d now come to a termination
by limitation of treaty; and the Spanish Intendant of the province of
Louisiana had issued a proclamation that there should be no renewal,
although it had been plainly stipulated in the former treaty that the
privileges should be renewed. The indignation which this act of broken
faith produced in Kentucky was greatly augmented by tidings which had
just reached the State that Louisiana had been ceded by Spain to France
by the treaty made secretly in 1800, but not made public until 1802.

The failure of all former efforts to induce Kentucky to sever her
allegiance to the Union and to join her fortunes with Spain had not
destroyed the hopes of the Spaniards and of self-seeking Kentucky
agitators. Thus the revival of the old troubles over the navigation of
the Mississippi afforded an opportunity of which treacherous
conspirators were not slow to avail themselves.

During the noon repast at the tavern, Dudley and James Drane had been
neighbors at table; and when the meal was concluded, the two had linked
arms and strolled up and down the wide portico running the length of
the tavern, and serving to-day as a reception-room for the tavern and
as a political arena for groups of excited men who were hotly
denouncing Spain and all her works. Other groups near by were as
earnestly, but far less noisily, insinuating that Spain was the best
friend Kentucky could have, and that her interests lay in the direction
of an alliance with the foreign power.

Somewhat apart from the larger groups three men were talking in low
tones. Presently, at a sign which, unperceived by Dudley, passed
between his companion and one of the men, Drane, saying that he desired
to introduce Abner to three of the most agreeable and gifted men of the
age, drew him toward the trio at one end of the porch, and presented
him to General Wilkinson, Judge Sebastian and Judge Murray. Immediately
after the introduction, Drane excused himself and withdrew. Before any
conversation, save the usual exchange of introductory courtesies, had
passed between the three distinguished Kentuckians and our young
Virginian, Hiram Gilcrest came through the door opening from the hall.
Seeing Dudley in what was apparently a confidential conversation with
the three older men, Gilcrest stood a moment in the doorway, frowning
heavily; then, turning, he strode through the hall to the negro
quarters of the hotel. Here he found Uncle Zeke, his coachman, and
orde