Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-11-21

"SAoSS 10 the warehouses Of the CITY,
And to Pierre Lafittes cloaking smithy
on the rue Bourbon came the winking
merchants to watch the slaves work
the FORCES while they slyly murmured
to the proprietor: II hear that a shin
from Bilboa strangely foundered in
Yucatan strait? What. pray.
Is the price of brocade and silver
plate at Monsieur. Lafitte's Red house
at Grand TerreYs
"Hypocritical dogs!" muttered the
master now. II respect the toughest
scoundrel of my own band more than
the SNUG merchants who enriched
themselves on our traffic, covertly pro-
tecting us while they profited; eager
TO denounce us when our last ship was
driven from the Gulfl"
The liquor decanter was on a high.
boy Of heavy rosewood. The adven-
turer's melancholy eyes lighted as he
examined it, the great fourpost bed.
the table and the mirrors.
Loot from the Isle O. Pinesl I re-
call Gambio's sweating blacks polling
it from the swamp to be sold to a city
factor! 1t turns up at De Almonas-
ter's and l am entertained with it!
His laughter had hardly ceased
when he joined his host at dinner.
Never a more well-appointed guest
had Count Raoul greeted than the
last sea-rover who sat across the board
beyond the golden candelabrum.
Monsieur Sazarac raised hand. He
held glass before him.
"As to the wine, young sir, could
swear there had been mischief in the
Gulf again!"
Raoul laughed ardentIy: "!f ever,
sir, one Of my uncle's ships, which
bring our wine from Bordeaux, had
fallen your way. all the wars of Bona
parte had been nothing TO the uproar
he would have raised!"
Come" smiled the guest. II
would forget it all !"
IF we let you" he signaled the
serving men to withdraw. snow,
am delegated by your own worthy
companions for this-the Napoleon
plots not that adventure enough?"
More" Sazarac smiled distantly.
Il am done with adventuring. l
dream Of plantation in the Indies.
In Louisiana, even If again granted
amnesty, my presence would be a sore
spot. Let any thieving brawl come in
the ports, and at once Laf1tte's old
men are charged with it. They are
peaceful men now, scattered on the
coast-hunters, raisers Of truck, and
fishers. Let the dead past lie, my
friend. I am an evil legacy :.
and l am forty-two!"
"And yet-the lady of the packet
boat!" unused Raoul. STRANGE?
ITO her, Sazarac, the gamester-to
you, Lafitte, the outlaw. And yet"
the older man stopped, his gaze out
the glass doors to the starlight.
"And yet, Monsieur-Sazarac-
If you, Of all men, brought Napoleon
triumphantly out of exile to the New
world? What proud lady Of all Lou
isiana would not be thrilled by the
name-Lafitte!
"Now, that is ridiculous" frowned
the other man. "She-an English
Tory-an intrigue to aid Bonaparte
win her approvalT He laughed: "Ah,
well, lovely lady for whom I would
have fought; and I had to turn aside
in silence. I am Lafitte. That is the
irony Of tat forty-two, discredited,
a fugitive under a mask and
she smiled upon the man who is the
knave In either role. 1 did not chal-
lenge Colonel Carr" he concluded
pointedly.
81 saw that" Raoul depressed his
curious note. ave knew you went to
confront him" He shrugged. "Come,
my Captain Jeanl l, toe, have greatly
loved-and lost. Now, this affair is
of the sea and men. Would you not
listen? You heard last night your old
wild fellows chuckling with itP'
The guest stared hard at him. "Na-
poleon? The devil they would care
for him! Tooth and nail on the first
merchantman-loot scurry, spend fist
fuls of gold in the ports of South
America-and then the yard-arm for
them ALL Monsieur, the world has
shuffled off our gentlemen Of for
tune!"
1T is the English woman holds you
from u.s." said Raoul, and then saw
the black line deepen on the others
brow. The host bit his lip; and then
upon the silence, there came rapid
footsteps. A doorman was expostulat-
ing at the broad gallery. There was q
scuffie, an oath.
"But 1 shall enter, fellowl Out Of
the door!"
De Almonaster had arisen by the
silver-laden board, with hasty glance
at his guests impassive face under the
golden candelabrum, when the burly
grizzled Johannes charged from the
hallway. He turned without greeting,
staring at Sazarac.
'You, Captain Jeanl See, have
fought for you'll A customs guard, 1
think it was, went down by the cut
lass. Nez Coupe. Bohon and I stopped
4ho,,, from <ho f3rgf crossing hrt the