The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1904-10-12


| l"Hl 'i h'S CROWN ,c said. ho,uin:,
4 uat.
j,icrat tooN 1t and thrust II inso his
pocltct. ~ WAS too small douccur,"
lie said easily, "ch, master secretary ~
Mos; OF thcsc on the ship did not
know 80 ihSular were the prejudiccs
OF the Arglo-SGNon. that the Marquis
dc Ia Troucric was Il parsonage IN his
OWN country. Even Caron de Beau
| m2rchGis, son of watchmaker that
airy, naive, fantastic charlutun WHO at
the age of twcniy-four had washed his
hands ut his fathers shop, changed his
clothes and gone TO court to give the
four daughters of Louis Nv. lessons
on the hurD-Cven he was less welcome
ut the Tuilcrics or less favorite of
the young Queen Marie Antoinette than
| this same noblcnun now aboard the
| Two Sisters.
1t Is perhaps not TO be wondered Mt
that the pas '"nScrs knew little of such
things an1 doubtless for the most part
cared loss. Two Annapolis merchants,
loyal since th" nonimportation agree
ments had l!H h,l Il their pockets; a
brace Of L0n.cu factors looking for
likely nscuc;.''; Nlrginian fresh from
study in the Mid,ic Temple, bound for
| the woolsack at Lancaster; n British
quartermaster journeying to BOSTON
what should such n company know Of
| Gallic pcdigrees or the chatter Of the
French court?
| a diplomat might have found In the
presence of the marquis something to
| ponder. For at that time strange
| things were stirring. Louis XVI,
young, enthusiastic, unaccustomed, was
| learning for the first how exceeding
difficult IT is to be king. NJ Turgot,
| his grim old minister of finance, logical,
| pttiless, cold as dogs nose, was pull
ing one way; Beaumarchais, brilliant
as chameleon, fascinating, egotist, in
| innate of n French queen, was pulling
| another.
And what was the bone of conten-
ton? Whether France should give her
treasure to the secret aid OF the Amer-
lean colonies. With such counsels in
the air England slept, like surly bull
dog with one eye open. She watched
at home,HAnd her astute Ambassador,
Lord Stormont, kept q hawks eye upon
the Tuilcrics.
So, In Itself there was an interest for
those who knew, attaching to the sud
den journeying to America o. this man,
SO near to the French counsels, at once
noble, courtier ana republican.
And this interest was intensified for
Jarrat, who mindful of the letter he
carried OF confidential import, hugged
The reflection that he knew the reason
for 1t.
Jnrrat, like many another schemer,
made the error of undertaking the in
tellcctunlity of an opponent. He had
small idea that the marquis young
secretary was obscrvant in his turn
1t was nevertheless the fact. But NJ.
Armand, who had scented him very
early, kept his cabin, and no one
aboard-thc ship carried no leech-saw
his master.
-Four days after the episode of the
gold crown Jariat tried the skipper
again.
Master Elves chewcd bitter cud and
wore habitual droop to his eye Now
the courtesy came as thickly as cold
weather trcacle.
THE Marquis de Ia Troucrie," lie an
swercd, 'ain't on tue ship"
Jarrat stepped back heavily. "Not
on the ship, fiend plague mel He Is on
the ship"
"Mayhap ye know better nor l." an
swered Master Elves shortly.
Jarrat burst out laughing. He felt a
sudden contempt for this clumsy sub.
terfuge.
"a brave conclusionw he cried. "And
how long is 1t to last? Is the noble gen
tleman to lie shamming Abraham in
his cabin till we sight the Virginia
capes2 Awhile ago he was sick, guard
ed from all our pining eyes by his
argus eyed clerk. Now, behold, he is
not even aboard! Oh, an accomplished
noblemanp'
The skipper squinted out to sea, and
drawn pucker came to his lips.
"See here" said Jarrat, his tone tax
ing edge. II have business with this
gentleman, and I'll not be put off. This
Is the eighth day out, and he hasn't
shown his nose out of his cabin. 'Tis
my opinion he's no more sick than I
| am"
"No more is he" said Master Elves.
wv nat tnenE
Just this: want to see the marquis,
and mean to see the marquis. Dye
hear that, you lumpfin? Twill be bet
ter for you. can tell you, If you fetch
me to him at oncev'
The skippcr's moment had arrived
"Fetch ye to him." he roared, with
something between an oath and a
chuckle. "The man ye're after died
two days ago and was sent to the fishes
last night Fetch ye to him Haw,
haw"
With this parting shot he went off
splitting furiously.
"DeadW exclaimed Jarrat, with sag
ging jaw, staring after him. "Deadp
he said again, and then stood, vacant
eyed, his face the dead color of chagrin
In which calculation has had no time
to slip.
With the passengers the young secre-
tary, M. Armand, had his way to mako,
and this he accomplished with abun-
dant good nature. Him they first snub-
bed, then tolerated, then liked.
The young Virginian, Breckenridge
Cary, sought him openly and more thar
once drew his arm through his own as
he walked the deck. The Sirginian was
beyond question of the quality, and
| certain footing had made for him 80
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