Adventure Magazine Cover — page 80: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

{ | att Ki OW yh ‘-e J Si ay of “ if. } Kon 2 Ai em @ The BUT as, laughing still, Levasseur swung to his officers, he saw some- thing that choked the laughter in his throat. Captain Blood had shrewdly played upon the cupidity that was the paramount inspiration of those adventurers. And Levasseur now saw it written on their faces how unanimously they leaped at Captain Blood’s suggestion that all must participate in the ransom which their leader had thought to appropriate to him- self. It gave the gaudy rufhan pause, and whilst in his heart he cursed those fol- lowers of his, who could be faithful only to their greed, he perceived—and only just in time—that he had best tread warily. “Vou misunderstand,” he said, swallow- ing his rage. ‘“The ransom is for division when it comes. The girl meanwhile is mine on that understanding.”’ “Good!”’ grunted Cahusac. “On that understanding all arranges itself.” “You think so?” said Captain Blood. “But if M. de La Place should refuse to pay? What then?” ~ He Jaughed, and got lazily to his feet. “No, no,” he continued. “If Captain Levasseur is meanwhile to keep the girl, as he proposes, thenlet him pay the ransom, and be his the risk if it should not after- ward be forthcoming.” “That’s it,’ said one of Levasseur’s officers. And Cahusac added: “Captain Blood is right. articles.” ‘What is in the articles, you fools?” Levasseur was in danger of losing his It is in the head. “Nom de Dieu! Where do you suppose that I have twenty thousand pieces? My whole share of the prizes of this cruise does not come to a quarter of that sum. I'll be your debtor until I’ve earned it. Will - that content you?”’ It might have done so, but that Captain Blood was determined that it should not. “And if you should die before you earn it? Ours is a calling fraught with risks, my captain.” ; “Curse you!’ Levasseur flung upon him, livid with fury. “Will nothing satisfy you?” “Oh, yes. Twenty thousand pieces of - eight for immediate division.” “T haven’t got it.” Prize 79 “Then let some one buy the prisoners who has.” ‘And who do you suppose has it if I have not?” “T have,’ said Captain Blood quite simply. “You have!” Levasseur’s mouth fell open. “You? You want the girl?” he gasped. “Why not? And I exceed you in gal- lantry in that I will make sacrifices to ob- tain her, and in honesty in that I am ready to pay for what I want.” He sat down again on the cask, and drew from an inner pocket of his doublet a leather bag. And whilst Levasseur stared at him, still agape, he untied the mouth of it and rolled into his left palm four or five pearls each the size of a sparrow’s egg. “You boast a knowledge of pearls, Cahusac. At what do you value this?” The Breton took between coarse finger and thumb the proffered lustrous, delicately iridescent sphere. His shrewd eyes first dilated in amazement of its size and beauty, then narrowed to appraise it. ‘“‘A thousand pieces,” he answered shortly. “Tt will fetch rather more in Tortuga or Jamaica,” said Captain Blood, “and twice as much in Europe. But I’ll accept your valuation. They are almost of a size, as you can see. Here are twelve, representing twelve thousand pieces of eight, which is La Foudre’s share of three- fifths of the prize, as provided by the arti- cles. For the eight thousand pieces that go to my ship, I make myself responsible to my own men. And now, Wolverstone, if you please, will you take my property aboard the Colleen.” He stood up again, indicating the prison- ers. But at this Levasseur threw wide the flood-gates of his fury. “Ah, that—no, by example! not.take her.” He would have sprung upon Captain Blood, but one of his own officers got in his way. “Nom de Dieu, my captain! What will you do? It is settled, honorably settled, with satisfaction to all.” “To all?” blazed Levasseur. “Ah, gal To all of you, you swine. But what of me?”’ Cahusac, clutching the pearls, stepped You shall to his side. CoOTpnicloookSs (S@)