Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 284 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 en — - -+-=- As Basil Branch = ‘desk a diamond an 7 * Ah! I see; dey ish family gems,” said the ew.. “Yes: but what are they worth?’ ‘Tt ish not vat dey ish vort’, Mishter B’anch, but vot dey vill pring.” ‘Ah, yes! Well, what will you give me for them?" ‘*Qne diamont ish value at t’ree t’ousant, t’e two emeralds at fifteen hundred each, t’e t’ree rubies altogether one t’ousant, an’ t’e tr’ee pearls apout five bundred. Well, six t’ousant tollars, mine fri’nt.” ‘‘ And they are worth just three times that i rm ee ee = several rubies, emeralds sum. ‘*T shall go elsewhere.” ‘* Holt on,.Mishter B’anch, ant let me see t’em again. *Yesh, t?ey islr petter ash I t’ort ’em to pe, ant ash you hash peen goot customer o’ mine, I vill give you ten t’ousant.” ‘No, sir; [ must have fifteen thousand,” “Vell, 1 vill make it twelve.” ‘* There is no need of dickering, Jacobs, for I will have the amount I need from you or go elsewhere, ‘* You have made fifty per cent. clear out of all you have loaned me money on in the past, and [ will have every dollar I can get on these.” ‘* Vell, I vill give you the fifteen t’ousant tol- lars, put I vill lose monish on t’em.” * Bah! you will clear a thousand at any rate, and you know it. ‘Take the gems and give me the money.” * Goolt?” ‘No, I want bank-notes.” “Vell, here ish t’e monish,” and the Jew counted out the money, which Basil Branch hastily thrust into bis pocket and then departed. CHAPTER IX. THE TEMPTATION. From the shop of Isaac Jacobs, the Jew mon- ey-lender, Basii Branch wended his way tothe offite of his agent... Now this agent wasa man who could drive a good bargain for his own interest, and had fat- ned his purse off of his transactions with Ba- sil Branch, for he it was who had sold the plant- er’s slaves, as he needed the money to pay his gambling debts, and had loaned money upon his landed property. at a large interest, and at the same time allowing just enough on a mort- ge tosecure him double the amount should the property have to be sold. ‘ He was a man of forty, a bachelor, with gold for his first, last and only love. He was in his dingy office when Basil Branch called, and arose as he saw the planter. “Ab! my dear Mr. Branch, I am glad to see ou back, for I feared you would be slain by hat horrible pirate, in whose clutches I heard you had fallen,for your name was published among the passengers on the ill-fated brig,” and the man bowed obsequiously. “Thank you, Mr. Mordecai: but I. liked not to bave gotten back, for I was severel wounded, and am yet very weak, so you wi excuse me if I take your easy-chair.” “Certainly, sir, and now tell me all about your adventures.” “They can be told in a word, Mordécai, for I was captared, wounded, and here I am. “Now tell me the amount of interest due on those mortgages, on the Retreat plantation and I will settle them to date. ‘lt is somewhere near twelve thousand I ess. ‘‘Mr, Branch, I am vorry to tell you that I bad to let your place go.” ** Let it go, sir!” and Basil Branch a to his feet, his face white and form trembling. ae B's sir. ” “*T do not understand you, Henry Mordecai.” **T can make it explicit, sir.” “Do so, and at once, please.” ** Yeu are aware, I believe, that it has been over two years since you paid any interest, which has accumulated largely, counting the interest on interest due.” ‘lam aware of that.” **T advised you to let me sell several more of your slaves to make a payment with.” “True, and I refused, for I bad but half a dozen home servants left, of all my hundreds,” said the planter bitterly. : ‘You gamble, Mr. Branch, and—” ‘‘That is none of your business, sir, so tell me what you bave to say and lose no time,” was the stern response. ke he laid down upon the The Sea Marauder. — ee Ce ee “Well, sir, I bad held the parties off as long as I could, and when it was reported that you had been killed—” ** Killed?” ‘It was so reported at first, sir.” ‘**Go on!” ‘*] say when it was thus reported regarding your death, the parties came down for their money, and I did not know what to do, but ie them off for a few days longer,” and Henry ordecai told the lie without a flush in his pal- lid face, for he alone held the mortgage, having only used other parties as tools in the transac- tion for purposes of his own. “Well, sir, they wanted the money or the property and that ends it?” ** No, Mr. Branch, for, during the few days I got them to wait, I received a visit from a gentleman who wished to purchase the es- tate. ** Ha! who is he?” ‘““A gentleman I did not know, sir, but who gave bis name as Smith.” “Ah hd “Yes, sir; not an uncommon name, ‘* Well, sir, he asked me the price of the place, and said he wished to buy it, and all the servants attached to it. ‘*I told him the slaves had been purchased, a few at a time, by the Henderson brothers of the Bend plantation, and he .asked me to buy them hack at a fair premium, as he wished to have all the negroes that had belonged to The Retreat, for then they worked more harmoni- ously together.” ‘“‘And he bought the plantation?” ‘“* He did, sir!” ‘‘And the slaves?” ‘‘T bought them back, sir, at an advance of fifty dollars on each one you sold the Hender- sons.” ‘‘And what gave he for The Retreat, Mr. Mor- decai?” . ‘“‘Ah, Mr. Branch, there is where I have a little good news for you,” ‘“* Indeed! it will be cheering just at this time, so pray tell it me?’ answered the unfortunate planter. ‘Well, sir, I asked him for The Retreat a sum that would cover the mortgage, the inter- est to date, and leave a few thousands over.” ‘‘T would rather have the place and no money, than have gold without it,” sadly said Basil Branch. ' “IT knew your attachment for it, Mr. Branch, but, as it had to go, I determined to do the best I could for you, so I sold it at the highest price I could get, and if you will accompany me to my bank, I will pay you the three thousand I have for you.” Basil Branch seemed to feel most bitterly the loss of his place, and well knew what a great shock.it would be to his wife and daughter, for they dearly loved the old home. But he had only himself to blame for its loss, and so went with his agent to the bank, re- ested his money, and then started back ‘to his otel, On the way he passed the Hall of Fortune, the elegant gambling saloon, were he bad sunk his fortune, and hesitated at the door. It wasa fearful temptation to him, for with him he had nearly twenty thousand dollars, and surely the tide of fortune must turn in his favor ere he could lose so large a sum, and per- haps he could double it. nto the hallway he went and again paused, while he became pallid and trembled with the ex ‘itement of the temptation. ‘No, no, I will not yield, no matter how I am tempted,” he suddenly cried, and turning quickly he left the gambling hall and went to his hotel, where he told Mrs. Branch’ and Pearl of the loss of their home. They were deeply pained, but seeing how great was his sorrow, they bore up, and said they could be happy in some little cottage on the outskirts of town, while he could get some position as a clerk. ‘* No, no, I would die in an office, and I’ll seek work more congenial,” he said. — “But what will you do, Basil?’ asked Mrs. Branch. “*T will tell you what I will do, Annabel. ** Merle Monte has bought an elegant clipper ship and given it to Captain Trenor, and I will nee the youth, tell him of my misfortune, and ask him to give me a letter to Trenor, request- ing him te make me his first officer, for 1 have enough money to buy you a pretty little home in the outskirts of the town, and my pay will support you and Pear! comfortably.” The more they talked over tbe matter, the more all three considered that this was the best ee _—~---or- re ee ee eee - eee course to pursue, and accordingly Basil Branch =i to visit the youthful master of Monte anor. CHAPTER X. BASIL BRANCH ASKS A FAVOR, MERLE MONTE was just sitting down to din- ner, in his grand dining-room, when the card of Basil Branch was brought in to him, Instantly he sent to have the gentleman join pees at the table, and a sent was placed for im. In spite of his having lived in fine style all bis life, Basil Branch was almost dumb with amaze- ment at the grandeur ot the dining-roow, the costliness of the silver and gold service, and the air of Oriental luxury upon all around bim. ‘**T am glad to see you, Mr. Branch, for I was thinking of yourself and family to-day, and in- tending to call soon, and ask pardon for seeming neglect; but the truth is, 1 have had a great deal to occupy me of late.” ‘**T should think so, Captain Monte—” ' ‘Pardon me, but I am plain Mister Monte now,” interrupted Merle. Basil Branch bowed in acquiescence, and con- tinued: ‘Your cares of moving in and fitting up your home have doubtless taken all of your time, Mr. Monte?” e Oh, no, for Mezrak has attended to all that, and I have plenty of slaves to do the work. ‘But will not yourself, Mrs. Branch and Mademoiselle Pearl do me the honor to dine with me to-morrow?” ‘* With pleasure, I will say for all of us, Mon- sieur Monte. ‘* But I came up to-day to ask a favor of you, although it seems unkind to worry you, after all You have done for me and mine. ‘Not at all, sospeak out, for I assure you I am wholly at your service, my dear sir.” ‘Well, the truth is, Monte, I have been a very wicked man, and my life of gambling has almost beggared my family—” ‘* My purse is open to ycu, Mr. Branch.” ‘*No! no! not that, 1 thank you: but what I would ask is a letter from you to Captain Tre- nor, to officer.” ‘*Certainly, but do you think you should like to go to sea after your past experiences there?” asked Merle, significantly. “Frankly, no; but poongo I have enough money to buy my wife a little home, and to bring ber a small income, I must do something to add to our revenue of support, and choose the sea to an office life,” ‘*But your home up the river?’ ‘**T have squandered it in playing cards, for it was mortgaged: my agent had to let it go, and saved for me but three thousand dollars from the wreck.” “Indeed!” _ ‘Yes, sir; and I thank him for that.” ‘‘ Well, I will give you the letter to Captain Trenor with ploneyre, and, as I presented him with bis vessel, he can hardly refuse to give you the berth you ask. ‘** But come to-morrow and dine with me, and afterward, as I have torun up the river in my yacht ona matter of business, I will ask you and your family to accompany me.” Basil Branch accepted the invitation with pleasure, and soon ef'er took his leave, and with a lighter heart, for he had resisted the tempta- tion to gamble away his money, and had a pros- pect of getting employment that would support family by his own work. CHAPTER XI. A SURPRISE. AT the appointed bour on the following day Basil Branch, his wife and Pear] drove up to the elegant mansion of Merle Monte in his carriage, which he had sent for them to the hotel. Both Mrs. Branch and Pear) were prepared for what they might expect, from what Basil had told them; but they were utterly amazed when they discovered the i cence sur- rounding the young master of Monte Manor, so far surpassing anything they had ever dreamed Of. Merle met. them at the drove up, and Pear] flushed as she saw that they were not the only guests, for in the ba und stood Vance Murell, handsomer than ever, and his eyes told her bow glad he was to see her. ‘*T have asked Mr. Murell to join us, so we are a kind of family party,” said Merle, with a smile, as the ladies entered the house and were each one received by a quadroon maid to show them to their rooms to rearrange their toilets be- fore dinner, while a valet rendered the same ser coche as they give me a berth with him as first CS) comilcbooks-com) - a « RP te, “oy . ‘as — z ~ ez ul