St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1893-01-28

stAnd depend upon il" Alan said, '.w
shall hear more Of them ere long. Y
may keep man from the fighting, bu
never from his bottle
We made good company for eacl
other. Alan indeed expressed himsel
most lovingly, and taking knife from
the table cut me off one eof the silver but
tons from his coat.
| 4 had them" says he, from my ia
ther, Duncan Stewart, and now give y,
one of them to be keepsake for las
nights work. And wherever We go ant
show that button the friends of Ala1
Breck will come around YOU"
He said this as If he had been Charlie
magne and commanded armies, and in
deed, much as admired his courage,
was always in danger of smiling at hi
vanity; in danger, say, for had no
kept my countenance would be afraii
to think what a quarrel might have fol
lowed.
AS soon as we were through with oul
meal he rummaged in the captain:
locker till he found clothes brush, anJ
then taking off his coat began to visi1
his suit and brush away the stains with
such care and labor as supposed to bt
only usual with women. To be sure be
had no other, and besides, as he said, ii
belonged to a king and SO behooyed to
be royalty looked after.
For all that, when saw what care he
took to pull out the threads where the
button had been cut away, put a
higher value on his gift.
He was still SO engaged when we were
hailed by Mr.. Riach from the deck, ask.
ing for parley, and climbing through
the skylight and sitting on the edge Of
it, pistol in hand and with bold front.
though inwardly in fear of broken glass,
hailed him back again and bade him
speak out.
. 'sThis is bad job" said he at last,
shaking his head.
st was none of our choosing" said l.
sThe captain says he, sswould like
to speak with your friend. They might
speak at the window"
"And how do we know what treachery
he means?" cried |.
He means none, David" returned
Mr.. Riach; 'sand if he did, I'll tell ye
the honest truth, we could nae get the
men to follow
Is that so?" said |.
"Ill tell ye more than that" said he.
Its not only the men; it's me. I'm
frich'ened, Davie." And he smiled
across at me, No. he continued,
stwhat we want is to be shut Of him"
Thereupon consulted with Alan, and
the parley was agreed to and parole
given upon either side; but this was not
the whole of Mr.. Riach's business, and
he now begged me for dram with such
instancy and such reminders of his
former kindness that at last handed
him a pannikin with about gill OF
brandy. He drank part, and then car
ried the rest down upon the deck to
share it'll suppose, with his superior.
A little after the captain came, as was
agreed, to one of the windows, and stood
there in the rain, with his arm in asling,
and looking stern and pale and SO old
that my heart smote me for having fred
upon him.
Alan at once held a pistol in his face.
''Put that thing upr' said the captain.
Have not passed my word, sir, or do
you seek to affront me?'
Captain said Alan, 81 doubt your
word is q breakable. Last night We hag-
gled and argle bargled like an apple
wife, and then passed me your word.
and gave me your hand to back it, and |
ye ken very well what was the upshot.
Be damned to your word!' says he.
"Well, well, sir" said the captain.
"ye'H get little good by swearing. 2
And truly that was fault Of which the |
captain was quite free.) "But we have
other things to speak," he continued
bitterly. ''Ye've made sore hash Of |
my brig; ! haven't hands enough left to |
work her, and my first officer (whom |
could i'll spare) has got your sword
throughout his vitals, and passed with.
put speech. There is nothing left me. |
sir, but to put back into the port of
Glasgow after hands"
NO = continued Alan, ssthat'u nae do.
Yell just have to set me ashore as we
agreed"
Aye" said Hoseason, .but my first
officer is dead-ye ken best how. There's
none of the rest of us acqnaint with this
coast, sir, and it's one very dangerous
% ships"
We'll, then, to Glasgow if ye listp'
'ays Alan.
"But all this viii cost money, sir"
aid the captain.
Well, sir" says Alan, Il am nae
yeathercock. Thirty guineasif ye land
ne on the seaside, and sixty If ye put
ne in the Linnhe loch.n
But see, sir, where we lie, we are but
j few hours sail from Ardnamurchan :.
aid Hoseason. Give me sixty and I'll
ct ye there"
And I'm to wear my brogues and run
jeopardy of the redcoats to please you?
ries Alan. No, sir, il ye want sixty
,uineas, earn them, and set me in my
'wn country"
Its to risk the brig. sir" said the
aptain, and your own lives along with
Ter"
Take it or want il, ]" says Alan.
Gould ye pilot us at ALP asked the
aptain, who was frowning to himself.
Well, it's doubtful, said Alan. sI'm
more of a fighting man (as vts have eaa,. |