The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-09-17

Rameau had, In some wild transao.
tions, and were still necessary to each
ether, or would he at tho crisis VOW
50 near. Indeed, Vasseur knew more
OF Mr.. Vernon's past than the latte,
would have believed-more than it
would have been safe for the little fel.
low to acknowledge.
When Easseur had taken his leave,
Mr.. Vernon walked the floor, to aud
fro, his hands locked behind him, lis
heavy head and shoulders dropping
and his eyes bent upon the carpet.
He looked ten years older than he had
looked three days before. His lips
now and again moved silently, aud
the muscles of his neck and face
twitched nervously.
Presently he tool; his hat aud his
grest-coat, for a drizzling rain was
falling, and went ont. He felt that
he must see Loring once more before
he left the city. To this end he bent
his steps toward the club.room of the
Chats -Huauts which was over the back
part OF low restaurant near the river.
Chats -Huents (screech-owls) was
the name OF a mysterious organization
which fell t. pieces when, some time
after the War of 1872, the robbers OF
Honey Island were routed and their
power destroyed.
What seems most strange to one
who gains .cess to the records is the
fact that the Chats-Huants, although
their proceedings were yelled, did not
pretend to cvade the authorities of
New Orleanss 1t is we'll known
that they were in league with
smugglers, so-callei "privateers;"
but it was understood as we'll
that they we're operated" out
side Of louisiana, or, in other
words, that they were Importer" OF
unlawful wares, and that all of their
gains went to swell the wealth OF the
State and the city.
Mr.. Vernon felt sure that. if Loring
had been deceiving him, and had been
oil this time operating with the Honey
Island outlaws instead of being in
Me1ico-if Colonel Loring and Pierra
Rameau were indeed identical as both
Fairfax and Vasseur had declared
then the room of the Chats Huants
would be the place in which to look
for him.
On the way, as the rain softly fell
over his slouch hat and high-collared
topcoat, Mr.. Vernon kept repeating
the name, "Pierra Rameau," "Pierrs
Rameau," not aloud, not even by lip
movement. but Inwardly; and it rang
and echoed in his consciousness, as a
lonely voice sometimes wanders back
and forth and around in q wild noun
tain hollow. He felt that he was 60
ing to solve within the next half.hour
o question involving one of those
climaIes Of experience from which no
period of life Is oxempt-experiences
that shock the very centers Of
strength, aud affect the deepest sources
of feeling.
The streets were Shiny, the cutters
ran full Of muddy water, and wind
from the east had an edge of ice, al
belt the roses were abloom along the
walls. Mr.. Vernon met few people,
he wss not aware of meeting any, un-
til hand was laid on his arm. and
voice said:
"May I have word with you? Do
you know me?"
He stopped short and faced the
speaker. 1t was almost in front OF
the entrance to the grimy building in
which the Chats Hudnts had their
Not far away on one
hand rolled the great yellow river !
with some vessels at anchor; on the
other hand the uneven houses zig
Jagged along, dripping and unsightly.
Two or three reckless-looking fellows
passed by aud entered the restaurant.
The Chats Huants were meeting.