The Delta independent., 1896-02-26
CHAPTER XXI.

physics
CHAPTER XXI.
This information, disappointing as
it was, produced a marked change in
Calicot. His nervous anxiety gave
place to a grim look of concentration
and he grew visibly paler every day.
The intelligence that he received in
three days, through Miss Endicott,
amazed and excited him in spite of his
self-control. He learned that Hen
bricks had captured the gunboat. lie
had to get at the facts of the case from
separate information and from Hen
bricks orders, but he learned enough
to convince him that the commander
in the boat had been led into negli-
gence by not finding human soul in
the vicinity, and a force of his men
had been surrounded and captured in
the wood, and a party sent to their re-
lief had been overwhelmed. 1t was q
dark night and two large attacking
forces from opposite sides of the river
had surprised the boat and, after des-
pcrate fight, taken Possession of her.
Hendricks had then gone aboard;
dressed his own men in the uniform of
the soldiers, and finding the books and
got knowledge of his orders. The
captured crew were sent to the Laran
and the gunboat had gone up the Mis-
sissippi with her dag flying, apparent
ly under government orders. This
was on the night of 9th of August. On
the 7th, the government stores at
Lcavenwortl were seized by an armed
force, the troops at that place hav-
49, rs, -,
owing to the withdrawal of the Sixth
United States infantry, and Troops A
and L, which had been sent to Paducah.
The arms, consisting of six thousand
stands of carbiues, five twelve-pounder
guns, three Gatlings and four brass
howitzcrs, with about fifty thousand
pounds of ammunition, had been loaded
on the vessel at Leavenworth and
started down the Missouri for st.
Louis. Before she reached the Missis-
sippi, Hendricks, apparently under or
ders, was looking for her, and captured
her about two miles above Alton. He
then started for Memphis with her in
tow, having sent a dispatch at Alton.
publicly announcing the victory of
the United States gunboat. The con-
sequence was, he was interfcred with
on his way down the river, but instead
of going to Memphis, he ran into the
bayou and unloaded all his plunder
into the Laran.
Calicot had this news verified before
his eyes. lie had only to go into one
of the little stations in the Laran south
east of the rotunda to find evidences Of
the truth of what he had heard. He
saw strong guard at the magazine
and a hundred men busily at work
transporting the newly-arrived ammu-
milton to the place. The wooden doors
of the magazine stood open and he
could see from across the rotunda that
1t was q dark hole stored to the stone
ceiling with boxes and kegs. He
watched the work with intense inter
est. The electric light in the rotunda
threw black shadows here and there
and, hidden by one of them, he scru-
tinized the place carefully through
pocleet-glass that he had got from Miss
Laport, and he noticed for the first
time that there were iron tubes rum
ming down that part of the wall of the
magazine that was exposed. They
looked like drain pipes at distance.
He asked Laport about it and was in
formed carclessly that they were ven
tilating tubes put in to make circula-
ton Of air and keep the place dry.
There are only two" said Laport,
land they open into the rotunda about |
six feet above the railroad track. I
put them in myself and ought to 60 |
and see that the men who nre working |
there do not disturb them"
II will go with you," said Calicot.
The next day Stocking met Calicot
and said abruptly In his impulsive
way: "Sec here, my old friend, 1t is
idiotic to let a coldness spring up be-
tween us ut this time because we don't
think alike"
I'VE do think alike" replied Calicot,
land, allowing for differences of tenn
permanent, we suffer alike"
The two men sat down on the bench
In front OF their quarters. Nearly
everybody was in the rotunda or south
Of it. Save the men stationed as a
guard at the portal and the workmen
in the machine shop there was nobody
to be seen. The railway trucks were all
at the other end of the LaraD. Hen
bricks and his captains had their hands