Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1905-04-29

another, as If each were waiting for
the other to speak. until the former.
while he fingered the package he had
taken from the table, said in tone
whose gravity held something akin to
| tenderness, Capt LATTE, you under
| stand, of course, that |, an officer 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 fastened to say,
| you will do me the justice, Capt. La
| f,tte, to believe that | wished TO ac-
cept your offer. But my personal
views were overruled by those upon
whose judgment l relied; and the ex-
petition to Barataria was sent at their
| nstigation-not mine"
And yet" said LATTE, with dry
sarcasm that brought faint smile to
JGckson's firm lips, you are the gov
ornor of Louisiana.
Claiborne winced but before he
could answer the thrust LATTE add
ed, with a shrug Of his shoulders,
But it 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 l ask that you open that
package, and read the papers it 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,
"Sophomorical 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
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
to glance at LATTE, he was puzzled by
the expression of the latter's face.
He was leaning back in his chair,
ha1 fpo NJ nd
| ened by a 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,
| was brought from Barataria by SOL
| der from whom he-an ardent admir-
| CT of the emperor-had rescued it.
The thought of this made HMM
| the new light thrown by Lafitte's &C.
| ousations with reference to the attack
| iron Barataria-feel uncomfortable;
| for should LATTE recognize the pic
| ture as his own property, its present
Lossessor 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
| Lafittte, and the latter's face-as he
| had just seen it-intruding itself be-
tween his eyes and the writing he
was forced to acknowledge TO himself
| that, pirate and outlaw as he had been
| named, the Barbarian leader had
shown the greatest generosity and
| patriotism, together with a personal
courage which appealed strongly to
his-the 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 Lafittes heart was in COM
n union with that pictured face, and
with it's original, whom he seemed to
/! be once more facing upon Elba, look
| ing into the eyes that had rested so
kindly upon him at the last, and hear
| ing the voice uttering words of old,
| time affection.
(To be continued.)