The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-15
CHAPTER 1s
TOrtuga

F
 boat. Two days later, the Cinco Llagas sailed into the rock-bound bay of Cayona, which nature seemed to have designed for the stronghold of those who had appropriated it.
 It was Blood's original intention to make his way to France or Holland. But in the long weeks of waiting at Tortuga for a ship to convey him to one or the other of these countries, his resources dwindled, and finally van ished. Also, there was good deal to oppress Peter Blood. There was the thought of Arabella Bishop. He was maddened by the tormenting lure of the unattainable. He desired Arabella, yet knew her beyond his reach irrevocably and for all time. He was, when all is said, an escaped slave, an outlaw in his own land and homeless outcast in any other. There remained the sea, which is free to all, and particularly alluring to those who feel themselves at war with humanity. And temptations pro- ceeded pot only from adventurous buc- caneering acquaintances in the taverns of that evil haven of Tortuga, but even from M. d'Oregon, the governor of the island, who levied as his harbor dues a percentage of One-tenth of all spells brought into the bay, and who profited further by commissions upon money which he was desired to convert into bills of exchange upon France.
 Moreover, to a man, those who had escaped with Peter Blood from the Bar badoes plantation, and who, consequent ly, like himself, knew not whither to turn, were all resolved upon joniing the great Brotherhood of the Coast, as those rovers called themselves. And they united theirs to the other voices that were persuading Blood, demand ing that he should continue now in the leadership which he had enjoyed since they had left Barbadoes, an(. swearing to follow him Loyalty whithersoever he should lead them.
 If he resisted so long, it was the thought of Arabella Bishop that re- strained him. And so, although he might entertain no delusive hopes of ever winning her for his own, of ever seeing her again, yet the memory of her was to abide in his soul as a bit ter-sweet, purifying influence.
 The resolve being taken, he went ac- lively to work. Oregon, most accommo- NNSAA6 VI 6OFCLhOLo1 nm money for the proper equipment of his ship, the Cinco Llagas, which he re- named the Arabella. To the score of followers he already possessed he added three-score more, picking his men with caution and discrimination (and he was an exceptional judge of mem from amongst the. adventurers of Tortuga, With them he entered into the articles nclIQI fho Rrafh of under which each man was to be paid by share in the prizes captured.
 Towards the end of December, when the hurricane season had blown itself out, he put to sea in his well-found, well-manned ship, and before he re- turned in the following May from pro- tracted and adventurous cruise the fame of Captain Peter Blood had run like nipples before the breeze across the face of the Caribbean Sea.
 One day, as he sat with Hagthorpe and Wolverstone over a pipe and bot tie of rum in the stifling reek of tar and stale tobacco of a waterside tav- ern, he was accosted by a splendid ruff fan in a gold-laced coat of dark blue satin, with a crimson sash, a foot wide, about the waist.
 "Cest vous qu'on appelle Le Sang?' the fellow hailed him.
 My name," he said, "is Peter Blood. The Sapniards know me by Don Pedro Sangre, and a Frenchman may call me Le Sang if he pleases."
 "Goodw "My name," he informed the three men, two of whom at least were eyeing him askance, "it is Levas- seur. You may have heard of me-"
 They had, indeed. He commanded a privateer of 20 guns that had dropped anchor in the bay a week ago, manned by a crew mainly composed of French boucan-hunters from Northern Hispan- iola, men who had good cause to hate the Spaniard with an intensity exceed ing that of the English. Levasseur had brought them back to Tortuga from an indifferently successful cruise. A roar ing, quarrelsome, hard-drinking, hard gaming scoundrel, his reputation as a