Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 280 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 oe a aes AREY FT ak a Er ae Reel Merle Monte’s Fate. ———— + “The Sea Wolf?” ag senor.” “be is too large for a pirate, and besides, I could not attempt to take ber with a raw crew, for I know Meredith would let every man on his deck die before he would give up.” ‘‘Then, senor, how would you like to play second fiddle!” ™ “J donot understand you.” ‘““T have as my guest at present a gentlemar ‘Yor whom I am shipping a crew.” ‘“‘For what purpose?’ “Piracy.” “Where?” “In the Gulf?” *It he is a new hand he'll be hanged within the month, for piracy has but a short trace to run now, Giro.” “Yes, senor, the good old days are going flast, before the march of civilization; but this person is not a new hand.” “ Ah!” ‘““No, be has fought many a battle for plunder, und commands a good craft.” “Then what is be shipping a crew for?” ‘(He wishes to enlarge his crew, aud I am getting the men, but have failed to find him a second luff be needs.” “ Second luff?” ““-Yos, senor, for he has a well trusted first lieutenant in command of his vessel, while he is here in the city.” “T see; then I would have to be third in rank?’ ‘* Yes, senor; but you know I merely sug- na this as a chance for escape and promo- on. ‘‘Ah yes, I can soon promote myself, you think.” ‘‘From what I know of you, senor, I think you can.” “Well, I think favorably of your plan, so who is this pirate?” ‘Captain Pierre.” ‘*Ha! ‘The commander of the Sea Ma- wauder, and who is himself also called by that mane? “JT have heard of him often, but never met ‘“‘He isa good commander and has a fleet aud stanch craft.” “He is a good man, captain, and his vessel ig a good one.” “ Where is he now?” ‘In his room,” ‘* When does he sail?’ “To-morrow night,” “In what?” “A lugger he has loaded with heavy guns, and with a crew that go blacked up as plante- tion negroes.” “A good scheme; but is not his craft armed?” “ Not with as heavy guns as those he car- ries to her now, and he is preparing for a par- ticular cruise.” “« After what?” “The Gold Ship.” . “Ha! Giro, just seek Captain Pierre, and ask him to my room to have a glass of wine with me, and bring us up a few bottles of your Abest,” was the prompt order of Brandt, when he learned that the Sea Marauder was to cruise after the Gold Ship. Giro was absent from the room but a few minutes, when he returned accompanied by none other than Captain Pierre, whom the reader is already acquainted with as Pierre Dupont, and whose real name was Dupont Pierson. “Captain Pierre, permit me to introduce to you Senor Brentano, whom I have engaged to serve as your second luff,” said Giro, who deemed it best not to let Brandt be known just then in his true character. Pierre was pleased with the appear- anee of his new officer, and at once accepted bien, spe pe to paar a bottle of wine with d@ over it, the two captains seemed to become most friendly, ; ** When do you sail, captain?” asked Brandt. ‘ 7 ' “Giro promises me I can get off to-morrow night, Lieutenant Brentano, and I hope that is not too soon for you.” “ Ob no, I am ready to-night for that mat- ter,” was the indifferent reply, and Giro said: ‘*Tt will be impossible tu get all the men be- fore to-morrow night, as, in these days of sus- picion and treachery, senors, I engage them at the last moment. ‘* Your guns are on board, captain, and I have but half a dozen more good fellows to get for you to-morrow, and then you can sail,” and with this the two pirates seemed content, CHAPTER XX. PEARL, THE PIRATES PRIDE. WueEN Pearl swooned away, at the sad tid- ings brought her by the young pirate lieuten- ant, it wasa@ long, long time before be could restore ber to consciousness again, When at last she opened ber beautiful eyes and gazed into his anxious face, ber first ques- tion was for her father. Again he told her the sad story of the attack and the defeat, and of her father’s baving been left behind, while be held forth tbe bope that be might be alive, and a prisoner, ‘‘ No, that would be even worse, for he would be taken while fighting with pirates,” she murmured, and, seeing the pained look that flashed over the face of the young officer at ber words, sbe said quickly: “ Forgive me, if I wounded you; bat I do not look upon you as a pirate at beart.” “Thank you for those words, sweet Pearl, and | frankly tell you I am not. “To confess to you, I will tell youthat Iam a native of Carolina, and was brought up in the navy. ‘‘ My fatber was a planter, and he died leav- ing my mother, myself and my sister well off. ‘‘T entered the navy, and, after a cruise of five years returned to find that my mother had married a man whom all knew to be an ad- venturer and gambler, and that he had forced my sister into’ a marriage with one of his friends, a man as bad as himself. ‘¢‘ Between them they bad squandered our wealth, and well-nigh broken my mother’s und my sister’s hearts. ‘‘Instantly I determined upon revenge, and I called them out. ‘‘They refused to meet me in a duel, they said on account of the relationship they bore to me. ‘‘ But I was rendered desperate by their be- havior toward those I loved, and I would not hear to a refusal, and forced them to fight me, and both fell “One was instantly killed, my step-fa- ther, and the other mortally wounded, but be- fore he died he said that they were unarmed, and that I had murdered them. ‘‘ Some friend of his carried off the pistols they had, and, as I had no wituesses I was proclaimed a murderer and forced to fly for my life. “TY had little money, and I shipped before the mast in a small vessel which was wrecked, and I alone was saved of the crew by clinging to a boat. . ‘¢} drifted about for several days, and nearer dead than alive was picked up by this schooner, and Captain Pierre nursed me most faithfully, and upon my recovery offered me the place of first lieutenant, telling me his vessel was a Mexican cruiser, ‘“‘T gladly accepied the cffer, joined him in a fight with a vessel, and then saw that be was a pirate, ‘‘ But the step was taken, and in sheer de- spair I remained with him. . “‘This was nearly a year ago, and yet I lin- ger upon a pirate vessel when my manhood and my honor tell me I should give up the life i lead.” ** And why will you not?’ asked Pearl, who had listened to his story with such deep inter- est she bad almost forgotten her own sorrows. “IT cannot betray the man who bas served me well; but I will soon kave this hated ves- self and I pledge you my honor, Pearl, that for your sweet sake I will give up this fearful life at the very earliest moment that I can, ‘‘And more, I promise that no harm sbatl befall you from Cagtain Pierre, if I have to take hia life to prevent it, for since I have know you I have loved you, and girl though you may be, you have wrapped about me the tendrils of your heart, until you have become to me my life, my love, my pride.” He spoke with deep earnestness, dropping upon one knee before her. It was the first confession of love she had ever heard, and it frightened ber, and with pale face ard startled eyes she sprung away from bim, crying: ‘‘Oh, do not talk thus to me, for I am a mere child, “Y pity you—yes, respect you—but know nothing of what love is.” At cnce ne arose to his feet and said softly: “T was wrong, Pearl, to alarm you. ‘‘Do not fear me, for I will be as a brother to you,” ‘Thank you; now I will trust you,” she said, offering her hand, which he grasped warmly and then went on deck. From bis peon seaman he heard that the Gold Ship was standing off and on along the coast, and he knew well that his vessel must keep close in her retreat. And there she remained, until finding that the Gold Ship did not depart, and fearing a more thorough search would be made, be. watched his chance one dark night, and, with his boats and under bare poles, towed out to sea. and sailed away, leaving a word to Captain Pierre, should be return during his absence, as to the cause of his departure. CHAPTER XXI. THE SCRAP OF PAPER, Wuew the Gold Ship arrived off the coast, where it was hoped that the Sea Marauder would be found, a boat was lowered, and into it Basil Branch was’placed in as comfortable a position as was possible. Then, as soon as be got his bearings, he pilot- ed the boat, in which were Merle Monte and half a dozen oarsmen, to the inlet into which flowed a lagoon, Once on the right track, it did not take him long to find the narrow canal-way, which led into the Lost Pond. — As soon as the locality was placed, as they dared not venture by day, the boat returned to the scbooner, as though it had made no dis- covery, should the Sea Marauder be in the Lost Pond, and prying eyes he watching. But at nightfall Merle and Mezrak started together in the gig, and rowed’ with muffled oars to the canal. Tben Mezrak landed and made his way along the low shores, to return to the boat after balf an hour and report to bis master that no vessel was Visible in the Lost Pond. : Then the black rowed the boat into the canal that Merle might see, and returning to the schocner, the men were called up, and the vessel was turned sboreward. =: Witbout accident or trouble the schooner got into the Lost Pond, and was safely moored there. With the first break of day Merle was up to view his surroundings, and Mezrak, who bad not retired at all, banded him a scrap of pa- per, which he had found pinned to a tree, on shore. ‘ ‘‘ Well, Mezrak, as usual you have made some important discovery,” said Merle, as ha glanced over the paper, and then read aloud: “* Attacked the Gold Ship, which lay in lagoon near here, with my boats and was beaten off. «“« Your male prisoner aide@,.me;,by acting as offi- cer, 1nd was killed. : *- Gold Ship searching the coast so roughie I tow out to-night, and wilt return about the fifteenth of Aptana Sa hcticeteneds masta be soner well, but grieved mos dee loss of her father. | v. op yet ‘The Sea Marauder will be back about the tifteenth, he says here, so we will wait right SS (E (0) Gomichboo