Show I 1 IN N xa A ija AM tot the of OP SIn rao under and dl freebooter booter attan riner r rea forat an S antte T osbed abed returns return arla nl 11 he a do no mew V orl orleans the city of of hill old t lo 10 d bal mccog rc olIed alderman robn born anique jansons gaming e at al the won on much uch hall aig bk its Sitt arac C ronoel 0 ionel carr arlt de day y I 1 caryll the atys B johnf hoffle jo arts arto and bak 0 the ol 01 t arlend friend of 1 lat A oro r an a face and an d t ell of a carr w to ta his last wager fit A presumably a ly jan O 0 up a sar a 0 to arp COM ad C stake wins n apt capt the catt t luren se a opiates oci ates and an coun lato r accost bilm almons do project of the et A leatte aers of dewor Is abi advento rew ua of a no I 1 1 the from S t 11 elena an d s capa alp arte rte z the serap h ine hax been nd 66 ready etue 1 CHAPTER II 11 3 Continued t IN there was her but not been hate boye n wnm us she appeared when rhen cu ore are tory family we illustrious fa 1111 i that tat fled from nov new york to can after the old rev revolution ol ution you ing ild id know air I 1 tr bald women oro were two rae se slowly the man took care rn as not introduced I 1 think he nth as ire fed them I 1 was it a common gambler it 4 sir lir la Is why I 1 too took k ills his measure the cards that he I 1 put dut hla his women despise me I 1 am jerry orry that he d hla his game upon me e to his own P i lea the 0 slave lave girl garlt I 1 chuckled daml inc e they bay any hla his ladys maid I 1 arrant ant she ehe berated the colonel over ing ag the servant to you I 1 A woman on a card rumbled acha it made mo me think of old 7 s at grand terre women against id d and the and the mohr m ohr h the stranger rt ranger was wag watching young Al monaster sharply you are cu U angly constrained air it t la is nothing raoul laughed artly tell me what was on your UPS lips the ment before 1 1 oh nothing I 1 tho the coffee houses buit have ther scandal I 1 wila then sir air I 1 have sensed me jest among the tavern drinkers the no count shrugged tile the two old icca eca stirred uneasily they id d heard that tone the of the muster in days of alood and splintering decks monsieur went on mazarac Saz gaz arac as it if ming from a mood he wished to put effay way my game was waa fair As for the modi ench I 1 did not want her nor shall I 1 clain her now the colonels lady need eed not fear for her yellow maid to in very tery truth blurted do almo aster that Is why they laugh I 1 it if the e gossip Is true carrs act was that f a poltroon I 1 what Is the gossip that I 1 ditre ot lot claim this wager he was upon the young roan man now his to wn luminous on s eyes narrowing fiercely the line he deepening upon his lean bronzed cheeks raoul tried to evade him cornel comet they laugh at what the me tale sir runs about the coffee houses but I 1 do not for a moment credit it that on the river trip eye was taken by his bis cifes comp companion anlon the latest beauty of our esplanade 1 and the story sir air Is in that as a jest he be wagered her against your gold knowing well tho the young man broke off as if Ral ashamed lamed to voice the rest go on I 1 thundered mazarac Saz Suz arac TOU ton shall prove the word I 1 ivin feln tit at a toss on an unknown chattel I 1 the I 1 jest is 18 that daro dare not claim the ladys maid I 1 that Is fit not the point monsieur the theady lady had no maid the girl in ears mind was the one who toon your eye upon the packet free walte to his wife in station HO he was silenced by the iho tense ilreath na of the older man then mazarac stood quietly back the two bucca were silent at his mood can would roar with laughter if you lou so 80 of much as mentioned the debt course he did not dream it would tome to the be oe ladys eak ears that would wanly y beyond conception an f jest beof of a evil drunken 1088 ws fool but doubt add added there raoul p apologetically apologetic olly ly we is 12 no t truth ruth to uie the gossip the me I 1 captain ft bove was gazing ht the stars stara ns the river old dominique his hij obied odred velvet t waistcoat beluche ared his sword of carta cartagena g en 1 at about ah length eth spoke a absently leaf jest the wine hops they spread the 1 kh 11 the th murmured red de almonaster Al monaster if story ory la Is truel true abo scoundrel lerlie but deselms not a chal a lashing from hereto her germ the coast M levee granted emitted daml claim dali ut no lt it ts Is impossible go your black faced wench the e my cap aann colonels colonel 8 wife may y ivo S you ill lulling ial ng but think ho how W she scotch biln i f the wench can lacky jacky round around the 2 suits suite when we ed beluche sall sourly tor I 1 aza am by charles tenney jackson copyright C by the bobb miia C Coro poT y of a mind midd that jenn jean to la to coni mandl what wh n t n nonsense 0 n s e nse old d dog 0 g I 1 I 1 ain in su such c b ra madness u e s s I 1 the chip t n in stared past tho the schooners ners gli ghostly balla against tho the stars the rho count do Almonn ster alone seemed to guess his thoughts and lie he was silent the growled beluche ngali A prettier sight for a tea man mans a eyes never the sun flione on I 1 fast unknown in nil all tile the ports porta gunned to battle the best of them I 1 ho dominique 1 think of her slipped free on the heels of the traffic 1 name 0 01 god the fat housecoat house hous ecat ships afloat these days when uie tho last black flag line has vanished I 1 ali ah met sighed the honest councilor it was but last october that we hanged three buccaneers bucca in the pinza taken off the belize I 1 went to the country the day that the three good lads danced on air it was sod and I 1 drooled three hours over my luncheon old days aro are not so far why but fifteen years agone we were at the red house on grand terrel but fifteen and none durst lay jay a ship in past tho the guns of our fort or claim customs on a bale of silks we offered tho the city I 1 ali ah nio me and I 1 am fat on an honest alderman aldeman I 1 the two old fellows turned to the lost leader the admiral of cartagena plucked his big sleeve A ab ship I 1 p nn and you cannot linger forever disguised gu 8 ed in this dull town and I 1 have letters of marque from colom bla as well felir I 1 was not listening now he turned to de monaster almonaster Al a an the one who delicately read his thoughts you will challenge of cour courso sefor for the ladys sake bake said raoul I 1 tonight I 1 shall claim my wager from colonel carr answered baza rac quietly bond girl or free I 1 wi will 11 go knock ot at the gates of hell for her and we shall see who of the town laughs loudest I 1 1 I recall you won on the ace of hearts sighed dominique bazanac Saz Baz arac wins the lady of the jesting but acl nom do de dieu dieul I 1 what shall they say tean lean lafitte had bad to do with Baza acs winning the american governor would build another scaffold in the place darmes out of all the deep from spanish gap to the tee h e you would see old cutthroats cut throats pouring to wreck it about his ears grunted beluche black or white let him seize his winning I 1 no ho this mazarac I 1 A good ship and acl the wide sea and mazarac acl I 1 dominique ho robber listen I 1 i be still ill 1 muttered the alderman see that policeman by the city lamp tut tut this will not adothis howling I 1 CHAPTER ill the tha wager Is claimed the shimmer of a young moon lay jay in the wide stone arch of the hotel orleans on the rue chartres when with the abrupt stride and bearing of a soldier captain gaspar caspar mazarac Saz arac late of the american explorations turned within it the old cOn concierge clerge arose to greet the cloaked figure fellow you will say to the british officer colonel carr that captain Is at his pleasure oui maleu I 1 the old free man of color hobbled up the dim stairs the visitor stood in the shadows absorbed in the peace of this quiet spot but hs as mazarac malted he was con that someone had bad stirred across the parterre the figure of a woman had bad stepped from the shade to glance up at the old black shambling along the third upper gallery his big ring of rusty keys creaking at his belt bell quo que e la lal the white gowned figure started turning to io glance out the arched entrance tho the stranger bowed lifting his hat he could see her figure grow rigid in the moonlight her stare be came a thing to turn an intruder to starie at once lie he knew her ber and sho she him mazarac Saz arac the unattached and gambler of the packet warie marie louise the stranger heard her quick of breath ar ac she looked away toying W with ith her ivory fan fall your pardon mademoiselle for the intrusion it was by appointment that I 1 came Indell indefinite nite it Is true but at colonel carrs request aest you are pardon me of his family 1 I 1 am miss lespron the ward of colonel carr of quebec he bowed again he be hod bad feared on the packet he had morda mordantly nUy not taken the trouble to ascertain which was the wife of tho the english officer but now there came some surge surg e of feeling he be could not explain he had been stung to folly that was atcon of no other desire tonight save to conf confront aront ca carr fling an insult vt nt him that no DO n san an might elduro clin challenge dilenge all and daill kill him under tho the oaks of the bayou batou st john road and now he be was 9 ing on the fairest fam that alkhis all ats adv life had bad shown him perfect in the moonlight the her lurk dark whito eyes cold scornful tho the shrug ahl ug of above th ohp inco ince been corinne miss misa 1 kincl u id going to tile tho opera of tho the theater dorleans dOr lenns where tic he ie 10 recalled 11 rose 0 s e vries appeared tonight in 10 lo le Prop 11 for tills this liete 13 aut ut the hour bour was into 11 1 think sir it yon cannot see him happens 11 she glanced up warily lit it tile tho silent galleries whore where the lie con chorge was wag mumbling away filly ally on ills his return colonel carr can will not receive anyone tonight she turned half from him with nn an air of dismissal tho the stranger bowed once more ills henrt heart wan heating boating with a curious relief it was plain that uio tho girl did not know of tho the ini famous jest with which all tho the coffee houses were ringing ile iio know knew now he would pocket tho the insult a duel was to for it would drag her namo name deep deeper or into the mire carr had guessed aright mazarac could not dalm claim his wager in a private drink ing bout carr might roar with laughter at the gamblers dilemma but for tho the ladys sake would not challenge nor would lie permit talk of the affair to so ao about ile drew his light cloak closer as he turned to go but ns as he reached tho the areaway with its drowsy tinkle of lowing flowing water he started at a cry vint that rang wildly through tho the courtyard the scream of a negro and it a vengeful shout above turning he saw the girl la in the court staring upward then her arms were flung out in appeal and again that choked cry of a woman but not in fear Imper emperious fous determined have done beating tho girl gurll I 1 wha ahn and you strike me leaping back to stare up tho the vial visitor saw caw a woman crushed d out over tho the iron lattice rail tho the moonlight struck the shoulder of colonel carr who seemed bout bent on hurling her to vio the courtyard the girl below cried out again hotly and aad with a mutter mazarac sprang past her up the curving staircase until he gained the third gallery tile the wife of tho the british Irl tish colonel WILIS was choked and helpless against tho the railing as tho the stranger reached them ills his hand band was upon his sword but with the other powerful arm he caught ca u 9 h t the man squarely by the collar tore him away flung him headlong against the wall and then stood quietly the gilded insignia of ilia his Maje service in his hand glancing at the evau lette he hurled burled it to the court below miss lespron had followed past pasi the cowering gerving girl bleeding on the staircase i madame sho she cried shar sharply are arc you hurt dut but for this genteman gente raan I 1 had died the wife gasped and then checked it with new acorn madame carr stopped abruptly dereyes herc he reyes yea upon the unknown gambler of the river packet this began the he girl quietly la its captain gazaras of the american service we must musi thank you biro even for this regrettable aid you perceive the affair without doubt a private matter mater of which we entreat as you are a gentleman she had hesitated her dark eyes on him her lip quivering in the moonlight A shuffle on the Zal lery floor the drunken man was getting unsteadily to t 0 hla his feet f ee tte the reeled re ea ed grasped the railing ng cleared his bla dazed eyes and stared bazanac Saz Baz arac bah 1 come then daza rac the gamb gambler lerl t eh he be lurched forward and held himself up ho the porter have this fellow thrown out who dares invade my privacy I 1 lionel I 1 the wife muttered and then was still monsieur bazanac bowed to her quietly what I 1 have done madame 1 I am answerable for the matter explains itself doubtless it shall not pass page my UPS lips mazarac Saz arac ruined me panted the colonel A trickster fellow a sharper of the packet trade eh got you within your r rooms 0 Ma madame damel 1 you brou precede me sir air she oho retorted steadily ayou you aro are in no condition lUon to converse converse eh R b here I 1 rem remember e abe rj be lurched t to 0 t the h e rail with hoarse laughter an appointment eh ch captain mazarac Saz arac the matter Is settled commented the other quietly you wl will permit me to depart he was w as passing when the disheveled officer staggered to the narrow space between rail rall and wall he has come my cydear dear to ha ha hal I 1 perchance to claim his wager 1 S sir jr you will permit mo me to pass not so soon sir captain baza rac me whoever you 8 oro M un ha ha it etwas was a tit stroke roke a coup you will admit that even evea if I 1 lost ehl eh red hed faced leering erins le he be stumbled nearer laughing loudly 01 1 I love lova you he ha bald ad qu quietly betly you ayou will remember that TO BS BM wa f navy |