Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 320 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

se | The Sea Sorceress. The Sea Sorceress ; ? Lieutenant Ned, the Boy Skipper. A Companion Story to ** Ned, the Cabin Boy; or, The Witch of the Haunted Fort, BY JACK FARRAGUT, AUTHOR OF *‘ NED, THE CABIN BOY,” ETC. CHAPTER L. THE HAUNTED FORT. ‘Ha! ha! ba! he has hired me to light the yeacons on this coast, that hisson may arrive in safety by night, or in storm, and he expects me toserve him well. ‘¢ But he little dreams who I am, and that I have plotted to destroy that very son, ‘** And have [ not cause to wish him dead, he and his lily-faced wife, who holds the place thak my child should bave had, my poor child who sprung from this very cliff into the sea far be- low, and took her ownlife because that man had deceived her? ** Ha! ba! and I am expected to light beacons to bring him home in safety! ‘‘ Well, we shall see, we shall see!” The speaker stood upon the very edge of a lofty cliff jutting out from a ridge of rocks, whose summit was clad with mountain pines, far out into the sea, The scene was wild and picturesque in the ex- treme, for the coast was one to be dreaded by the careful mariner eyen when no fierce winds swept the sea. It was upon the Maine shores, whose inlets, rivers and islands have sent forth the best sailors that ever trod a deck, trained as they have been from infancy amid scenes of danger, and where cool heads, brave hearts and strong arms can alone guide a prow in safety through innumerable perils. A chain of islands, a mile off-shore, served to break somewhat the fury of the ocean in its wrath, but here and there, seemingly every- where, were reefs that had proven the destruc- tion of many a gallant craft. Through a narrow channelway, between the reefs further out, then onward through two islands, a vessel had to pass to reach the harbor- age inside, when it was comparatively safe sail- ing down to the river mouth, a league further along the coast, where the aspect of the country ut on a more hospitable and inviting look, for ere and there were visible substantial farm- houses and barns, where abode men of means. With a beacon light on a certain point, a good pilot could get his. bearings the darkest and stormiest night and run through the reef with- out, while a second beacon upon another situa- tion would guide him through the channel pass- ing between the islands, after which it was open sailing to the river entrance, All along the coast there was not a wilder spot than where the speaker stood, whose words open this story. It was a natural fortification, and years be- fore, when, the ‘‘ oldest inhabitant” could not recall, it had been a sea fortress, and the guns, on their rotten carriages still remained to add to the picture of desolation about it. A natural embankment in front, with em- brasures and ports in the rock, were upon the seaside, while back of them were towering rocks that looked like turrets, caverns and in- numerable nooks and corners such as an old castle might have. The entrance to this vast ruin, which nature and man’s art bad done so much to make im- pregnable seemingly, was through a tunnel-like cave that was dark and forbidding. Strange stories were told of this old ryin, and the country folk and coast fishermen shunned it as they would a graveyard by night, for early in the present century, kind reader, super- stition beld sway in our land. The garrison, it wassaid, had all been found saurdered one morning by an officer bearing dispatches there. he were the slayers none knew. Some said Indians had done the deed, Others asserted that a mutiny had occurred, and the garrison had fought among themselves 40 the death. Again it wasrumored, and perhaps with more truth, that a pirate chief had hidden treasure there long before it was a fort, and had come to claim his ill-gotten wealth, and had massacred the entire garrison. After this terrible fate,and with the slain soldiers buried within the fort, it was no won- der that the simple country folks shunned the spot. And more so was it dreaded of late, as it was said to be the favorite resort of a witch, who had her home back in the pines, a pleasant, cosey little cottage, strangely unlike what the abode of a sorceress was expected to be, and where she had lived for years with ber two children, a girl and a boy, both of whom are destined to figure in this romance, Within this fort stood the old man, who had been hired to attend the beacons, and which lights were to be simple fires of fat-pine knots built at certain points, when a vessel coming along the coast by night gave the proper sig- nals to show that she wished to run in, and was not a foe, for at the time of which I write the ‘‘ war of 1812” had just begun between England and the United States. The one who stood in the Haunted Fort, as the place was called, was an old man witha darkly bronzed face, a gray beard, and the few locks of hair visible beneath his broad-brim- med tarpaulin were snow white. He was dressed in a pea-jacket of blue cloth, white duck pants, and wore them stuck in the tops of boots, that looked as though they might at some time in the past have belonged to a Luccaneer chief. He had a belt about his waist, in which was stuck a clasp-knife and double-barreled revol- ver. His eyes were black and piercing, his face stern, and he appeared like one who had known better days, Whatever others might think of the Haunted Fort, and shun it, he certainly felt no dread of it, although night was coming on, and a tem- pest was raging out upon the sea, hurling huge waves against the rocky base of the cliff, while the pines sighed requiems, as the winds swept through them, to the dead lying in the old ruin, CHAPTER II. THE MASTER OF RIVERVIEW. RIVERVIEW MANSION was one of the grandest Somer: in the State of Maine at the time of which write, . The house was large, rambling and comforta- ble from cellar to attic, while its grounds, slop- ing tothe river bank, bad been laid out with walks and flower-beds that added to the beauty of the scene. A thousand acres of well-tilled land stretched away inland about the mansion, and above on the river was a little hamlet of cosey homes, where dwelt the tillers of the soil. The pastures were dotted with sheep and cat- tle, the stables were well filled, and upon all was an air of thrift which told that it was the home of a rich man. . Within all was comfort, yes, and luxury, and the master of Riverview Mansion certainly should have been a happy man, if being sur- rounded with this world’s goods in abundance would make him so, The mansion stood half a mile up the river and a league from the Haunted Fort, and. from ne hae piazzas glimpses of the ocean could be ad, Jutting out from the river bank in front of tho homestead was a stout wooden pier, and anchored about it were several pleasure craft, with row-boats lying upon the sbore, Within the mansion, upon tho very afternoon upon which the beacon-tender at the Haunted Fort is presented to the reader, sat the master of Riverview, He was a man of striking appearance, had lived half a century, and had the respect of the neighborhood. In his early years he had been poor, and a | lawyer, he bad risen to a judgeship; but wealth eoming to him, he had given up his profession and settled down to the enjoyment of his later years. A son only had he to cling to in the world, and he was a gallant officer in the navy of his country; but having lost bis vessel some time be- fore by capture, he was awaiting the building of a new one, which his father. the iudge, had presented him with. Alone in his elegant home, Judge Elmore was awaiting the return of his son with his young bride, who were to pass the bleak winter months at Riverview. Yet, gs Judge Elmore sat alone in his library that afternoon, with the shadows of coming night creeping about him, he did not appear to be happy. With an impatient imprecation he arose from his easy-chair and approached the window which looked seaward, while be said in a low tone; ‘‘The storm is a wild one, and Heaven grant that no harm befalls my boy and bis beautiful bride in running in, ‘ ‘*T did hope that the ship would arrive during the day; but darkness is coming on now, and, as she certainly must come to-night, she will have to run in with the beacons as her guide. ‘‘ But then my son knows these waters well enough to come in with the aid of the lights, ‘* J do hope that old sailor will make no mis- take and do bis work well. ‘‘T suppose I should have sent Caleb to aid him; but then Caleb would never go near that Haunted Fort by night, I am sure, and it is well the old seaman did not know about the stories ‘ told of the weird old ruin, or he would have oa tailed me, too. ‘‘ Somehow I feel strangely blue to-night, and I cannot drive a presentiment of evil out of my heart, tye ‘‘T do hope that 1 am not to be punished at ‘ this late day for my crimes toward my brother | and. his family. tL ‘Bab! 1 am silly to think of the past, for if 1 f did hire an assassin to end his days and keep from his wife aud children the wealth he in- trusted to me for them, amI not repaid for those sins by the riches I now possess and the luxuries I have about me? | ‘* But one other knows of the crime and he is my ally in guilt and has enricbed himself as I did, se that he will not botray me. ‘¢ As for my boy, ho never suspects that this home and my wealth was stolen and that it cost human lives. ‘‘ Whateyer became of the wife of my half- brother I cannot ‘tell. ‘“They fled from my persecution, though they did not suspect me, and it is better so, or I should have had their lives upon my hand, ‘* Somehow I have a dread of that old Elsie the Witch of the Haunted Fort, as though I expected to find in her and her brats the wife and children of Norcross, ‘‘ But I am foolish, for his wife would not now be forty, and that old hag is over sixty, if she is a day, for her hair is as white as snow. ‘*T should not fear for them either, for the woman sold her home, and certainly had a sup- port so that they were not left beggars, “No, no; I must cast the haunting spirits down, and enjoy that which I possess— Oh! Caleb, Iam glad you have brought the lam for this is a dreary night out,” and the judge turved away from the window with a shudder, as his butler entered with lights. ‘¢ Yes, sir, it’s an awful night, and I do hope the ship with the lieutenant and bis young wife 1 won’t come to-night,” answered Caleb, eit | ‘¢T hope so myself, Caleb; but then, with the ? beacons lighted, Ido not think they will find any great difficulty in running in, unless the night is intensely dark and the tempest in creases,” ‘* Well, sir, it is going to be terribly dark and ee the storm has been getting worse since sun- * ‘‘ Heaven protect my boy then in the perils he will have to face; but, Caleb, would you mind spending the night on the coast with the a oe to see that the beacons are proper ight: | Caleb started avd turned quickly toward the judge, while he said in solemn tones: ‘‘ Your honor, I have never disobeyed you ip one thing, sir, have 1?’ ‘‘ You never havc, Caleb, for you have ever been most faithful.” ‘¢ Well, your honor, you'll forgive me if I de so now, for I would not go near that old fort to- ‘ a night for a pirate’s gold,” rec, ue ‘Very well, Caleb, I will not ask is, and J C} ae guess the old beacon-tender will do his gs ‘*T guess so, sir, and [ hope so,” and Caleb was about. to depart, when the deep boom of a gun at sea rattled the windowsin the mansion, ‘‘Ha! there is the signal-gun, and now the beacons will be jit. ‘* May Heaven help that vessel now, and save those on board,” cried the judge, and he began to pace to and fro with nervous step; while storm increased in fury, as though it had taken the signal-gun asa defiance from the vessel to do its worst, oo CHAPTER IiIt. 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