Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1896-01-09

loltf, anu uau como up into tne Wlnu WIN
her canvas falling together like the wings
OF a gull; but even then she was not at
rest. A confused motion within the harbor
yexed her stlll--for the smaller Breton
ports are none Of the best. and Fangeport
cannot boast OF being better than Its neigh
bors. Tho luggcr ranged slowly alongside
the quay, and as the American spraDg
a-land the water, lashing In between her
and the stonework, flung up upon his
clothes.
- What a forsakcn mudholc to call a
port" he grumbled
why, so 1t be, said the skipper, look
ing mp and shaking the spray from his
rough cap.
"'Tls no place for landing troops Mt all,
nor stores either, " said tho American, half
to himself.
NO more it Is, " replied the skipper,
with knowing look 81 told You 'twould
do nobody no manner of good II they got
1t, and tell you 80 again, me as has known
IL. man and boy, these 30 year. A place as
dries out every tide, and lcuvcs you to
squat on the slime, amt Of no account for
these things. But 'twere none OF my
choosing"
The American said nc more, feeling that
for man in tho secret service he had al
ready said too much.
For 1t was the days OF tho Chouan In.
surrcction, when the Roynlist gentlemen
Of brittany, each with his ragged follow.
ing of peasants, were waging guerrilla
war against the convention. and defyIng
the best It could do to bring them into
line with the revolution. And the worst
OF 1t was that since Lord Howe on tho
glorious LIST of June" had driven the
Brest fleet from the sea there was no
knowing how soon Mr. pitt would DO hay
ing finger In the peppcry pie.
So the American thought IL better to
pursue his delicate task In silence than to
continue q discussion ON the capacities Of
the port from n military point OF view
Where shall nnd hint he asked
oh, there's none but whnt will show
you, said the skipper Ask for Farochol
captain Farochol. Twill be mortal
long days work to lnt n man ms don't
know him; leastwhys, In Fangeport.
With that ho vented grunting laugh
full Of meaning, and his men did no less.
But there's not mullark of them all
to be seen, said the American testify,
peering into the darkness Of tho sea front.
"Sink mel" says the skipper. THAT'S
terrible strange"
Like all Sussex smugglers, he had Gu
rlous intimacy with northern French
ports, both in wartime and In peace No
ono could tell how the thing was done;
but 1t Is certain that, no nInttor what hap
2oucd, these lawlo5s gcntlomeu were al.
ways able to keep open friendly inter
course with France Whenever the out
break Of war came to cramp their regu-
lar free trade business an impartial
conveyance OF tho secret agents, ot friend
and foe alike, became their natural en-
ployment and Captain Dunk OF the lug.
ger Content was but n survival OF the stir.
ring DAYS when .Icsuits and .Iacubites were
the best customers Hc knew every trick
and turn Of the business, Bat such state
of things as the present was entirely be.
yond his experience, and, like the Ameri-
can, he was stralning hts eyes into the
gloom in wonder at his reception.
Ii was not yet late, and strange lur1er
putting lut0 fnngepOrt was the last thing
TO escape attention. Tho whole west coast
was on the alert to prevent communication
between Pitt md the Chouan chiefs and to
stop the Incoming and the outgoing Of
Royalist agents FanPcpurt had been JAG
obln and violently anti Chouan from the
! first, and, like nearly all the other towns.
she had stood stanch for tho revolution.
/ yet there was not 50 much Us an idle boy
to stare at the luegur, and, what wa.
| stranger still, not port officer to question
them and collect his feo, Fangeport might
| have been city Of dead men
sink moi" says tho skipper nRain. at
| quecrs mo altogether Ills 'countablo
strange
"Strangei" echoed tho American. 81
| should give II a worse word A pretty way
to execute the representatives ordersl A
| pretty way to watch the coasti Where's
the gunrdbonty where's tho patrolS
Well, they must take the consequences. 1t
viii be my duty TO report it when get
! back to BrcSt.
81 raokon they be fairfield Of the dark
or the weather says the skipper "Blnme
mo II ever saw it much blacker, and
there's dirt In the wind, too If know
chalk from cheese"
( Maybe, retorted the American,
there's something else in the wind. Seolp
The little town was just iiscornibla Its
uneven row OF gables was family detached
/ against the woods behind It; tho ugly
/ church spirc could he made out stiff and
| still against tho racing clouds, and beyond
/ all was the low line Of the hills, clearly
marked Mt one spot by spread OF ruddy
| light as OF n great fire, that began to glow
/ behind them, throwing q good piece of
their outline into sharp relief
| IL was to this the American was point
| Ing
What does That moany no asked
Some now Chouan duviltry, suppose"
You won't find Faroehol at home to-
night, said the skipper evasiyely.
How do you know
well, / raokon you won't, let DO how
twill Yon had best keep away. It's no
place mp there for the likes OF you, sir, to,
night"
But how do you know, says"
Maybe ! don't know ut all l am
prophesying like"
You mean IL Is n guess, said the
American sharply
well, lot be how twill. answered the
skipper good humoredly, It's no guess.
ing TO say where Fatochol will be when
that candle be burning. l knew thero
would be no rest In him Till 'tyere DOM -
But are you sure IL Is thatf" said the
American, sim holding back. like the
seaman, from putting into phrase what he
feared
"'Tis there away the chateau lies, +" said
the skipper.
The crew had gathered beside them on
tho quny, and were gaziug In a disturbing
silence at the Increasing glow behind tie
hills. II was mysterious enough 10 see.
and there came no so.,nd from the land.
ward To tell thoin WHY IL neant Tha