Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 15 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

The Sea-Cat. 11 this ship, if not to fight her. Our s will frighten every one else, and no one can dispute my title to these treasures now.” He remained on deck till the steeples of Pana- ma were gray in the distance, and the fears of his men had quieted down. here was no sign of pursuit: and if there had been, he feared it not. Not a vessel in the harbor could catch the | Salvador, and she was the only armed ship short of Callao. Toward Callao take his way, to announce the death of the Gov- ernor, the taking of Panama, and the fearful ferocity of those pirates, who, from twelve hun- fifty thousand. Also he was determined to make a full report of his own heroism in defend- ing the town, and carrying off its treasures un- touched. The church property he would give up. He was a good Catholic. But as for Don onzo’s plate, and certain bags of doubloons, r Don Alonzo was dead, and the gold was is in right of his wife. What if his wife were dead, too? Ah, then he had another card to lay. : r ie as he thought of it, he smiled and rubbed his hands, and turned round to descend the lad- der intc the cabin below. : The vessel was already in order, and Don Luis was recognized ashercommander. He stationed a sentry at the cabin door, saying: ‘“‘ Let no one in, on any pretext, till I call.” Then he entered the cabin, and locked the door. The cabin of the galleon was magnificently furnished, and far more lofty and commodious than that of a modern vessel of the same size. It was hung with tapestry, and decorated with carving and gilding of the most ornate charac- ter, while the breeches of four richly-ornament- ed stern-chaser cannon gave a warlike aspect to the apartment. In the midst of the cabin the wily captain of the guards stopped, and lifting up a ring in the floor, raised a trap-door, aaittetionioast a flight of stairs, leading the lowest recesses of the vessel ‘Come forth,” he said, in a quick, command- ing voice; and then retired and took his seat on the couch close by. There was a slow, faltering step on the ladder, and then the dark, withered features of the Witch of Darien rose above the trap. The old woman slowly ascended to the cabin, and stood trembling before the captain. Don Luis, who had been trembling with cra- ven fear an hour before, was now as cool as ible. Indeed, the manner of the gallant aniard might have been fairly descri as hectoring, as he curtly ordered her to shut down the trap. The witch silently obeyed, and stood before him ‘So, my lovely damsel, your teeth are drawn,” he said, sneeringly. “I have outwit- ted and beaten your piratical friend, and you are on the seas, in my power, while he is on the land, searching for you in Panama. think you? Do you believe he will save you et?’ 4 In a low sweet voice, a contrast to her withered face, the Witch of Darien answered him: . ‘‘T know he will, senor. He promised to love Lola forever.” ‘‘ He’s welcome to you, when I let him have you,” said the Spaniard, with a sneer. “You are of more importance than you deem, my pretty Gemned ve a ne y I made you ast aed ae eed said the witch, Calms. “*T have learned much since I have been in the power of the white men.” ‘‘Whai have you learned?” ‘“‘T have learned the reason you me to death,” said she, steadily. “The sol on told me last se jpen . ‘“Ha! what did he you?” asked Mendoza, : “‘ He saw this face, and told me whose it was As she spoke, the disfiguring rags and hideous mask dropped from her fo and Lola, the captive queen of Darien, s revealed. But no longer in the savage dress of the Indian wuletaedcecee Lola —a _Instead of that, she wore the robes of a panish lady of rank, and thus arrayed, her likeness to Inez was start- ling. “Ay, Don Luis,” she said, proudly, while the am J reptadn. 2 sat ing at her, bewildered ; “vou thought that the poor Indian maid you had threatened with nameless tortures, if she re- vealed herself, was completely cowed to obe your will. Know, senor, that for years past ee ee ee - _—_- dred had already oo in Spanish reports to | e determined to — have known who I am, and only the love of my old wild, free life has kept me from claimin my kindred, and joining my people. The ol] dost who found me alive on my mother’s reast, sixteen years ago, and buried her on the sea-shore, told me alJla womanhood the cross with m was hidden in my hair when you stole me like a traitor. Now, senor, stop me if you dare. _ My sister’s clothes were left here, but where is | | my sister? I willgo find her.” And she swept cabin, and laid her d on the lock. Mendoza, for the first time, seemed to remem- ber himself. He had plenty of courage when | fighting women, and he sprung forward like a dare not put | th tiger on her. Pepita—as we must call her hence- forth—shrieked, and tried to turn the key, but the brute was too quick and decided. “Scream away,” he said, savagel , as he dragged her away from the door. ‘ They’ll not mind you. So you’ve been masquerading in my wiry clothes, and pretend to be her sister. Very well. fall, and continued: ‘* Now, mark my words, my lady: out of this cabin you do not £0 till you sign the papers I require of you; and if you try to ap to the crew—hearken.” And he leaned forward and whispered in her ear. Pepita turned deathly pale and trembled in every limb. In a large and os = ach t of th a and sumptuous a ent of the Governor’s palace at Sera lay Don Alonzo del Campo i Espinosa, wounded unto death, with two bullets in his body and a saber-cut on his head. The last might have been cured, and neither of the former was mortal, but the three together had caused such a loss of blood that the Governor was dying. By the side of the couch knelt Inez, in tears, and Morgan stood a little distance off, with loomy face and folded arms, sternly surveying the form of Blas Ortiz, the wounded pikeman, who stood before him, ready to drop with weak- ness. Weak as was Don Alonzo also, he was oe ing to the soldier, and the buccaneer chief was liste ning to the conversation, occasionally put- ting ina ge, im question. : speek a ck, Ortiz,” said the Governor, faintly. ‘I have not long to live. You say you got the cross from the old Indian woman rought in as prisoner by Mendoza?” **T did, senor.” **How came she to do it?’ interjected Mor- gan. ““T was placed on guard over her, senor. Don Luis gave me strict orders not to converse with her. He told me she was a rous witch who could assume any face she pleased. But when she gave me the cross, I knew it must be a mistake, for crosses are death to witches. Don Luis looked in, and left a lamp in the outer room. When he was gone, the witch looked out, and strange to relate, senor, her old and wrinkl- ed face was gone. I not seen her before, I could have sworn ’twas his excellency’s daughter, Dona Inez herself. But it must have been en- chantment, for when the relief came in, the opened the door to see if ‘twas all right, and swear to your excellency, the same old woman was there, and we all saw her distinctly. Then, before the new sentry was on, came Don Luis, = took her away, and that was the last we saw of her. “‘Have you heard anything since?” demanded e Governor. ‘‘My comrade, Pepe Diaz, who was killed this mo , was one of the ss that followed senor. He says that the captain took Ek One Ee Dees So the prent alles, came back without her. Whether he slew her, or Eee her on board the galleon, we cannot tell. He eon , to my drunken _ruffians,” muttered the buccaneer. Then to Espinosa: ‘‘The story is plain, senor, and you are not to blame. This wretch, Mendoza, has deceived ou and all of us. He disgui the of Darien as an old woman, and her own father did not recognize her. She is at sea with him, whether as Lola of Darien or Pepita del Campo. He is a deep plotter, this Mendoza, and has fool- ed us all. oe betide him, when I catch him. Make your will, senor. I am your enemy, but you can trust me for all that. Give Pepita’s ut it when I grew to. . I know who I am—Pepita del Campo; and ere this, my father has received | name inscribed on it, that atic p to the door of the | | Mor harshl gan ’ | to your daaghiae interests into my han will protect her when and I swear to you I find her, and avenge her on this Mendoza, if I come too late for any thing else. Refuse, and I perform my oath; and th en, woe to Panama.” said: ** And Inez—what of her?’ Espinosa lay silent for some moments, then “Dona Inez is my enemy’s wife,” said Mor- gan, coldly. ‘‘She is Lola’s sister also. If our excellency wishes her restored to her hus- nd, I will do it, but only when I have punish- ed him as he deserves.” The Governor shuddered slightly. The buc- caneer’s words were very uiet and decorous, but there was a certain awaiting of the two side muscles of the square, lean jaw of the chief, and a dilating of the white of the eye, that told of a tem ed by the iron will of the man. guardian. J will take care the wil The Governor considered a while. pest of passion surging within, only restrain- He trembled as he thought of his daughter— the only one that he had known till now—ex- posed to the pitiless vengeance of the Welsh _buccaneer, who was renowned for the cruelties he had committed when unable to accomplish | his will otherwise. He forced her down on the sofa with a heavy | “What do you wish me to do, senor?” he asked, faintly. ‘‘Be merciful, for I have not long to live.” “Call a notary and make your will,” said ‘‘ Leave half of your goods Pepita, and ws oe me her be obeyed.” “T will do it. Send for the notary. I will trust you, senor, for generous foe than I thought. Morgan nodded adr uptly. “* Ay, ay; ay shall see, and he shall feel.” Then he palace steps to the street. you have proved a more 9 eft the room, and went down the All along the streets of Panama groups of fierce buccaneers were strolling, and others were searching the houses and bri ringing forth valuables to a great pile in the middle of the public An Mar and decenc prevailed in the whole expedition, which spoke of an iron discipline. Private plunder was not allowed by the bucca- neers, who were by no means the lawless pi- rates we have been accustomed to consider them. On the con , Mo commission from the and issued commissions to his ca ral of the British forces. rgan acted under a nglish king, Charles IL., The plunder of Pana- ma was all brought together, and carefully di- vided in shares, according to a regular scale, wherein wounds as well as rank were consid- ered, and the man who lost a limb was paid for it with five hundred doubloons. Drunkenness there was little or none now, for the leader’s ruse of suggesting poison in had effectually stopped the i the second day. But the and Mor escape of the the wine Pee i vice on first had been wasted, had learned, when too late, of the leon and what she contained in treasure, besides the discovery that Pepita was probably on board, if not dead. As he w the news, and p ve he forgot all about Don girl whom he had once been captivated by. sence had cured ce in the along, gloomily brooding over onzo and Inez, the Ab- him of part of that love, her marriage of the rest; but there was an an devil ging > the buccaneer’s heart ake thought of Lola, whom he loved now, power of Inez’s husband, and of Inez in power. . “ Let him look to himself,” he muttered. in the his own “Tf he has Pepita, I have Inez; and the one sister shall pay for the other’s wrongs. He sony thro the streets, a word here, an in tine till he 5 er ant the beach. remnants of burned houses, In first e a by the ruthless hand of the ; sumed more than half of Panama As he stood gloomily watc ruins, a Spar and told him that wished to see him. Slow steps and entered the palace. Don Alonzo was indeed dying came humbly toward e as to be unable to He found it encircled with the charred the of the assault the day hekon th os ags Bag oo estroyer con- hing the smoking the Governor i — was dying, an y he retraced his . He was so and he faint- far gon ly indicated by signs a wish es the buccaneer to read a parchment that lay on the couch. Reluctantly Morgan took the instrument and — read it. It was Don Alonzo’s will, eathing all his possessions equally to his two chil 1 his ildren, con- stituting his conquering enemy guardian of both, and charging him to find ' _ ter Pepita, and to marry her, if he would. and rescue his daugh- ‘‘And, forasmuch as my daughter Inez is ALALILICE Co cS (E(@) XOXO) _——- a A ee ee + ee ee we ee ee ow we eee re Se ee Lo aS. wt ee SUE. =. et eee eee. Seas 2: =~ as