The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920, 1905-06-08


the other to speak, until the former,
while he fingered the package he had
taken from the table, said in a tone
whose gravity held something akin to
tenderness. Capt. LATTE, you under.
stand. of course. that l. an oficer OF
the army, cannot criticise In your
presence anything that took place
prior to my assuming command here
But. speaking as a man, and as one
who has had his own share OF hard
ship and SORROW. may venture to ex-
tend to you my regret and sympathy
for the trouble and bereavement that
seem to have been yours"
LATTE bent his head silently.
Claiborne. who had been fidgeting
impatiently, now hastened to say,
You VIII do me the Justice, Capt. La
ftte. to believe that l wished to &C
cept yout offer. But my personal
views were overruled by those upon
whose judgment relied; and the ex-
redition to Barataria was sent at their
instlgation-not mine"
''And yet said LATTE, with dry
sarcasm that brought faint smile to
Jlcksons firm lips. You are the gov
crnor of Louisiana"
Claiborne WINGED; but before he
could answer the thrust LATTE add
ed, with shrug OF his shoulders,
But 1t matters not at whose instiga-
ton the outrage was committed. The
facts are as | have stated, and what
is past must stand. Now, Gen. Jack
son. may | ask that you open that
package. and read the Japers 1t con-
tains?"
AS Jackson perused the first pa
per. the impressions he gathered were
plainly observable in his look, and
falf-audible comments.
Fine bombast." he growled, before
going very far. Then. little way on
Supplemented rubbish Savors of
Elton. with some of George the Thirds
silly maunderings." And SO on, until
the end was reached.
Claiborne had seated himself closer
to Jackson; and presently, the latter
with an exclamation of the strongest
disgust, handed him the paper.
Here, Claiborne, you have seen a
copy of this; but you had better re.
fresh your memory by reading the
original"
The governor took the paper, and
lad begun to read it. when. CHANGING
10 glance at LATTE, he was puzzled by
the expression of the latter's face
He was leaning back in his chair.
his lips half-parted, and his face soft
ened by glow seeming to come from
an inward light, as his eyes rested
upon something hanging against the
wall. back of the governor.
1t was an old engraving of Napol-
con, one that. as the governor knew,
vas brought from Barataria by sai.
der from. whom he-an ardent adh;-
or of the emperor-had rescued it,
The thought of this made him--in
the new light thrown by Lafitte's ac-
ousations with reference to the attack
upon Barataria-feel uncomfortable;
for. should LATTE recognize the pic
ture as his own property. its present
possessor would be placed in an unen-
viable position.
He had forced his eyes back to the
paper, whose contents he recalled
quite accurately. But now. with the
impression already made upon him by
and the latter's face-as he
had just seen it-intruding itself be-
tween his eyes and the writing, he
vas forced to acknowledge to himself
that, pirate and outlaw as he had been
the Barbarian leader had
shown the greatest generosity and
together with personal
courage which appealed strongly to |
governor's-sense of loyalty. |
Possessed by this feeling. he glanced |
again at the younger man, to see him
still looking in the same direction, ap-
parently oblivious of all SURROUNDINGS,
while his rapt expression made the |
governor wonder.
Jean Lafitte's heart was in com.
n union with that pictured face, and
With its original. whom he seemed to |
be once more facing upon Elba, look |
ing into the eyes that had rested Sc |
kindly upon him at the last. and hear |
ing the voice uttering words of old
time affection.
ITO be continued.)