The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-06-07
Written for the Sunday Crescentl
BARTRELLE,
CHAPTER xxIv-coNrSuED.


"Poor Laura, have heard of your fathers
arrest, and it was the hope of being of some
service to him that brought me home thus
unexpectedly but have not yet learned the
causes that led to il, nor the pretext on which
il was effected"
And Laura at once proceeded to explain to
her all of the facts and circumstances con-
nected with it, with which the reader is al
ready familiar but when she came to detail
her interview with Warren Hayes, and the in
famous advantage he sought to take of her
helpless situation, Zera's black eyes fairly
blazed with passion.
81 knew it, she said, 81 knew it; some
instinct or prescience told me that villain was
at the bottom of the whole transaction; but
go ON, my dear, do not let me interrupt you. I"
There is little more to tell. Both Mildred
and her father were exceedingly kind to me
throughout the whole affair." and are now even
more so since they discovered it was TO War
rem we were indebted for our misfortunes
The day the old major learned of his sons
baseness, believe he would have killed him
or made him surrender the paper; but Warren
had left the city, nor has he since been heard
from"
He shall be found, nevertheless. And
now, Laura let me tell you what know of
this most unfortunate affair !" and Zera at
once proceeded to detail the loss of the paper
intrusted to her by the old colonel for Gene
raj Price, but reiterating the assurance that
it referred exclusively to business transac-
tons and was not designed to have the
slightest reference to military matters.
Indeed" continued Zera, she showed
me the note before il was sealed, which was
done at my request, and he repeatedly assured
me that the matters to which it referred
affected alone the private interests of the
general. He said that he could in no wise
justify himself in communicating contraband
intelligence, and that should unluckily be
captured that paper would in no degree COM
promise himself or me. But the wrong has
been done, and in measure through my care
lessness, and it certainly devolves upon me
to employ every agency can exert to redress
it"
"Oh, no Zera, do not blame yourself, poor
girl, for an accident that might have befallen
any one. You were not careless, know. 1t
has all been done through some inscrutible
purpose of the Divine Being, who rules all
things we'll feel that He will not suffer my
poor father to perish ignominiouslyl
"He never shall, of that rest assured but
Mr.. Warren Hayes had better look out, for
before another sun goes down win put on
his track one who will find him, although he
may hide in the most remote corner of the
earth; and when found he shall surrender
that paper or roe to his lifey" As she finished
speaking she rose from the table and stood
before Laura, no in-apt representation of the
Nemesis she avowed herself to be. "That
letter, like the poisoned robe of Nessus, shall
be the death of him who shall dare apply it
to other uses than those for which it was de-
signed.
''Oh, zera, do you think you can make
him surrender the letter and save my fathers
that which he values more, his
honor 2"
'Ayel 1 can and win I"
''But how, Zera Pardon my impotence,
and tell me howT ~
"That cannot do at present You must
trust all 10 me, and wait for such time as /
think circumstances viii justify me in reveal