Beadle's Dime Library No. 103 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

14 ——— ——————— that you are married, Estelle, I will be no lon- ger needed at the Lodge: but it beats my time, when girls run after young men, as they do nowadays,” and Mrs. Dabney bridled up con- siderably. “You will doubtless be benefited by the change, Mrs. Dabney —this far Southern climate does not seem to agree with you at all; you look fully ten years older than you did when you came, and the yellow fever is—” ‘Captain Grenville, when does the first packet sail for the north, sir?’ interrupted Mrs. Dab- ney as'soon as Mildred spoke of her age, and referred to the yellow fever. ‘To-day, madam.” “T will take it, you can send me my baggage when you return to your home.” Arthur Grenville bowed politely, and said: ‘‘ Now, Miss Mildred, if you will drive Es- telle and Mrs. Dabney to the hotel, and after you have made your preparations, will join them there, I will get the yacht’s stores, and we will be in readiness to start as soon as pos- sible.” Mildred quickly threw open the carriage door, and the captain aided the ladies into the vehicle, which was at once rolled away toward the Hotel Saint Louis. Two hours after, Arthur Grenville arrived, and found the three awaiting him—Mrs. Dab- ney anxious to go at once on board the packet for Baltimore, and Mildred and Estelle equally as anxious to be off on the yacht. Entering the carriage in waiting, and which was Mildred’s own vehicle, they drove away, dropping Mrs. Dabney en route at the packet, and wishing her bon voyage, a wish she took erufily, for she had hoped to rule at Darring- ton Lodge, and had expected Hstelle to go to her husband’s home. ‘* Now, Hannibal, drive with all speed out to Lake Borgue—don’t spare the horses; do you hear?” ‘Yes, Missy Mildred, I make dem go like scared rabbits, *kase dey hain’t had much to do o late,” replied Hannibal, evidently forgetting, that every night since Mildred’s departure for Mobile, ten days before, he had been giving his black Dinah a drive out into the country behind the stylish grays. But they swiftly along the level road to the lake, and in good time arrived in sight of the graceful little yacht. Boats were already busy carrying stores from two wagons out to the vessel, and half an hour after the anchor was up, the sails spread, and the yacht moved swiftly over the waters, gild- ed by the light of the setting sun. A thorough seaman, Captain Grenville at once laid his course, so as to gain every league he could, and, with a young man, whom he had engaged in New Orleans to act as bis first mate, and Dave acting in the capacity of second mate, the yacht was well officered, while, for a crew, it had half adozen slaves from Grenville Grange, all of them raised on the water and good sailors. Still, swiftas glided the yacht over the waves it seemed to go slow by far to suit Mildred Monteith, who paced the deck with nervous tread, as though some great trouble rested upon her heart. Though not appearing to, Captain Grenville watched her closely, for he felt that she held some good reason for her present strange course that in good time she would make known, an her apparent nervousness caused him to dread gw evil. Estelle also watched Mildred closely; from the first she had been opposed to this foolish be yet she dare not say so, for she saw that Mildred was determined, and also could see that she was, though polite and attentive to her, yet acting so from policy. She did not like the turn affairs had taken, and wished the suspense over. ‘“What can cause her to act so, I wonder? Has that foolish brother of mine been showing his dislike to Merle openly, and caused her to suspect harm may befall her lover, if he sails with him? It may be, for Wilber is fearfully indiscreet at times, and I do hope will not act rasbly. * it the youth does not return, if aught should befall him, and I judge it will, from what Wi'- ber said, I hope my brother will have the good sense to keep his skirts clear of suspicion. ‘Tf he does not; if Mildred should ever sus- pect that he had wronged Merle, then he need never expect to win her, ‘No, no, I know her too well; quiet as she is, amiable to a fault, she is a Creole, and revenge- ful; and determined, too, as a blind man could see, by her erp in this foolish whim, ‘*T am certain, if Arthur had not offered the yacht, that she would have chartered a vessel at an ce. ‘‘ How swiftly we run! I fear we will head the schooner off; but I hope not, it ponies ‘‘Tf we do, I trust we will find all well, for I know she suspects Wilber.” Then raising her voice from her musings, Es- telle said: ‘‘ Mildred, see how swiftly we fly along!” ‘‘Ply? why we are crawling, it seems to me, Merle bas always told me that this craft was very tast—I confess that he must be fearfully ~~ -- — oe _ Merle, The Mutineer. : —— nn prejudiced in favor of it because it belongsto| Hardly did it appear in the light of day, be- him,” and Mildred spoke really pettishly, and caused Captain Grenville, who held the helm, to look at her with surprise. fore Mildred snatched it from his hand, glanced | over its contents rapidly, ordered the carriage ‘* That girl has some deep motive in all this— | what itis, I cannot fathoni; but I will aid her | allin my power,” he muttered, and then gave | the order to trim the sails closer. get all we can out of ber on this tack, Mr. Ains- lie,” he said, calmly, addressing Merton Ainslie, the young mate he bad engaged in New Orleans. ‘We must | ‘‘ Ay, ay, sir; she certainly has her bowsprit | pointed now right into the wind’s eye,” replied the young sailor, casting an admiring glance at Mildred, as she passed him in her steady pacing to and fro. se CHAPTER XVIIL A PLOT FOR RUIN. Untit a late hour Mildred paced the deck, and then retiring to the snug little state-room assigned to her use, she awakened her maid, the cabin floor, and bade her bring her a light. The light was brought, and seating herself by the little dressing-stand, Mildred took from her bosom two letters. They were both addressed to her—that is to. ‘Mis MILDRUD MUNTEETH, ** Number 100 Guvermint Streat, ee | | | and drove to the river, to arrive, as the reader has seen, too late to catch the schooner. This is the second letter received from Jack Buntline, and which Mildred read over again, by the light in her little state-room on the yacht: ** SKUNNER-UV-WAR SeE SARPINT, | * Wensday mornin’. | ‘**Mis Mitprup MUuUNTEETH: ‘“T regrets as how you has not bin able to git hear before the sailin uv ther skunner, which is to sale at onst, so as to git Mister Greenvill ter see before you cum back, “T tole you as how I wud make nown to you that there was trubbel ahead fur yer lover, kase I heard with my own ears that he was not to be aloud to return to the buzom of your family, the same as how he was not wanted to be youre lover, bein as how he hed cut ther cable ov Captin Seebastins affec- shuns fur you. ‘**We sales from hear to Havany, an a letter mout who had accompanied her, and was asleep upon | reach him thar callin him away from the skunner, fur ef he stays on board sumthin mout happen to him, an ! guesses as how it will, kase he has got en- emys aboard, and its mighty easy to loos a man ina storm, or ef we git inter a skrimmage with bloody pee to shoot him in ther back, or stick him with a yetalien stilletter, the same as Mexikin seeyor- reeters uses when they is jellous. ‘“*T rights this in a hurry, as the skunner sales in 2 hours, an I will leave it fur you with yer nigger ‘* Mobeel, Alabamer.”’ | Butler, an ef he aint perlite ter me arter ther five The handwriting was not of the best, and the spelling would have kept the writer at the foot of his class in school. Sk om one of the letters, and the seal of which had been broken before, Mildred read: “ Mis Mitprup MUNTEETH. ** DEER Mis. “T kalled at yer home ter see you partickuler, an as yer nig- er Butler says as how you is at Mobee)} an wont ee back fur 10 Days, i makes bold ter right ter you, Mis,bein as how ther nigger gin me yer derecshun arter I hed gin him a cussin & five Dollars. ‘*T guesses as how the last did ther biz. ‘*Now, Mis, iright ter you ter say as lis a frend of — & ther yung man as is ter Mister Mun- teeth: no, Mis, I dont mene that, but ther yung man as is ter make you Mis Greenvill. “He saved m davy Jones locker & I dont forget a frend & bein as how he is not hear, an is goin to sail in ther skun- ner with Captin Wilber Seebastin, I rights to you to come right home and run acrost his bows, cause hees hedin fur breakers, ‘*Ef I cud see yer, Mis, I cud tell you more, an ef you dont git here in time i will right you agin tellin you all about it, & i will try & se Mister Greenvill & tell him he is a among sharks.’ *] sails in the skunner to, & will look arter him all I kin. **No moar at present, Mis, from ** Yours trooly ** JACK BUNTLINE ‘* At yer sarvice, Mis.” This peculiarly written letter was what caused Mildred Monteith, immediately upon its recep- tion, to start back to New Orleans, under the care of a friend who was returning, while her guardian remained to complete the business that had carried them to Mobile. It was a letter that told of danger to Merle, and that was sufficient. At an early hour of the morning, when the aristocratic Creoles were turning over for their sweetest nap, she returned to her home, where she lived alone with the servants. Her negro butler, the one to whom Jack Bunt- line had given ‘‘a cussin’ and five dollars,” met her at the door. ‘‘Welcome back, Missy Mildred,” he said, with a grin of delight. ‘Daniel, a man came here to see me some days ago, and yougave him my address in Mo- bile?” cried Mildred, as soon as she had entered the mansion. , “Fore de Lor’ God I didn’t, missy,” exclaim- ed the pious Daniel, with a ready lie, thinking, like his old-time namesake, he had gotten him- self, figuratively speaking, into the ‘‘lion’s den. ‘* And you saw no man, who came here ask- ing to see me on particular business?” ‘No, missy; dat sailor-man done tole youa lie,” and the whites of Daniel’s eyes went up piously, while he muttered, sotto voce ; “T goin’ ter fro de letter I bas inter de fire.” ‘“‘Tam sorry, Daniel,” said Mildred, not no- ticing, in her anxiety, that Daniel bad betrayed himself by speaking of ‘‘a sailor-man.” ‘‘Iam very sorry, Daniel, for I had hoped he had ealled again, or left a letter with you for me; it must have been Hannibal he saw.” ‘“Oh, Missy Mildred,” and Daniel’s eyes brightened, ‘* I understan’s you now; you axes me ef dere was a man called to see you, an’ I says no; but dere was a gemman as come, a sailor gemman, an’ he axes me for your address in Mobile; he didn’t see Han’bal ’tall, missy, an’ 1 gives him your derection, ‘cause he was so perlite, an’ he gi’n me a—” dime, Daniel was going to say; but he remembered in time that a gentleman would not be so mean, and he twisted the word on his tongue into ‘‘ dollar.” ‘* Well, has he been back again?” ‘* Yes, missy, not half a hour ago, an’ he gi’n me this letter for you,” and Daniel dove into the recesses of an inner pocket for the epistle. ife twice, when i was Bound for , | dread. dred | | | Dollars I gin him I will punch his hed. ‘**No moar uow, Mis, an iwill keep my i on ther yung Luff. *Excoos writin an spellin as my quill pen is yery bad, an I guesses as how ther ole goose was on- helthy, kase it wont right ter soot, ** Yours Wg ** Jack BUNTLINE, “At yer sarvice, Mis. ‘** P. 8.—Ther Luff is now on board but i cant git a chance ter speak to him. ‘*P, 8. 2.—Doant ever tell as how you herd from me, or i will be a gone koon sartin, ~~ oC ‘‘A noble heart under a rough exterior the oor fellow has, and I will reward him for what e has done, when we overhaul the schooner— and overhaul it we must,” said Mildred, firmly. ‘*Oh! that we could but make this vessel fly for I shall not rest until I have seen Merle,” and the unhappy girl threw herself Gown in the lit- tle berth; but with the first glimmer of dawn she was upon deck again, and every time that Dave’s voice rung out, at sight of a sail, she turned alternately red and pale with hope and ‘Sail ho! massa.” ‘* Where-away, Dave?” asked Captain Gren- ville, cheerily, for the yatch was now in the path of the schooner. ‘* She comin’ wid the wind, sah—jist yander,” replied the faithful negro. ‘Ay, ay, and ’tis a schooner,” cried Captain Grenville, turning his glass upon the stranger. Nearer and nearer came the strange vessel, until if was soon discovered not to be the object of their search. ‘‘He must have out of the river by this time; we will doubtless have to follow him to Havana, Miss Mildred.” ‘* Follow him anywhere, everywhere! so that we overtake him,” yehemently replied Mil- ‘‘ There’s a sail coming in, sir; perhaps if we hail, we may find out if the schooner has been seen by them,” said Merton Ainslie, ‘A good idea, Ainslie. Dave, head so as to near yonder vessel,” called out Captain mendes to the nenpemaD. hn an hour’s time the stranger, a brig flyin Spanisb colors, passed near. geome Olo la brigantina,” hailed Captain Gren- ville, in Spanish. *‘ Ay, ay, senor!” came the answer. ‘* Have you seen an armed schooner, Ameri- can, heading for Havana?’ : ‘* Passed her at dawn this morning, senor; she carried a white flag at the fore, with a queen sea-serpent upon it. ‘Thank you, senor; it is the schooner we seek,” and turning to Mildred, who had breath- wry te to the reply, he continued: ‘** Well, Miss Mildred, it’s a stern chase to Ha- vana, . Ainslie, let all sail be crowded upon the yacht.” Under her increased canvas the fleet vessel sped on, and all believed she would drop anchor in the harbor of Havana very soon after the schooner. But with night the wind set in to blow a gale, right in their teeth, and the following duy was rough and squally, while a severe storm came on with the night which forced Captain Gren- ville to run before it far off his course, Verily the elements, seemed enrolled against the stanch little vessel. At length land was sighted—the green shores ot the ‘Ever Faithful Isle,” and at the same time a sail was discoverec slowly standing along the coast. ‘Tt is the schooner, thank Neptune!” exclaim- ed Captain Grenville. ‘Where can she be coming from, sir?’ asked Ainslie, ‘Doubtless blown off her course as were we; she certainly takes it leisurely, for see they have Gomicvooks