Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-12-09
CHAPTER XXI.


After leaving Valentine de la Yer
berie Castor underwent great peril and
difficulty in effecting his escape. But
for his experienced and faithful cousin
Menoul he never would have succeeded
in embarking.
Having left his mothers jewels with
Valentine, his sole fortune consisted of
not quite a thousand francs, and with
this paltry sum in his pocket, fugitive
from justice, and with no prospect of
earning livelihood, he took passage for
Valparaiso.
Before CASTOR had been on board the
Tom Jones forty-eight hours he saw that
chance had cast him among a collection
of the most depraved bandits and cut
throats. The vessel, which seemed to
have recruited at all points of the com
pass, possessed a crew composed Of ev-
cry variety of thievish knaves; each
country had contributed specimen.
But Gaston's mind was undisturbed as
to the character of the people with
whom his lot was cast for several
months. The Tom Jones set sail for
Valparaiso, but certainly went in a
way W lCdCll lltI utSlludllOu.
The real fact was that Captain Warth
proposed visiting the Gulf of Guinea.
Castor saw that he was serving his
apprenticeship on a SLAYER, one of the
many ships which made immense for
tunes by carrying on the slave trade. AL
though this discovery filled CASTOR with
indignation and shame, he was prudent
enough to conceal his impressions.
When Castor had been with Captain
Warth about year the Tom Jones stop
ped at Rio Janeiro for a month, to lay
in supplies. He now decided to leave
the ship. He possessed twelve thousand
francs, as his share of the profits, when
he landed at Brazil.
AS a proof that the slave trade was
repugnant to his nature, he left the
SLAYER the moment he possessed a little
capital with which to enter some honest
business. Finally, after toll and strug-
gle, he was worth million in gold, be-
sides immense tracts of land.
Arranging to return to his native land
he was taken i'll and died, but left his
fortune and instructions to his faithful
cousin Menoul. The latter came to
l. ldhNC. All llOu llllll was lOf SAFE near
Oloron, on the borders of the Cara; he
bought it with the intention of utilizing
the immense quantity of wood, which,
for want of means of transportation, was
being wasted in the mountains.
He was soon settled comfortably in
his new home, and enjoying busy, ac-
tive life One evening, as he was rumi-
mating over the past, a servant brought
him card and said the gentleman was
waiting to see him. He read the name
on the card: Louis de Clameran, who
hailed him as friend of his brother.
I'VE will have to do the best we can,"
he said "and keep house for ourselves.
We will live together like two old bach
elors, as we are, and be as happy as
kings: we will lead a gay life and enjoy
everything that can be enjoyed"
a few days after Menoul was taken
i'll. lie had sort Of vertigo and was so
dizzy that he was forced to lie down.
II know what is the matter" he said.
II have often been ill in this way at
Rio. A couple of hours sleep will cure
me. | will go to bed, and you can send
some one to awaken me when dinner is
ready, Louis; | shall be all right by that
time"
At the same time he ordered Manuel,
his old Spanish servant, who had lived
with him for ten years, to prepare him
some lemonade.
The next day Menoul appeared to be
much hetter. He ate his breakfast, and
was about to take a walk when the
pains of the previous day suddenly re-
turned in a more violent form.
Without consulting his cousin, Louis
sent to OlOron for a physician whose
wonderful cures had won him wide
reputation. The doctor declared that
there was no danger and merely pre-
scribed dose of vaeran. and a blister
with some grains Of morphine sprinkled
on it.
(To be continuedI