OCR Text |
Show IWiAFITTE'mf MA LOTJISIAIVA. J BY 0ARY gEVEREUX 1 N ILLUSTRATIONS BT DON C. WILSON 13 CHAPTER IX. I It was lato In a sultry, almost breeze-I breeze-I loss evening In September, 1811, that I tho ship "Condor," belonging to Laro I and his associates, dropped anchor In tho harbor of Fort Itoyal, Martinique. I She ha'l but a single passenger. If bucu ho could bo termed; for It was Jean Lafltte, returned recently from a mission which will bo referred to moro particularly later on, and who had come from Now Orleans for tho purpose of meeting I.aro, whom he expected ex-pected to find wnltlng at Fort Itoyal. His soarch proved unavailing, although al-though ho ascertained that Laro had boon scon In tho town; and after visiting vis-iting sovoral of tho places whoro ho was liable to bo found, Lafltto went to an Inn not far from tho wharves, and ordered supper. Hero he sat enjoying tho coolness, while ho sipped and smoked, when thoro camo to his ears tho sound of a volco whoso mellow resonance thrilled him strangely, sending his thoughts whirling Into tho past The air was yot vibrating with tho hearty tones as tho speaker camo through tho door; and a lamp hanging v from tho celling of tho balcony Hashed Its rays Into tho face of Gro-Tho Gro-Tho recognition was not mutual; for Qrelolre, aftur a careless glanco at tho younger man, crossed tho balcony bal-cony and seated himself near tho rail. Lafltto was, for tho moment, undecided unde-cided as to what to do, whether to reveal his Identity, and risk hearing whatever comments Grololro might make upon a mono and career which already had becomo known In two continents, or to remain silent, and thus forego this unlooked-for opportunity oppor-tunity for knowing something doflnlto In regard to tho man who was still dear to him ho who wns now Emperor Emper-or of Franco. by tho enemies of Franco, who thus rendered mo unfit for hard sorvlco against them, and I am now Monsieur Felix Qrelolre, attache of tho emperor's emper-or's household. As such I go upon various missions; and my business hero relates to tho settlement of some matters connected with certain property prop-erty belonging to her Majesty tho empress, who, as you know, Is a native of this fair island, A 11 no place It Is, both as to climate and people; but Louisiana Is far moro to my taste." Lafltto appeared to obscrvo tho Irrelevancy Ir-relevancy of this last remark, for, with a keen look at Qrelolre, ho said, "Louisiana! What do you know of Louisiana?" "Much that Is, of Now Orleans, for I was thero several months, In tho autumn of 1803." "I was then absent from Louis-tana," Louis-tana," said tho young man. "So I learned, when I mado Inquiries Inqui-ries for you. Dut I heard something of you, and still moro In regard to that Spanish rascal who took you away from Toulon, not long beforo I went thoro to got you myself." "What mean you by that?" Lafltto demanded, almost as if resenting an affront. "This, mon ami," was the slowly and distinctly uttered reply. "That when Qon. Honnparto, lato In October of 1793, sent mo to Toulon, In order to bring you to him nt Paris, I found that you and Pierre bad already gono with Laro, bound for Louisiana." "Who told you this?" Inquired Lafltte. La-fltte. "A dozen people Thiol amongst thorn. I went flrst to Pero Huot's house, and thoro ascertained that tho good priest wns dead. I then vlsltec Lo Chlcn Ucureux, nnd learned what I havo told you." Lafltte turned again from Qrelolre, and settled down Into his chair; and tho lattor saw tho quick rising and 3 "You will deliver him a metsage from me7" iBut all his indecision was soon routed rout-ed by tho realization of what was represented rep-resented by tho fnco nnd form so closo to him, and como to life, as It were, from tho dead. Tho living present pres-ent seemed to nnlmato tho dead past; tho reality of Orelolro gavo actual Hfo to tho Ideal Napoleon. "Pardon, monsieur," ho said bowing slightly as Grololro looked up; "but I think I hud tho pleasuro of mooting itaonslcur many years ago, In Franco." "Ah," said Orelolro, as ho turned to tho speakor. "May I ask when?" "Long ago In Lnnguedoe, and Toulon," Tou-lon," replied Lafltto, fixing his black oyos upon Orololre's fnco. "Wo met at Lo Chlon Houroux, In Toulon; nnd tho last tlmo I saw you' was at tho Convent Con-vent of St. Sulplce, wlioro you woro recovering from wounds In tho final assault upon tho city." "Mon Dion!" oxclalmed Grololro. "Whnt moans nil this, monsieur? Can It bo posslblo that you aro Jean lafltto la-fltto Lnflt to, tho pi" Tho word was cut short by a flash from tho young mnn's oyes as a sabo-stroko sabo-stroko might lop off tho hand raised for a blow. "Tho first la tho namo by which I was known In Toulon, nnd my frlonds still uso It. Tho sorond'ls a tltlo given to me by my enemlos, and which I do not recognlzo ns appropriate." Ho spoko with stem composiiro, and wIUi a dignity well becoming his tall, straight flguro nnd refined fnco, while Orelolro stared at him In sllont astonishment. aston-ishment. "Which of tho two, monslour, do you profor to uso?" Lafltto added, now taking a stop bnckwnnl, but not removing re-moving his oyos from Orelolro. "To rail you Jean, ns I did years ago," Grololro oxclalmed Impetuously, extending both hands, which woro welcomed wel-comed by tho firm grip of tho youngor man's slnowy fingers. "Won," tho latter snld "Let It bo so. And you what shnll I cnll you, marquis, duke, or mnrshol of Franco?" Toll mo of yoursolf, nnd of Nnpo-"Tho Nnpo-"Tho flrst will tako but n short tlmo," Grololro ropllod laughingly; "for I am not a noblemnn, nor yot on officer. Indeed I loft tho nrmy six years ago, on account of sundry attentions at-tentions paid to my body nnd limbs fulling of tho young man's broast ns ho folded his arms across It. Piescntly Jean, without lifting his oyes, nskod, In n stubborn, dogged tone, as though expecting an nnswor ho did not wish to hear, "Do you mean to havo mo understand that ho Gen. IJonaparto sent you to Toulon nftcr mo?" "Most assuredly. Ho, ns I havo already al-ready told vim, sent mo In tho autumn of '05. Ho supposed you woro still under tho chnrgo of Pero Huot, being fitted for the career ho our general- had planned for you one that would koop you closo to him, nnd Insuro your future." Lafltto had now recovered apparently, appar-ently, nt least from tho effect wrought upon him by Grololro's surprising in-tolllgonce. in-tolllgonce. "You will dollvcr him a mossago from mo?" "With pleasuro." "Glvo him my homngo for his own groatnoss, and for tho splendor ho hns brought upon Franco. Convoy to him all my heart's gratitude for his kindness nnd protection when I wns a boy, and for whnt ho would havo tried to mako mo as n man. Toll htm that I lovo him, nnd will ovor love him, nnd that no sncrlflco ho may wish or accept will bo too great for me to mnko In 1i!h bohnlf. Can you remember this?" "Every word; and I will repent It faithfully." "Adieu, then, old comrado," anld Jean, grasping Grololro's hand. "This mny bo our last meeting, but It will not ond our rogard for ench othor." "Indeed no, nor our thoughts of ono nnothor," was tho hearty response ncrompanlcd by a tlghtor clasp of I.afltto'ti slendor fingers; "nnd I trust It may not bo tho Inst, by many, of our meotlngs." "Adieu, old comrade," "Adieu, mnii ami." Ono flnnl hnnd-clnsp, nnd Lnfltte turned awny. Hut, aftor taking n few stops, ho fncod about and wont back to Orelolro, who stood as ho had left him. "One thing moro," said. Lafltto hesitatingly; hes-itatingly; "ono more question, which you mny answer or not, ns you choose." "I will answor whntovor question yon maa ..,' declared Grololro: ".ud I will nnuwer It upon my honor." Lafltte appeared Irresolute, as I' tho question woro of such grave Import Im-port that ho drended an unfavorable reply. Then, lnylng a hand on Gre lolro's shoulder, he asked, "What said ho Honaparte, when you told hire that I had departed from Toulon?" "Nothing." "You havo told mo nil I wished to konw, and I thank you," said Lafltto again holding out a hand, which Qro lolro clasped firmly. "Adieu, and bon voyage." "Adieu, nnd bonno fortune." With this they parted; and Lnfltte, returning directly to tho wharf, ordered or-dered tho boat's crew to row him back to tho "Condor." Jean had, up to this moment, considered con-sidered himself deeply aggrieved by Donnparto's apparent neglect; and, looking at tho matter from tho standpoint stand-point of youth, his ardent, impulsive naturo, and his unstinted lovo for tho young officer, his feelings were not without warrant. Dut, in the light of Grololro's explanation, expla-nation, the man of thirty could well sco how unreasonable nnd hasty had been tho boy of fifteen; how unthinking unthink-ing nnd rash; how utterly lacking In a proper appreciation of Donnparto's regard, and of how tho manifestations of this wns subject to conditions and Influences beyond tho lattcr's power to always control. He thought of Margot, and her words returned to him when, upon that last evening of hor life, alio had said that Honnparto was his good angel, an-gel, nnd Laro his evil one. Truly hnd hor words been proven; for now ho knew tho former as ho wns, and would have been, whllo tho passing years had cither Increased, or mado more apparent Lnro's coarseness nnd cruelty. It wns only to tho boy Jcnn that he had ever been othorwlsp; but latterly something of a change had taken placo la this respect toward the man, especially after ho had refused to ac-qulcsco ac-qulcsco In tho ndventurer's cherished scheme, thnt he, Jean Lnfltte, should tako as his wife, Lazallc, tho former's niece. Uut tho young man hnd, all through his wild lifo, held within tho Innermost Inner-most depths of his soul a sacred shrine, kept closed and pure, where never tho lovo for woman had entered. en-tered. Over Its altar, faded and In distinct, yet his life, lingered the teachings of his foster-mother, and tho rcmcmbranco of a sunny-faced blue-oyed girl, who hnd promised the boy to prny that ho might bo that which ho had so woefully failed to bo, or had oven sought to attain. Tho past rolled in upon him llko a smothering flood, until,, In a wild tumult of despair, he loft his cabin and went on deck. Thoro ho heard ono of tho watch whistling to himself; him-self; and presently the man broko softly Into U10 words of tho air: "C'cst l'nmour, l'nmour, 1'amour. Qui fait In monilo a la roundel" Tho song brought to mind again tho bluo-oyed girl's fnco und also that of her daughter, tho little "Island Rose," whom, late tho provlaus May, ho had piloted through tho woods, und down tho rivers, from hor dend mother's homo nmong tho Choctnws. Tho long, rough Journey hnd given him rnro opportunities for sounding tho depths of tho childish soul so closo to nature thnt It seemed to worship wor-ship tho mother's God through nature, and naturo through God. Ho was known ns "Captain Jean, a friend of hor grandfather as "Cap tain Joan," whom sho found such a charming companion, and whom his escort of wlilto men and Indians ro spectcd and loved. She trusted hire fully, nnd their Intercourse was fro from restraint. Recalling her now, whllo ho paccc tho deck, with tho troubled water ol his soul casting ashore such woeful wreckage for his contemplntlon, the thought of her whlto purity, hor sll very voice, her childish confidence, brought to him u blessed pence. (To bo continued.) |