Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-12-12

oefore the ballroom vestibule-amidst
the flash of carriage wheels. sleek.
coated animals turning among the
| Drlght-coated gentlemen and shouting
| nostlerS, there came one brown.
skinned fellow Juggling to hold back a
spirited steed. Unsteadily. as by
chance ne was jerked on by the horse.
the groom finally held up at the BAN
| quette OF broad stones on which stood
the Idle candle seller. To him the
| groom muttered:
monsieur Almonaster is here. He
thought 1t best. They gibe him round.
~ about the affair Lafitte. but he pro-
tests-he has given half his plantation
rorce to the military and the city
guard who are beating out the woods
Tor the stolen lady. He has de-
nounced as deeply as any against the
outrage-and he thought it best to
come join the gallants. How goes 1t,
GorgioY
"With the few of us In town-well.
And, be assured, across the river the
Captain Jean will have his fellows
ready! Be on, nowl You must not
talk to me overlong. Only, Teton, we
idle here, armed and watchful-and a
word from your MASTER"
Monsieur de Almonaster is to send
word by mel am to hang about
drinking with the servants at our side
watching"
"Word must come in time-before
the party leaves for the ship-we
must know that an hour before"
MY master will be assured. The
fun grows furious already-it will be
drawn ere they think of supper on the
Seraphine."
BE gone! Here comes one of tire
police guard!"
The quarter-blood groom led on De
Almonaster's horse. And again the
candle seller raised his monotonous
cry down the rue Royale. And from
the river end Of Antoine's alley wan.
dered another figure; at the deep en-
try to the Padres house, midway in
the tree-shaded obscurity, the old An
dalusian beggar sank on the stones
with sigh-and adjusted the pair Of
pistols at his belt to more ease.
When Gorgio wandered this way
again, the vagrant seemed asleep.
Then came his mutter: Perhaps, on
the rue de la Levee-by the first mar
ket stall, there might await a Gus
toner. Thou art too noisy at the hest
for the Padres street, eh-Frere
Diable?'
Custom is bad at least" retorted
Gorgio, "but you-the police will
harry you on as we'll"
mot with Padre Antoine. my good
friend, above at his book" growled the
other. "Do as I bid was sent"
And on idled the candle man, with
his owl-cry to the galleried homes.
Under the thick arches Of the ancient
market he bantered hoarsely about the
cabbage and fowl stalls At this hour
the market was little visited and few
kept open. A few lazy Indian women
and mulattoes grumbled back at Cor
gio's jests; an early cart or two
backed in to unload for the morrow's
| business, and it was to one Of these,
on which trio of trucksters smoked
idly, that the old man came.
They shot down dark, inscrutable
glances.
Pierre" muttered Gorgio, 'yoU are
In charge Of theseT'
"In all, sixteen Of US, sleeping about
the stalls" came in the patois. Tho
police guards note nothing. But Of
| no fol yuhn 81 hu "a
river, there is delay. What was the
hour?"
"It cannot be set to a moment. At
midnight the ball must have taken
every idler from the plaza to crowd
about and cape at the gentry. Save
for the cursed lights about the ship
itself, all would be clear. 1t must be
touch and board quickly"
1.-TWO Of Johanness' men are already
enlisted in the crew. They report all
well, save that old Bossiere fuses
about the tables on the deck-the
lights and wine and cuisine keep the
servants all astir"
HE will go to the ball later. As
commander Of the Napoleon expedi-
ton, and the affair in honor of the
Seraphine's departure on next weeks
tide, the young braves will have him
in the whirLs
Monsieur de Almonaster's groom 10
to fetch the first word to mel to Pc
ter, the beggar, who plays the sot on
the steps of the Padres house. He
to you in the market-then you to the
lantern signal under the rue Toulouse
landing. Then the six boats shoot
with all speed from the other shore.
AT the first commotion as they swing
aboard, your fellows rush openly from
the market, cast of the mooring lines
and Join. 1t Is overheard with any
who oppose"
Ill "Ah, to play the part OF saz-
arac-one hour!"