The Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1903-1909, 1906-05-15
~ have been watching him, and


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 inferr al
trap, where We may feel TIE 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 overfree with that
sort of rope already and this lies at
the bottom of what | thought it my
duty to warn you against" was the
surly retort AN Indian never for
gets the hurt he never forgives; and
forgving is something an Indian
would scorn as we would scorn COW
ardice"
Garonne, with an oath, assed 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 a dozen
devils in his heart; and these will.
sooner or later, make merry hell for
you, and perhaps for all of us"
Garonne, whose look of scoWling
anger had changed to one of sneering
scorn, uttered a burst of vile profan
ity, and striking the taffrail with
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
bit too far. You pirate like some old
housewife in her dotage."
Lopez, with an angry snarl, straight.
ened himself and turning away, saw
LATTE coming toward him. Garonne
also saw the latter, and, advancing
said mo sign yet, captain, of a visit
ing boat from over there" indicating
with his thumb the man-of-war.
Lafitte nodded a careless recogni
ton 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
1 did the coldly imperious one that nev
er failed to hold in check the most
lawless amongst them.
Much better they keep away" saio
Lopez slowly, in the English tongue
one he spoke but imperfectly. Much
better, sir; but to me it the sureI
shows that we are watched"
We'll" said Lafitte still looking al
the vessel ''let them watch their fill
while the daylight gives them the
chance. At midnight the wind will be
of sort the Black Petrol needs, and
we will give them cleared patch
of the sea to watch when the light
comes again"
Then he asked, What were you and
Garonne quarrelling over as | came
up?"
Lopez glanced about and saw thai
Garonne and the Indian had disap'
peared. Then, turning his eyes to La
ftte, he answered in a lowered voice
do not think | am becoming soft
hearted, my captain, that | have tt
say | fear Garonne make harm fol
all, by bastinadoing a Muycas like
white man sailor This | was telling
him"
The "Black Petrol" had--as Laftte
knew already from Laro-some three
weeks before encountered richly
laden Spanish brig, bound for a West
Indian port. fierce fight had ended
in victory for the brigantine, after
which the prize was burned, and the
survivors of its crew set adrift in
open boats.
There were twenty slaves aboard,
together with a rich cargo, and in the
latter were found number of uncut
gems, from which the Indian had been
suspected of stealing a large ruby
awarded to Garonne as part Of his
share of the plumber. Ehewah, upon
! DelUR dCCuStu, ISluSCu W duDlI vi
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
fiicting ordinary punishment for such
an offense, but had for several days
in succession, caused the Indian to be
stripped, tied to the mast and logged
numerically, after which he was
treated with unsparing severity by
the mate.
"Ehewah's back bears scars that
only revenge will heal" declared Lo
pez in conclusion, and now speaking
II. II hn. hnZ -