Evening star., 1894-03-31

Your friend is vindictive man." said
Hendricks. But you have noticed that I
haven't time to be-
II said to myself" replied Calicot, that
the execution of your plans no longer de-
pended on our captivity or secrecy"
"Ah, you have arrived at that conclusion"
Il acknowledge facts. So far as / can see
you are in armed rebellion. 1t is no part of
the magnanimity of war to entomb helpless
women. From what L have seen of your
character | believed that you would accede
to my wishes"
But your friend did not think So"
NO, but he, perhaps, does not understand
you"
Hendricks smiled rather grimly. "At
nightfall," he said. 81 will give your party
an escort and pass them out of the bayou
end. My own men are in the woods between
the bayou and Memphis and the women
would not be safe"
Then Hendricks abruptly left him.
Calicots anxiety now grew hourly. He
had a sickening fear that Fenning might ar
rive at any moment and Illustrate the whole
plan.
The women spent the intervening time in
preparation, and Calicot, after hurried
consultation with Stocking repaired to Mr.
Laports headquarters and, finding the
wounded men had been removed he sat
down at the table and for an hour gave him
self to the writing of what seemed an inter-
minable letter, which he concealed on his
person when completed.
lie then wandered aimlessly through the
long passages, waiting impatientiy for the
night to come.
1t was o'clock, as near as he could p7,ass
when Stocking and the two young women
got aboard one of the box cars and accom-
panied him to the bayou entrance. Very
little was said on the way Calicot was
apprehensive and not disposed to talk
His chief fear was that something would
occur TO interfere with their departure at
the last moment. 1t seemed to him that
the rotunda was full of men and he
suspected that Hendricks had been getting
tresh recruits at the bayou end during the
hght at the Laran portal
When they arrived at the end of their
journey, Stocking very nearly upset the
project by suddenly refusing to go unless
MS friend accompanied them and it re-
CURED all the frmness and persuasion that
Calcot could command to induce him To
proceed. "Do not" he said '.imperil every
thing by giving up your faith in me now.
On the day after tomorrow when you have
secured the safety of your companions. you
are TO come back for me- The government
VIII have some of it's forces here then and
the issue will not be doubtful believe me.
but l must stay here tonight and tomor-
row to learn all can of the plans at the
conference. Mr.. Franklin, 1 understand.
mas secured money enough to take care of
himself and daughter. You are a free man
do not hesitate"
They parted at the entrance to the lift.
stocking was sullen and uncertain but he
came back and wrung his friends hand
silently, and Calicot felt that the action
ana mounted the steps of the railway plat
form with sense of desolation in his
heart and an unmistakable moisture in his
eyes
the guard that he would get off and walk
back later to the arena.
He was left standing on the platform
when the car moved away The great dense
shadows covered him from the army of
men below. He walked along the ties TO
the great wooden doors of the magazine
ana stood there moment. Then he de-
scended the steps and was lost in the
crowds of men below
he had expected to meet Hendricks at
his military headquarters, but one of the
captains who knew him said that there
was meeting of some kind and Hendricks
and all the other chiefs had gone to the
office In the arena where it was quiet
he then made his way as speedily as he
could through the coal corridors to the
arena, and was surprised to see how COM
plete1y the chaos OF a few hours ago had
disappeared. Nearly all the men had been
gathered into the rotunda and save 8
few groups here and there and the work
men and officers scattered about the place
was deserted.
Without definite purpose he went i'm
mediately to the quarters where he and
Stocking had lived together so long Some
thing of morbid desire to feel its lone
liress now that his only companion was
gone actuated him. The door stood aiar
and he walked in. The moment he was
inside he heard voices. He listened. They
came from the adjacent quarters that had
been occupied by the women He moved
softly along the partition to the little cor
ridor that connected the houses 1t was
dark. save for the light that came through
an inch or two of open door at the other
end. He looked through.
To his amaZement he saw that the room
was filed with people, and he knew at
orce that this was the final consultation
of the conspirators. Hendricks was there
so also were Mrs. Hendricks and FenninS
The others he did not know; he was GER
tain he had never seen them before The
marked character Of the men convinced
him at once that they were no ordinary
chemers.
Hendricks was speaking and Calicot
drew from his pocket a pad of paper and a
short pencil and listened The speaker
was recapitulatiug what he had done in the
Laran from the start, and evidently en-
deavoring to convince them that the con-
spiracy never could have obtained it's pres
ent momentum if it had not had a safe
and impregnable stronghold to mature
itself in. ITO organize an army in the
teeth of the authorities was as impossible
in America as in Russia he said. But
l have organized the nucleus of a stand /
ing army the touch of which will convert
your stragg!ing materials into soldiers. /
We are now prepared to strike the first
blow. We have all worked patiently TO
this point In three days We must be pre- |
pared to take the held"