Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1904-05-26
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l hardly heard the man. To meet
his wife day after day, to associate on
terms of cordial intimacy with this
honorable gentleman, to enjoy his con-
fidence. my heart filled the while with
guilt too strong to conquer-the thing
was torture not to be endured.
Come with me TO the inn; let us get
the ladies and their luggage aboard.
Agnes will be glad to meet you; she
says she has great curiosity to see
what You are like"
l excused myself most lamely upon
the plea of some duty to be performed.
All WE'LL on board then; she will
have abundant time, aye, abundant
time"
From dark place near the inn door,
l watched their departure. Poor weak
ling that l was, | could not deny my
self. The chevalier, with Agnes and
another lady, took their way toward
the waiting boat. a pickering anthorn
being borne in their front. His words,
Agnes will be glad to meet you: she
has great curiosity to see what you are
like REQUIRED again and again.
So she had deceived him. and he
knew nothing of our meetings? All.
we'll do these women manage, and we
are ever dupes. And I. who all my life
had detested small Receptions, found
myself heartily applauding this-was it
not for my sake. This secret was ours
mine and hers; the bond which we
two held in common apart from all the
world. A sweet reflection. The little
weakness of women are very precious to
their object, and if the deluded one
know 1T not. why where's the harm
Small comfort came to me, however,
for all the While conscience, like a
burning nettle in the side, gave the
lie TO each excuse.
All that night | paced about, and
up and down. At length came gray
dawn, but not decision. An early fish
erman disposed his net upon the beach.
| watched him long in silence then alb
ruptly asked, so t1erccly that he
dropped his work:
old man, do you know of any other
vessel sailing soon for the American
Colonies in the South?'
Aye, sir. there's a brig fitting out
at Roulogne- sur-Mer for the Spanish
seas, to sail in a week or thereabout.
But, sir the old fellow looked eau
tously about to assure himself that no
one else could hear they say UNI
Christian things of that brig and crew.
She BODIES no good
- freebooter"
aye, SIT, OF q pTlNateer, winch, lhey
say, is the milder term"
My resolution was formed
Await me here; / will pay your gains
for the if you wait but do me sligt
service.
aye, aye, sir" he responded,
touching his surf stained cap.
l returned briefly from the inn bear
ing note for NJ. de serigny.
Therein / explained that most
important matter had transpired
to detain me until another vessel
sailed, some few days at most.
would tell him of it more at length
when 1 Joined him at Biloxi
gave 1t, with IL broad gold piece
the old fellow, and directed that he
give it to Serigny. There l remained
until I saw the man Chamber up lie
Dauphin's side, when l left at once
fearing further communication from
Serigny.
Entering Boulogue at daybreak. the
undulating valley of the Lame claimed
not one appreciative glance. The am
Client city trembled in it's slumber al
my feet. Already 1T became restless
with the promise of another day whic!
clad its gables in flame and burned the
rough old towers With the shining golG
of God. A little beyond. the waters
gimmered in the suns first rays. and
IitIlIuE3 StslMdIU HlOSStu themselves In
anger against the dim white cliffs II
our hereditary foes.
AS picture laid away I'm memory
this all comes back to me pure and
fresh, but on that morning gave it No
heed. From the heights / passed
along through quiet streets into the
lower town, thence to the beach, where
was soon inquirlng among the sailors
for the privateer. These women look
ed aS1<1nCn "a ratr "a
my unfamiliar uniform with suspicion
but after great difficulty one of thei,
number was induced to carry m,
/ alongside an omnibus looking craft ~
ing in the harbora black -hulled brie
of probably six hundred and fifty ton.
burden. OF the sentinel on deck
asked:
rs here and at the word n dark
why man, who had evidently beer
watching my approach, appeared al
the companion way.
"a word with you, sir. II you are this
captain of this craft / am told you
are retittng for trip to west Florida
What your errand is care not; / want
we do not take passengers" he an.
swered positively.
Then take me as a marine, a sea-
man. what you will. l am soldier
familiar with the handspike as Will
the sword. though knowing little o.
winds or currents"
Captain Levasseur eyed me closely
asked many questions concerning my
life and service, to which l replied
truthfully in part. He seemed salts
fed
We'll, we do need a few more stou
fellows who can handle cutlass
when could you come aboard?"
AT once; have no baggage but thu
weapons at my side"
Good Your name?"
"Gaspard Cambronne," I answered a
random
The freebooter laughed.
We care nothing for your name 81
you will fight We sail the day aftel
tomorrow one week" And surveying
my we'll knit frame for was sturd,
youth, If you know any more stou
young fellows like yourself we ca.
give them a berth apiece"
So 1 scrambled aboard without NOR,
ado. and became at once a member o
the "SeameW's" crew. / hardly knew
at first why ! gave false name. Blu
the character of the vessel was doubt
fui, ITS destination uncertain, an,
knowing not what mission she was or
| shirked to give my real name ant
station. The chance was desperate
yet not one whit more desperate
than l.
The Scamew sailed more than thre,
weeks behind lie Dauphin, armed Will
letters of marque from the king com
missioning her to prey upon Spanish
commerce in southern seas, and espe
cially TO take part In any expedition
against Havana or Pensacola.
Our voyage Wore on drearily enough
to me, almost without incident. Ate
four weeks of sky and sea we rounded
the southernmost cape of Florida ant
turned into the Mexican gulf. / grey
more and more impatient and full q
dread. LIE Dauphin had twenty three