Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-05-21
ERS, Under TIE ROB-" Etc.
: 5HE 6oBa3 -l1ERRill CO.


Good men, bad men: Republicans.
royalists;~ French-English. English
French, the landlord-old Pierre La
roche. retired sea-captain and owner
of number Of craft employed in a
dangerous. but profitable. occupation
received them willingly, and In his
,soltcitude for their creature comforts
and the subsequent reckoning. cared
not a jot for their politics. morals. or
social views. It was enough II the
visitor had no lenten capacity; looked
the fleshpots in the face and drank of
his bottle freely. Fl " =
The past few days the character, of
old Pierre's guests had left some room
for complaint on that score. But q
small number of the crew of the
swift-looking vessel. well-known to
the islanders. and now tossing in the
sea-nook below, had. shortly after
their arrival toward dusk Of a stormy
day, repaired to the inn. and then they
had not called for their brandy or
wine In the smart manner OF. seamen
prepared for unstinted sacrifice to
Bacchus. On the contrary. they drank
quietly. talked soberly, and soon pre-
pared to leave.
Something, has surely gone wrong '
thought their host. why did not your
captain come ashore?" he asked. mot
see his old friend, Pierre Laroche, at
once! It 10 most unlike him"
And on the morrow. the islanders,
or English-French. more or less pr-
yateersmen themselves. were equally
curious. Where had the ship come
from Where was 1t going? And
how many tons Of wine. bales Of silk
and packages to tobacco, or "ptum,"
as the weed was called, had 1t cap
tured Old Pierre would soon find
out. for early that day, despite the In
clemency Of the weather, he came
down to the beach. and. followed by q
seryitor. got into small boat moored
close to the shore.
He Is going aboard"
Who has q better rightf His own
svessel!" ...5.
mo; Andre Desaurac-the Black
Seigneur'sl They say he long ago
paid for It from prizes wrested from
the Governor Of the Mount"
AT any rate, old Pierre entered
into bargain to build the boat for
him" S a h III "a
"And added to his wealth by the
transaction" s.'y5{2
Later that morning the old man
came ashore. but, according to habit.
preserved a. shrewd silence: in the
afternoon small number OF the
crew landed to take on stores and
which there was ever
q plentiful supply at this base; that
night. however. all. Including their
master. betook themselves to the
Cookies. n
"Glad to see you ashore. mon capt.
taine.'' Pierre Larochs, standing at
the door. just beyond reach Of the
fierce driving rain, welcomed the
Black seigneur warmly: but the
young man. one Of whose arms seemed
bound and useless. cut short his
greeting; tossed bruskly aside his
heavy cloak, and called for q room
where he might ut in private with q
companions. This person the landlord
eyed askance; nevertheless, with .
show OF blun heartiness. he led the,
way to a small chamber. somewhat
apart, but overlooking the long low
apartment. the general eating and
drinking place Of the establishm ent,
now filed by the crew and a number
Of the islanders. Il
"Your capitaine has been hurt7
How?y A strapping. handsome girl.
clad in red and OF assured mien. pass
ing across the room, paused to ad-
dress a man of prodigious girth, who
drank with much gusto from huge
vessel at his elbow.
Ibid not your father. Pierre Ia
roche, tell you p
"He7 No: all he thinks Of is the
4. E.
'.Then must Il. capitaine speak for
Mistress Nanette."
you are not very polite. Monsieur
she returned. tossing her
head; "but / suppose there IL res-
son; you have been beaten. In an en-
counter with the Governors shipsr
Did you sink any Of them? It would
be good news for us islanders.''
"You islanders!" derisively.
. Eyes, islanders!" she answered de-
"But tell me; number Of
you wear patches. which make you
look very ugly. They were acquired
how7'' Al @
I'm q little clerical argument"
growled the poet.
She glanced toward the secluded
apartment; its occupants-the subject
81 their conversation. and a priest.
.eeble-looking man OF about seventy.
whose delicate, sad face shone white
and out.of-keeping in that adventure
some company. "At any rate, the
Black Seigneur hasn't lost his good
ooks!"
Take care you don't lose your
hearth" 55z
''Bah!" Her strong bold eyes
.wept back. Much good it would do
mel"