OCR Text |
Show 174 THE LILT AND THE TOTEM. hour, he was on the march with twenty men, accompanied by Oolenoe and his dusky warriors. OUTLAWS, THE little battAlion of Alphonse D'Erlach marched along tho edge of a wood which skirted n. pleasantly rising ground-one of those gcnllc undulations which servo to relieve the monotonous leYels of the lower regions of Florida. Deep was the umbragedense in its depth of green, and dark in its voluminous foliage, the thicket which overlooked their march. Their eyes might not penetrate the enclosure, from which t::yes of hate were yet looking forth upon them. The wood concealed the outlaws who haJ lately made their escape from La Caroline, after the exposure of their conspiracy. They had not ceased to be conspirators. Rold, bad men-sleepless discontents, yearning for plunder and power -the defeat of their schemes, and the necessity of their sudden flight from the scene of their operations, had not lessened the bitterness of their feelings, nor their propensity to evil. Fierce were tho glances which they shot forth upon the small troop which D'F~rlach conducted before their eyes on his purposes of doubtful policy. Little did he dream what eyes were looking upon l1im. Could they have blasted with a glance or curse, he had been trnnsformcd with all his followers where he passed. But the three conspirators had no power for more than curses. These, though "not loud, were deep." With clenched fists extended towards him on his progress, they devoted him to the wrnth of a power which they did not themselves possess; and, watching his Tll£ SEDITION OF LA CAROLINE. 175 course through the parted foliage, until be was fairly out of sight, tl1 cy delivered th emsch·cs, in muttered execrations, of the hate with which his very sight had inspired them. Stephen Lc Gcnc,. ois was the first to speak. He was a stalwart 8!1.\'agc, of broad chest, black beard, and most dauntless expression. " Death of my soul!" was his exclamation; "but that we have lost so much by the game, it were almost merry to laugh at the 'vay in wllieh that brat of a. boy has outwitted us. We have been children in his hands." "He is now in ours," said La Raquette, gloomily. u Aye, if the Indian keeps his faith," was the desponding comment of Fourncaux. "And why should be not keep faith/' said Lc Gcnevois. "He has good reason for it. When did the hope of plunder fail to secure the savage ?" 1 You must give him blood with it," responded Fourncaux. "Aye, it must be seasoned. He must have blood/' echoed La. Raquette. "Well, and why not? Do we not give him blood? will he not have this imp of Satan in his power? may he not feed on him if he will? Aye, and upo~ aU his twenty!" exclaimed Lc Gene-vois, fiercely. "True-but-" "But, but, but-<lYCr with your buts! You lack confidence, coura(:1l, heart, Fourne:mx-you despair too easily! 1 wonder ho\'r you ever became a conspirator!" 11 I sometimes wonder myself. Ask La Raquette, there. He can tell you. I owe it all to his magic." 11 What says your magic now, Raquette-have you any signs for us?" |