The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-12

earnest In his promises to do ANYTHING
required of him in order to work his pas
sage, that | relented and told him he
might stay ON board.
| From that moment Alexis-that was
his name-bccame my most devoted and
faithful servitor, and, as will be seen, l
never had reason to regret taken him on.
He acted fully up to his promises. My
carpenter, Portuguese. was the merest
apprentice by the side of Alexis, who was
not cnly thoroughly conversant with the
duties of his calling, but was an excel
lent sailor, wiling, daring and industri-
Gus, and good fellow to boot. If l
heard sounds of merriment proceeding
from the regions of the fo'c'stle, knew
that Alexis was the cause of them. He
could sing endless songs, he could play
the fiddle, he could dance, he could tell
the most amusing of stories in his quaint
broken English. and in the most trying
| circumstances was ever ready with jest
and eibe. OF course no one but myself
knew mis- secret, and | must say that it
made me very uneasy-for, if Master
Dick was not the hero Of the escapade,
it was one of the most extraord nary CO.
incidences that ever came before my
notice.
However, 1 pondered the situation
thoroughly and made my plans. My
life as sailor had been singularly de-
void of romance; but. sailor-like, my
pet study was romance; so that it was
with mingled feelings of dread and
pleasurable excitement that looked for
ward to our arrival at Caen.
We arrived early on a. Sunday morning !;
| IN, oil ~ ho1
taken, Alexis, in the hustle and confusion
attendant upon making fast ard warping
alongside the quay, managed to get
ashore before any one else. l lost no
time in making my way to the offices of
Curtis & Company. Dick was there, de-
veloped into a portly family man since
| we had last met, and was delighted to
see me: and, as may be imagined, in a
very few moments we were talking of
old times and exchanging experiences
as only chums can after.a long separation.
You'll come and dine with me, old
fellow" he said. "As it's Sunday, I
don't suppose you'll begin to discharge.
I've nice little place, just out of the
town. near the race course, and I'll intro
duce you to the missis and the young
| sters"
What married?" I cried. "I should
have thought you were tie last man in
the world to go in for that sort of thing,
for remember you were always so full
/ Of the the rights of free, unhampered-
man."
Yes-married, he replied, "and to
a French woman, too; think of that -
A pallor came over my face could
feel; L knew that what Alexis said was
true, and that my old friend was the un-
suspccting object of his vengeance. Dick
saw the change.
"Why, what's the matter2" he
said. "You don't think any the
worse of me for having married
Frenchwoman, do you? At any
rate, you won't when you see her and
judge for yourself and when I tell you
that she's the dearest little body in the
world-far better than deserved"
"No,"I replied, seriously, 81 don't
think any the worse of you for marrying
! Frenchwoman. am not such a mar
row minded idiot as that-for good
wife is good wife, be she a Zulu, OF a
French woman, or anything you like !;
but"
"But what?" said Dick, impatiently.-
So told him the story of Alexis; and
it was his turn to grow pale.
"However," [ said, in conclusion,
"you leave it to me; it has caused me a
lot of anxiety, and l have hit on plan.
But look here l wouldn't show myself
much in the streets to-day, if l were
you, for that fellow left the ship before
l did, and is prowling about now with a
knife as long as your fore arm, and if he
caught sight of you. why "-and / fin.
ished the sentence with significant
whistle.
"Anyhow," Dick said, "you'n be up
by o'clock2"
eyes," l replied, "and don't you be
about when 1 arrive"
So we parted.
I went back to the ship. To my sur
prise, Alexis was on deck, waiting for
me.
"Well," said gayly, "have you
found your friend?
'sNo, sar," he replied; "I have look
very carefully at all re ships in port, but
l not can see him. But l will have a
look ashore dis evening ven re people
come from church."
"And you mean to kill him if you do
see him?" said.
| mon D1eu! monsieur IL OdplCdlue,
but vat else can l do2 He have insult
me and my brozer and re lieutenant and
re ole family! What else can l do2" he
answered.
s'Well, carpenter" 1 said, sI'm going
to dine and sleep ashore, and l want a
hand to carry my portmanteau.
II will do it, sar, l will do it, if you
wish me to carry it to re end of re world, u
he offered.
every we'll, then, shall be ready in
half an hour.'
At the expiration of that time I was
on my way to Dick Curtis's house, Alexis
following me with the portmanteau on
his shoulder. We arrived at the house
"a typical French bijou maison de cam
pagne, standing within its own gardens,
which betrayed their English ownership
by their unusual trimness and neat
ness.
"Wait outside" I said to Alexis, and
entered
Mrs. Curtis-a pleasant looking little
woman, coquettishly, vet modestly
dressed, strange contrast to her raga-
muffin of brother outside. met me.
81 must introduce myself" said, ''as
a very old friend of your husbands, and
he has asked me to dine and to sleep the
night here"
Madame, in excellent English, assured
me that she was charmed to see me, and