Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 429 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

SE . ou ath _ —E ~ —_ ee — - —_—— — — -—— — = - _—— _> —- ee a eg ee _— So . . Master Duncan, as duty compelled me to do, a The crew came in a rush, and Duncan said hastily: ‘* He came up the companionway and sprung into the sea.” ‘‘He cannot swim, sir, with his irons on,” cried the coxswain. ‘** All right, he will have to drown, then; but caste? the boats, men, and see if you can pick him up! The order was quickly obeyed, and two boats rowed about the schooner, and to the shore in search of the constable; but it was fruitless, as the reader can well surmise. ‘* Now, lads, we must get out of this and go to the rendezvous Captain Carl appointed, in case we had to leave, for that man may bring a force upon us, if he has escaped. ‘** Up with the anchor, men, and let the schoon- er get out of this,” came the order, and likea specter craft the schooner glided out from the dark, heavily wooded shores and held on her way down toward open water, Duncan Dare at her helm,for he had resumed his mask, and near him stood the beautiful woman, so thoroughly out of place on a pirate deck. CHAPTER XX. THE RETURN OF NAT KANE, WitH the squire as security, the widow Dare was readily prevented from being taken to the county lock-up, and the revengeful feeling which prompted the act of Barney Bolls, in hav- ing her arrested was not gratified. He had danced around in agony and anger for a while, after his severe handling at the end of the widow’s keen whip, and then the thought flashed through his mind to have her arrested, so off he had rushed to the village magistrate, the deputy had been called on, and the arrest had been made, Back to her home, stern-faced as a man, rode the widow. She was beginning to feel the anguish that can come to one on earth, wnose life should be all that happiness could make it. She rode slowly along, and ’Liza, who met her at the door, saw that something had happened. ‘*Oh, mistis!” she cried in alarm. ‘Liza, I received a letter from my poor boy, but that wretch Barney Bolls took it, preten- ding he would bring it to me, but intending to find out where Duncan is by reading it; but I forced him to give it to me, with the lash of my riding-whip, and fearing the de uty would take it from me, I threw it into the en } ‘Oh mistis! but you readed it?” ‘*No, I know nothing of its contents,” ** Poor chile.” ‘‘ But that is not all, "Liza, for the miscreant, Barney Bolls, had me arrested, hoping to get me in the Jock-up; but Squire Hampton went my bail, and here I am, but I have suffered great] in mind, ’Liza, and it is hard to have to bear all that I do, when I feel I have done nothing to deserve it. . ‘*But they shall not break down my proud spirit, "Liza, for I will face all that comes, as I know my boy is not guilty of that murder, and believe he will yet return.” ‘“* Poor child,” again said ’Liza. **Come in and get some hot tea and supper: then you feels better,” and the kind-hearted ne- WAR aided her mistress to change her riding- abit for a wrapper, and soon set before her a tempting repast. Night had come on, and the widow sat alone in her room, lost in deep and painful reverie when a louc rap at the front door knocker star- tled her. ‘Liza at once went to the door and admit- ted Constable Kane, who asked to see Mistress Dare. ‘Ts he alone, ’Liza?” asked tha widow, her voice hoarse with emotion. 6s Yes’m.”’ Into the parlor went the widow, and the con- stable greeted her in a kindly way, after which he stepped forward and closed the door, Ah sir, tell me if you know aught of my poor boy, the refugeo from home, the branded murderer?’ cried the widow anxiously, the kind manner of the constable momentarily breaking down her reserve, ‘Widow Dare, I have come to tell you that which I intend to repeat only to the magistrate, for there is no need that others should know.” Mrs. Dare sat in silence, but her manner was that of one who was nerved to bear any evil, ‘‘T am thankful to you, sir, if you mean to serve me,” she said, ‘*T do mean to serve you, widow, and I feel SO for you. “The fact is I have been off on a hunt after LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL Sesser Duncan Dare, the Boy Refusge. eS eee es | and I started my search by trying to find the schooner-of-war that lay off here the night of the storm—hark how the wind howls; it is blowing up another storm and I must has- — home, for 1 have had a hard run of it of ate. As the constable spoke the wind moaned outside around the corners of the house, and the distant rumble of thunder was heard. ‘* Yes, a storm is coming up; it threatened it a afternoon ; but tell me of my boy, Constable ane. ‘* Well, I went up and down the coast to a dozen different ports, and even to Washington, to find out what vessels of that description they had stationed here, and at last got a clew that led me to the craft.” The widow started. ‘* I discovered a boat that had just come from a war-vessel, and I was convinced, after some talk with the coxswain, that Master Duncan was on that craft, so I got into the boat to go back with it.” ‘Then my boy is a prisoner, and—” ‘*He is nothing of the kind, widow, for ke is as free as | am.” ‘¢ Thank God!” ‘‘T boarded the craft, when I found that it was indeed a schooner-of-war, but not an hon- est one.” ** Constable!” ‘* Fact, widow Dare, for she was hiding there and being refitted for sea, while her captain and three officers were doubtless on a lark up in the city, for you must know this was in New York waters.” “Yes, yes; but pray tell me all.” ‘There was a lady on board—” ‘¢ A lady?” ‘Ves, Mistress Dare, and she was very beau- tiful to be so wicked,” ‘¢ Was she a wicked woman, Constable Kane?” ‘* She was on board that craft, widow.” ‘¢ And what was the craft?” ‘*A schooner, ma’m, trim as a racchorse, and—” ‘¢Oh, pray tell me the nature of the vessel.” ‘‘T’m coming to that, widow; you see I heard a voice on the schooner hailing us that I recog- nized, and I was arrested and put in irons as soon as I got on board.” ‘*Was my son there?’ asked Mrs. Dare, in a husky voice. “Tm telling youall, ma’m; but you remember some years ago I caught some pirates landing here ina boat?” ** Yes, yes.” “Well, I got ’em hanged, as you may recall, and there were four of ’em, but one got away. ‘“That one was on the schooner, and he told me very po that the captain’s best friend was among those who got strung up, and that I would be done away with the same way. ‘The officer on board sent for me, and I was taken back to the cabin. “There he sat, and he was rigged out in a uniform and wore a mask.” ‘6A mask?” ‘*'Yes’m, he wore a mask, and he had to dis- guise his voice, but I recognized him,” ‘¢ Tt could not have been my son,” groaned the woman. ‘It was your son, widow, and he seemed to be boss on that schooner while the other offi- cers were away. ‘¢] saw on his finger the ring the congrega- tion clubbed in and gave him for saving the life of Parson Brown’s child that time, when it would have been drowned but for Master Dun- can. ‘It isa peculiar ring, as you know, widow, and I recognized ‘it. ** Well, T saw Master Duncan meant to save me, for he knew they’d hang me when the cap- tain got back; so he took off my irons and told me to slip overboard and swim ashore, for it was Only a few rods off. _ “And I did so, widow, and I got away, ow- ing my life to Master Duncan. “So I just gave up my run after him and came home—and here I am; but Pll keep the secret from all but the magistrate, though I came to tell you your boy was not dead, as some said you feared he was.” _ Better that he were dead—yes, a thousand times, dead, than what you say he is!” * Just so, widow.” ‘* But are you sure the vessel is a pirate?” ‘ Certain,” ‘Can there be no doubt?” _ “They wouldn’t have intended to hang me, if it was a square craft, widow,” ‘*True—too true; but I thank you, Constable Kane—I thank you from my heart for your 138 ---—-—— ee goodness in wishing to keep my boy’s career trom the world, though piracy is hardly worse than) the crime with which he is now branded. ‘*But you are good to me, Constable Kane, and I appreciate it.” The constable then took his departure; but a had he gone, when widow Dare said, quickly: ‘***Liza, I cannot sleep until I have told a se- cret now upon my mind. ‘Get my riding-habit, and tell Dan to bring my horse to the door.” ‘* Lordy, mis’, there coming up a terrible storm!” ‘*'What care I for a storm, for that inmy heart is far worse? ‘Do as I tell you, *Liza.” The negress saw that the widow was in dead- ly earnest, and she quickly obeyed. Taking from a drawer a pistol, widow Dare placed it in the pocket of her riding-habit, and soon after rode away in the darkness, in spite of the threatening storm, while she muttered: ‘*Tt will be just such a night as that on which the fatal deed was done!” CHAPTER XXT. A BEAUTIFUL ASSASSIN. Ir grew to be a wild night after the widow Dare had started upon her strange ride; but she held on her way without looking to the right or the left, and apparently unmindful of the storm that was sweeping up from seaward. Straight to the house of Squire Hampton she went, and to him she told the strange story made known to her by Constable Kane.” The squire listened in amazement; and there was ‘one other who heard all, though it was thought she was asleep, That one was Jessie Beate, and it cut her to the heart to hear what Constable Kane had said. Her boy lover a pirate? Out upon the thought, for he could not be wicked, as people said pirates always were, The squire did not know what to think. He could not doubt the constable, and yet, had it not been for the ring the boy wore, he would have doubted him, for Squire Hampton was strong in his belief in the innocence of Dun- can Dare. Refusing to remain longer at Hampton Hall after her mission had been cotttleted, the widow Dare mounted her horse and dashed away in the gloom. Belated villagers, on their way home from the tavern, beheld a horsewoman dashing along throug h the storm at the full speed of her horse. A flash of lightning revealed her distinctly, and there was no disguising the fact that it was the widow Dare. The rain poured in torrents, the winds swept along with relentless fury, while the lightning was fearfully vivid and ap crash of the thunder appalling. nd on through the relentless storm sped the widow Dare. * At last she arrived at her home, threw herself from her horse and fainted. The tax upon even her strong nature had been too great, and she had yielded to uncon- sciousness. Tenderly had ‘Liza and Dan taken her to her room, and while the latter went to look after the horse, the negress brought her mistress to, out of her swoon, and undressing her, got her to bed, ‘Oh, "Liza! this has been a fearful night! ‘¢ Just such a night as the one on which Silas Finn was murdered,” she groaned, and, turning her face ts *he well, the woman closed her eyes and tried to sleep while the storm still raged on. In the me~n time a man had entered the vil- lage tavern, and told what he had seen, and that he had recognized the widow Dare dashing through the streets like one mad. In the tap-room sat Constable Kane. He had simply told those who gathered about him, that he had been unable to capture the boy, and the clews he had found amounted to nothing, as far as the catching of Duncan Dare was concerned, More than this he did not say, and many thought that he was deeply cut at his failure. He started, when he heard that the widow had gone through the village at the full run of her horse, and in such a night. Where had she been? What could it mean? ‘He had heard all about the horsewhipping she . had given Barney Bolls, and secretly he rejoiced at it, though he deeply regretted that she had been arrested,