St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-03-30
CHAPTER XVI.

dieate that Hendricks had in his keep
ing two prisoners whose presence add
ed q perilous element to the under
ground society. These men, employed
by the secret service of the govern
rnent, were to Hendricks the first direct
intirnation that the forces Of society
sad In some way put facts enough to-
gether to warrant an intelligent at
tempt to run him down. Whatever
theory these officers had been working
on had been summarily frustrated by
Hendricks taking them both prisoners.
He had, with his usual quickness Of
decision, summed up the whole chain of
consequences. Their mission was
secret one and only the secret service
department knew of It, but their dis.
appearance would speedily bring about
his place the whole enginery Of the
government He expected TO be be-
sieged in the end, but as war on d
large scale had been part of his calcu-
lation from the start this did not deter
him. He calculated as usual with great
shrewdness on the element of time,
and he felt sure that If the under
ground rendezvous could be kept from
the knowledge of the public until all
his plans were matured he would pre-
serve an enormous advantage even in
fight with the government.
In order TO narrate what occurred in
the Laran at this time 1t is necessary
to go back to Miss Laport.
Miss Laport was a slender and pretty
girl of twenty, with serious gray eyes, o
great abundance of beautiful Wavy
chestnut hair and rather pensive oval
face, in which there were indications
of strong character and much spiritual
ity. She had received an excellent
education when her fathers means
were ample and she had suffered deeply
when his disgrace came. She was now
living life OF expectancy and mystery,
waiting only for the release of her
father to redeem the promise early
made to go away with him and forget
In some distant place their wrongs and
their troubles. Placed under Fenning
in Memphis she proved o valuable
amannensis and clerical assistant.
She worked patiently and uncomplain-
ingly and got to know q great deal of
the confidential business that was car
ried on between the Bayou house and
the office. She awakened Jennings
interest and respect and she was grate-
full for his consideration and care of
her, and when he began to evinee q
deeper interest she did not repulse
him, although he awakened in her
none of the emotions to which a girl OF
her age is susceptible. She treated
Fenning with an undisguised kindness.
for he had shown a real solicitude in
her personal comfort and her future
welfare, and had secured for her a
handsome salary which she scrupulous-
~ put in the savings bank.
When they went to Laran Mrs. Hem
bricks treated her as an equal and q
guest. But ff it nld not been for Tsn-
ming, her life there would have been
monotonous enough. He secured for
her the latest books, took her out for
long rides and looked after her arnuse-
1nent and comfort IN thousand ways.
But Jennings was evidently not the
nature to touch her deeply. His cool,
mathematical mind may have won her
admiration when she saw it exercised
in O crisis or dilemma, but 1t did not
move her affections. She was under
heavy obligations to Tenning and she
would not hurt his feelings. The mo-
ment that Lieut.. Stocking became q
guest in the house, the whole aspect of
things changed. Here was a passion
ate, heroic and emotional southerner,
who Immediately exercised over her
an influence that she could not resist.
His nature was the antithesis and the
complement Of hers. He was immedi-
ately attracted by her. They came to-
gether easily and often, and all the
amusements which had been enjoyed
with Fenning now wore a new ardor
of romance. brief, these young per-
sons fell instantly and deeply in love.
When, therefore, on that morning of
the fight, she had seen him wounded
and dragged fighting to the signal
room, her indignation was unbounded
and her misery uncomfortable. She
knew enough Of Hendricks affairs to
suspect that he was in some way acting
in opposition to the authorities, and
she had gathered from Stocking some
thing of the peculiar nature of his
visit. When. therefore, he disappeared
down the shaft, her heart sank within
her. She believed that he would never
return. In this wretchedness she took
to her room until Mrs. Hendricks en-
deayored to extricate her from her de-
spair. That lady found her in a con-
dition Of morbid melancholy from
which III was no easy matter to rescue
her, and 1t did not take her long to as
certain that contact with the lieuten-
ant had changed the girls views ma
terialIy. She wanted to go away and
reminded Mrs. Hendricks that Hem
bricks had promised TO release her
father at the expiration of q year. To
this Mrs. Hendricks replied that he
had been at liberty to go for some time
| but had become interested in the com
pletion Of gun and was staying vol
unfairly 10 see it tested. She further
insisted that Lieut.. Stocking would be
treated well, and probably was anxious
to communicate with her in the signal
room. This brought about q request
from Mrs. Hendricks to Hendricks to
let Stocking speak to her through the
telephone, and the lieutenant was sur
prised to hear Hendricks say: There
| Is young lady who wishes to com
rnunieate with you at the shaft. ]
| will accompany you.
They walked to the instrument to
retI1er. The lieutenant said nothing.
when he sook the moHthpieee in bis