The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-08

the year, and a great open fire was
blazing in front Of q picket building,
which seemed to be an annex to cave
behind it. over the fire. on a rod placed
on two forked poles driven in the
ground, hung, backwoods fashion.
embers reposed pans. A big black man
hustled greasily about the ViandS. and
in all easy attitudes were scattered
about some three dozen men of all
colors. Some of these beguiled
the time until supper with cards
and dice; some were listening TO
one who was telling a story which made
his hearers yell uproariously, and two
or three We're busily cleaning muskets.
But it mattered not what they We're
doing-the LADS from Boston had never
seen so rufiian a lot, nor heard such
weird and continuous profanity. In
many garbS they were, and some We're
bare Of breast and arms and legs, I'M
washed, unshaven, with rings in their
ears and tangled long hair, sunburned
all to divers shades, with battered
three cornered hats, or fierce fur caps,
or wooden knitted caps, whose dangling
taSSelS gave the wearerS' faces extra
ordinarily suggestive twists, now HUI
morous, now Of q ferociouS ugliness.
Not a man of them but had a long
pistol in his broad belt, above the shirt
and many of them carried their cut
lasses, too, as peaceful men might a
riding whip. They greeted DiXey
Lynch'S appearance with a. buZZing
growl, but prOhered no more deferen-
tial salutation as he passed through
them to the shack, from which came to
meet him man of very large size;
negro in every feature, but with an eye
rare in an enslaved race, a most fierce,
commanding eye.
''Donnereaui" cried Lynch, and i'm
mediately added something in French,
which neither Justin nor OZiel under
stood, nor, indeed. could have told
which language it was they heard
SPOKEN
Donnereau's eyes questioned Lynch
eagerly, but he said little, only, as
Lynch rapidly talked, as if making a
report, his black eye fell piercingly on
Justin, whom he most attentively eX-
amined. Justin's gaze. as OzieTs. was
everywhere while they stood together
watching this unWonted scene, one pic
tureSque enough in the shifting shad-
ows of the flames, with a gloomy back
ground of autumn forest leaves. Thus
he was paying little heed to his friend
and host, DiXey Lynch, when, of a sud
den, a huge hand graspd him by the
shoulder, shaking him roughly, and a
tremendous voice beloved in his ear:
How, now, you dumb puritan; must
you be kicked cut of the road?"
At that Justin leaped round to face
this insolent questiOner, and thus
placed himself so that the light of the
fire fell full upon his face. 1t was the
huge negro himself, DOnnereaU, who
had stepped from Lynch's side to so
insult the English lad, but if he had
been three times as big, three times as
fierce, young Justin's temper was too
fiery not to resent such rudeneSS pas
sion2tely. At once all signs of fury
showed on his Hateful face-the white
cheeks and brow, the flaming eye, the
raw red mark Of the snake. For q mo-
ment he looked like to fly at Bonner
eau's throat, and, for that moment, the
negro stared at him with intense in
crest. It was evident that the man
had q purpose in his behavior. Before
Justin could find speech, however,
DiXey Lynch had sprung between the
two.
"Donnereauw he cried, as though
greatly wounded at such a mistake.
Master HallowellI What Donnereau,
such words to the son of good Sir
Roger. whom you knew and served so
long? Master Justin, I pray you, for
give him He could mot know"
The great black made a good show
of extreme repentance.
Now let me walk the plank blind
folded he cried, effusiVely, and in good
English, for blind am and a lubber
fit for nothing else. Not to have scent
Ills the figure and the face of Sir
Rogeri Master Hallowell, pray your
pardon. AS your fathers. believe me
also your humble servant"
1t was a very fair imitation of Dixey
Lynch's latest style; negro must
copy himself on some one. But Justin
received the excuses of the savage
looking fellow with very little grace.
Indeed, he seemed disturbed by his sur
roundings, and was cold, even to Lynch
himself. This that astute rover quick
y. perceived. At once DiXey assumed a
higher air, a manner Of being master
Of and above the herd about him. He
snubbed Donnereau and babe him keep
his noisy rabble further from the cabin:
he called the cook to him. and ordered
him to serve his daintiest fare within.
and, finally, with his cheerfullest voice
and a smile of particular friendship,
well suited to charm a frank and in
genious boy, asked Justin to come
within, where they could discuss mat
ters apart from these cattle" But he
halted TO let Hallowell so first inside.
and found time to whisper to the black:
Did I we'll? Is it not the very mark
they Worship"
And the black grinned horribly, and
made a silent motion of thinking
coins.
You're a devil, Dixey Lynch!" his
lips made sign.
Oziel was left alone, but that he was
now accustomed to. He had made up
his mind how to act. Lynch he would,
not pay court to, and, as il was plain
Justin was too much fascinated with
DiXey's schemes, which he was not to
divulge, to remember him when out of
sight, he resolutely set hiTeself to make
friends with the wild crowd he found
himself among. However grieved and
disturbed in mind at the turn affairs
took the big, honest lad swallowed his
distaste, and, with the memory OF Mis-
tress Marian's last words ever in mind
renewed his VOW to stick by Justin's
side to the end of the adventure be
Lynch's attitude toward himself what
it might.
For three weeks they lay in the South
bay, and during that time great bust
ling went forward, in which Oziel bore
part, doing what he found to do with
out orders, seeing little of Justin who
day by day seemed more agitated and
alight with hopes, which his friend
could not share for lack of news con-
corning them. A great supply of mus
kets, powder and bah were put on the
schooner during this time, the sloop
lying idle with water and provisions.
Oziel had no opportunity to go aboard
the schooner, but he saw she was a