Show OJ t Jf y fj rr i t 1 f I lJ I f j ff Y L I BY Y MARY ARY ILLUSTRATIONS BY DON C C. C WILSON WItSON CCo 1902 02 by A 1 R p CHAPTER VII VIK Three weeks later and a sullen i peace had fallen over To Toulon lon Jean was still weak weal and emaciated from III- III 1 pegs From the boy had and heard heard and with outspoken en indignation tion tion tion-of of General Bonaparte's departure departure departure depar depar- ture shortly after his own arrival at atthe atthe atthe the convent which had been turned into a hospital He went away and left m me J Jean an exclaimed angrily the color suffusing his cheeks Left me when I was not notablE notable notable able to speak to him a He left a letter with Pere Huot and anda a farewell message which the good father will doubtless give you when he sees fit d' d Then why should not Pere Huot t. t have told me so before demanded 11 Jean half rising from his seat beside the bed Easy mon pion ami sit still said said Grei Grei Gre- Gre i i t loire lore calmly Do not get excited J else I shall regret telling you anything any any- u f thing about the affair We have to f f remember that you have been very ill Tenderness showed in his tone f. f and he be gently touched the thin hand resting on the coverlet rj Late in the afternoon on or of this same J t da day Pere Huot sitting with Jean Inthe in the latter's room had been in informing r him of what had transpired since the morning Murier MurIel brought him to the i shelter and safety of his pres present nt f r abode abode t He watched the boys boy's face carefully care carefully i fully as he told him of Margot's burial burial bur bur- Pi ial and of Bonaparte's many visits tor to r r his bedside where he lay tossing in inn n delirium and the good priest rejoiced reil rejoiced re- re r within himself to see the look il i of dogged grief soften Into one of subdued subdued sub sub- r dued gratification My son where is tl the e box of pals papers pa pa- f ls pers pel'S Monsieur Monsieur le Ie Baron thy father t to Ma Margot got for safe keeping The box of papers papers Pere Huot the v i boy repeated as if trying to recall recal something I cannot say I do not know r Know not where it Is exclaimed v the he priest with a marked change of b bearing and tone How is this r 1 What was done with wit it i f fr r The good priest spoke aIl almost almost al al- l most impatiently leaning forward and jJ looking fixedly into the boys boy's perplexed perplexed per per- i face Burned with the cottage r replied h Jean I Know you not my son what f his ls box contained inquired Pere Huot looking the boy in the face and speaking speaking speak speak- ing sternly yes Yes some some jewels and d papers t what of them Those papers were the proof and vindication of thy birthright der de de- r blared the priest solemnly Thy mothers mother's moth moth- I- I br's ers marriage certificate was amongst l them and the loss of this may make 1 trouble for thee I The boys boy's eyes now turned from they the y window to meet those of Pere Huot i. i Did Margot tell thee father of all that befell the last night we passed at I 1 Languedoc t Yes my son and I have waited fort for fora f t a fitting time to speak to thee of the 1 J I matter General Bonaparte and myself myself my my- self talked of i it as as well and I must say that thou were cruelly and needlessly needlessly needlessly need need- lessly angered and wounded wounded sounded But I Iwas Iwas r. r h was grieved that thou have been led to the act that so to nearly v made thee a murderer As to thy T brother we must forgive the dead even more freely than the living and Etienne is now gone where he should have ha thy forgiveness in full f He paused and Jean turned in his t chair to look at him questioningly Yes thy brother Is dead he continued continued continued con con- still more Impressively I 1 re re- t J gret to tell thee that he was found I guilty of ofa a crime the Great Committee never forgives that forgives that of treachery While seeming to serve their cause caus he sold Eold its secrets to to the English Jeans Jean's lips curled with scorn com buthe buthe but he made no spoken comment Etienne now dead thou my son art heir to the title and estates although declared confiscated may mayet yet jet et be rescued and sav saved d to thee through the influence of thy fri friend nd General Bonaparte who bade me tell thee this lat tt t the proper time and and also alsoto alsoto alsoto to give thee this letter Jean angry and reckless exclaimed exclaim exclaim- ed d Ill be no hypocrite nor pretend to what I cannot feel I have hated Etienne Etienna all my life me and with good cause and I will never say otherwise now that he is dead I would spurn I any title or position that had been his despise myself if ever again I lived beneath the roof who had sheltered one who spoke such dastardly words of my mother I 1 want to go over seas away avay from France away to the new world and carve out but a name for myself my my- self gain self gain lame fame and riches I should die like a wild bird in a cage to live such a life as m men men n pass here Th The e very thought of it is is hateful to me Ali in A h exclaimed the priest This comes come from Laros Laro's teachings No father indeed father Indeed no cried Jean all the from his eyes I have always longed to live such a lIfe lIfe- always Always Always all all ll of thy very very long life Jean my son said Pere Huot a satirical satirical satirical sa sa- smile touching his thin lips The boys boy's face became crimson and he said nothing We have bave talked long enough for forthe forthe forthe the present my son on the priest added added added add add- ed and now I will leave thee Read General Bonaparte's letter and may mayI it bring th thy mind to holding more worthy worthy wor wor- thy ideas of of- the future than those I have just heard from thee thee- And Jean my son son coming coming close to him and laying a caressing hand on th the wilful head head I I beseech thee try and harbor kindlier feelings and more Christian- Christian like forgiveness for thy brother He left the room closing the door softly and Jean sat staring out of the wind window w though the suns sun's rays now stole down to touch his brow But after musing a few seconds he roused himself with a quick nervous movement movement move move- ment and looked again at the letter A moment later he broke e its Us seal and the thin paper seemed to pulse with h bJ own heartbeats as Is Le read and re reread read lead its word word- J I t. t I 1 I MoLT 7 mon i-mon mon cher ami De Soto Soto- Soto I 1 am am gH gl ired ed to the heart that I t mu must mut t leve leave the h rt I 4 But go I must relieved by the ther 1 f Durance urance that I le leave ve thee in loving t ads which must soon nurse nurs thee t h I M to that health i pray will VaY al W to j thine Pere Huot will tell thee i f ur plans lans for thy future If I IP t fur f P love do as the good father shall t il thee and pray that we may soon soon m m t t In ln happy days Let bring efi d news of thee thoe to rejoice the i heart q f thy Pizarro Pizano As As' As ns n's eyes lingered over the final n 1 I he seemed to see the smile halt rd r ng rig ng entirely tender that was wast t the e i s able accompaniment of their I. I yf rJ laming aming of one another He Ile Heo seem o 0 see It touch the firm ps which c ith the pale grave face imagna im- im ag agna na v now hi brought ought vividly before him All AlII i is faded away and with a sob sounding like the cry of a lonely e eart rt the boy flung his head upon arms arms and d lay silent a r g Ne Noy i and the night before New ars jars day of 1795 saw the win win- f the ae governors governor's house ablaze dows oI o r ouse I with Jil light t and a constant stream o of people coming and going through the wide flu ng s portals Selected musicians from the fort Played for the dancers in the j ball room and entertained the large of spectators urs rs outside who 1 lol ked through trough the open windows mon tl e flash of color and sparkle of gems J as as the elite of the city and ande provin ce e celebrated the annual ball given ry by Don I Francisco Louis Hector Baron jj de e Carondelet Governor and Intend tit nt of Louisiana and West Fl Florida Florida Flor Flor- r. r ida 1 In a apartment opening from the ball 1 rc rc om om several men whose years or tas es made cards more attractive were gathered about than d a table pon i pon wh which ch gold and silver slIver were were 4 I i y l l lI I I want to go over seas away from carve out a name name for myself myself my my- self j l 14 sta I In ln miniature towers before the ers ens rs one of f whom was saying with fn n unconcealed sneer directed at ata ata ata a tall handsome man who clad In the h uniform sat opposite l Stan y hoard of gold promises to be bemer than he lie can well carry men mer hy by away not pay more attention to cards De la Chaise and your jour prevent the ile Increasing inquired a man manat manat at j r- r kittle Frenchmans Frenchman's side a side a man wat wI wf h atly atly resembled Laro captain of i HAigle Aigle and erstwhile patron patroni ol of i Spin Din In Heureux J i I C Chaise not answering the I pmt with a malicious light n the Ming ling in Inthe the dark eyes fixed Kt I a an ai Englishman's impassive face I t the Count de this may I ask Captain StanI Stan Stan- fit it b bj I to ter t td a ag ter er encountered and appear appear- d 8 l Fr r the look of his quesA ques ques- i A and dej de 1 I a steel like glinting showed as as s 's s as he replied That Is an strap I y ry y to make Don Morales In In- lUg s s I have to recall that I met y T 1 o 0 i t j ring his house as I was leav hl iri Ill J 9 true so you jou OU did admitted r hp he t v rv 1 an I was won von 4 1 dering it If you left the left the count In the ime devilish humor as that in which I found him At this an angry red showed in the officers officer's cheeks ls an and a gleam of wrath of-wrath wrath in his eyes But without looking again at L Laro ro he picked up his his cards cards and glanced at them then with an oath he threw them upon the table gathered his earnings and strode from the room room It was generally suspected that Captain Captain Cap Cap- tain Edward Stanley was one of the numerous worshipers of Count de Cazen aus au's lovely daughter and gossip gos gos- sip had been unusually busy with their names during the present week at the close of which the English officer having having hav hav- ing concluded the mission upon which he had been sent to New NeY Orl Orleans ans was to return to Mobile where the garrison garrison garri garri- son was Vias composed equally of British and Spanish troops It was also understood understood under under- stood that Count de had bad no liking for the stalwart c calm faced calm faced Englishman Why did you jou OU try to prick him Don Morales asked one of or the players a atall atall atall tall spare man with gray gray- grayhair hair and eyebrows Don Morales Morale laughed scornfully Because it is worth something to kindle a little fire in the cold blood of 01 an English dog But what is it all about inquired another of the party Don Morales but asked a simple question What was there in it to justify any man English or otherwise calling for satisfaction satisfaction sat sat- Yes added a young American officer officer of of- looking to be two twenty or thereabouts sitting beside Colonel Zachary what was there for him to get angry about for angry he was at at something something- It couldn't have hav been his his his' cards for I looked ed at what he threw down See here Don inquired the quick quick- witted ensign who although a recent widower with a young boy was was was-in was secret secret one one of of R Roselle's selles selle's ers adorers is it it that you know or think think- he went to see Count de this afternoon and that his asking for the daughters daughter's hand aroused the old mans man's temper A curious and not pleasant expression expression expression sion came came to Don Morales' Morales eyes and the colonel said now speaking somewhat somewhat somewhat some some- what sternly as he touched the young mans man's arm arm You are forgetting your usual code Tommy to say nothing of your good sense This is neither the time nor place to be discussing such sucha a sacred matter as a ladys lady's affairs Is It true what I have heard Don Morales now Inquired De la Chaise that you sail for France in the morning morning morn mom ing If so I am of half a mind yes mind yes three three quarters quarters to ask you jou to let me take passage I carry no passengers was wat the brusque reply made while the speaker speak er was drawing In some winnings and Colonel Zachary looking distinctly annoyed remarked I was not aware Don Morales that you jou kept the community community community com com- informed as to your sailing hours and destination I do n not t replied Laro Lam with a n quick meaning glance which the the the- thelo colonel colonel colo colo- lo- lo lonel nel met with a slight smile But there here seem to be those who who know my business better than I know it my my- self seIr Wh When n shall you ou be back here asked ed De la 10 Chaise When my ray vessel reach reaches s New Or Or- leans eans I To be continued I |