Pauls Valley Sentinel (Pauls Valley, Indian Terr.), Vol. 1, No. 45, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 26, 1905 Page: 4 of 16
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Oklahoma Digital Newspaper Program and was provided to The Gateway to Oklahoma History by the Oklahoma Historical Society.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
AFITTE
BY ®ARY gEVEREUX
WTH ILLUSTPATION5 BY DOM C- WILSON
CCopyrxgAt, /903, ty ffrony), antf C&npany)
C4/J Prgfti PfjerrfK/J
CHAPTER XII.
An hour before sunset the fog rolled
op, revealing the man-of-war anchored
near enough for the men on her deck
to be seen plainly without the aid of
a glass. The anchors of both vessels
were raised at once, and the chase
was renewed, with the pursuer not a
mile away, and heading about south-
west, which would soon bring her
within range of the brigantine, whose
course lay due west.
A curl of smoke soon rose from
the Englishman's deck, and a few
seconds later there came the report
of a gun. "A pressing invitation for
us to show our colors," remarked La-
fitte. as he watched the shot strike
the water.
A short time passed, with the "Black
Petrel's" crew uneasy and Lopez
swearing softly in his native tongue.
The pursuer then began a more per-
sistent firing with her bow-guns, but
no:«e of the shots reached their mark.
Presently Lafitte, who was standing
near I.opez. asked quietly, "How would
a shot work now? Try, and see."
The old gunner, with a shout due to
his long repressed feelingp. set about
leveling his gun, calculated the dis-
tance, and obtained the proper eleva-
tion.
There was a report, soon followed
by a trembling of the enemy's spars;
downward, upon the deck, the blood
from his wounds spattering those near-
est hint, several of whom had been
hit by the flying splinters.
Lafltto sprang forward, and placing
his arms around the quivering form,
turned the distorted face to the air.
Then, looking up at the gunner, who
was staring wildly at the sight, he
cried, "Fire, Lopez, as you never fired
before!"
A prompt discharge followed the
order, and a wild shout of joy went
up from the crew of the "Black Pe-
trel."
The enemy's foremast was again
struck, this time with disastrous ef-
fect, as could be readily seen; for her
crew were getting the sails off with
nil possible speed. Her fore-royal and
top-gallant sails were clewed up, and
the topsail-yard let go by the run,
while the mast was swaying percepti-
bly.
Laro, by I.afitte's command, had
been borne to the main cabin, where
he was laid upon a divan; and the
brigantine had been ordered to come
to anchor. The enemy had already
done this, and, in her present crippled
condition, there was nothing to fear
from her, as the distance between the
vessls was too great for advantage-
ous firing, even had the Englishman
been in proper form to continue the
fight.
<5
With a cursing
and the brigantine's crew crowded to
see the result.
"You have struck their foremast,
just below the futtocks," announced
I.afitte, looking through his glass.
• "Aye, sir; and I will sing them an-
other such sweet song" said Lopez
coolly, watching his men reload the
gun.
The enemy had meantime come a
little closer, and was dropping shot
viciously about the brigantine.
"Lopez, make haste with the gun!"
cried I^aro, with an oath. "Give them
a dose such as will set them to re-
pairing damages, and"—turning to the
crew—"should she get close enough
to try any tricks with grappling-irons,
have the cutlasses ready, my hearties.
And remember that It Is no quarter."
A sound, half roar, half snarl, came
from the men; and the next moment
there was a whistling amongst them
as a cannon-ball struck the bulwark
In front of Laro, filling the air with
bits of wood, and then glancing Into
the water.
A large, sharply pointed piece of
ragged wood struck him in the side,
and with a cursing cry he sank, face
cry he sank.
Laro was breathing heavily, In brok-
en gasps; and beckoning to Lafitte,
he asked to have sent away those who
were about him, still striving to check
the blood that flowed so freely as to
soak the red of the divan until it
showed black.
Lafitte sent the others away, and
sitting down by the dying man, took
one of the hands that were already
growing cold.
"Jean, you will take care of La-
zalie?" And Laro'j black eyes, their
mockery forever slain, looked at him
with appealing wistfulness.
Lafitte nodded, aud pressed the
hand he held.
"She will have plenty of wealth, as
you know; see that it is delivered to
her safely, and kept securely after-
ward. Take the girl away, Jean; take
her to the nuns, in New Orleans, as I
should have done before this; and
do you and she have the church say
masses for my soul. My soul!" he re-
peated, in a quick gasp, "To where
will my soul go?"
An I.afitte's lips parted to speak, the
dying man, as if divining what he
might be about to say, cried with a
suddan burst ai strength, "No, no,
bey; try t® tell me no soothing lies!
Living, I never knew fear; and dying
I scorn it! Ah—Madre de Dios!
Christ have mercy!"
And with this last cry, Laro's voice
was stilled forever.
Lafitte's heart repeated the prayer,
as he folded the dead man's hands
across the broad chest; apd scarcely
had he done this whan he was startled
by the noise of a commotion above
him.
Stopping only to draw a blanket
over the face and form of the dead, he
went on deck, where a number of ex-
cited men were gathered on the side
toward the enemy. His glance had al-
ready followed the direction of their
eyes, and he saw one of the "Black
Petrel's" smallest boats being rowed
by the Indian, Ehewah, toward the
English vessel; and clinging to it,
while his hoarse voice poured forth a
volley of menacing words, was Lopez.
Lopez had loosed one of his hands
from the boat's gunwale, and drawing
his knife, hurled it at the Indian; but
Ehewah dodged, and it fell into the
sea. He then rowed on, and Lopez,
no longer shouting, attempted to draw
himself over the stern of the boat.
At this, the Indian had stopped row-
ing, aud struck the gunner over the
head with an oar, continuing the blows
until Lopez released his hold and sank
from sight.
A boat which had been lowered
from the English ship was now seen
pulling rapidly to where Ehewah, still
pausing, appeared waiting for the gun-
ner's body to rise.
This it soon did; and the Indian,
showing an agile strength one would
not have accredited to his slight
frame, drew !t into the boat.
The crew cf the brigantine saw Ehe-
wah parley with the men from the
enemy's vessel, after which he rowed
in their co-npany to the man-of-war;
and Lafitte, watching through his
?lass, saw the form of Lopez carried
aboard in their midst.
Lafitte, bidding Garonne accompany
him, went below, to Laro's cabin. Ga-
ronne lit the brass lamp swinging over
the smail table, and turned to I,afitte,
who stood looking about him, as if for
some sign of Ehewah's treacherous in-
tention, when the gleam of a gold
band, hanging over Laro's bunk,
caught their eyes.
It was a bracelet which the Indian
had always worn upon his naked arm
since the day Laro placed it there,
in a burst of gratitude to Ehewah for
having saved his life.
Both Lafitte and Garonne knew
enough of the Indian's tribe-lore to
understand that this was Ehewah's
mute announcement of ended friend-
ship and loyalty.
"He doubtless stole in here to per-
form what to him was a religious rite,
and having hung Laro's gift where we
found it, went his way, intending to
attempt that which he has now ac-
complished," mused Lafitte aloud.
Then, as if struck by an after-
thought, he went to Laro's bunk, and
throwing aside the rich draperies, dis-
closed a heavy wooden locker.
Its lid was, contrary to custom,
locked; and when Lafitte opened it, a
disarranged collection of papers and
canvas bags showed within.
"It is as I supposed—not a coin nor
jewel touched, but charts and papers
gone that are of more importance
than all the valuables. The rascal
knows the way to the Barra de Hierro;
and the charts he has taken will in-
form others, showing them where to
find what now belongs to the Senorita
Lazalie."
Garonne, forgetful of his usual re-
straint when in Lafitte's presence, now
broke forth into a flood of curses,
which the latter checked at once.
The mate turned to the cabin door,
where he paused, and asked in a voice
trembling with the anger he dared
not show, "Have you any orders for
me, captain?"
"None, save to let the men have
their supper at once, and see to it that
only half-allowance of grog Is served.
The fog Is coming in, and we will sail
as soon as may be."
Like an uvmy of shrouded ghosts,
the fog was aga!n about the "Black
Petrel," enclosing her in a world
where she wes the sole tangible thing.
But, as over a path familiar to blind
eyes, the hx.nds that manned her
could shape an unerring course for
their secure haven.
Long before midnight she was f el-
ing her way north, toward the mouth
of the treacherous channel that would
bring the crew to thfir island strung-
hold. the Barra de Hierro.
The early morning air was heavy
with odors c? aromatic shrubs grow-
ing beyond tho bcach, and the carol
of wakening birds was filling it with
music, when Lafitte < a \je ashore, leav-
ing Garonne in charge of the brigan-
tine.
His course lay Inland, at first over
waste fields, and then cultivated ones,
of sugar cane, coffee and tobacco.
Then came some banana and fig plan-
tations, interspersed with groves of
palms and cocoanut tress, until, after
a walk of twenty minutes, he reached
a clearing In which stood many small
huts, evidently dwellings; and apart
from these rose the walls of a stone
building, surrounded by a high wall,
with circular towers at the angles.
Lafitte crossed the open space, and
stopping before a stout oaken door in
tho wall, called for admission. But
there was r.o response; and, after a
longer silerce than suited his humor,
he fell to striking upon the door, while
he called still louder.
This resulted in its soon being
opened cautiously, to show a stalwart
giant, whose black face and naked
arms showed all the darker by con-
trast with the white cotton of his rai-
ment, draped in a barbaric fashion
that told of its not having known
thread and reedle.
"My young captain!" he exclaimed
in Spanish, a pleased surprise lighting
his grave face; and catching Lafitte's
hand, he kissed it as the latter re-
plied, "Greetings to you, Ezrah. Is it
all well here?"
"'Yes, my young captain. All Is well;
but it will be more than well, now
that you have returned."
Lafitte waited until the Arab (for
such he was) had closed and barred
the gate; and then, in a few words,
he told him of what had taken place,
adding that Laro's body would be
brought ashore later in the day, for
burial.
Ezrah listened with a face showing
no emotion whatever, save perhaps
that of anger that the nation his mas-
ter had taught him to hate should
have been the means of the former's
death.
His young mistress, the Senorita
Lazalie, was of course not yet awake;
and Lafitte, after bidding the Arab to
leave her undisturbed, went to his
own apartments.
Lazalie was row sixteen; and, since
leaving a convent school in Seville,
two years before, her entire time had
been passed upon the Barra de Hierro,
to which Laro—her only living- rela-
tive—had brought her, and where she
had seemed fully contented with her
luxurious and independent life.
Laro, of necessity, passed much of
his time away from the Barra de
Hierro; and, during his.absence, La-
zalie was Its head and ruler, except
when Lafitte found It necessary to
visit the island. Then the Spanish
girl gave place—and with entire will-
ingness—to the man whom, from their
first meeting, she had loved with alj
the fervor of her uncurbed nature.
(To be icontinued.)
An Utterly Hopeless Case.
'Tjo you enjoy classical music!"
p.sked the young woman.
"Yos, miss," answered Mr. Cum-
rox. "I enjoy it very much; but 1
never can get over the idea that the
tunes would sound better if they were
played by a mandolin or banjo club "
Howard Gould Spends Money.
Howard Gould is rot saving much
money just now. He is. buildlrg a
sea wall around his I ong Island home
which will cost $1,000,000. His cow
shed cost $250,000 and his chicken
c;op $150,000, and the new Killarney
castle will cost $5,000,000.
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Pauls Valley Sentinel (Pauls Valley, Indian Terr.), Vol. 1, No. 45, Ed. 1 Thursday, January 26, 1905, newspaper, January 26, 1905; Pauls Valley, Indian Territory. (https://gateway.okhistory.org/ark:/67531/metadc110212/m1/4/: accessed April 25, 2024), The Gateway to Oklahoma History, https://gateway.okhistory.org; crediting Oklahoma Historical Society.