Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1904-05-28

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 on
ndence, 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.
"Ah well, on board then; she will
have abundant time. aye, abundant
time"
From a dark place near the inn door.
I 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 Ianthorn
being borne in their front. His words,
Agnes will be glad to meet you: she
has great curiosity to see what you are
IKE required again and again.
So she had deceived him. and he
knew nothing Of our meetings? All,
well do these women manage, and we
are ever dupes. And l, who all my life
had detested small receptions, found
myself heartily ~applauding this-was 1t
not for my sake. This secret was ours
mine and hers; the pond 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, n II the deluded one
know II 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 10 each excuse.
All that night I paced about, and
up and down. At length came gray
dawn, but not decision. An early fish
erman disposed his net upon the beach,.
l watched him long in silence, then alb
ruptly asked, so flercely that he
dropped his work:
Odd man, do you know Of any other
vessel sailing soon for the American
Colonies in the SOUTH"
Aye, sir, there's n brig fitting out
at Boulogne-sur-Mer for the Spanish
seas, to sail In a week or ~thereabout.
But, sir" the old fellow looked eau
tiously about to assure himself thai no
else could hear, they say un-
Christian things of that brig n crew.
She BODIES no good"
"A freebooter"
AYE, sir, or a %privateer, which, they
say, Is the milder term"
My resolution war formed.
Await me here; l will pay your gains
for the If you walt but do me a sligt
service"
AYE, aye, SIR" he responded,
touching his surf-stained cap
l returned briefly from the inn bear
Ing a note for NJ. de Serigny.
Therein 1 explained that a most
important matter had transpired
to detain me until another vessel
sailed some few days at most. 1
would tell him Of 1t more ct length
when 1 Joined him at Biloxi.
l gave IT, with a broad gold piece,
the old fellow, and directed that he
give 1t to Serigny. There l remained
until saw the man Chamber up la
Dauphin's side, when I left at once,
fearing further communication from
Serigny.
Entering Boulogue at daybreak, the
undulating valley of the Lame claimed
pRtl one .appreciative glqnMrH The an
feet. Already it became restless
with the promise Of another day which
clad its gables In flame n burned the
rough old towers with the shining gold
of God. A little beyond, the waters
glimmered in the suns first rays. and
writhing seaward tossed themselves I'm
anger against the dim white cliffs Of
our hereditary foes.
AS q picture laid away in memory
this all comes back to me pure and
fresh, but on that morning I gave ii no
heed. From the heights I passed
along through quiet streets into the
lower town, theme TO the beach, where
I "a soon inquirlng among the sailors
for the p~rivateer. These women look
ed askance at me, and some regarded
my unfamiliar uniform with suspicion,
but after great difficulty one of their
number was induced to carry me
alongside an omnibus looking craft ly-
ing In the harbor-a black-hulled brig
Of probably six hundred and fifty tons
burden. OF the sentinel on deck l
asked:
Your captain
rs here" and at the word n dark,
wiry man, who had evidently been
watching my approach, appeared at
the companion way.
"A word with you, sir. If you are the
captain Of this craft. l am told you
are reftting for a trip to west Florida.
What your errand Is l care not; l want
to go with YOU"
I'VE do not take passengers" he an
swered positively.
Then take me as a marine, a sea-
man, what you will. l am a soldier.
familiar with the ha%ndspike as with
the sword, though knowing little of
winds or currents"
Captain Levasseur eyed me closely,
asked many questions concerning my
life n service, to which I replied.
truthfully in part. He seemed salts
fed.
well, we do need a few more stout
fellows who can handle a cutlass:
when could you come a~board?"
AT once; l have no baggage but the
weapons at my side"
Good. Your manner"
"Gaspard Cambronne," l answered at
random.
The freebooter laughed.
I'VE care nothing for your name SO
you will fight. We sail the day after
tomorrow one week" And surveying
youth, IF you know any more stout
young fellows like yourself we can
give them a berth apiece"
So l scrambled aboard without more
ado, and became at n C q member OF
the "Seamew's" crew. I hardly knew
at first why 1 a V a false name. But
the character Of the vessel was doubt
full, its destination uncertain, and
knowing not what mission she was on
I shirked to give my real name and
station. The chance was desperate,
yet not one h more desperate
than /.
The Seamew sailed more than three
weeks behind lie Dauphin, armed with
letters Of marque from the king COM
missionins her to prey upon Spanish
In southern seas, inc espe-
cially to take part in any expedition
against Havana or Pensacola.
Our voyage wore on drearily enough
to me, almost without incident. After
four weeks Of sky and sea we rounded
the southernmost cape of Florida and
turned into the Mexican gulf. / grew
more and more impatient and full of
dread. LIE Dauphin had twenty-three
days the start Of our faster vessel, and
Biloxi was probably at that momen in
a fever of warlike preparation. 1t was
just possible, too, hat the S~paniards
had not yet been informed of the war,
and nothing had been SO. far done by
them.
Cruising by Pensacola harbor tust