged, I guess, Charley," he reT1b not so deep as a well, nor plied. aa wide aa a church door, he quoted, "but It'e a plenty." Bandaging the wounded arm aa best he could, Farrell started to get Nigger to go for the doctor, 30 miles away. When he returned for a final word with his patient he found Mollle just outside the door, weeping bitterly. ' "Dont cry, little girl," be said, tenderly, hla voice dull with concealed Chase la not much hurt, and pain. will be all right In a pair of moons. I did not know you cared so much for him, Mollle, be continued, "or Id have hit the trail long ago. Charley, Charley, dont go. He looked over hla shoulder as he fumbled with the clncb. "I dont want to, Mollle, he said, but I aint never yet run no brand I had no right to, so I guess 111 travel. "There ain't nobody go no brand on me, she sobbed. he said, with dull alowness, aa he turned from the pony, which nickered to the girl. "Aint Mac " and stopped when he saw McIntyre's face over the girle shoulder, n new pain In every feature. "I always gave you credit for having a little horse sense, Charley, he said, a flicker of the old smile on hla Ups, "but Nigger, there, knows more than you do. He has been trying to tell you for hnlf an hour that-th- at Molly loves you. Im hurt In more ways than one, old roan, he said, hla lips twitching, "but take her, and may God bless Superstitions das-slin- Men ef Varying Degrees at Build Got Together on the Floor and Great Was the Fall Thereof. Mnllle Chapmun was a cowman's He says , came a snarling vote daughter, very pretty, very tearful and from behind McIntyre, that yer a full of resentment as she Htood In the sneak, trying to get yer iron onto doorway of her ranch house home. other people's cattle. You are Just mad at me, Charley t McIntyre had turned at the first Farrel, she cried, cause I went rid- sound of the man s voice to find himing with Mr. McIntyre." self looking Into the muzzle of a pistol. "I dont Just trust these tenderfeet He had been warned of the man's cowwho come browsing around In store ardly methods of attack, and realized clothes, he replied, for I've seen too with a sickening rush of blood to hla many of that kind of cattle, and I heart that a word or a move meant Inthink too much of you to give anyone stant death, and while his whole naa chance to play n mean tricks ture revolted, he atood quiet, both on you." hands In sight "Jealous, aint you? she Jeered. "Ye swallows It, aneered Neman, No, not Jealous, he suid, low and with an exasperating leer, trying to qulet-likonly, 1 love you goad the other Into the slightest show love you, 1 love you,'" she of hostility. Don't ye, ye dirty cow- good-lookin- g well-shape- d SXATERS FURNISHED AMUSEMENT FOR THE ONLOOKERR. BY A. V. BONNEY. "Charley? Oh, he is down at the corail, playing with Nigger. No, Mollle, I came to see you, leaning in at the window and trying to take her hand. Me?" with a brazen effort to apWhat for? pear surprised. Oh, I Just want to see you you know I I Unsophisticated girl that she was, womanly Intuition told her that something was lacking, and all the anger and resentment she had felt while quarreling with Farrel flared up blindingly. From the corner of her eye she could see McIntyre pulling at hla long, blonde mustache, while he smiled complacently, and hla air of easy added fuel to her rage. She had felt the fascination of hla genial personality, still It might be aa Charley had said. She turned on him In blind, unreasoning fury. "You just want to see me, she stormed. Well, look at me, with your big, green eyes. Chase McIntyre, and what do you see? Think I'm a fool? Do you think you can come here, where people don't know anything about the world, and make fun of us? Do you think we cant see through your store clothes and boiled shirts, and and " he kept InterjectMollle! Mollle! ing, while she raged, What In the affection. world do you mean? Surely, I have (To be continued.) never done anything to deserve this, have I, Miss Mollle?" Children. Troublesome She was, however, deaf to all he said, Everything la relative, after . all, In a corner of the even age; yet one might suspect that weeping atormlly had crowded herself she where room, Mr. Muzzeya the "children of one of his reach. Men of the Revolution might have beyond "What have I ever done to cause you arrived at years of some discretion to talk so to me? and proper regard for behavior. Noman aaya "Jim Mr. old I aw soldier, the say When what does that exemplifica"Well, of sole survivor Muzzey, he wa the tion of cunning have to say those who witnessed the battle of of me? reptilian 85 of year Bunker Hill. At the age he was attending a Whig celebration held at Boston In 1850, and there I old met him. He was a head, a with large, man, bkte eye and mild expression. His whole countenance beamed with benLegends Believed In by Sailors Ar evolence. of Extremely Ancient I asked him If be had any children. retwo he I aona," have Origin. "Oh, yes, plied. All sailors are superstitious, and th "Why did you not bring them with legends of the sea are legion, ranging you" The old mans smooth brow wrin- from phantom ships to spectral Ugbta suddenly gleaming from yardarms and kled Into a semblance of a frown a That many of these mastheads. . he said; with legends are very ancient may be be to want plagued didnt j those boys on an occasion of this proved by the fact that sea harpies are described by Homer and Hesiod, while' sort w I are asked, old they" how according to Virgil they plundered Why, wondering If he could mean bl grand Aeneas during his voyage to Italy. The beautiful sirens, too, are of classic children. "Oh. one Is 70 and the other la 72. origin. Weird, Indeed, are the tales of hauntBut I couldnt bo bothered with Youths Companion. ing spectres, fit to send ones nerves them. after a hearty supper, well suited for Christmas time ghost storWhite Jet Jewelry. . . White Jet Is the Jewelry novelty of ies. There are the four Goblins of Dun 1905 In Europe. It Is like Ivory, hut has been care- tera Nes?, not ghosts, but evil water sparkles, nnd when It la said to be effect plnts, who appear twice a year, only tho cut fully In midwinter, but bring bad luck In a and black white, both Old Jot, Bkort time to the ship from which Is being unearthed and reset. Queen very are sighted. they collection, a magnificent Victoria had Schlcs-w- l We must mention Adumnster, the which rrlncess Victoria of dreaded Ghost of the Cape, that nsed Ifnlsteln Inherited. old-tim- e ROLLERS' "W-h-a-t- ?" you both." - , When McIntyre recovered from a deadly swoon, Mollle'a face was on hla pillow, which waa wet with her tears, I I tried to to love you, Mr. McIntyre Chase, she sobbed, "but I found I loved Charley, you see. And and I am only fit to be a cowman's wife, anyway, you know. "Yes, Mollle, I know, he aald, turning hla face to the wall. (Copyrtfht, 1W, tor Dally Story Pub. Ce.) of the Sea to be seen in a halo of cloud and mist over Good Hope, and also the silent mau of Wexford Harbor, the wandering aoul of the Dutch skipper who lost his smack on his way to Dublin some three centuries ago. Ghostly apparitions are not, however, the only ones to be feared at tea. In the case of SL Elmo's fire these apparitions take the shape of spectral lights suddenly gleaming from yardarms or mastheads. It was known by ancient navigators as Castor and Pollux the best omen If aeeu double, but a signal dnnger If seen single. Jack haa a score of well known superstitions, many of which are of very long descent, such as the presence of figureheads, the blessing of ship and the "crossing of the line. And It will be remembered that the Prince and Princess of Walea both paid tribute to old Neptune while on their Journey to Australia. It waa on the evening of the reincarnation of skating In New York, and there was a goodly crowd awaiting the coming of the first skater. The great, wide polished floor looked like a Roman arena, and the stillness preceding the arrival of the skaters suggest ed the days of the gladiators, when people waited for the wild beasts who were to do battle with their human antagonists. Suddenly a band broke forth with a ragtime air. In a moment a man appeared from the skate room In the south end of the building just aa the wild beast came forth In the stadium feeling hla way carefully along the floor and muklng little uncertain circles, hops and skips, and finally making a dash straight across the shining floor to the middle of the arena. Once In the renter of the room ind finding that he could hold hla balance, and still navigate as In the days af old when skates hud their last Inning, the Individual struck out to bc how many times he could encircle the track In a minute. He had the floor all to himself and wus adding a figure eight to his itinerary now and then for the edification of the audience when a tecond individual with skutea on shot Into the ring. The first skater was wide about the girth, with short, fnt legs and an Iso- - It Waa a Head-o- n Collision. ated spot with Just a fringe of shrub-jer- y around where hla hat should rest The second skutcr was long and thin, with legs like fence rails. Ills face was adorned with a tuft of whiskers '.hat stuck straight out In front like a , jowcatcher. The little fat man was coming down the hall on one foot with the other poised gracefully (at least he thought ro) and gently swinging around for a wide turn at the end of the building. All would have been well bad the gaunt one followed, or even partly pursued, a straight course on his way. But some hidden devil In one of his skates seemed to drive him about In the course of the oncoming fat man They met forcefully In the south end of the building. The crowd rose to Its feet and looked on In breathless awe. It waa a head-o- n collision, and two goats In a butting match could not have more successfully jammed theli1 countenances Into shape for surgical aid. When the foer legs, four arms, two faces and two wriggling bodies had ceased to gyrate and the wreck settled to the floor all waa still for a moment Then slowly and painfully there rose from the rulna a long, thin, leg, then another, and finally the thin man with the cowcatcher adornment on hla countenance managed to regain his knees and back away. Ills Van Dyke wus bent up to a Junction with hla nose, which had been artistically bent down until It couldnt go any further without leaving home. Ills optics might have flashed fire If they could have opened, but the fat man's bald pate had landed first on one aide and then on the other In the great antush, and thua shut out the light But the long fellow scrambled along on his knees, feeling for the aide wall, until he wae picked up by the attendants and dragged Into the first aid department All the while the little fat man wae lying peacefully on bis back, unconscious of the fact that he one time proud champion skater of Hover Leaf county, Minn. had met the enemy and was theirs. As the attendants lifted him to his feet and skated him out of the arena he came to and feebly wared good-b- y to the audlonee, who were now being entertained by series of wrecks little and big which were occurring with greater frequency as the skaters Increased In number. Poet Building His Own Tomb. Nearing hla eightieth year, Frederle Mistral, the Provencal poet. Is atm young In mind, happily far removed yet from the sixth age of Shakespeare. Nevertheless he ta preparing hla tomb. It will be put tip In the cemetery It Malllane, near his house. It Is to n be a copy of the "Pavilion de la Heine Jeanne at Baux. The care taken by the Proveneal poet to make It beautiful will bo remembered for generations gmong the neighboring peasantry. "It Is, after all, the tomb that Is the house we livn longest In; we Weeks What la good for a mos- rnuat have tt beautiful, Mistral said the other day, when somebody twitquito blto? Slick Most any aort of human fleah, ted him about his hobby. And he does the work himself with no mean ! believe, la considered good. Judge. kill, refusing all aid. well-know- |