Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 320 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

- - = en tii, - ay + * s - — Seat Siena ae ’ - o. — a". am o* 5 ~— . a i > an - ‘ << ae Sores te Lz = ~ Ea get the money in NN sag ty a7. 5 Acuichod tor the BUY Hd fan, Sch | Glas Glee GA aed oh eels “Brom whom there, pray?’ “The purchaser of your home,” ** Norcross Evans?” ** Yes, the captain is an old friend of my em- ployer, and he wrote him for a loan of the money on his notes, secured by property.” * And his answer?” “That he would invest the money for him that was needed, without security, in case he was to have one-third interest in the profits. “Of course, my partner in the enterprise jumped at this, and Captain Norcross, who, it seems, keeps his gold in his mansion, wrote for a messenger to come after the sum needed, and Istart to-night, and wish you would tell me ust how to get there.” “‘T’|] tell you what I will do,” said tbe officer suddenly. iT We 17” “JT will take you with me.” *‘ No—are you going?” ‘‘- Yes, [ was going up to the neighborhood to collect payment upon a small farm my father sold, and you can easily reach tbe village from there and drive over to Riverview. **T will not promise to go to the homestead with you, for I had some little trouble with Captain Evans, and do not care that he shall - know when I am in his neighborhood. “ But I will take you within a league of the place.” ‘This is splendid for I dreaded the trip alone; but do you go in to night’s stage?” **T do not go by stage, but in my own stiff pene pleasure-sloop, which lies here in the har- or **So much the better, for I dolove the water.” ‘Do you mind being sailor for the voyage?’ ** No, indeed, I would rather like it; but we will have to keep our eyes open for British enemies.” ‘*Oh, there is no danger as we can bug the coast, which I know well, and run into any of the coves if we are in danger.” **Good! but when do you start?” " - was to go this afternoon: will that suit ou arn and I will let my partner know the chan in my plans.” ‘No, do not speak of it, for he may think it pred “= you to go by stage, and I want your ir barre aint ‘ll not desert you, Elmore.” “Then we'll get off soon, and I’ll meet you at the Bull’s Head Inn ina couple of hours,’ ‘* Acreed!” and the two parted, Rodney Vail to make immediate arrangements for his trip, and Lieutenant Elmore to hasten to the piers. “i want the best small craft you have,” he said to a man seated ina small office upon the end of a pier. ‘Well, sir, I have some good pleasure-craft to hire and sell, for I suppose that is what you want?” “It is, and I want a boat that can stand Po dade weather and be handled by two men easi ae ow do you like that little sloop off there?” we the boatman pointed to a graceful craft of some five tons burden. ‘‘She’s a beauty and looks like a goer.” “She is fast and can stand up in a blow, while, if need be, she lays to in a gale likea line-of-battle ship. ‘Then she has a cabin for four and all com- plete.” “Her price?” “To buy?” ** No, to hire.” “Par how long?” | “Say two weeks.” Well, you can have her for twenty-five a week.” ‘*T will take her.” ‘Will you give me the name of some one to whom I can refer, for you are not known to me, though you do look the gentleman.” “T will give you a deposit, which is better, as Iam astranger here, ‘s How much do you want?” ‘‘She cost me a clean thousand, sir.” “Here is your money, and take this and store her voit erith the best provisions, for say, two weeks.” *] will, sir.” ** And have her ready for me at once.” With ths Lieutenant Elmore turned away and walked rapidly toward the house where be had established bimself in the city with his wife and father. Simply stating that he would be out of the eity for a week or so, and seizing his cloak and The eg en eee Spee ee eee Sorceress. arms he departed for the Bull’s Head Inn, and, meeting Rodney Vail there, they were soon after on board the little pleasure-sloop, flying swiftly out of the harbor on their cruise to the coast of Maine. CHAPTER XX, HAUNTED, THE moon streamed brightly down upon the coast of Maine, making its rugged shores stand out in bold and picturesque relief. “That is a forbidding coast to be off in a storm, Elmore,” said aey Vail, as he sab by the side of his friend in the little pleasure- crait which had safely made the run from Boston, “Yes, but to one who knows its inlets, chan- nels and harbors, the coast is a sate refuge. " “Ts that not a fort yonder?’ and Rodney Vail pointed to a cliff that towered up grandly in the moonlight. ‘It was an old fortification, but was long ago deserted, ‘‘Here, I shall run in now and we will anchor in a cove round yonder point. ‘‘Hrom there it is but four miles to River- view, and five to the village, but [ would ad- vise that you go to the village and stop at the tavern to-night, driving out to Riverview after breakfast.” ‘¢ That would be best, [ guess,” ‘Yes, and you can dine at the homestead, return in the afternoon to the village, and leave the vehicle at the hill upon which stands an old tower. “ Then take the road leading from the vil- lage by the tower and it will bring you to that old fortification on the cliff there and I will be there awaiting you.” ‘‘ But if I should be delayed?” ‘‘T will be there when you come; but, re- member, do not speak of how you came, or that I am with you, for, as [ told you, they sum- moned me to appear at the trial of Evans's boy and as I did not go, not wishing to get bim into trouble as I could have done, [ might be held for contempt, you know,’ ‘Yes; | will not a of it, but lead the captain to think I came by stage; but come up to the cliff with me first and star ¢ me well from therv, and then | can readily find my way back even if I come by night.” Landing ip the little cove, the two friends went up the ridge pathway to the cliff and Lieu- tenant Elmore showed Rodney Vail just where he would meet him and then walked on with bim for a mile or so toward the village. ‘‘ Now, the man I wish to see lives over there, Rodney, sol will leave you here, and go and collect my money,’ ‘‘ We will have to be careful on our way back, Elmore, as we would enrich an Englishman who captured us, for I expect to get, as I told you, twenty thousand dollars from Captain vans,” ‘‘ Yes, it would be a nice sum for an English- man to grasp, .§ Weil, luck to you, and I'll expect you by this time to-morrow night.” The two friends then parted, Rodney Vail continuing on toward the village, and Lieuten- on Elmore, standing where he had parted from 1im. For some moments he stood still and then slowly retraced bis way. He had nearly reached the Haunted Fort when be stopped suddenly. ‘¢ Fool that I was! why’did I bid him meet me there? ‘* The spot ever was hateful to me and now it is terribly so, since, from the vessel’s deck that day I saw poor Nora spring to her death from the old fort, and dash into the sea, ‘‘ Will I never shut that borrible sight forever out of my mind, I wonder? ‘¢ Tt bannts me fiom day to day and nightly I see ber in my dreams. ‘‘ Fool! fool that 1 was to tell him to meet me there, ' “*Tthis haunted, they say, and they tell the truth. ** And I, too, am haunted, haunted with mem- ories that will never down at my bidding. ‘*Tf 1 could catch him, 1 would hasten on after him to tell bim; but no, I will head him off before he gets there, for I dare not visit that spot. ‘* No, no; I dare not go there, for. she would rise before me in spirit, as [ saw her last in es “Ah! butI made a mistake, a fatal mistake, in not marrying Nora, for I loved her, and did not love the one to whom l am bound, ‘*T married her to gain some wealth, and now she is a pauper, and I have but two ‘thousand P > ae ju ine me cr ee ss a? : dilbepis :h ade Aik aioaincst xan Ss 11 dollars in the world, and I owe twice that for gambling-debts that must be paid, ‘* Had [ taken Nora, whatever Captain Evans might have bad against my father, be is not the man to visit upon me the sins of my parents, and I would have been rich and happy with the woman I loved, ‘‘ But alas} the die is cast, and I made the fatal mistake. sc must drift with the tide of cir- cumstances, be they what they may,” and Lieu- tenant Elmore, a man with a baunted heart, hastened back to bis sloop, little dreaming that Nora, whom he believed dead, was so near him in flesh and blood. alive and well, CHAPTER XXI, THE ASSASSIN. WHEN the shadows of night began to deepen the following evening, Lieutenant Elmore wended his way slowly up the ridge pathwa from the cove to keep ois appointment with Rodney Vail. He had kept his boat bidden in a little creek all day, and kept quiet, not desirous to attract the attention of any fisherman that might pass the cove in his boat. Now, as he walked slowly along bis face was pale, and wore a set look. At last be reached the roadway, and in the distance he saw glimmering in the moonlight, the white cottage where had dwelt Hisie and her children, Some uncontrollable feeling drew his steps thither, and he stood at the little gate gazing upon the cottage. It was dark and tenantless, and yet it did not wear the air of neglect that generally hangs about a deserted house. Some kind band bad kept the weeds out of the -peyeol and walks, and tenderly cared for the flowers, which were rapidly feeling the bit- ing breath ‘of the coming winter, From the cottage Lieutenant Elmore involun- tarily went toward the Haunted Fort, Some power which he seemed unable to resist drew bim thither, The old ruin loomed grandly up in the moon- light, and following the impulse ge drew him on, he boldly entered the tunnel entrance and stood within the fortress. The moon shone brightly down, revealing the old guns, the graves over in the corner of the plaza, the cavernous rocks in the background, and the towering moss overhead and upon either side, Walking to the very spot where he had seen Nora Evans stand, the day she took the suicidal leap into the sea, as he was sailing away with his bride, he too stood there and the thoughts that. worked upon bim almost overwhelmed bim. Then be turned and was just about to sprin over the rocky breastwork, when he crouche down upon bis knees, transfixed with horror, while from his quivering lips came the words: ‘‘Great God! can such things really be? It is Nora’s ghost! the spirit of her | murdered haunting the spot from where she took her fatal leap to death!’ And it was no wonder that the guilty man, whose desertion of poor Nora had caused her to wish to die, was borror struck, and trembled in mortal agony, for, slowly crossing the fort plaza, was tbe form of a young girl, and the moonlight falling full upon ber revealed the face of Nora Evans! She passed on into the larger of the caverns of the rocky background and disappeared, Then the almost fear-maddened man sprung to his feet, bounded over the parapet of rock, and rushed toward the tunnel exit, But again he started back, for a form gsud- denly app eared before bim., Imore, I am here, and delighted to meet ye cried Rodne Vail, for he it was, ‘‘Did you get the gold?” hoarsely demanded the officer. “Yes, I got the money in gold and bank- notes, and have all here in this sachel, and a heavy weight it is to carry, [ assure you,” “hen die! for what more fitting place than this for me to kill you, ‘*Die, I say, and die bere, for uo one will ever seek your body in this gpot. 9 And deep into the heart of the young man sunk the knife, beld in the hand of one he had believed his friend. A loud cry of agony and despair went from the pallid lips, as a second time the knife was buried to the hilt, and Rodney Vail sunk down. upon the rock, crying out: ‘*Elmore, you have killed me!” Oe aay. and 1 did it for your gold, Rodney ai ‘* 1 did intend to hur! you into the sea on our com