The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-02-28
A CREOLE ROMANCE.

A lhEOlIE NUN ANJE.
1t was drilling, and the banquette was
OVERLAND with black slush which seemed
to oozo from the very paving stones. The
girl standing ON the corner-her slim,
white gownod figure softly out incd
against the pink stucco of the wall behind
her-appeared curiously at variance with
the November afternoon gloom. The sin
gle passenger in street car crawling past
glanced out at her with Momentury
CLEAN of interest. ''Shc looks like bay
on lily he murmured, returning to his
evening paper.
There is nothing earthly which can
compare for whiteneSs with the bayou lily
-hovering above the dark marsh like
tethcred soul, pure, spotless, radiant, eX
haling an innocent perfume its flexible
stem rooted far below in the slime.
The drizzle became dowHpour, and
the few pedestrians scurried into shelter
leaving the narrow street quite deserted.
The girl drew little farther under the
high, projecting balcony, with its wrought
iron balustrade. Her white gown, slightly
open at the throat, rs If designed for in
doors, was drenched with the wind blown
rain, though, by some miracle, the hem
remained unsmirched by the ooze beneath
her feet. She was very young. The del
icate, almost childliko face beneath her
round hat was pale. Her violet eyes had
a strained, cxpcctant look. She leaned
against the wall of the old building, trem-
bling, as if frightened or ovcrfatigucd.
The heavy batten shutters were flung
back Their enormous bolts turned ashanti
composed of fancifully shaped panes of
ground glass, were closed.
On the same spot-christened by some
dead and gone wag the corner of Alb
smith and AniSette-stood, i'll the year
of our Lord eighteen hundred and thir-
teen, the sell same building. 1t was even
then more than IL quarter of a century old,
and a conspicuous landmark in its isolated
situation, IL few low habitatiuus only
clustering between it and the outlying
swamps, and but "a thin scattering OF
houses stretching down to the river. The
steep roof of the single squat story was
tiled. A long arm thrust o1t from the
caves held lantern over the muddy, I'M
paved street. 1t was cabaret then rs
now, and then, as now, famous for its
"green hours"
Its rough outer wall one morning in the
autumn of that year was adorned with
large printed poster. which set forth IN
the three languages then current in the
old town Oh the Mississippi the misdcrds
of one Jean Lalittc, smuggler, maraudcr,
Desperate and pirate and offered i'll the
name of his exccllrncy Governor Clai-
borne reward of $500 for the capture Of
the said lean Lafitte and his delivery into
the hands of justice.
The laughing eyes of a knot of ''appa-
rent" idlcrs on the wooden banquette were
turned alternately from this placard to the
tall. handsome man-no less person than
Jean Lufitte himself-who leaned against
the wall the long curling locks of his hair
blown against the signature OF his Qate
professionally cXcullency. But there were
covert flashes of malign intelligence in
some of the laughing eyes, and an imper
ceptibie movement of the crowd toward
the batuen door ut the outlaw; right hand.
His own chances, rs he banded jcsts with
the leaders, toying tho while with the
fringed end of his green silk sash, went
warily about. He knew himself to be in
danger Of arrest. He might indeed pay
with his life for his seeming br;.vado. But
he was not thinking OF himself. His ear
was strained Ia catch tho slightest sound
within the cabaret, where Henri DestrGhan
was blithely quafling his glass of alb
smith, unaware that his enemies, sworn
to butcher him like "a rat in Il trap, were
closing upon him.
1t was the knowledge of his friends i'm
pending peril which had drawn the pirate
chief from his lagoon Businesses.
How aboGt that last bale Of struggled
silk brocade LafitteI'' demanded
brawny, dark browed man lightly, edging
nearer 10 the wall as he spoke.
Sold at $40 the yard, for the waistcoats
of his excellcncy the governor" returned
Laftte III the same tone.
and the gold chain captured on the
high seas from his grace the Mexican
bishop" laughed another.
sold off III inches for the repose of his
grace's SOUL
He had dropped the end of his sash.
His hand as he spoke was on the door.
"a moi, Destrehan, u muiu' he cried,
bursting into the dimly lighted cabaret.
And catching the bewildcred young officer
into the sweep of his powerful arm, he
lifted him from the floor, bore him through
the very midst of his enemies, turned the
corner with the leaping speed of a stag,
Dtllll4ll VI
III the direction of the swamp. y howl of
rage and yolIcy of shot from the bat1lGd
plotters followed the fugitivcs, but they
were already safe from pursuit.
A few days later Dcstrehnn was about
starting on his roundabout journey TO
France. A pirogue dancing on the breast
OF the sinuous bayou which led away from
the outlaws stronghold at Barr;.taria,
YNp.lifpI hin, vi IA liz bt dark skinned
pcddler. If ever il Dcstrchan these
were his parting words to Lafiltc, with Il
warm hand cl;tsp-''if ever il Destrchan
fails Il La!itto in the hour of need, may his
sou. die and his bones rot unburicd. -
Leonie Destran, apparently unconscious
Of the rain which continued To fall, was
waiting still. The pallor OF her delicate
lace had increased. She moved nearer to
She CLOSED door of the cabaret.
Within there was IL drowsy silence. The
fat, baldheadcd proprietor was nodding
over an OutwOrn copy of La MuuChe. Ii
was midway between early and late hours
of the staid and respectable habitues who
came with the regularity of unimpeachable
clocks every day at noon and every day
before setting toward their late dinners.
The floor had been rcsanded since noon
and swept into fresh goometrical figures,
and the old fashioned wooden bar with its
simple fixtures WIZ in readiness for the Is
)'cioGl. customers.
':'hcro was. however. a single patron who
Stood with his left hand resting lightly ON
the bar. In his right he held Il small tum-
bier. The wan light tiltering in through
the ground glass of the door fell upon its
cloudy green contents, giving them an
unearthly CLEAN. Tho man, who was ele
gantly and fashiunably attired, was young
and extraordinarily handsome though his
face showed signs of dissipation, and his
dark eyes beneath the thick brows had IA
bold, unpleasant expression. He wore a
white flower i'll his buttonholc.
He lifted the glass to his lips, but set it
down hastily. Octave Lafittc. 1t was Is
whisper Il family dying breath, but he
heard his own name distinctly pronounced.
He looked NJ the deaf old man half asleep
IN his chair. Then lie stepped HoiScIrSsly
to the door. The rain, striking him full
in the face as he opened it, blurred his vi
sion for Il second. ".hilp. Dcstran!
Leonie!" he exclaimed, stating back sur
priagd, mis- dark face flushing with pleas
ure.
She lifted her hand. "Stay, monsieur"
she said, speaking rapidly and in French.
"Thero is 40 time for words. was fol