Evening star., 1924-12-01
CAPTAIN BLOOD
By RAFAEL SABATINI
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

feet. and every man in the room rose
with htm-save only M. de Cussy.
who sat on with a grim smile on his
lips. He, too, now read the Baron
like an open book, aud reading him,
despised him.
"M. le flibustier," cried Rivarol. In
a thick voioe. 1T seems that ! must
again remind you that am your su-
perior Officer"
my superior officer! You! Lord Of
the world! Why, you are just Q COM
mon pirate! But you shall hear the
truth for once, and that before all
these gentlemen, who have the honor
to serve the King of France. II 10 for
me, buccaneer. sea robber, to stand
here and tell you what is in the In
terest of French honor and the French
crown. Whilst you. the French Kings
appointed general, neglecting this.
are for spending the kings resources
against an outlying settlement OF no
account, shedding French blood In
seizing a place that cannot be held.
only because 1t has been reported to
you that there is much gold in carta-
gena, and that the plunder of IL will
enrich you. 1t 10 worthy OF the
huckster who sought TO haggle with
us about our share, and to beat us
down after the articles pledging you
were already signed. II ! am wrong
let NJ. de Cussy say 80. II / am
wrong let me be proven wrong
while, monsieur. withdraw from
this council. will have no
further part in your deliberations. I
accepted the service Of the King of
France with intent to honor that
service. L cannot honor that service
by lending countenance to . waste of
life and resources in raids upon un-
important settlements. with plunder
for their only object. The responsi-
bflity for such decisions must rest
with you, and with you alone. de-
sire NJ. de Cussy to report me to the
ministers of France. For the rest.
monsieur, it merely remains for you
to give me your orders. I await them
aboard my ship-and anything else,
of a personal nature, that you may
feel l have provoked by the terms ]
have felt compelled to use in thft
council. NJ. lie Baron, / have the hon
or to wish you good-day."
He stalked out, and his three cap
tains-aithough they thought him
mad-rolled after him In loyal silence.
NJ. de Rivarol was gasping like
landed fish. The stark truth had
robbed him of speech. When he re-
covered. it was to thank heaven Wig
orously that the council was relieved
tleman's further participation In Its
deliberations. Inwardly NJ. de Rivarol
burned with shame and rage. The
mask, had been plucked from him, and
he had been held up to scorn-he, the
general OF the kings armies by sea
and land In America.
Nevertheless. it was to Cartagena
that they sailed in the middle of
March. Volunteers and negroes had
brought up the forces directly under
NJ. de Rivarol to 1900 men. With
these he thought he could keep the
buccaneer contingent in order and
submissive.
They made up an imposing feet, led
by NJ de RivaroPs flagship, the Vic"
torieuse. q mighty vessel OF so guns.
Each of the four other French ships
was at least as powerful as Bloods
Arabella, which was of 40 guns. Fol-
lowed the lesser buccaneer vessels,
the Elizabeth, Lachesis and Atropos
and a dozen frigates laden with
stores, besides canoes and small craft
in tow.
Narrowly they missed the jamaica
fleet. with Col. Bishop, which sailed
north for Tortuga two days after the
Baron de Riyarol's southwark pas
sage.