Part 11 (1/2)
”bloody doings!” Inocencio sly upon his companion ”And who could cope with them better than yourself? You have a reputation, Excellency The nauerre is known, even in eneral's chest swelled
”We have heroes of our own--hts--but our soldiers are only soldiers, they are not statesmen We are not so fortunate as Hayti We would welcome, ould idolize such a one Would that we had hiuerre”
The hearer was ihtened hi:
”But we are favored by God, we Haytians, and we have bred a race of giants We have gained our proud position a the nations at the price of blood Believe me, we are not ordinary men Our soldiers are braver than lions, our armies are the admiration of the world, we have reached that level for which God created us It requires strong hands to guide such a people My country calls I am her servant”
The moon was round and brilliant as they walked out upon the rotting wharf--all wharves in Hayti are decayed--the night had grown still, and through it caled with the babel froent stench of the harbor in a scent which caused Inocencio's nostrils to quiver and naw at him He cast a worried look skyward, and in his unGodly soul prayed for wind, for a breeze, for a gentle zephyr which would put his vengeance in his hands
He had dropped anchor well offshore, hence the roas long, but as they neared the _Stella_ a breath ca, as if a furnace door had opened, and the yellowon the deck as the two careen and gold they rubbed their eyes open and stared in speechless amazement They were reckless fellows, fit for any enterprise, but Inocencio had learned to keep a silent tongue, so they knew nothing of his present plans They heard hi:
”Into the cabin, Monsieur le General, if you will be so good It is dark, yes, but there will be a light presently, and then--a sight for any soldier's eyes! Soladden the heart of any patriot!” They went below, leaving the sailors open-mouthed ”A miserable place, Excellency,” came the soft voice, ”but the Cause! For Hayti one would suffer--A match, if you will be so kind The lalowed a faint yellow, then was brightly illuminated ”For Hayti one would endure--much”
There followed the sound of a blow, of a heavy fall, then a loud, ferocious cry, and a subdued scuffling, during which the crew stared at one another The giant 'Bajan crept forward finally and wasfro, and he carefully closed the hatch before he gave orders to athered headway slowly, but as the lights of Jacunboat faded out astern Inocencio sat upon the deck-house and druarette after another, and the hel silently
Dawn broke in an explosion of many colors The sun rushed up out of the sea as if pursued; night fled, and in its place was a blistering day, full grown The breeze had died, however, and the _Stella_ ed in a glassy calear co to the drunken roll The sloells heeled her first to one side, then to the other, the decks grew burning hot; no faintest ripple stirred the undulating surface of the Caribbean Afar, the Haytian hills wavered and danced through a veil of heat The slender top measured arcs across the sky, like a schoolmaster's pointer; from its peak the halyards whipped and bellied
”Captain!” The 'Bajan waited for recognition ”Captain!” Inocencio looked up finally ”There--toward Jac it”
The mulatto nodded
”The smoke of a shi+p”
”Ah! A shi+p!” Inocencio s theat the sea and shed and whispered to some one whom the helmsman could not see, but this was the first time he had smiled at any member of his crew In fact, it was the first time the sailor had ever seen him smile The 'Bajan withdrew and went forward to consult with his fellows They eyed their employer curiously, fearfully, for much had happened to alarm them, not the least of which had been a furious cohtful curses had issued from the cabin, threats which had caused their limbs to tre e It caused the sailors to look with concern upon that thin, low streao aft in a body finally and speak their er,” they declared, and Inocencio roused himself sufficiently to look ”It is the war-shi+p We are pursued Who is this big uerre--”
”Laguerre!”
”What did I tell you?” exclaimed the 'Bajan, breathlessly
”What shall we do?” one of them inquired in a panic ”That smoke! The wind has forsaken us” He shuffled his bare feet uncomfortably ”We will be shot for this”
Inocencio tossed away his cigarette and rose; he lifted his eyes aloft
The slim topmast arrested his attention as it swept across the sky, and he watched it for a iant sailor he said: ”You will find a new rope forward Make it fast to the end of this halyard and run it through yonder block” He slid back the hatch and descended leisurely into the cabin
Laguerre was sitting in a chair with his ar considerable havoc with the furnishi+ngs of the place as well as with his splendid uniforht of his captor; a trickle of blood from his scalp lent him a ferocious appearance
Inocencio seated himself, and the two uerre spoke first, his tongue thick, his voice hoarse froaze