"Yes! By the Lord, Helena, my father did, and his, and so would I! So

would I, if that were you! Let him fend for himself."

She turned from the rail, her color a little heightened, affected to

yawn, stretched her arms.

We were now passing over the bar, slowly, feeling our way, our skiff

alongside, and the shelter of the curving, tree-covered bayou banks

now beginning to hide us from view, though the bellowing steamer below

had not yet entered our bend.

"Who is that boy?" she inquired lazily.

"That, madam, is no less than the celebrated freebooter, Jean Lafitte,

who so long made this lower coast his rendezvous."

"Nonsense! And you're filling his head with wild ideas."

"Say not so; 'twas he and your blessed blue-eyed pirate nephew, the

cutthroat L'Olonnois, who filled my head with wild ideas."

"How, then?"

"They took me prisoner, on my own--I mean, at the little place where I

stop, up in the country. And not till by stern deeds I had won their

confidence, did they accept me as comrade, and, at last, as leader--as

I may modestly claim to be. And do not think that you can wheedle

either of them away from Black Bart. L'Olonnois remembers you spanked

him once, and has sworn a bitter vengeance."

"Why did you happen to start sailing down this way?"

"Because I learned Cal Davidson had started--with you."

"And all that way you had it in mind to overtake us?"

"Yes; and have done so; and have taken his ship away from him, and for

all I know his bride."

"He was your friend."

"I thought so. I suppose he never knew that you and I used to--well,

to know each other, before I lost my money."

"He never spoke of that."

"No difference, unless all for the better, for I shall, now, never

give you up to any man on earth."

"And I thought you the best product of our civilization, a man of

education, of breeding."

"No, not breeding, unless savagery gives it. I'm civilized no longer.

When you stand near me, and your hair--go below, Helena! Go at once!"

She turned, moved slowly toward her door.

I finished calmly as I could. "To-morrow, at eleven, I shall give you

an audience here on the deck. We shall have time. This is a

wilderness. You can not get away, and I hope no one will find you.

That is my risk. And oh! Helena," I added, suddenly, feeling my heart

soften at the pallor of her face--"Oh, Helena, Helena, try to think

gently of me as you can, for all these miles I have followed after

you; and all these years I have thought of you. You do not know--you

do not know! It has been one long agony. Now go, please. I promise to

keep myself as courteous as I can. You and I and Aunt Lucinda will

just have a pleasant voyage together until--until that time. Try to be

kind to me, Helena, as I shall try to be with you."




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