Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 483 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

_—— a ee ——— ss * -- — aa ——__— t<- room -_- ee Oe A Cabin Boy’s Luck. ren Oa ee me + + ee ry ee eee eg +, 10 deed launched upon life’s sea, to drift with the tide wheresoever Fate would carry ber. Glancing up, her eyes fell upon a name in gilt | letters. ‘Kate, listen to me, and let me tell you all!” pleaded the man. ‘* T will listen, to hear what more that is false your lips can utter.” | and kissed him, he started asa tear fell upon his forehead. ‘‘ Why, Kate, my child, you are weeping,” he said tenderly, and she burst into tears, and threw her arms about him, A moment she stood thus, and then she kissed him quickly and ran out of the room, without a word to Merton Regnier. ‘Poor child, she is indeed nervous; but it is not strange, when a few days more she is to be married,” said the planter quickly. ‘‘She shall never shed a tear that I will bring into her beautiful eyes,” responded Merton Reg- nier, and the two turned to their cigars and a game of cards. In the mean time Kate had gone to her room, and placing there on a table a letter she had al- ready written to her father, she left by the side of it a morocco box that contained the jewels which Merton Regnier had presented to her. In the box was a note, and its contents were: * Forgive me for the sasha that I may give you, in thus flying from you; but I have one love in my heart that [ cannot banish, and it would be sacrilege to become your wife. ‘To that one I go, and soon I shall be his wife, and for all you may suffer through me, again I ask you to forgive me, and forget me, “T return you your jewels, and may your life be ever happy is the wish of Your friend, ‘* KaTE KENYON,” To her father she wrote: **My DEAREST FATHER:— “Do not blame me, and utterly cast me out of your heart, because I have acted for myself and fled with Carl Casandra, the one being I love as a women should love the man she would call hus- and, “[ am deeply pained to cause you sorrow; but you remember that you said no proof would you take of Carl’s innocence, and { knew that you would not receive him in your home. “feel that he is innocent, and hence I go with him to-night, and ere long will be his wife. ‘*Father, I sue for your forgiveness, and if you are willing to take me to your heart again, address me under my married name, through the New York post-office, telling me you forgive me. ‘‘ Warewell, father, and Heaven bless Ps ** Your loving daughter, se KatTr.”’ Hastily throwing a wrap about her, and seiz- ing a small hand-bag, she had already packed, Kate Kenyon stole out of her room, and, as noiselessly as a thief, left the mansion. Across the lawn she went, down the gravel walk to the shore of the little harbor, and out upon the boat-house pier. The water dashed against the pier with a weird sound, and all was darkness about her. But suddenly a voice whispered: “* Kate!” ** Carl!” Thus they met, and ina moment more a boat with muffled oars was pulling swiftly out of the little harbor. Four oarsmen were in the boat, their blades rising and falling with the precision of man-of- war’s-men, and in the stern with her, sat Carl Casandra, his hand upon the tiller, Out of the cove went the boat, through the ehannel without a miss, and there, putting his helm a-port, Carl Casandra turned the prow * down the coast. A row of half a league, and close under the wooded shores lay a vessel. It was the armed schooner which Kate had once seen from the cliff. Running alongside, Carl Casandra aided Kate on deck, and then gave orders to get the schoon- er under way. ‘‘ Ay, ay, sir!” said the officer, saluting, and then he added, as the companionway light fell full upon the face of the maiden: ‘“‘ As beautiful as a dream! but what an out- rage that she is to become a pirate’s bride.” ‘‘ Here, Kate, this cabin is yours until we wee New York, when ycu shall become my wife. ‘Make yourself contented here, for no one shall disturb you, for the entire.cabin I devote to you. dA ter we get under way, Mr. Lennox, my lieutenant, and myself will come in and have supper with you—so now, excuse me,” He turned away, and Kate Kenyon drop into a chair and burst into tears, for she felt for the pain her flight must give her loving father and her brother in faraway England, when he should know of what she had done. She heard the rapid movement of feet over- head, the low, stern orders of the officers, and felt the vessel careen gently to the wind, as it filled her sails. Then came the musical ripple left in the schooner’s wake, and she felt that she was in- Instantly her gaze became riveted upon it, oe then in a moan the words came from her ips: ‘* The Spsiiine ! Great God! this is the vessel of Carl the Corsair! and I have fled from my home with a pirate’!” Then she sunk down upon the floor in a Leap, for she had swooned away, overcome by the tor- sh of emotion that surged into her heart and rain. CHAPTER XVI, THE PIRATE’S THREAT. How long Kate lay in a swoon she did not know, but at last consciousness returned to her and she started as the wash of waters reached her ears, and glancing around she saw where she was. . Instantly she recalled how bitterly she had been deceived by the man she loved, and from her heart faded every atom of affection for him, while in its place the seeds of hatred and revenge were shown. Kate was, as the render has seen, utterly fear- less, and her strong nature came to her rescue in her distress, and she soon threw off the almost overpowering anguish upon her, and nerved herself to bear the ordea] before her, The schooner was gliding along at a seven- knot pace, and glancing out of the stern-ports, Kate saw that she was leaving a snowy alee be- hind her. Far in the distance she saw a light, and she recognized it as the one shining in the hall of Castle Kenyon. Had they missed her yet, she wondered, and dropping her head upon her hand she again ut only for a moment, as she started to her feet and said: ‘*‘ Away all feeling, for he shall not see what I suffer. ‘* Ah! he is coming.” She took her seat near the table, in sucha way that the cabin lamp would not fall upon her face, and just then in came Carl Casandra and another. That other was a young officer, good-looking, reckless-faced, and with the air of one who too life as it came to him, good or bad. ‘‘ Ah, Kate, you are reading I see,” said Carl a ari as he saw her hand upon an open ook. ‘That is right, for you must not get home- sick; but permit me to present to you my first luff, Lucas Lennox, a gallant gentleman and thorough seaman, and who is to be my grooms- man when we are married.” Kate bowed coldly and said nothing, and Carl Casandra sonbiinise: _ “Thave ordered the steward to bring supper in here, and we can have a pleasant little time, for Lennox sups with us with your consent.” ‘‘t would much prefer Mr, Lennox to re- main,” was the cold reply, and Carl Casandra started and looked at her fixedly. ‘‘ Are you angry, Kate, about anything?” ‘* Your vessel, I see is the Spitfire?” she said, in an off-handed way, as though to change the subject. | ‘* Yes, do you not like her?” he asked. ‘¢ Andare you Carl, the Corsair?” she asked in a sharp way. ‘“Why, Kate, what an idea!” and the man turned pale. ‘* Answer me?” He saw her blazing eyes and her pallid face, and he said: ‘*Kate, do not ask questions now, fof all will come well in the end,” ‘* Are you Carl the Corsair?’ she repeated in the same stern tone. ‘** Well, if I am, Kate?” he said with a forced laugh, ‘* Then I look upon you as a more despicable creature than I thought even a pirate could be- come,” was the savage retort, and both of the men flinched under her bitter words, ‘* Kate, I did not bring Lennox here to listen to you insult me,” said Carl Casandra, in a de- precatory manner. ‘Then you and Mr. Lennox are at liberty to retire, for I believe that I am to have the full use of this cabin as long as I remain on board.” Lennox quickly bowed himself out, but Carl Casandra remained, and said hesitatingly: ‘* Kate, will you not listen to reason?” ‘Reason! it is a wonder that my reason is not gone, when I discover your treachery.” / SO Se ee a a ee ee ee es cr wk ee PS a a Eee a ee ee een aa TEE I a RN. PT aE a a aE a = = ae a an ern ae F; <a ‘** Kate, you saved my life, as you know—” ‘‘Ay! and you, in return, would wreck mine?” ‘‘No, I mean it not so, Kate, for I love you. I was wayward, extravagant, wrong —ay, wicked, and I met you when I had no aim in life but ambition, ‘* You saved me from death, and you saved me from myself, ‘‘[ was poor, only my captain’s pay: but I was passionately fond of gambling, and all I had went over the chance table. ‘‘When you bade me hope, I determined to try my luck but once and win, for your sake, | tried and I failed. | ‘*T plunged deeper into the mire, and in my despair I turned to one who aided me. ‘* All was clear sailing then except the debt I owed him. ‘*Then it was that I went to see you, and while there received the sweet assurance that. you would become my wife. But I was penni- ess, and—” ‘* Penniless, with the certificate of deposit for twenty thousand dollars which you handed to my father?” ‘* It was the money given me by the friend I poe of to pay my debts with,” was the ready reply. h T paid my debts on my return, and was once: more tempted to gamble. ‘‘ Again I plunged deeper; my prizes, as you know, were retaken by the smugglers, and I went on a cruise to redeem myself. ‘*{ returned unsuccessful, the Government had written me word that I was suspended for a year without service, pay or rank, for gam- bling, and my friend was pressing me for his: money. See ‘‘TIn my despair I resigned, and then this ves- sel was offered to me. ‘¢ She was fitted out as a privateer, to be used as such in the war that we must soon have with England, and I went on my cruise in her.” ‘* As a pirate?” ‘‘T meant not to become an outlaw, Kate; but I drifted into it; the first blow was struck and I went from bad to worse.” ‘** But about your being in St. Louis?” “Kate, I did not go there, though I wrote letters to have you think I was there.” ‘‘ And your being seen there by Mr. Regnier,, the newspaper account of the murder, and—” ‘* All were lies, Kate, told by some enemy.” ‘So you have been a pirate ever since you left Baltimore?” | ‘*T have; but I loved you through all.” ‘‘ A pirate’s love is a curse, Carl Casandra,” ‘* Not mine, Kate, for it is true. ‘**T have ever loved you, and I determined to make you my wife, for I felt that you would forgive me all. ‘*T am rich, very rich now—” ‘With blood-money?” ‘No, | have taken many prizes without shed- ding a drop of blood.” “Tt was accidentally, for you would have killed all the same, had you been resisted.” ‘‘ You are bitter, Kate.” ‘*T am just.” ‘‘ My only excuse, Kate, for doing as I have, ism Live for you.” ‘‘T hate a man whose love is degrading.” ‘‘ No, no, Kate, mine is true, and if you wilk be my wife you shall never have cause to regret it.” ‘¢Be your wife, Carl Casandra? ‘¢Sooner would I become the wife of the meanest, lowest, cruelest pirate on board this vessel, for he at least has not deceived me, and ou have. ‘No, sir, I defy you, I scorn you, I hate you, and now that you know my opinion of you, and just how I feel toward you, perhaps you will tell me what will be your next cowardly move to- ward me?” Carl Casandra was as white as a ghost, and his tenth fairly chattered as though he had a chill. He was almost frenzied with rage, and yet he controlled himself wonderfully well. He loved the girl, as one such as he could love, and he intended to make her his wife, hoping that she would forgive and forget all. But he was determined to show her that he was master on his own vessel, and so he said: ‘‘Kate, I love you more than all else on earth, and when you arrive in New York, I wish you to become my wife. _ ‘Tf you will live with me’then, go with me —=~--— ° * tiie ; ay com = « Pf 4 T cbooks.co -~ =e 2 we Tt as ss bel \y ~ sy, 9 - Yity ; Mm. 3 > sm 4