Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 280 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

ee heavier guns for his vessel, and meet him at a certain rendezy ous. “ Then;.en the; boffom of this paper are these words in a note, written by Brandt; *** Poor Braneh, he turned to piracy to save his, family .from,,want, though bis own hand bad boggared. them, “ «Now, though he,now keeps this secret from his daughter,;leaying her to believe he was,my prisoner,,and not my lieutenant, all will,one, day.come, out, for the man who has ence stepped across tbe threshold of crime, try as he may, cannot hide forever from the world’s,eye the knowledge of that crime.’ ” **Ohy God! , Haye mercy wpon me!” The groan came from the man, wrung by meatal agony, and seeing his suffering Merle said: ‘“‘Mr, Branch, your secret is known to Brandt the, Buccaneer and myself only. ** He will soon end his life at the yard-arm, and,bis pirate crew will quickly follow bim, “I pity youin your misfortunes, and your sins, and, for the sake of your noble wife, ard the daughter you so dearly love, as also for the good service you once rendered my slave Mez- rak,/I spare you. ‘‘ Your wife shall know nothing of the past, and to-day I offer you a position with me as an, officer, and I pledge you that in me you shalj,not..want for. a friend, “‘Now bury the past behind you, and we will,do all that we can to find your daughter, and wrest her from the power of this Sea Marauder.” Basil Branch tried to speak, but his emo- tions overpowered him, and he could only streteh forth his band and grasp that of Merle in silence, CHAPTER. XIV. THE SEA WOLF REACHES PORT. I must now return to the buccaneer chief, whom Merle Monte surrendered to Captain Mayo Meredith of the Sea Wolf, Wheii taken on board that vessel and chained te the deck in the, guard-room, he certainly could mot. see the slightest chance of escape from,the.doom, with which he was threatened. The Sea Wolf.at.early dawn got under way, and followed: by, the brig, and next by the cutter, headed out of the inlet. The twocaptured vessels had prize crews on board, and, the Sea Wolf setting the example, all spread their sails to make all of the six- knot, breeze) that_ was blowing. Had the wind been heavier the majestic cruiser might; have beld the lead, but, as it was the brig worked ahead, ‘vhich showed that Brandt, the, Buccaneer, bud decided upon a good .vessel:when he selected the Montezuma for his, new craft, over which to flaunt the pirate flag, The. little cutter, too, forged to the front, and@ held, her, own with the brig, and Captain Meredith and his officers greatly enjoyed the seanrace, which showed the respective merits of the-three: vessels. At iast. the Delta was reached, and the two leaders shortened, sail to allow the cruiser to lead,up. the, river. The wind being fair, the three held on up the mighty Mississippi, and when af last their anchorsywere dropped in the murky waters, and it became.known that the Sea Wolf had returned..with two pirate vessels as prizes, and that one®,was the craft of Brandt, the Bucca- neer, who was hims lf in irons on the cruiser, the city went almostiwild with joy But Captain Meredith was. no man to wear honors not justly his own, and he soon made known that the Sea Wolf was not the cap- turer of the two pirate vesseis, only their guard, and that they had been taken in battle by the mysterious Gold Ship, and surrendered to bimsand this report he sent on to his Gov- ernment,.at the same time giving an account of Merle Monte’s; career, since his escape from death at the yard-arm,. and making known other facts to prove that the affair for which be bad .been branded. as a mutineer, and trieq days?’ Merle Monte’s Fate, and condemned as such, was the working of rival officers. As soon.as he could, Captain Meredith arranged for the trial of Brandt, the Buccaneer, and his pirate crews, and all knew how it must end, Little Belt, the poor wronged woman, who could bave slain Brandt maoy times, yet spared him, that she might one day be instru- mental in bringing him to the gallows, and thirsting to see him thus die, had kept watch upon the chief all the way to the city. Captain Meredith had told her that he could thoroughly trust his men; but she had shaken her head doubtingly, and begged to be allowed to also keep an eye upon him, if it was not against the discipline of the ship, “Do so, if you wish, Little Belt; but I re- member once you freed this very man, after he reached Washington, where he was to be executed, so perhaps I ought to keep a watch upon you,” said Captain Meredith, with a smile, ** No, for now Iam content to see him die, as it is with my aid he will be brought to the yard-arm, “Then, I bad no band in his capture, and had be been executed without, I would have been cheated out of the joy of revenge. “ No, no, Captain Meredith, I have lived but to see him end his days thus, and when al) is over I will be content, and my wrecked life will be avenged,” she answered, with deep earnestness, Not wisbing to subject herself to to the gaze of those about her, and to save the captain of the Sea Wolf from questions he cared not to answer regarding her, Little Belt went ashore and took up her quarters as soon as the cruiser arrived in port. But ere Little Belt left the Sea Wolf, she sought out each one of the men selected as the guard of the buccaneer chief, and gave them a generous sum of gold, with a promise to quadruple it if the pirate did not escape. The men gladly pledged themselves that the pirate would never get away from them, and then Lite Belt went ashore with a far lighter heart, for at Jast the end she had longed for was near at hand, and the revenge she had devoted her life to would be consummated, CHAPTER XV. THE TEMPTATION, At last the day for trial came near, and Brandt the Buccaneer felt that the sands of his life were rapidly ebbing away. He however kept up a bold front before his guards, and though often lost in deep reverie, no trace of what his thoughts were was to be read in his stern face. Now and then he jested with the guard con- stantly kept on duty over him, then he would smoke a cigar with apparently the greatest relish, ata his meals with real enjoyment, and when he laid down to sleep, all ironed as he was, seemed to have no fitful dreams and fear- ful nightmares. All of his acts and sayings were reported about the ship, and he came to be looked upon as a wonderful and most fearless man. Each day, since the anchor was let fall in port, Little Belt had visited the ship, and, with a permit from Captain Meredith, had gone to have a look at the prisoner. ** You seem to revel in gazing at me in my chains?” said Brandt to her one morning, the day prior to that set for his trial. ‘*T do,” was the calm reply. ‘You hope to see me condemned to die?” he said with a sneer. “T shall bave that pleasure, for your con- demnation is a foregone conclusion.” “Then why try me?’ ‘‘Tt is a mere form.” * About how long will my trial last?’ ‘‘One day will end it with the evidcence inst you.” **So soon?” “ Ab! you. would like it to drag out for ? ‘ 9 Oh no, I care not, for I do not sbrink from death,” he said with an air of i a while the guard put in with: **T do say that of him, he is the. gamest one I ever saw to face death, excepting one other.” ‘‘ Who was that, my man?” asked Brandt. ‘‘The midshipman who was once on board this very craft, and the idol of the men, and whom Government sentenced wrongfully to die, if I do say it as shouldn't, he a seaman on board a Government vessel.” ‘* You refer to Merle Monte?” said Brandt. ‘* Yes, sir,” “You are right, he is certainly the most fearless being I ever had to deal with, and bis slave is equally so, I must admit.” ‘* He bad no cause to fear death, as you hava, Brandt, the Buccaneer, with all your red crimes to weigh you down to perdition,” al- most viciously, said Little Belt! The buccaneer chief paused for an instant, but then laughed lightly, and said: ** Well, Belle, all I ask of you is to come and see me take my last, spring, and fetch up at the end of a rope.” “IT will do so, and shall be bappy in the) thought that I was in part instrumental io bringing you to such a death of ignominy.” ‘Well, I sball be content to see you there, 80 now leave me.” ‘For the present, I will: but Brandt Brent-~ ford, the pirate, beware of to-morrow, and then of what shali follow it.” . She spoke in a deep, thrilling voice, and » wheeling suddenly, walked away. | “The little one seems not to love. you, | cap’n,” said the guard. ' ‘* No, she hates me.” “ She id “So I said.” “Ts he a she?” “Tt ic a woman,” “‘The one who just left hore?” Ti Yes.”’ ‘A woman!” “ Yes.” “My gracious goodness! do you mean it” “T do.” LOG WY **] declare! then I am upset.’ ~» “Did you not know it?” ‘* Never had a suspicion.” fe. “Well, she does disguise herself well, Pt admit!" | Oo" ‘She does for a fact, sir. ’ ** But I did think she was awful handsome and trim-figured for a man, yet I hadn't an idee she was a woman.” “ “‘ Does no one else on the sbip suspect her?” | ‘* None, less ‘tis the cap’n, sir,” Aven . “1 think he knows her “is, for she 3 permission from him to on in the’ ahi” ( Bak and see me banged,” ; ‘** Dll declare to gracious, Iam all at sea, . ‘You see, sir, we looked upon him, or rather her, as a mysterious youngster, and — couldn't make out ber colors: but wé didn’t © suspect her of belonging in petticoats, and | ; kinder thought he was, or she was, you see I~ do mistake her yet, a young fellow that had been a prisoner on the pirate vessels. : “Yet there was that about her that any of us from asking ber about herself.” ‘Well, she is a woman, and one I deemed * long ago dead, and wish to Heaven she bad been, for she.bas dogged me as untiringly as a bloodhound, and has been with me in half a dozen disguises, working to get me to the gal- lows, when I never suspected her. “ “Now she has succeeded, and soon I must’ die,” ~ “Well, you are cool about it, cap’n.” *“ No need to be otherwise.” “You don’t seem to care whether you live or die,” } ““Oh, yes, I wish to live, and I would give —s much to do so.” eg “But there is no hope for you now, cap’n, for they'll find you guilty and sentence you to the yard-arm all in one breath,so you bad . better make your peace with your Make.” — The chief smiled, and said quietly: = ’ vi y kept * “9 " we, - " i | - a