Beadle's Dime Library No. 103 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

re Merle, The Mutineer. ing of our talk, and return on board your ves- sel.” ‘* Yas, missy.” ' ‘“Have the cable ready to slip, and the sails — - —_ $$ — - ——— of the brave men who are my fellow-prisoners here to die.” Both Rena and the monk saw that Merle was determined, and they turned sadly away. CHAPTER XXIV. A WOMAN’S PLOT. As if wholly out of patience with Merle’s re- fusal to fly from his fate, Rena De Silva and the monk turned from the cell; but outside in the passageway they halted, and held a conversa- tion in a low tone, and in the Italian tongue, fearing some eavesdropper might be near, for Spanish walls are certainly blessed with ears. ‘* All of them true to your young master?’ ‘Tt is the only chance to save him, anda des-| ‘De niggers is, missy; guess de mate would perate one; we will see what we can do,” said | be, too.” Rena, and turning to the prisoner, she con- ‘“Very well, here is a little present for you. tinued: Remember, be on the watch,” and slipping sev- ‘* Be hopeful, senor; we are still your friends. | eral pieces of gold into Dave’s honest palm, the We will see you again.” _ maiden bade the coachman drive down to the Calling the old jailer, who had been engaged | pier, in front of which lay her father’s vessel. in the delightful employment of counting his Here Rena alighted, signaled a boat, and was gold, the monk ahd the maiden retraced their | rowed on board the cruiser, the padre awaiting way to the guard-room, where they were met | ashore in the volante for her. by the soldier, who guided them back to day-| ‘‘Is my father on board, senor?” she asked of light. the officer who came after her in the boat. ‘* Well, senorita, you saw the mutineer?” ask- ** He is not, senorita.” ed the colonel commandant. “ And the senor, Capitan Angelos?” “Thank you, yes, senor,and I am coming, ‘He is, lady.” again to see him; I do hope the Governor-Gen- ‘‘ Bid him come to me in the cabin, please.” eral will spare his life.” In a few moments the officer sent for, a cap- ‘Tt is worth being a pirate to excite your | tain of marines, entered, and found the maiden sympathy, fair senorita.” _ pacing the cabin nervously; her face was pale, ‘“Always given to pretty speeches, senor | excepting two red spots that burned upon either colonel; by the way, have you orders yet re- Ghost. garding the execution of these men?’ | He was a young man, under thirty, and with ‘** Yes, senorita, [ just received them from the | a tall, elegant form. Palacio—they die to-morrow evening at sunset, | His face was very dark, handsome and full of and the marines of your noble father’s vessel | character. are to be their executioners, in honor of the | A dashing, splendid fellow, was Andrea An- cruiser having captured them.” | gelos, and one who had won his rank by gal- ‘‘ A public execution, senor?’ ntry, for he was a Cuban, and not aS ‘Oh, yes, lady—we dare not cheat the Ha- | and upon that score Captain de Silva had ob- vanese out of the show.” | jected to him as a suitor for his daughter’s hand. ‘Thank you, colonel; be good enough to give As for Rena, she had shown him no more prefer- orders for mine and the padre’s return to the | ence than she had a hundred others, and upon cells of the prisoners, please.” his offering himself, had refused him. 1 will, lady.” ‘“‘ Be seated, Senor Capitan.” ‘* And, senor colonel, dine with my father and “Not while you stand, senorita.” myself, on board ship, on the day after to-mor- Rena threw herself into an easy-chair, and alert to-morrow—nay, all thetime. Is the yacht a fast sailer?”’ with conscious pride to the beautiful vessel. ‘‘How many for a crew have you?” “ Dere’s one nice young white man, Mister Aiuslie, de mate, an’ me, an’ half a dozen nig- ers.” morrow.” the young officer followed her example. ‘* With pleasure, senorita,” said the delizhted ‘¢Senor, you once did me the honor of saying officer. you loved me?” and the maiden’s face now crimsoned. ‘‘T told but the truth, senorita.” ** And now, senor?” The officer seemed surprised ; but he answered: ‘* You area great sailor, senorita; you spend half of your time on the cruiser, though you have the handsomest home in Havana.” ** Yes, Llove blue water, senor commandant. Remember your engagement. Adios,” The volante rolled away, and Rena said: senorita.” ‘I have now all the information desired, and * Will you prove your love for me, Andrea we must work at once on our plan. You say | Angelos? the schooner lies right under the cliff, padre ?” ‘“Ay, lady, that will I,” was the eager re- ‘* Yes, Lobserved it there in my early walk | sponse. this morning; it is most hazardous indeed, yet it is the only chance.” ‘* A desperate one; but any chance is better than none; did you tell the coachman where to drive?” ‘*} did.” In half an hour the vehicle drew up on the shore, and cEpertte a little indenture of the land, where several vessels were at anchor. “That is the vessel 1 referred to, daughter,” and the padre pointed to a ceful schooner- yacht, lying a cable’s length from the shore. ‘It has the American flag, flying—that is in our favor.” ‘“‘T hope so— Ah, my man, do you belong on yonder yacht?” and the monk turned toa ne- | Name it, for I consent.” gro that approached, and who was attiredina | Rena De Silva leaned forward and whispered lue sailor suit and tarpaulin. to the young officer a bold plan she had formed of Merle, the Mutineer. ‘*‘You are honored, I believe, by being select- ed to execute the mutineers, on to-morrow after- noon?” **T am, senorita.” of the city walls, and fronting on the sea?’ “Tt is, lady.” ‘* Now, Andrea ngeice, listen to me, and if you do as Lask you, I promise to become your wife whenever you name the day.” Andrea Angelos sprung to his feet in delighted astonishment. , ‘‘Hear me. If you refuse, swear that will not betray me in anything that I may do.” | “JT swear it, lady; how can I serve you? It was no other than Dave, and a devout | for the esca Catholic—as are many of the colored race on the Gulf shores. He turned and crossed himself | surprised but delighted officer. with one hand, at sight of the monk, while he ‘* And you have promised, Senor Angelos?” saluted Rena politely with the other. “T have, by the sainted Virgin!” By adroit questioning, Rena learned from “Then I shall keep my promise and become Dave what had brought the yacht to Havana, | your wife. Now see me to my boat.” and that Captain Grenville and the ladies were The young officer escorted the maiden to the then in the city at a hotel, awaiting the arrival | waiting barge, and raised his hat as she rowed of the vessels that had been sent in pursuit of | shoreward, a happy look upon his face, as he the mutineers. muttered: To her joy also, Rena learned that Dave was | ‘I would risk ten times as much for her, no- a true friend of Merle, for he bitterly denounced | ble girl that she is!” Wilber Sebastian. | _ Had he heard the muttered words of Rena, as ‘You would do much to serve your young | she left the vessel’g side, he would have been master, then?’ asked Rena, _ even happier: “J risk dis ole head o’ mine, missy, to sabe ‘It is no concession on my part tomarry him, massas, and I would do it to sabe | for I have loved him from the first time we met, massa Merle.” ; and I only refused him because I did not wish to Rena turned to the padre, who did nof speak | be yet bound by an engagement.” English, and interpreted all that had been said, e padre was patiently awaiting her, and entering the vehicle it rolled off again toward the Moro. | and the two conversed together for awhile. Then Rena spoke again to Dave: ‘‘ You say that yacht belongs to your young mite do, missy, fact.” ‘It do, missy, fact. “If he were to board it suddenly, and tell you to ig ohe sea, what would you do?” say he is to be shooted, an’ I jist lef? de hotel time Rena awaited him in the carriage, liste whar am massa, an’ he mighty mad kase de | ing to the complimentary discourse of the colo- Gub’nor-Gin’ral say he won’t wait for de skun- nel-commandant, who spied the De Silva livery ner to come back, but intends to hab massa ' on the coachman and came out. Merle an’ de oder gemmans all shooted.’ ‘‘T have given the poor men what consolation ‘‘ He may, and he may not; but you say noth- I could, daughter.” within. The permit of the Governor-General gained him at once permission to again visit the prison- ready to run up in an instant, and be on the | ‘« Jist look at her, missy,” and Dave pointed | i ' ; | It was the deep voice of the padre behind the commandant, who seemed reluctant that the ee father’s spiritual advice had not continued onger. ‘You saw him?’ was the maiden’s eager question as they drove away. ‘* Yes, and told him our plan.” ‘* Bueno! and the others?” ‘*T visited the cell of each of the condemned, daughter, and they all know what to expect.” ‘*Oh! how I thank you, and I will give to your Order a handsome golden souvenir. I do trust all may go well now.” ‘“‘T hope so, daughter. The hour will be in their favor.” ‘‘Immensely; what strange feeling caused me to beg the Governor-General for a respite until sunset I cannot understand; I wan to gain time, 1 suppose, for I bad no other motive though he suspected me of having. Again let me thank you, and here I will leave you, and | my carriage can drive you back to the monas- tery. Adios.” home in the a niard, | “The maiden left the vehicle at the water’s edge, and the priest was driven to his gloomy es of a monastery. CHAPTER XXYV. THE HAVANESE SURPRISED. IT was toward evening, of the day appointed for the execution of Merle the Mutineer, and his followers, and a perfect stream of eager hu- manity was flowing out of the city toward the place where the outlaws were to die. Two hours before the time appointed, the level, green plateau, overhanging the outer har- bor, was thronged with a curious crowd, who could only have their appetites satiated.by the death of the pirates, for, like the Parisians, the Havanese enjoy a little blood-letting, especially if it tends toward the borrible. A hollow space, a hundred yards square, was _ guarded by lines of soldiery, the sea side being left open, for here were the doomed men to ‘‘Time has but added to my love for you, | ; } ' : | ! stand to meet their death. At length, as the sun’s shadows grew longer and longer, the muffled roll of a drum and shrill notes of a fife were heard. Nearer and nearer it came, and louder and louder the music sounded, pealing forth in a oe. esently the head of the. column came in sight ascending the hill—a squad of cavalr with an officer in brilliant uniform at their head. Then followed the Governor-General, mounted and surrounded by his brilliant and numerous staff, and behind these came a bat- talion of marines marching in hollow square and in their midst were the doomed men. At the head of bis marines was the Senor Cap- itan, Andrea Angelos, a little pale mayhap, but every inch the soldier. Behind there came a number of citizens, on horseback and in carria the aristocracy of the city, for aristocrats love to see executions as well as do the o# polloi. Among these vehicles were two, that may be ‘‘The place of execution is the plateau outside | selected as containing peceteges known to the closed curtains reader, although the hid the oc- cupants from the view of the masses. he first, with the livery of the De Silvas dis- placed for a plain suit, which the coachman wore, contained Rena De Silva—white, nervous, ho ful in her looks, yet dreading. y her side rode her father. He disliked pub- ou | licity at executions, and only attended because he knew the Governor-General would expect it, ' and his daughter had urged it. | sprung from the volante, leaving the maiden crumpled pa ' him, missy! Wish he try me; but dey | er, and he was absent an hour, during which | have : n- | tain Grenville. Behind the De Silva coach came another car- i the curtains closed, e occupants of this vehicle were three in number—a gentleman and two ladies; none “Tf that fails, he is lost,” she said to the now | other than Captain Arthur Grenville, Estelle and Mildred. These three were dreadfully pale, and Mil- dred’s lips quivered with an ish, while she never took her eyes off the tall form walking so bravely in front of his men—the man upon whom every eye was turned, but who seemed almost unconscious of his being the object of general attention. Perfectly calm, with ey step, upright mien, and fearless face, upon which there was a slight glow, walked Merle the Mutineer, win- ning the admiration of all who saw him thus marching to his doom. ; Behind him came his men, forty-six in num- ber, and with a bold front and ead flash of the eyes, for men condemned to die. “ Oaramba ! as coolas icebergs—all of them.” Such was the universal opens floating upon every lip of the dense crow ~ ‘dred, let me see that note again,” and Arthur Grenville, holding forth his hand, as the Driving through the gateway the padre | plateau of execution came in view, received a r, which Mildred had crushed in her tightly clenched fist. “Tt certainly reads in such a way as to give us hope; had I not thought so, I should never gged you and lle hither, said Cap- ‘Read it again, please,” asked Mildred, faint- ly. "Opening again the paper he read aloud: “Would the Americanos, who hold a deep interest in him that is called Merle the Mutineer, witness a Eboo ecoim “Ss (E()