The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-27
CHAPTER Xiv. The Rent In the Armor.

UDu craft. He knew what this sud- 0 den access of interest in the west indicated, so far as his plans were concerned. It must be stopped, else it would be too late for any dream of Aaron Burr for an empire of his own.
 His resources were dwindling. He needed funds for the many secret agents in his employ, needed yet more funds for the purchase and support of his lands in the south. And the minis ter of Great Britain had given plain warning that unless this expedition up the Missouri could be stopped no fur ther aid need be hoped from him.
 Little by little Burr saw hope slip away from him. True, Captain Lewis was still detained by his duties among the Osage Indians little way out from the city, but the main expedition had actually started.
 William Clark, occupied with the final details, did not finally get his party under way until five days after the formal transfer of the new terri tory of Louisiana to our flag and three days after Burr's arrival. At last, however, on the 14th of May, the three boats had left St. Louis wharf with their full complement of men and the last of the supplies aboard for the great voyage. Captain Clark, ever light hearted and careless of his spell ing book, if not of his rife, says it was "a jentle brease' which aided the oars and tue square sail as they started up the river.
 Assuredly the bark of Aaron Burr was sailing under no prOpitious fol- lowing wind. Distracted, he paced up and down his apartment in the home where he was guest, preoccupied, ab- sorbed. almost ready to despair, He spoke but little, but time, and again he cast an estimating eye upon the young woman who accompanied him.
 ''You are ill, Theodosia!' he exclaim- ed at last Come, come. my daugh- ter, this will not do! Have you no arts of the toilet that can overcome the story of your megrims? Shall get you some sort of bitter herbs? You need your brightest face, your best apparel, now. These folks of St. Louis must see us at our best, my dear, our very best. Besides
 Heneeded not to complete the sen tence. Theodosia Aston knew we'll enough what was in her fathers mind knew well enough why they both were here. It was because she would not have come alone. And she knew that the burden of the work they had at heart must once more lie upon her shoulders. She once more must see Captain Meriwether Lewis-and 1t must be soon if ever. He was report ed as being ready to leave town at once upon his return from the Osage Indians.
 But courtesy did not fail the young virginian, and at last, although with dread, in his own heart, within an hour of his actual departure, he called to pay his compliments to guests so dis tinguished as these, to a man so high in rank under the government which he himself served. He found 1t neces- sary to apologize for his garb, suited rather to the trail than to the drawing room. He stood in the hall of the Chouteau home, picture of the sol dier of the frontier rather than the courier of the capital. X
 His three cornered military hat, his blue uniform coat-these made the sole formality of his attire, for his feet were moccasined, his limbs were. clad in tight fitting buckskins, and his shirt was of rough linsey, suitable for the work ahead.
 'T ask your pardon, Colonel Burr," said he, "for coming to you as I am, but the moment for my start is now directly at hand. I could not leave without coming to present my duties to you and Mrs. Aston. Indeed, have done so at once upon my return to town. I pray you carry back to Mir. Jefferson my sincerest compliments. Say to him, if you will, that we are setting forth with high hopes of sue cess.'
 Formal, cold, polite. 1t was the one wish of Captain Lewis to end this in- terview as soon as he might and to leave all sleeping dogs lying there as they were.
 But Aaron Burr planned otherwise. His low, deep voice was never more persuasive, his dark eye never more compelling, nor was his bold heart ever more in trepidaion than now as he