| OCR Text |
Show J l by Mary 1evereux j 1 MTH ILLUSTRATIONS 0Y DON C. WILSON CHAPTER XXVII. Early In December. 1S14. den. Jackson Jack-son arrived at New Orleans, Lnfltto had, some tlmo before this, U Shell Island, seen n copy of tho proclamation Issued by Jackson whllo rot nt Mobile, after tho general had 'ccclved from Gov. Claiborne a full itnlcmcut of the proposition mndo to Uftto by the Kngllsh. together with ;ho Harntarlon leader's offer of scrv-'co scrv-'co on behalf of himself nnd IiIb followers. fol-lowers. Hetwcen 8 nnd 9 o'clock of nn evening even-ing toward the middle of December, Jackson and Gov. Claiborne wero seated seat-ed In the library of the hitter's rest-Jcncc, rest-Jcncc, engaged In nn earnest discussion discus-sion of some of the mnny pcrploxlng Questions with which thoy wore confronted. "Wo nro too weak, by fnr, I 'toll you, Claiborne," Gen. Jnckson wns saying with Irascible emphasis, "and without scything like n sufllclcnt strength to meet what Is now at our very doors. I feel to bo frank with you somo doubt of our ability to sustain .tho present onthuslasm of those peoplo who wero talking so lately of copltu-fktlng copltu-fktlng to damned Britishers." "Capitulating!" echoed tho governor, "Surely, general at this late day, nnd In tho fnco of tho pledges they have made, neither tho legislature nor tho citizens would return to any such Jdcn." "I am not so sure of that. If they were 'forced, as aro you and I, to realize real-ize that tho enemy outnumbers us ten or more to one," growled Jackson. Defbro tho governor whoso back wns to tho door could reply to this outburst, ho beenmo nwaro thnt a third person had entered tho room; and ho glnnccd over his shoulder to seo who It might bo, whllo his face showed the Irritation ho felt nt any ono presuming to Interrupt him nt Euch a time. lint his expression changed to ono of mingled nngcr nnd consternation; and Jackson, who hnd been sternly re- bio toward Gen. Jackson, who wns still staring nt him, as if In wonder at Ills youth and appearance. "I ask, general," ho Bald, "that you, nnd you, also, Gov. Claiborne,, will nc-cord nc-cord mo the honor to read the orlglnnl documents I received somo time' ago from your enemies, nnd in respect to which I understand my statement wns condemned as false." "He seated. Cnpt. LrtfUte," sold Gov. Claiborne, with rather reluctnnt courtesy. court-esy. The former bowed slightly In recognition recog-nition of the Invitation, but remained standing ns ho continued, with Increased In-creased emphasis, "The statements I mado jwprotYuq, . nnd my former offer wns submitted In "perfect good faith, Inspired by earnest desire to fulfil my duty to the country In which I have mado my home, nnd whose hiWB I have never been found guilty of transgressing. trans-gressing. All I nskVd' In return was thnt the names of myself nn'd, followers follow-ers should Ii6 freed front the obloquy 'which 'has unjustly become nttnehed to them." . "Surely Gen. Jackson will not fire upon an unarmedynanl" gardlng th Intrudor, started to Lis feet. - .After bowing respectfully, tho now-cornor now-cornor stood silent, whllo his black eyes searched with curious Intentness tho stern face of Gen, Jackson, whoso right hand had stolon Into tho brenst ct his coat. The governor, who hnd rlson when ho saw tho key turned In tho door, i.ow mado a step or two toward tho chair whore- lay hla sword; but tho stronger, picking up tho weapou be-foro be-foro Clalborno could reach it, presented present-ed It to tho latter with a graceful bow, coupled with a courteous "Permit mo, sir," Then, turning quickly to Jackson, ho added, extending both arms to their full length, olthor side of him, "Sure-, iv acn. Jackson will not flro upon an u'narmod man!" And ho advanced to tho table. Gov. Clalborno'8 face had reddened angrily as ho took his sword from the stranger's hands nnd replaced It on the chair; nnd Jackson's expression chnnged somowhnt, as, with "Assuredly "Assur-edly not, sir," ho withdraw his hand from tho pistol. "I beg, gontlemen, that you will pardon par-don my Intrusion," Fnld tho unknown visitor, "until you sholl hoar tho object ob-ject of my mission. And I pray you to bellovo that I come hero for no cthor renson than a deslro to ho of uso to you, nnd to tho country both of you serve." "May wo know your name, sir?" Inquired Claiborne, stillly, and with a haughtiness of manner In which thero was no sign of softening. "I am tho man whom your excellency excellen-cy has beon plonsed to proclaim an outlaw, and for whoso enpturo you havo offered a roward of flvo hundred dollars; tho man" now fixing Ms piercing eyes upon Jackson's faco "whom, with his followers, you, fllr, havo branded as 'hellish banditti,' and nc tho 'pirates of Harntarla.' I am Jrnn Lnfltto." "You aro a bold man, Capt. Lafltto, to venture Into Now Orleans, to sny' nothing of presenting yourself hero," was tho governor's' unconclllntory r sponso. Lafltte bowed, ns If ocknowledlng a compliment, nnd drawing a packngo from his breast vh across the t Lnlltto'a words and manner woro full of stern dignity, and Claiborne mndo neither reply nor comment. Jackson, howovcr, ncccpted tho implied challenge. chal-lenge. "Havo you nevor beon nccuscd of smuggling, nnd slave-trading, Cnpt.' Lalltte, and of being a privateer?" ho asked, In n tono of Idry Rarcasm. ( "Accused, yes; but nover convicted," convict-ed," wna tho quick roply. "V was ence, as Gov. Clalborno will tell you, Indicted; but I was tried before an impartial Judge, and acquitted by a Jury composed of tho foromost citizens citi-zens of tho stato." Jackson's faco expressed surprise, end ho glanced Inquiringly nt Clalborno, Clal-borno, who nodded, ns If In affirmation of tho statement. Then tho former, ngaln turning his stern eyes upon Lafltte, La-fltte, asked, "How Is It with you In regard re-gard to privateering?" "Lot mo ask how it 13 with you, Gon. Jackson, and with your own country, Itf rognrd to privateering?" And n curl of scorn touched Lafltto's Hps. 'T5ll 'mo,. I pray you, sir, how many scores of vessels, flying tho flag or tho Unlted( States, aro, at this moment, preying upon' foreign commorco7" "Hut only upon tho commorco of Grent Britain, with whom wo nro at war," declared Jackson, his grim fent-ures fent-ures relaxed but only for nn Instant by a satisfied smile; "arid thoy aro nctlng undor regular letters of tnarquo nnd reprlsnl.'1 "True j nnd tho vessels In which I hnvo beon Interested acted undor letters let-ters of marque from tho Ropubllo of Carthagonn, nnd sailed undor tho flag of that nation, Nevor, slnco I controlled con-trolled them, hnvo thoy Interfered with tho ships or any nation excepting Spain, with whom, ns you aro aware, tho Republic or Carthagonn Is nt wnr." Jnckson wns silent, nnd glanced scqwllngly nt Clalborno, who was tapping tap-ping tho tabled abstractedly, nnd appeared ap-peared absorhod by his own rofeu-tlons. rofeu-tlons. "I thank you, gonornl," Lnfltto resumed, sponklng with loss emphasis, em-phasis, "for tho opportunity )ou havo glvo mo to explain theso matters. And, without going into them any farther, far-ther, I wish to assure you oncd more that my former offer was mado. from legitimate and patriotic- motives." Jackson bowed, as If In acquiescence. acquies-cence. "Hut," demanded Lnfltto, a sudden rush of Indignation sounding In his voice, "how was It received? My motives mo-tives wore Impugned my statements branded ns false; my messengers woro Imprisoned. And, ns a fitting sequenco fo this, an armed expedition was sont to naratnrla;' my men woro butchered, or taken prisoners; my vessels solzcd, find my property destroyed. In addition addi-tion to this, and hardor than all clso, my fostor-brothor, after bolng mor- tally wounded, wns brought to Now OrloanB, thrown Into tho common gnol, nnd loft there, to 'die." ' Lnfltto hnd been standing nil this tlrab. 'But now, as lio flttlslied spook' ing, ho 'seated himself and fbjdod his' urms whllo his face took nn'oxpres-" slon of stoical Indlffcrcnco contrasting sharply with the Impasslouod words that hod JiiBt poured from his Hps. ( Jnckson nnfl inieqrne Jqoked. at quo L ..... . . . - - -. tt another, ns if oach wero waiting "for, H the other to speak, until the former, H whllo he flngored Uio package ho liadi H taken from tho table, said In, a tone H whoso gravity held 'something akin to H tenderness,- "Cnpt. Lutlttq, you under- H stand, of .course, thnt I,, an officer of J the army, .cannot . criticise In your presonco anything, that took placo prior to my assuming Command 'here. H But, speaking as a man, nnd ns' o'no H who hns had his own shn'ro of hard- ship and sorrow, I may venture 'to ex- H tend to you my regret nnd R.vmimtjiy H for the trouble nnd bereavement thnt H seem tq have been yours.", H Lnfltto bent his head silently. -1 WLLA Claiborne, who had been tidying 1 Impatiently, now .hastened to .say, H will do me' the Justice. Capt.' l.n- H flte,-16 lit'lleve Hint I wished tuor- H ccpt your' offer. But my personal H vluwa were overruled by 'those' frrJun H whose Judgment 1, rolled; and Uio ex- 1 redlllnn to linratarla was sent nt their 1 liiKtlgatloii-iiot mine." - H "Ami yet,' said Lafltte,. with dry H inrcasiti thnt brought a faint smile to H J,.ekson'a firm lips, "you nro thu gov H or ' H Claiborne, winced: but before. -ho iH could nnswer tlnr thrust' Lafltte mid- H ed, with a shrug of his shoulders, tH "But It matters not nt whoxu lnstlga- H (km the outrage wns committed, tThc H facts aro ns I have stated, and w-lnt J Is past must stand. Now, Gen. Jack- H con, may I ask that you open that IH pnekngn, nnd read the papers It con- H An Jackson perused the first ,pn- IH per, the Impressions he ghthcvl-irwero H plainly .observable in his look, and H 1-nlf-audlhle comments. , , "Kino bombast," hu growled, before H going very far. Then, n llttlo way! on, H "Sophomnrlcal rubbish! Savors, of H Kion, with somo of George tho Third's H billy maundcrlngs." And so on, until H tho end was reached, H Clalborno had seated himself closer IJH to Jackson; and presently, the' latter, H with an exclamation of the strongest H disgust, hnnded him tho pupcrr, , jH "Here, Clnlhornc, you have .seen u H copy of this; but you hnd belter ro- H fresh your memory by reading the H Tho governor took the paper, and ' had begun to road It, when, chnnclntr 1 to glnnco at I.rtfltte, ho wub puzzled. b; Jl tho expression of tho lattcr's face. 'H Ho was leaning back In his chair JH his Hps half-parted, und his faco soft ' H cned by a glow scorning to come from JH au Inward light,, ob his eyes rested 1 upon something hnngta' against tho H wall, back of tho governor. JH It was an old engraving of Napol- jl eon, ono that, oh tho governor know, 'mmm was brought from Bnratarla by a sot- jl dler from whom be nn ardent admlri H cr of tho emperor had rescued It, jH Tho thought of this mado him la iH tho now liaht thrown by Lnfltto's nc- 'H cusatlons with rcfcrcnco to the attack l tpon Barataria feci tincomfortnblof for, should Iafltte rccognlzo tho pic- jH turo ns his own proporty, Its present ! possessor would be plnccd In nn unen- jB viablo position.. lie had forced his eyes back to tho JJ paport whoso, contents, ho .recalled qulto accurately. ' But now. with tho IH limprosslon alroady-mndo.'upon.hlm'br Ijiflttte, and tho lattcr's faco as he had Just seen It Intruding itself bo-.. tween his eyes nnd tho, writing, hp was forced to acknowlcdgo to ..himself. that, plrato dnd.oujlaw niho had.ibficq; na,med, tho Qaratarldn ijeadcr bod! shown the greatest generosity and patriotism, together with a personat(l courage which appealed strongly to'; his tho governor's senso of loyalty.''. Possessed by tills fooling, ho glanced jH again attho younger man, to sco him stilt 'looking in the snmo direction, ap lmmW parontly oblivious of nil surroundings. t Whllo lila; rapt expression mado tho. jH governor wonder. H Jean j Lafltto's', henrt wus In comr: reunion 'with that pictured faco, and' with Its original, whom ho seemed to bo onco moro facing upon.Klba, look-j 'H Ing Into the oyes that had' rested so kindly upon him nt tho last, and hear-' ll thg tho volco uttering words of old- fl timOj affection. (To bo continued.) Il |
