The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 391: what you’re looking at

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376 upon the ocean. But even before that appalling sound had ceased to vibrate on the ears of the mur- derers in the cabin, their terrible work was accom- plished—the deed was done—and the mate became the second victim of the tremendous tragedy of this night of horrors! From one of the stern-windows the gory corse was thrust into the ocean; and once more did the assas- sins exchange looks of ferocious satisfaction and dia- bolical triumph. But now came the most hazardous portion of their enterprise,—a crisis which must decide the attitude that the crew would take towards them! Still the miscreants quailed not in the presence of the danger which they were incurring: but enhancing their na- tural courage by means of the artificial stimulant supplied by the burning alcohol which they poured copiously down their throats, they prepared for the worst with aun undaunted energy worthy of a better cause. Each arming himself with a drawn cutlass and a loaded pistul,—and having secreted the other swords in the bedding of one of their cots, so that those weapons should not at least become immediately available to the sailors,—the Magsman and the Big Beggarman ascended to the deck. Watkins, the second mate, who had been left in charge of the ship, was standing close by the man at the wheel; and the other sailors were distributed about in different parts of the vessel according to the nature of the duties which they were at the moment called upon to perform. The instant Joe Warren and the Beggarman put their feet upon the deck, they hastily accosted the second mate and the steersman ; and presenting their pistols, exclaimed, “ Dare to move from your posts and we will blow your brains out! Silence—speak not a word—and your lives shall be spared !” The suddenness of a proceeding so utterly unex- pected—the deter:nined manner in which the two ruffians spoke—and the cold contact of the muzzies of the pistols against the foreheads of Watkins and the steersman, so completely astounded these indi- viduals that the injunction of silence was in reality perfectly unnecessary: terror and amazement had already sealed their lips ! “One word is as good as twenty,” said Joe Warren, now acting as spokesman. “The truth ta, then, that we have made away with the captain and the first mate —and we mean to take pussession uf the ship or die in the attempt. If you full into our views, well and good: we'll sell the cargo first —share the spoil—and then hoist the black flag ind turn pirates. But if you resiat, we'll continue the bloody work that’s already begun, by murdering you both, Now what say you” “ Who's to command the ship ?” inquired Watkios, who had by this time recovered his pre- sence of mind aud who now spoke with promptitude and decision. “You shall be the captain,” answered the Mags- man,—‘on particular couditions ; and Bradley the steersman shall be first mate. Now, then—speak —what say you ?” “I agree,” returned Watkins, unhesitatingly. “And so do J,” said the helnsman, whose name was Bradley. “Yoa both swear most solemnly that you fall into our views” demauded the Magsman. “Weswear, was the resolute and firm response. THE MYSTERBIES, “ All right!” exclained the Magsman, withdraw. ing his pistol from its menacing vicinage to the head of Watkins—while the Big Beggarman simul- tancously released Bradley from the like state of jeopardy. The scone which we have just related scarcely occupied two minutes, The action was prompt— the discourse was rapid, brief, and to the point ;— and the understanding was therefure speedily come to and settled. None of the other sailors had overheard the conversation or noticed that any- thing unusual was going forward: for, in the first place, they were too far off to be within car-shot of the words spoken on the after-part of the deck, especially in the midst of a roaring sea and a gush- ing hurricane—and, secondly, the night was much too dark to permit them to catch even a glisngse of the naked outlasses or the pistols which the two murderers wielded. There were thas six more men in the ship to win over by fair means or coerce by foul; and Joe Warren did not doubt a successful issue to the adventure in either case. “Now summon three of the men, captain,” he said to Watkins, “and tell them what has oc- curred.” This order was instantly obeyed ; and the three sailors whom Watkins called aft, heard with mingled feelings of terror and surprise that a mutiny had taken place on board—that their legitimate com- muander and first mate had been murdered—and that their adhesion was required to the new condi- tion of things, under peril of their own lives. Two of them, influenced by the promises made and the hopes held out, instantaneously signified their as- sent; while foar induced the third to adopt a similar course. They were then ordered to stand aside, while the remaining three sailors were sum- moned in their turn to receive the startling com- munication of all that had occurred on board withio the previous quarter of an hour; and the resalt was completely satisfactory to the Magsman and the Big Beggarman. Copious allowances of spirits were now dealt round; and the tragic mutiny was succeeded by boisterous hilarity ou board of the Royal George. But still the storm continued: the wind swept in tremendous gusts over the Atlantic, whose bosom was upheaved into waves that ran mona- tains high ;—and presently the lightning flashed forth iu vivid brilliancy, and the thunder rulled with a crashing din as if a thousand chariots were tearing along a brazen bridge. CHAPTER CVIIL THE PORTRAIT. Ws now return to the Countess of Desborough —that charming, beautiful, and atrong-minded woman, whose passions were however more potest thao her reasun, and whose temperament had plunged her, after many, many succeseful strugyies against temptation, into the vortex of love's rolup- tuous enjoyments. For the attachment which she cherished towards Ramsey amounted to a fervent enthusiasm that would have condacted her all-smiliog to the stake, had it been necessary to die for him,—a love not only arising from a sense of his manly beauty and OL Se SS SS ga GSS SS COMING OOOKS COMM