The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-06-18

their property were not molested to
any great degree. 1t was this policy,
enforced by Rameau, which had so
long protected him and his followers:
for while common rumor established
him as king of the island, and kept
afioat startling stories OF his proves
and daring, almost nothing had been
done toward investigating the situa-
ton. The main fact was that wealthy
and influential men in New Orleans,
large sharers in the unholy revenues,
were standing behind the outlaws and
a~fiording them the protection which
it was so easy to give SO long as the
power of the civil and military gov
eminent vas almost paralyzed in
Louisiana, and so long as these very
citizens controlled directly or Indirect
~ the government itself, either by
corrupting the officials or by holding
official positions themselves.
With n glance at the foregoing
slight sketch of tho situation Of
things in the Gulf-coast region, tho
readers of this story, which, in all its
parts, is historically true, will be able
to understand why q party of horse
men should be following the Black
wolf Trail in the direction of the
bay of st. Louis at a late hour in the
night. The road in most places was
wide enough for two of the cavaliers
to 90 side by side, and four of them
chatted as they rode, while the fifth,
who evidently was the leader, held
his way somewhat in advance, sitting
on his horse like a statue, and main
tanning a strict and apparently moody
silence.
Seen in the deep gloom OF the wood,
the moving figures were more like
shadows than realities, and but for
the heavy tramp of the horses and the
occasional sharp jingle Of a spur or
the clink of o bridle-bit, they might
have been regarded by a supersti-
tious fancy as ghosts of the followers
of De Soto or Bienville. Their voices,
however, were evidently real, and
what they were saying referred to the
present.
"The king is breaking his own law
tonight" said one to another. "and I
don't expect anything out of it that'll
pay for the trouble. What have these
people down here got that's worth 60.
ing after?"
"You might wager your head re.
marked the other, ''that the king
knows what he is about. When did
he eve fail to do just what he wanted
to? There's more'n we dream Of at
the end of this ride"
"Maybe SO; I don't say there
amt; but it's a queer move, you may
say that"
call of our moves are q1eer
enough, for that matter"
eyes, but"
"But-but-what's the use Of yer
'buts?' Yer o constitutional grum.
bier, Tom Newkirk-a chronic, incur
able growler."
"Mebbe so, but"
Goa, grumble at my foot, my head
aches!"
AT this point the last speaker burst
forth singing in a low mellow voice an
old and not very elegant disty about
O maid who
event away, went AWAY
With bsr Iowa RI "A fnir ononfrjno
He had reached what was perhaps
the last stanza and was droning out
the fact that
"Her lover was false md cold vas his
heart,
And she died by his cruel hand"
when the leader suddenly exclaimed
in q tone that indicated irritation:
"I'm tired of that. Stop IT.! This
is no time for your songs"
The singer obeyed promptly; but
could not refrain from mutterinG
under hIs breath:
lawful particular all OF once; must
be ailing!"
"Who's got the grumbles now?"
said his companion, tauntingly. "Told
you that something queer was ct the
bottom of this here move"
'Hpmph! I'll admit that when
the king gets so particular that he
won't let a fellow sing, there must be
something kind O. bilious on hand"
At q certain place at the edge Of a
marsh, over which there came a sharp
tinge of salt air and a far-away boom
of sea-water, the leader of the
Tiers drew up his horse and called the
others around him, so that his strik-
tall and shapely figure made the
centre of O dark group sketched
the marsh rushes and the
shining line Of the bay.
"What is done tonight" he seid,
s'is between US; not another soul upon
earth is we to know even a hint OF
it. I have chosen You four, as the
best Of mymen, to join me i'll an af.ir
of great importance to me. 1t may
turn out profitable in itself; it may
not; but, in any event, You four will
be we'll paid"
The men drew closer, leaning to-