Newspaper Page Text
Captain Sazarac
, By Charles Tenney Jackson
Copyright by The Bobbs-Merrili Company
CHAPTER X—Continued.
—l4
There was an astonished silence.
The men craned and stared. Johan
nes* nodded truculently to them.
“You have heard, now! Then be
warned ! —aud obey !”
Johanness, catching his eye, dis
missed the crew. Back once more by
the steersman, old Dominique sighed.
“We have a handful. But I can
guess their stares. The Captain
Lalitte defending the English because,
forsooth, they are friendly with the
Americans! It Is enough to open old
eyes! Half these renegades have
smarted in British press-gangs, and
the rest—well, sirs, it puzzles even
our old fellows!"
“It well may. Lafitte's return daz
zled them at first, and they were keen
to he at anything for him but now
some of them are wondering where
the profits lie for broken bones and
wet skins.”
“They glower, too, at this young
gentleman of the rue Royale—for they
deem him part owner of the Sera
phine, and holding back the captain
from any too unlawful a venture. And
Jarvis, the idler, goo among them
with his jests and ruffles their feel
ings.”
Johanness, the bo’sun, had come aft,
cocking an eye aloft at the sail
spread ; he had heard the talk and
growled:
“A good fight—that’s what these
hearties need —blood let from some of
the youngsters, and a man or two to
the sharks' Aye, and we keep on
fetching yon hull above the water as
we’ve done the past five hours and
there’ll be one.”
“Captain Lafitte does not desire an
encounter.”
“Burke and the other deserting
Irlsher say the Genaron mounts two
long sixes and a twelve-pounder; and
below hatches, stuffed with arms,
which, it was given out. are going to
New Granada for Simon Bolivar’s re
volt.”
“Aye, well! I little think she’ll
fight. The Seraphlne will flay her In
■an hour—we carry pretty bat’ries, gen
tlemen, as ever a privateer could
wish ! Twelve twenty-four-pound car
ronades and the two long nines!”
The wind slipped to uncertain
streaks near sundown, and In the last
glimmer of duolr.the pursued and pur
suer lay limp and adrift on the warm
heave of the gulf. The crew had
grown strangely quiet. Jarvis, lolling
at the quarter-rail, spat at a follow
ing shark, then touched the Count de
Almonaster upon the sleeve. He point
ed at the fugitive ship to the south
ward.
"She must know she Is pursued.
She Is making straight for Yqcatan—
she will crawl under the Spaniards’
guns at some river’s mouth and yell to
Heaven that old days have come
again in the gulf and the buccaneers
are on the tail of the traffic. The crew
has decided that she should be scut
tled and every mouth on her closed
ere she can tell that laifitte is at sea
again 1”
“What nonsense! You know the
purpose of this ship as well as L”
“The devil take me though if I
Imow her end.”
“Come —come!" said Raoul hurried
ly. “No more of this! Affairs are get
ting ominous enough among us. You
had best keep apart from the crew,
Jarvis. You have been setting them
on to fury with tales of the gold the
Cenaron carries. You know there is
no truth to it!’’
“I was fair to split my sides laugh
ing over the murdering humor it put
them in! That and the drink 1 got
among them to start their boasting.’
“The devil take you! I should re
port this to the captain,” fumed De
Almonaster. “You are a trouble
maker!”
“I must be amused,” yawned Jarvis,
••for in the end, I hang.”
He pulled his dirty velvet cap over
one ear, rubbed the unshaven pallor
of his cheek, and smiled plaintively.
At dinner the gentlemen found him
asleep in the tapestried suite, his
ragged boots upon the pillows of the
bed which had been designed for Bo
naparte.
CHAPTER XI
The Lady of the Genaron.
And again that night the hawk
tnissed Its prey. Even as the chiefs
■were conferring as- to what trusted
fellows should man the longboats for
a surprise upon the becalmed hark,
there came a stir out rf the east that
gave her chance to elude the Sera
phlne. But at once Beluche had his
sallormen aloft; and with royals and
staysails set the schooner lay to the
course where the merchantman was
fast reported.
“If we cannot hoard before tomor
row.” grumbled Nez Coupe, “there will
be the question of gunnlne her. I
smell sailors’ weather coming.”
“There will have to be some action.
Last night some rascals plundered the
steward’s stores,” said Bohon, now on
the watch. “Dainties o' food and drink
meant for the gentlemen o’ New Or
leans on their quest for Bonaparte
have been guzzled by shrimp fishers o’
the city markets!”
Indeed, the watching eyes of all the
ship’s officers were upon the restless
spirit growing forward. It was a re
lief, when, after the breeze died fit
fully near midnight, a hall from the
lookout brought everyone out up
standing.
“There —abaft our beam ! She hangs
flat, and the currentr-are bearing us
pnst her how!” Bohon pointed to the
starlight: “Your Genaron, my cap
tain!”
The party on the quarterdeck was
watching what only a seaman’s eyes
could make out against the night;
when, on the silence, came the jarring
burst of a gun. The flash leaped from
tlie Seraphine’s side, and by it they
saw three figures retreating-from the
port carronade.
Then, on the hush, came a shout.
Jarvis, reeling from a coil of cordage
by the companion-hood, pointed to the
shadowy bulk of the English ship
slowly heaving on the seas. With a
grinding, tearing crash, her main mast
was heeling down through her shrouds.
The Seraphine’s crew howled.
“Silence!” thundered Lafitte.
“A hit—a marvelous shot!” chuckled
Jarvis, rubbing his hands.
There came a shout from the Eng
lish vessel. Men were already strug
gling there to cut away the pounding
mast and wreckage.
“What is tills villainy, sir?” a voice
rasped: “Against his majesty’s ship
in times of peace? Who are you, sir?”
A shout broke from the Genaron’s
crew. “The Seraphine! The Yankee
clipper! Aye, the Napoleon ship—l’d
know her in a thousand!”
The English captain blustered on, as
Ills deck officers shouted to the men
to clear away the grinding rigging
overside. Lafitte listened quietly, and
when a pause came, he spoke.
“The Seraphine, sir—then it is. Her
present object Is to demand the lady
who is unlawfully detained upon your
ship. You know the circumstances of
Miss Lestron’s detention. I demand
that she be placed at once at our dis
posal.”
There was an astounded silence on
the hark. Then a woman’s cry of
joyful amazement. “The Americans '”
The skipper’s voice answered: “We
cannot recognize this demand, sir—
_i - A- J| * * | 4tflj '
raand?”
“I demand,” retorted the chief, “the
person of Miss Lestron at once deliv
ered on board this ship."
“And I refuse —”
“The affair Is yours. Beluche, sir!”
He turned to ids silent men, who clus
tered along the rail. “Lay the boats
along for boarding. You, Bohon, see
to the gun crews!”
There was a howl of Joyful surprise
among the ruffians, a scattering right
and left, under the yeoman’s Instant
call, a clattering of knives and pistols.
Again the commander turned calmly
to the Genaron.
“You are ready for action, sir? You
shall have it!”
But the merchantman was not, as
was easily seen. Her crew became a
disorderly pack scattering from the
amidship wreckage. The captain spoke
roughly to Miss Lestron.
“Carr put this affair on me! I did
not want you here! That I protested
against from the beginning!”
“That I well know, Captain Rich
ards. I also know why I was seized
and delivered to you for deportation,
which Is more than you!”
“I know not who these people are
who demand you from one of his maj
esty’s ships. But I clear my hands
of It until reparation is demanded in
the courts —Carr and his Intrigues and
all! We cannot fight fivescore scoun
drels boarding us. Madame, the choice
is yours!”
“I take It.” Her voice came clear,
and proudly.
“Remember you are committing
yourself to unknown adventurers —
God knows, perhaps, the buccaneers
who harried these waters not twenty
years agone!”
There was a hoarse laugh among
the Seraphlne’s fellows, which the
chief stilled. The woman’s calm
voice answered the other’s heat.
“1 po willingly. I have not been
more than a prisoner here.”
“A boat,” 'nuttered Lafitte. swiftly
turning. “Puli away, and have a care
under the quarter when the lady
comes alongside.”
“Aye, sir!"
The Seraphine rode slowly on past
the bark In the easy seas. Lafitte
turned to De Almonaster when the
yawl swung from the Genaron’s side
“I have a mind that you represent
me, sir. I prefer to meet her In the
cabin. First comes this matter of
that cannon shot.”
“The lady comes," grunted the aider
man: “make wav there!"
“First —ere she puts foot on the
deck —who fired that shot?” The
commander motioned to the Do’sun
“Johanness! Fetch Burke and John
THE DANtELSVILLE MONEOR, DANIELSVILLE, GEORGIA.
Crnckley! Thost two, at least, were
recognized.”
The under-ofliers hustled the two
malcontents out if the disorder along
the waist. Cracley, the Englishman,
swaggered with confident leer.
“You fired that gun, 8ir?"
“I fired no gup”
“Burke!” I
“Neither did I, sir. And a d—d
good shot it be/l say!”
“Silence!” Tib captain looked over
the press of evi ft faces. And from the
rear a hoarse vclce chuckled:
“’E was no junner, that I’ll /say.
Nothin’ ’e knew but point and pull
lanyard when sdmeone give the word
the Britisher wsk swingin’ fair point
blank in the gui’s eye!”
“Jarvis,” wnisiered Beluche. “I hnd
a mind o’ Jarvi!—”
At his name tie buffoon arose with
airy unsteadineis. The crew made
way for him until be stood below the
poop steps looking up against the
lights. His blinking eye found the
Count de Aimotinster, and to him he
bowed, alone, apparently.
“Monsieur, I have won a pistol. I
have a mind to borrow of you powder
and ball—to find a tutor who will In
struct me which end is which.”
The commander drew his breath
sharply. “Jarvis? You fired that
gun?”
The boat’s crew was making fast,
the bow men climbing tlie short lad
der. They stood back respectfully to
make way for her. Tlie silence grew
painfully acute. The cloaked figure
of a woman was assisted to the rail
and pnst the guards. She looked
about puzzledly, us if not seeing clear
ly who first would address her.
“The man—Jnrvls —below, to the
brig, Bohon!” The master spoke low,
swiftly and .with a mask of Indiffer
ence that had concealed his pain.
Ills guards threw Jarvis past the
crowding ruffians and hurried him
forward. And the lady who looked
back at him from her .coach on the
Esplanade now did not see him at all 1
She had gone Swiftly to the affbr
conipnnion, with Its gilded panels and
royal carpet leading to the enliln of
the emperor.
At the companionway the bronzed
lamp showed the captain’s face. De
Almonaster started at the grief, the
stern, pent sadness of the leader.
“Jarvis,” he muttered: “My friend —
Jarvis—”
“Why this fool’s mutinous play I”
blustered old Dominique.
“It was so tllat you could never re
turn to porVof the world,” put in
Raoul Afc X. 'A)ster. “An net of pi
racy—an cfi Jkct of war by a ship
that files mtei m against the power of
he wouldplay himself P ar *
Saznrnc, the last sea-rover . . .
and the lover, Jean!” And tlie coupt
added hurriedly: “Go, now. You have
my pledge to aid In this affair. On
my honor, Monsieur—you shall be
none hut Sazarac.”
CHAPTER XII
The Parting of tho Paths.
De Almonaster stepped aside as the
two came to the brocade portieres that
hung at the portal of Napoleon’s
cabin. The other man, therefore, had
stepped within, and the brilliance of
the polished lamp cluster with its crys
tal reflectors was full upon him.
“Sazarac!" the lady cried sharply.
“Sazarac—the river gamester 1”
“Flaying high again, Mademoiselle
Lestron—to serve you!”
The lustrous blackness of her eye 9
was narrowing. She threw the cloak
higher with one arm before her chin,
as if. in fear or some curious revul
sion, to shut the thought of him away.
And then she dropped tills and stood
facing him.
“Monsieur Sazarac," she repeated
quietly. “This Is a strange affair!
How can It be? You-why should you
take me from the ship of my country?”
“Why did you come?” he retorted,
and his somber smile lightened. “The
choice was yours, Mademoiselle —even
at the last.”
There came a shout from the waist
of the ship. A rolling boast, followed
by discordant choruses of laughter.
“With one shot I lay a ship to, help
less on the sea I Oh, bullies! One
shot—iny first shot 1 I —Jarvis! Why
didn’t I clay the part of Lafitte long
years ago?”
The muffled cry was drowned In
Imprecations nnd more fo’cas’le laugh
ter. Mademoiselle Lestron gave Mon
sieur Snzarac a swift measuring
glance.
••I assure you—a rough Jest of my
rough crew. Mademoiselle."
She shivered slightly. “Lafitte? I
recall, when a child, that his men
plundered my father's home at La Cnsa
Montana In the Grenadines —”
“He has long vanished from these
peaceful sens. Mademoiselle.”
There came a stir at the threshold
of the emperor’s cabin. She turned
to another figure there. A slighter
man. but tall. Ilfs dark, slender,
youthful face was lit by an unbeliev
ing hope. The Count de Almonaster
stepped nearer.
(TC BE CONTINUED.)
Hold on to the friends of your youth
with grappling hooks. There ere d<i
substitutes for them.
Monasteries
One of the Famous Athos Monasteries.
{Prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety, Washington, D. C.)
The Athos peninsula in northern
Greece to which the Patriarch of Con
stantinople, head of the Greek church,
retired because of pressure from the
Turkish government, lias been a land
of monasteries since the hoary days
when Byzantium was in power.
Three peninsulas extend into the
Aegean sea from the mainland of Clial
cidiee like tlie prongs of a trident, and
look as though they might he the fork
with which Neptune planned to throw
tlie island of Chios from the sen. Athos
is tlie easternmost of tlie three. It Is
about forty miles long, varying in
width from four to seven miles, and it
is entirely orned and controlled by a
group of monastic communities, which
govern it like a separate little republic.
Daphne, tlie port of tlie peninsula.
Is a dingy enough little hamlet, con
sisting of a custom-house, a post office,
an inn and the quarters of the few
residents. Before the World war, when
tlie Russian branch of the Greek
eiiurch functioned smoothly and thou
sands of pilgrims from Russia visited
the Russian monasteries of the penin
sula, a weekly Russlah steamer put In
at the little port. But lately the ar
rivals of the occasional Greek steamers
have been tlie sole Important incidents
''f,J,mnhne’s life.
Daphne but on q]i Ajlios is uncom
monly 'devoid 'of Interest nnd Incident;
for since 1045 It has been unlawful for
a woman to set foot on the peninsula.
Moreover,-so far is sex discrimination
extended that female domestic animals
are barred. Even the eggs nnd milk
that the good monks of Athos eat and
drink must come, therefore, from farms
across the border of the strange monas
tic- republic.
As one might expect, In a world In
habited by descendants of Eve, the
law has been broken. There nre leg
ends of inquisitive empresses who were
miraculously prevented, at the door,
from defiling certain monasteries by
their intrusion. There are other leg
ends of monasteries subjected to fast
ing, humility nnd purification by rea
son of some such uninvited guest.
Karyes, the Quaint Capital.
Daphne Is merely the outer vestibule
of Athos. To reaeli ttie heart of the
community a visitor rides, preferably
on mule-back, up a roughly paved zig
zag trail like a rope dropped In random
folds on a mountain side; up and up
past terraced olive trees, past a white
monastery looking pleasantly at tlie
sea from a high green shelf, past
reaches of wood to the top of a ridge.
From these tlie road drops to the vil
lage of Karyes. •
Karyes, otherwise The Walnuts, is
the capital of the community, it lies
Just under the crest of the peninsula,
about midway of its long eastern slope.
An ignorant newcomer runs fresh risk
of incurring displeasure, even when
he lias left his wife behind; for In the
streets of this other-worldly capital
may no man ride, srnoke, sing or other
wise comport himself In too self
satisfied a manner.
There is much that Is quaint to in
terest one In Karyes—lts crooked al
leys, Its broad eaves, Its omnipresent
crosses, Its running water. Its hanging
gardens, Its sudden visions of white
capped Athos or the underlying blue
of the Aegean, and Its grave, bearded,
Mack-gowned Inhabitants, with uncut
hair tucked under black stovepipe
hats; true stovepipes they are, too,
having neither the brim of the West
nor the upper flare of the Greek
clergy.
Not all the inhabitants are gowned,
however. Some wear white Albanian
ballet skirts, tasseled garters beiow a
tight white knee, and a pompon at the
tumed-up tip of each red slipper.
These are members of a local pretorian
guard. Others are less amply kilted
or trousered In different degrees of
bagginess; and not a few look as pro
safe as an American
For many travelers the true beauty
of a pilgrimage to Mount Athos is
that not only do you lay up credit for
yourself on high, hut you do it for next
to nothing. Anyone belonging to the
worse half of humanity may visit the
monasteries and lie gratuitously enter
tained so long as he cares to stay.
So many avail themselves of tills
hospitable privilege, however, that
there are degrees in the welcome ex
tended by the monks. If, for instance,
the pilgrim brings a letter from known
ecclesiastical authorities, lie will re
ceive more consideration, find may
even receive money for Ills own pur
poses fir for'others Commended to the
generosity of the fathers.
How Mount Athos Is Governed.
In Ivaryes sits the Most Blessed As
sembly of the Sacred Mount —or, more
briefly, the Klnotls —a very Interesting
body. Mount Athos lias always en
joyed special privileges, whether under
Byzantine emperors, Turkish sultans or
Its present suzerain, tlie king of Greece;
and the monasteries have always rmed
their own peninsula. Of these there
are now twenty, and they administer
their common affairs through a parlia
ment even more venerable than ‘hat of
London, if that body he dated from the
recognition of tlie elective principle.
Each monastery annually elects a rep
resentativ_to thia parliament, w’f oc
liis nl>b£y.
These houses preserve the
of the long Turkish regime, in that
they are known by the Turkish nara
of konak —mansion. Always roomy
anil substantial, and sometimes hand
some, they and the gardens In which
they stand add not a little to the ap
pearance of the diminutive capital. In
addition to the Klnotis, which Is a
deliberative, legislative and Judiciary
assembly, there Is a smaller executive
council of five, called the Eplstaslu.
Tlie parliament house of Kuryes is
not a very imposing structure, but It
makes a picturesque group In the cen
ter of the town, with the cathedral of
tlie community and the square old
tower beside It. Far more Imposing
is the pretorian guardsman, who stunds
lit tlie gate. Four of these are at
tached to the service of parliament,
while n larger standing army of 20
men, called serdnrs, scour the lonely
trails of the peninsula.
When the five-fold executive of
Athos signs a document, each of four
of the members produces a quarter of
tlie republic’s seal, while the fifth, the
secretary, locks the fragments Into a
handle which he keeps In his posses
sion. Here Is a precedent for checks
and balances In governmental affairs
that extends into the distant past.
The visitor who reaches- Kuryes has
yet to see the real atmosphere of
Athos, for it Is for the monasteries
that this hit of Inescupahle government
machinery exists. At least one of the
monasteries must he visited, and there
can be no better selection, perhaps,
than Vatopethl. The trail, narrow and
stony, leads through lonely woods,
first slanting up the steep backbone of
the peninsula, affording romantic views
of the Aegean and certain gray monas
tery towers at Its edge; then winding
down a long amphltheatrlcal slope to
the bay. where Vatopethl stands like
a medieval castle.
Its distant air of grlrnness changes
as one comes down through the olive
yards about It. Windows pierce the
upper part of the massive stone walls
anil high balconies lean out on curved
wooden corbels. Substantial outbulld
;ngs are scattered picturesquely among
trees, their old slate roofs tlmred with
yellow lichen and tipped with crosses.
The gay mountain water flashes past
in orderly little stone canals. The very
mules have an air of mildness, well
being and dignified superiority to their
bony brethren from Karyes. which is
not unnatural of mules belonging to
one of the oldest, largest, riches' and
most interesting monasteries on Mount
Athos