The Holly chieftain., 1905-02-10

the gunner was saying "Laro seems
nowadays to have no eyes save for his
rum: and this, if he has not a care.
will lead us all into some internal
trap. where We may feel the rope
around our necks."
Have a care. Lopez said his COM
panion sternly, that you get not the
taste of another rope first. upon your
bare back. for showing disrespect to
your captain
You have been over free with that
sort of rope already; and this lies at
the bottom of what | thought it my
duty 10 warn you against" was the
surly retort An Indian never for
gets the hurt he never forgives: and
forgiving is something an Indian
would scorn as We would scorn cow
ardice."
Garonne, with an oath. asked what
he meant
Il will stake all the silver and gold
that fell to my share from the fight
three weeks ago with the Spanish brig.
| that Ehewah will never forget the
splicing to the main mast you gave
him for stealing your ruby. Every
blow of the ropes end awoke dozen
devils in his heart: and these will.
sooner or later. make merry hell for
you. and perhaps for all of u.s."
Garonne. whose look of scowling
anger had changed to one of sneering
scorn, uttered burst of vile profan-
ity, and striking the taffrail with a
broad fist, brown as mahogany, eX-
claimed roughly. LET me hear no
more such talk from you, Lopez; old
messmates as we are, you are going
a bit too far. You prate like some old
/ housewife in her dotage'
Lopez. with an angry snarl. straight
ened himself, and turning away, saw
Lafitte coming toward him. Garonne
also saw the latter, and, advancing
said, NO sign yet, captain, of visit
ing boat from over there indicating
| with his thumb the man-of-war.
Lafitte nodded a careless recogni-
tion of the mates remark and passed
on to Lopez.
81 had thought that when the cool
came the Englishman might have
tried to board us for an interview"
the young man remarked in the kind
ly tone his men knew as well as they
did the coldly imperious one that new
er failed to hold in check the most
lawless amongst them.
Much better they keep away" said
Lopez slowly, in the English tongue
one he spoke but imperfectly. Much
better, sir; but to me it the surer
shows that we are watched"
Well said Lafitte, still looking at
the vessel, "let them watch their fill
while the daylight gives them the
chance. AT midnight the wind will be
of a sort the Black Petrel' needs. and
we will give them a cleared patch
of the sea to watch when the light
comes again
Garonne quarrelling over as | came
| up?"
Lopez glanced about and saw that
! Garonne and the Indian had disap
| peared. Then, turning his eyes to La
fitte, he answered in lowered voice
DO not think | am becoming soft
hearted, my captain. that | have to
say fear Garorne make harm for
all, by bastinadoing Muycas like
white man sailor This was telling
him.
The BLACK Petrol" had-as Lafitte
| knew already from Laro-some three
| weeks before encountered richly
| laden Spanish brig, bound for West
Indian port. A fierce fight had ended
| in victory for the brigantne, after
which the prize was burned, and the
survivors of its crew set adrift in
| open boats.
There We're twenty slaves aboard,
together with rich cargo. and in the
latter were found a number of uncut
| gems, from which the Indian had been
suspected of stealing large ruby.
awarded to Garonne as part of his
share of the p!under. Ehewah. upon
| being accused refused to admit or
| deny the theft. and Laro. contrary to
| his usual custom, had left the Indian
| to be dealt with as his accuser saw
| fit.
Garonne, whose natural brutality
| had been increased by generous i'm
| billings of spirits taken from the des-
| poiled vessel, was not content with in
ficting ordinary punishment for such
| an offense. but had for several days
in succession, caused the Indian to be
stripped. tied to the mast and fiogged
numerically. after which he was
treated with unsparing severity by
the mate.
"Ehewah's back bears scars that
only revenge will heal declared I.o.
pez in conclusion, and now speaking
in his own tongue. He has been
cbopUod ayar Sipra NJ y,,n o,.a,