Charlevoix county herald., 1905-04-15


mad escaped; but the former had seen
Pierre, who appeared to be wounded.
carried to a boat, and taken out to the
ships.
IL was not until some time after this
that Lafitte gathered a reliable ac-
count of the affair, and knew the rea-
son for this murderous descent upon
Barataria. The facts were these:
Beluche had been received ami
cably by Governor Claiborne, who,
after reading Lafitte's letter, setting
forth in detail the recent offer from
the English, listened to all the Bara-
tartan messenger had to say, and in
formed him that he must, before de-
Gliding upon reply, consult with GER
tain other officials. He then, however,
while treating Beluche and Lopez
with perfect courtesy, held them as
prisoners.
The conference, in pursuance OF in
vitations similar to that received by
Gen. La Roche, was held promptly;
and large majority of its members
having refused to believe the truth OF
Lafitte's statements, Governor Clai-
borne, although himself in favor of
accepting the Barbarian proposition,
allowed the others to over-rule him.
The decision was, however, kept
from the knowledge of Lafittes mes
sengers, as was also the fact that a
large armed force was quickly organic
ed to descend upon Grande Terre
More bitter than ever before were
Lafitte's thoughts that night and the
following day. All seemed hopeless
so hopeless that, as he reviewed the
situation, he became stunned beyond
all ability to feel the rage which at
another time would have been likely
to control him.
But, true to his nature he did not
permit himself to be overwhelmed
by the great disaster and sorrow that
had come upon him. A trusty messen-
ger had been dispatched at once to a
point not far from New Orleans,
where were those to be relied upon
for the latest news from the city; and,
upon the third day after the attack
upon Grande Terre, the messenger
returned with information that de-
termined LATTE to proceed there at
once.
Pierre was at New Orleans, in gaol,
wounded; some said mortally, others
declared he was dying.
Wrapped in a long, dark cloak,
with the broad brim of his hat max
ing deeper shadow over his face,
Lafitte, as he stepped aboard the craft
that was to convey him from Shell
Island, looked commanding figure of
stern sorrow.
The men were reluctant to see their
leader going into New Orleans, but
none of them dared express this feel
ing in words, except as they talked
among themselves.
IF any harm comes to him we'd
better join the English, and help burn
New Orleans" said one, as they
watched Lafitte's boat pulled up the
stream.
"Caramba!" growled Spaniard
ut is to the cutting of the illustrious
Senior Governors throat l would pre-
fer to give my attention.
$50 would l." declared a Yankee,
lounging next to the last speaker. at
is the governors fault that Grande
Terre was attacked. Captain LATTE
said So"
aye, we all know that" affirmed
several voices, and Nato, unable to en-
dure the hint of harm coming to his
master, rose from his place on the
edge of the group and stole away to
join Scipio and Juniper, who were
sitting by themselves before the door
of Lafitte's cabin.
But here he found the same topic
under discussion, for Scipio was say
ing to the younger negro, as if in re-
ply to an assertion the latter had
made, "Zey all SEDAN! ley Anglaise
an zey 'Merican, bose so-dam Yo'
Juniper, ef Eat lie capitaine he come
back nevvair, den yo' bettair run
vamose away, lex de diable. ley git
yo' to choke wiz rope 'roun' yo neck,
eff Eat 20 lose dey protection of le
capitaine."
ITO be continued)