The Press., 1917-02-22
CHAPTER NV.
All Is Lost.

A my heau "hu t"VAeu Ai'" HIS N ~ eyes with dignity that came to me as my right from suffering So regarding each other. we stood for a very short minute. in which the Capi- taine the Count de Lasselles raised his head from his kisses of salutatiOn upon my hands.
 And. mon enfant, is this the good uncle to whose care you came into Americaf" asked that Capitaine the Count de Lasselles as he reached out his imprisoned hands for greeting to my relative.
 did not make any answer 10 that question. My head raised itself yet higher. and looked my Gouverneur Faulkner full in the face while l walt ed to hear what he would answer Of my kinship to him.
 sir, l am the friend of General Car ruthers. and am also the governor Ot the state of Harpeth- l have come across the mountains to talk with you about the business of this contract for mules for your army. and l have brought your young friend to assist me if I should need translating from or to you. We Americans, captain, are poor handlers of any language not our own, and the matter is of much gravi, ty." And as the Gouverneur Faulkner spoke those words to my Capitaine the Count de Lasselles, with a great courte- sy. but also a great sternness, In which he named me. not as his friend, but as the friend of that Capitaine the Count de Iasselles. l knew that l was placed by him among all women liars of the world and that to him his boy Robert of honor was of truth dead forever.
 ''It is indeed of such gravity that have come from the English Canada to make all clear to myself" answered my beloved Capitaine the Count de Lasselles as he drew himself to his entire height. which was we'll nigh as great as that of the gouverneur of the state of Harpeth.
 And have ridden a day and night, sir, for the same purpose" all swered my great GOuverneur Faul6- ner. with that beautiful courtesy of business I have always observed him to use in the transaction of his affairs in his office at the capitol of the state of uarpeth. And as one of us must make a beginning will you not tell me. captain, why you are here and in this prelicamentT"
 Tn a few words I will make all clear to you. your excellency," made answer my CSpitaine the Count de Lasselles, with an air of courtesy equal to that of the Gouyerneur Faulk- ner. II sent down into your state of Harpeth one of my commission. to whom I gave the direction that with Q lack of annoying publicity he should investigate the preparedness of the state of Harpeth to deliver those 5000 of mules t0 the republique of France as was being proposed. Behold. re ,crt that all is we'll comes to me. but ah, it is with sorrow and shame that such a thing could be done by a son of poor France who struggles for life! among the sheets of that report were left by mistake the fragments of a draft of letter to an American wom- an which made a partial disclosure of an intended falseness of that state ment to me. Immediately I came alone to interview that false officer, and find him gone from that small town not far from here into your capital. was seeking rapidly to ride alone by dire tiOns into your capital city to pre- vent that he make signature, which I had gi~en to him the authority to write, tu those papers of so great an ImpCrtauce was thus arrested by that man of great. wildness, whose patois I could not understand. as he could not comprehend the English make use of, and yCu see me thus. beg of you to tell me if that wicked signature has been pssde.'
 "The papers have not been signed thank God, captain. and your very i'm patient lieutenant k being shown some southern hospitality by the flower and chivalry of old HarFeth. And l beg your pardon for allowing you to be 6 prisoner a minute longer than neCes sary," was the answer made to hin by my GOuverneur Faulkner. "'Untit the captain. Jim. He's all right. AnC you can bring us q little of your noun tain dew while l clear this table hert to use for the papers Cf our business And still my GOuverueur Faulkner did not speak or look at me. and in my heart then knew that he never would.
 "I win make all ready" I said as lifted a large gun. horn of beast full of powder and several pipes with tobacco from the table of rough boards that stood under the window for light
 aAh. that Is good release! Thank you that you did not make tight enough for abrasiOns your cords, my good man." said my Capitaine the Count de Lasselles as hc stretched out his arms and then bent to make a rubbing Ot bis ankle upon which had been the chain
 ''I said you warn't no revenue. Here drink. stranger" answered the wild Jim as he handed a bottle of white liquid to my Capltaine the Count de L.asselles aud also another to my Gou.