Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 407 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

ee —__ —_——- — -- oo ments, so permit me to say that the Spaniards who govern Cuba of late years have proven themselves cOwardly assassins from the captain- general down.” The effect of these words seemed to be to fairly stun the Spaniards, and ere they could reply Captain Crittenden continued: ‘For this youta I will stand sponsor, as well as for my own words and acts, senors, so permit me to say again that my name is Duke Critten- den, and that at present I am residing at this hotel.” Placing his arm within lsodor’s, he drew him away, and, joining his friends, presented the youth to them as they strolled into the parlor, the half-dozen ladies and gentlemen of Captain Crittenden’s party being particularly impressed with the handsome, stern-faced yourg Cuban, and the exciting scenes which they had just witnessed. CHAPTER XIX. THE DOUBLE CHALLENGE. AFTER a pleasant talk in the parlors with his friends, during which his cheery face showed no shadow upon it, Captain Crittenden received a card, which he glanced at and said, pleasantly: ‘*Come, Isodor, we must go, for a gentleman has called to see me. The youth at once arose, and after bidding the party farewell, the two friends left the parlor, one of the cggumere calling out: ‘‘ Remember, Crittenden, if there is trouble, you have friends.” ‘‘Thank you, Breckenridge, I'll not forget it,” was the response, and going to his rooms, Duke Crittenden bade the servant show the visitor RP Instead of one, two entered, one being an offi- red we had been with De Garmo at the supper table, ‘Be seated, senores, and tell me how I can serve you,” the young Kentuckian said in his pleasant way. Senor Cardena bowed, he having been the sender of the card, and presented hiscompanion, Midshipman Gracias, a young man of twenty whose face bore the impress of a cruel nature. ‘‘Senors, permit me to present my particular friend of whom you have doubtless heard, Senor Christobal of Cuba,” and Crittenden enjoyed the wince the Spaniards gave at the introduction, but turned to wait for Cardena to speak. ‘‘Senor Crittenden, you doubtless surmise ‘why I am here?” said Lieutenant Cardena. ‘“T think I can guess that it is because I was oe? the face of your friend De Garmo?” “Tt is to demand of you a meeting with my friend, Lieutenant De Garmo!” ‘‘With pleasure I grant it, senor. Time, to- morrow at sunset; place, on board my yacht, which I will run down to an anchorage below the town; weapons, pistols, and distance ten ces,” “Senor Crittenden, why have the meeting upon your yacht?” asked Lieutenant Cardena. ‘Dueling is not permissible under our laws, senor; but if you wish to take the chances on shore I am at your service.” “J will report your terms to Lieutenant De Garmo, senor; and now my friend here wishes $0 have me speak for him on important mat- rs ‘* I shall be delighted to hear what the Senor Garcias has to communicate through his friend, Lieutenant Cardena.” ‘¢ Tt concerns the Cuban Insurgent here—” ** Hold! of my friend only as a gentle- man,” and Crittenden’s eyes flashed fire. The Spaniard’s face colored, while he said: ‘‘My friend, Lieutenant De Garmo, wishing a meeting with you, and with Senor Christobal also, Midshipman Gracias kindly volunteered to serve as his proxy in the affair with the young senor here, they being more equally matched in years.” ; ‘‘ Ah! then the Senor Gracias wonld have a meeting with my friend Christobal, at the same time, about, that I fight Lieutenant De Garmo?” GR, senor, the meeting between Midship- man Gracias and the Senor Christobal to follow yours and Senor De Garmo’s.” | ‘“What do you say, Isodor?’ and Captain Crittenden turned to Isodor, who answered; ‘‘T have no quarrel with Midshipman Gracias but if he wishes to represent Lieutenant De- Garmo, I am wholly at his service.” Gracias bowed low, and said: fs ae the Senor Christobal name his wea- ns? ‘‘Cutlasses; place on board my yacht, time, after my affair with Lieutenant De Garmo when I can serve as the second of my friend here,” and Crittenden’s off-hand manner and words somewhat nonplused the Spaniards, es- pecially as he had spoken of being Isodor’s second after his duel, as though there was no doubt whatever regarding the result to himself, ‘‘Tf the plan is not satisfactory, Senor Crit- tenden, I will so notify you,” and with a bow the two Spanish officers took their leave. ‘‘ We are in for it, Isodor,” said Crittenden, when the sound of their retreating footsteps was heard down the corridor, ‘*T am sorry that I should have drawn you in- to a quarrel, senor.” ‘g N onsense! you had a quarrel forced upon you, and those men meant to get you nto their power, or at least De Garmo did, while he sent that Midshipman Gracias here to arrange a duel in which he might kill you, as only a short while agol had in a Spanish paper some accounts of this young men as a phenominal swordsman and shot.” ‘‘T have also heard often of him, senor, and know that he has picked many quarrels with Cubans, some of whom he has killed in duels.” ‘¢-Yes, l remember now that he has fought a number; but so be it; if he can defeat you he is indeed a prodigy, for I never saw your equal, with sword or pistol, andl ama good judge, as you are the only one I ever found to stand up before my blade, as you have done in the friend- ly bouts that we have had together. ‘* But now about your visit to the Junta ?”” In a few words Isodor told of his visit, and the appointment for the following evening. ‘You must make it the night after, as these duels will prevent our being there to-morrow evening.” ‘‘If we go on the yacht?” “Yes; but if not, and we went on shore, I guess we can be there to-morrow night. ‘Now, Isodor, you are a marked man by those Spaniards, the El Moro is in town, the consul is here, to get them spies to dog your steps, and you must remain indoors, unless, you go out with me, | ‘* To-morrow, at noon, we will board the Red Belt, and’as my friend Drake Breckenridge, whom you met to-night, is a surgeon, I will ask him to accompany us in that capacity, which he will be glad to do, for we were boys together. ‘Let us go now and tell him the muss these Spaniards have gotten us into,” and the two friends left the rooms in search of Doctor Breck- enridge, who, upon being asked by Crittenden, readily consented to serve them as a surgeon upon the field of honor, CHAPTER XX. UNTO THE DEATH, Ir wasshortly after noon, on the day following the challenges of the Spaniards, that a carriage drove down to the levee, at a point opposite to which lay the Red Belt at anchor, and three per- sons sprung out. They were Captain Crittenden, Isodor, and Doctor Drake Breckenridge, one of the gentle- men who had been a witness to the scene in the ai 2 P< at the hotel. ailing the yacht, a boat was sent ashore, and soon after the three stood on the deck of the pretty craft. ‘‘Run the Spanish flag up to the fore, Mr. Field; I mean it for a signal,” said Crittenden, and he turned toward the Spanish brig-of-war El Moro, lying at anchor a short distance away. It was not long, after the Spanish flag was displayed, before a cutter was seen to put off from the side of the E] Moro. In it were four officers, ten seamen and a cox- swain. ‘‘Hield, detail ten seamen_and a coxswain to go into that cutter, when she comes alongside, and return on board the El Moro, - *This was your compromise, was it, Duke?” asked Doctor Breckenridge. ‘Yes, Drake, De Garmo seemed afraid to trust his precious life on board, so I told Car- dena to send with him ten seamen, and a cox- swain, to work my yacht, and I would place as Marky of my crew as hostages on board the rig.” Teasian Breckenridge laughed at the caution of the Spaniards, and said: ‘‘ There are four Officers in the boat.” “Yes, De Garmo, Gracias, Cardena and a surgeon. “There may not be so many to return,” was the significant response, and, dismissing all feel- ing, Crittenden walked to the gangway, greeted his visitors in a hospitable manner, ordered his coxswain and ten seamen to return on board of ken Moro, and await the coming back of the Then he led his guests aft, ordered his steward to set out refreshments, and, with the Spanish sailors on duty, got the Red Belt under way. eR ee tO “ \ .3 TT iTS A run of a couple of hours, and the sun was seen to be near its setting, The battle-field of two-score years before had been passed, the shores were becoming dark and funereal-looking, so that Crittenden gave the order to his Spanish crew to stand ready to come to anchor, The yacht then swept around, the anchor was let go, the sails lowered, and Melton Field, the sailing-master, called out: ‘** All ready, sir!” ‘* Ay, ay!” answered Crittenden; and thea to Lieutenant Cardena he continued: ‘* Now, senor, we are at your service,” The Spaniard bowed, said something in a low voice to De Garmo, who turned with a scowling bow, and then took up a case of weapons. ‘We brought a pair of pistols, Senor Critten- den, which were presented to Lieutenant De tarmo by Captain Atares, who, you may know, is called by his enemies the Cuban Butcher,” and Cardena opened the case, reveal- ing a pair of handsomely-mounted pistols. “ They are very handsome; but have they ever been tried?” asked Crittenden. ‘* No, senor.” “Then never risk your life with anuntried. weapon. ‘‘'The Senor Isodor, who seconds me, will show you a pair of my dueling-pistols, and they have een tried; so take your choice, and arrange with my young friend,” and Crittenden turned away. As the youth said pleasantly: ‘“‘The choice is yours, Senor Cardena,” the Senor Cardena saw that there could be no trap set against him, so he took up one of the wea- pons with the remark: ** This will do.” Isodor held out to him the powder and ball, and the two loaded the weapons carefully, each under the eye of the other, Then a space was marked off with chalk upon. the deck, and Isodor called out: ‘¢ All ready, Senor Crittenden.” j Each principal then came forward, Crittenden in his usual light-fashioned way, and De Garmo. stern and black-faced. A toss-up for positions gave the Spaniard the stand toward the stern, and thither he walked. Upon one side were ranged the Spanish sailors,, and upon the other the few belonging to the acht, while the Spanish surgeon and Doctor reckenridge stood near by, alittle aft. — It was a fateful moment, and a strange scene, as Isodor, who had won the word, step for- ward and placed the pistol in Duke Crittenden’s hand, while Cardena did the same for Lieuten- ant De Garmo. In breathless silence all then stood for an in- stant, and then it was broken by Isodor’s clear’ voice: ** Senors, are you ready?” ‘* Ay, ay, sir,” came Crittenden’s hen re- sponse, in direct contrast to De Garmo’s sullen: ** Si, senor.” | éé Fire ” The weapons flashed almost together, and De Garmo sprung into the air and fell to the deck heavily, while Crittenden stood upright and un- harmed, for the Spaniard’s bullet had merely srazed his forehead, leaving a red trace, where alf an inch to the right would have been in-. stant death. The Spanish surgeon sprung to the side of the fallen lieutenant, and hastily threw open his coat and vest. There, a red stain told the story, for the bul- let had pierced his heart. — ‘‘He is dead, senors,” said the surgeon in a suppressed tone, and at his words the cheerful face of Crittenden became strangely grave, while he said in a low tone: ‘‘T regret to take life, Isodor; but I saw that he meant to kill me, and so fired to save my life for this shows that he was a dead shot,” and. Captain Crittenden wiped away the blood- stain upon his forehead. ; ‘Now, Senor Isodor, I am at your service,” he added, in his old way, throwing off the gloom upon him, and witha iy he advanced toward ardena, while he said: an ‘There is a second meeting now, senor, and our light will leave us ‘svon,” and he lanced to- ward the sun, the lower disk of which -had just touched the tree-tops. Cardena was a trifle nervous, for he had not expected the result that had come about, as Lieutenant De Garmo was noted as a crack shot. and a cool hand under fire. “Tt will be different this time, Senor Car- dena.” said Midshipman Gracias in a low tone, and a cruel look in his eyes. ‘‘T hope so, Gracias, for this is a bitter blow,. comicboo ‘S