Show CAPTAIN CA r TA N by CHARLES TENNEY JACKSON copyright by tle tho dobbs werrill company CHAPTER XVI continued 21 monsieur dominique was looking shout vacantly when there came a hall front the forward lookout dark clark who had spent the hour aloft sall sail hol hoi on the weather bowl bow I 1 old dominique lurched up stiffly do de monaster almonaster Al Alino noster came from his furious pacing amidships monsieur mazarac Saz arac presently from the cobin the gentlemen gathered about the musters masters tea sea glass after a while he be picked it up clearly A yankee and a sloop ot of war I 1 think she Is laying it course to cross us mazarac looked about with some borne concern american America nl 1 cried raoul eagerly then break out the jack and run up the national colors alsol this Is an american ship Sitz arac glanced at him oddly it appeared some sentiment was struggling with expediency but when dark clark came down be was sent to hoist the starred flag of the washington republic this la Is a hard bard nut to crack grumbled dominique the story this schooner holds not a document aboard and you jean I 1 mademoiselle lespron had turned a glad tired face to the strangers sail she he did not hear bear a sudden conference it will not do for them to see him muttered cluttered monsieur mazarac Saz arac nor mademoiselle lespron to see him ile he Is roaring tits his chanteys chante ys he be Is telling of his hij sea fight he names us all of the old crew one by one there goes a signal gun raoul was watching the strange sail and tile hie slender blender figure of louise lespron waving an arm as though the yankees might see they mean for us to lay to now we will have to explain mademoiselle had run back to them her eyes sparkling joyously she heard the young mans last word and tier her keen ees noted the constrained silence that had bad fallen on them your fellow countrymen messieurs of Loul I 1 A res rescue cue what la Is the matter what Is to explain this ship a victim of muti beers she glanced from them to the sloop of war sailing swiftly wind beam abeam a to cross the bowis bowa of the seraphine already at a her masthead they could see the lag flag of the north republic the napoleon plot the english woman gues ced well that a ship of his majesty might seize you all but I 1 have not heard that the yankees have ever interfered ser seriously in this ran madness of new orleans to free napoleon PO the emperor said monsieur baza rac darkly but with his smile Is in his big bed with ills fits boots on I 1 the seraphine Seraph lne was coming around and up in the wind with a clatter of mocks blocks and snapping cloth dominique sighed wearily there was vias nothing elso else to do I 1 monsieur mazarac Suz Saz arac after that last enigmatic jest looked gravely at the other vessel i the hornet he shrugged commodore biddles famous sloop of the british war lay to he hearties artles I 1 you are boarding a mate worthy of a chase it if we had other than dead Ball sail ormen ormeD forward of the mast dominique watched him sorrowfully for them all save jean lafitte there might be explanation pardon perhaps even praise for a gallant exploit she Is up in the wind also muttered do de Al monaster 1 I see fee a boat swinging olt oft and a smart lieutenants headgear head bead gear now monsieur mazarac mazarac it depends upon who may be in the yankee boarding party bald the other indifferently there way may be old heads there who know me well monsieur acs short laugh stung the hothead again ile he crossed to him at the rail Mon monsieur gazaras gaz Saz arac it Is idle to say I 1 will not betray you there Is no one here who mho can or will except what Is john jarvis saying now he instructed just now jean Lit litte fetch the sea boots of monsieur badarac Baz arac perdition 1 fumed de Al monaster me he ii mill III hung hang you et etl I 1 lie he will bong you on yet even nt at the last A word frow from hini him from froin any one naturally monsieur took his hi snuff composedly eh blent ile he was my jester in tile the old bayst tills this entire affair seized its ills fancy it waa as he be it seems for he be boasts of it who caught a camellia which was onre thrown to tile me from a balcony things might have been far different it if I 1 had done so and not he well what would one have lite life depends on tho slightest things and benth as well you see it if tile the emperor of the bottle had bad not the camellia he might never have heen been inspired to outa Mon rael iller her ragged cavalier muttered the other be still mill she must not know now it would be abominable lie be with his bis cognac roaring the doggerel of your black shiel balile of Natt names iest 1 the american boat Is 1 under our counter see to the bo cinik I 1 A hall had come from tile the lynall boat as am she sheered olt off to awalt tile the ladder then presently after ailyne difficulty a young american lieutenant climbed over tile the rail mil lie he stored stared bewilder eilly down the empty waist of the schooner ler 1 amt and add tilea to the little group by the wheel where monsieur dominique idly hung bung sir my compliments and those of captain dallas of the american sloop hornet but we have orders to stop all sailing craft in the gulf and make inquiry besides we saw you were sailing with some borne trouble very short manned and hard used it might be you ton are sir serl captain gaspar caspar mazarac Saz arac sir acting master lie ile bowed and stepped nearer with un an assuring smile the seraphine Is largely the property of this gentle rian Mons monsieur leur de Al monaster of new Oi orleans oilcans Oil leans cans the lady str air Is a british subject whom we took under stress the victims of a mutiny sir sin as you will see it if you look about I 1 will make you a full report of the affair in writing it if you wish sir the american lieutenant was indeed looking about with some curiosity ue ile saw bullet riven woodwork and torn sail cloth perhaps even rimming crusts of red along the sc uppers then he smiled dominique gave a soft whistle of relief the hornet then had not sailed froni from new orleans the officers did not yet know of the affair at the place darmes dannes I 1 lieutenant ramseys Ram seya smile deepened upon the gentlemen 1 I can guess sirl monsieur de al monaster Is known in baltimore and charleston and this schooner the Serap seraphine tilDe the famous ship that was to take napoleon A stir and a shout had come from the yankee seamen over the rail tile the girod ship I 1 saw her at aba cba r test on ere she N as purchased aye abe ship bought by the gentlemen of new orleans Orlean sl 1 there la Is no faster in the indies I 1 the lieutenant still smiled doubtfully monsieur Mons leur de Al monaster I 1 can assure you you do not appeal appear very dangerous I 1 we speak the truth sir I 1 raoul advanced eagerly catching at the knowledge that the americans knew nothing of the stealing of the seraphine our mission ended in mutiny dJ disaster as you see about us will you detain us sir air lias has washington ordered any action against our purpose the officer bowed even he be as mademoiselle lespron noticed appeared to be inwardly amused but last week monsieur do de al monaster it might have done so on certain representations of the kings ambassador bas aas but now both england and america are relieved of this momentous issue for when we left charleston a clipper had just arrived from liverpool with dispatches gentlemen of the seraphine your fantastic dream Is over the emperor bonaparte Is s dead monsieur mazarac shrugged as if it N as a matter of no moment to a stilling sailing maste for the new orleans gentry domanique alone gave way to emotion ile he blew hla his red nose loudly eh old bony name 0 G dl di now I 1 will have to go back to mulling over street contracts with the mayor I 1 you are therefore absolved from all duty in the affair continued lieutenant ramsey with ith some irony it Is very apparent that a vessel crippled as is the seraphine by a mutiny which Auck luckily ily you bad the gallant fortune to put down la Is in no way fit tor for a lady captain dallas will be pleased to receive her and any of the rest who wish ich transfer arld and take you to new orleans on the hornet monsieur de Al Alnio monaster naster has bag a wound which needs a surgeon can we serve you gentlemen in this naturally you will require a report in writing suggested monsieur mazarac Saz arac at your leisure monsieur the lieutenant turned away as if to give the refugees a moment to confer upon the matter dominique found chance to pull the sleeve of monsieur mazarac Saz arac you cannot go to the hornet beant there will be older seamen there who will recognize you your head la Is not worth Belu Bc luches ebes gimcrack cockade nor in new orleans el either therl mademoiselle lespron will accept captain dallas courtesy on the bor net observed monsieur mazarac Saz arac ns as it if lie he had not heard she turned joyously to him why naturally I 1 and leave this ship of blood liloon and mystery 1 we shall go 1 messieurs it Is in my heart to go I 1 you hear murmured mazarac to de Al monaster the aunt had taken a turn of the deck forward with lieutenant ramsey showing him certain things and explaining earnestly now lie was vas back to his party 1 I 1 say this I 1 li i luck I 1 the hornet Is overcrowded with ith some BOID twenty sailor men taken from ft a wrecked island bland trader off key west on tier her rundown I 1 Jamal jamaicans Jamaica cans ns some while and some halfbreed half hair breed but able seamen lieutenant rumsey ramsey tells captain dallas will he be more than glad to shift this bur den and at the saine time provide the working crew abich our schooner must needs have in any event it Is admirable we can atay on tier her but tile the girl shivered she had bad been peering curiously down through the lie skylight where the snowy top of the seraphine against the blue engi COBI wu wavering vering colors on the ornate furnishings of the emperors cubbit cubla no no Mons monsieur leur on the hornet on the Fl flornel ornet 1 repented repeated captain mazarac quietly raoul stopped with a remembrance of mazarac shadowing his exuberance ah yea yeal I 1 I 1 see he went on slowly nom de dieu dieul I 1 it would be the same for you the seraphine Seraph lne following in the wake of the hornet to new orleans I 1 monsieur mazarac all ah neill ue ile shrugged helplessly 1 aj I cannot think what to do for monsieur Sa zarnel the girl could not understand of course monsieur mazarac bowed with some satire this phantom act now how it haunts your happiness monsieur de Almona sterl dispel it with a A gesture the younger man came to him with a gesture indeed but of some humble grief 1 I have stood aside I 1 have spoken no word of love lov e to her I 1 have held my lionor honor the look in tier her eyes I 1 have seen that Is for you today if I 1 cannot win it fairly there murmured mazarac Saz arac seel she Is looking anto into the cabin curiously lyl 1 ell eh a woman I 1 fascinated by mystery this or that ghost come be the man call the lieutenants guard I 1 am jean lafitte V this sword of mine would be at the 9 throat of any man who breathed that name upon this ship that Is my lionor honor still mazarac Saz arac cornel comet name of the devill the lieutenant Is fidgeting he must bo be back to report this matter why what Is the matter with you gri growled Ale mazarac impatiently take what Is in your grasel grasp 1 the happiness that Is in your power seize it monsieur 1 honor bahl go down doan in the emperors stateroom ask the jester I 1 ile he would roar the truth of us all to heaven it appears that he be has haq protected the good name of mazarac long enough and has tired of it lie ile has in fact now called on roe me to be an honest man it must be Lat lafitte itte the outlaw who has the ladys fancy not a chivalrous Sa mazarac Saz arac and the jester rules monsieur lons leur he has come to command at bastl monsieur de almonaster Al monaster appeared not to understand the others laughter laug liter which must conceal EO much of pain jarvis must not see her then lie he muttered there would be no sense to that mazarac took the young mans unwounded arm and turned him firmly toward the hornet lying up in tile lie wind astern come 1 I too am a ghost mazarac ftc Is a ghost he never did exist and then the old somber look of Le lefitts fitte the fugitive came to his eyes 1 I tell you raoul it if we had not just learned that bonaparte was dead I 1 would have tried for a last desperate venture of the last man of my infamous lot to seize napoleon to be at sea seal I 1 to be under the sky again on a good at the end too late your dream grappled met monsieur you see everything else Is gone for me lie he added 1 I depart from the stage jarvis janis jan Is would tell you so with its ills mocking ali ah god I 1 envy tile the dead men up there forward forwar dl I 1 you love tier her then muttered do de almonaster Al monaster that Is plain too well uell to have her see rue me swing in air at the end of course that NN will III be the end he be said composedly and she will know I 1 played a role for her merely I 1 could not be mazarac mure more than could john jarvis you give tier her up because there Is no more to defor do for mazarac Saz arac returned the other slowly ah yes I 1 am sorry monsieur I 1 I 1 am unfair after all at the end and then he suddenly seized the adventurers bronzed hands see here I 1 your life the seraphine will save your life I 1 I 1 give tier her to you monsieur tile the crew of shipwrecked mariners marinero ma why in some obscure port of the indies you can refit and be off before you aro arc identified 4 the older man put back the iron gray wisp that had come to his black hair above the temples be off monsieur I 1 i TO BE CONTINUED |