Beadle's Dime Library No. 103 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

oC O:—CO—SC Fe man,” and Merle pointed toward the young Mexican who had taken the cards from the sleeve of the Monte Prince. ‘* Three thousand pesos.” ‘Is that correct, senor?’ ‘* It is,” answered the young Mexican. ‘* Do me the kindness to take the amount from that pile on the table.” : ‘*Good God!” and the Monte Prince ke in English, but instantly correcting himself, while his face flushed, as he saw Merle smile, he con- tinued in Spanish: ‘‘Do you mean to restore my winnings to these men here?” és Yes.” ‘* lt will take half I have.” ‘* | just won all you had; you are a beggar.” ‘* | will bleed to death in the meantime.” ‘*No; but if you do you will be noloss. Now you, senor?’ and Merle motioned to another loser, in his playing with the Monte Prince. The sum won from him was counted out, and thus if went on until all present had received back their losses. Then Merle took up his anchor and necklace, replaced the ring on his finger, and put his win- nings in his pocket. ‘* Now go!” Quickly he drew the xeen blade from the trembling hand on the table, and pointed to- ward the door. With a malediction upon his white lips, and a deadly glare in his eyes, the Monte Prince arose from the table and left the hall, ‘* Watch him, senor; he means you mischief,” cried a dozen voices. ‘Ido not fear him, senores. Now I am at the service of Major Vistal Guarena,” and Merle glanced over the room. But the Mexican officer was nowhere visible: he had gone out just before the Monte Prince. With a bow to those assembled Merle left the hall, and was soon in his rooms at the hotel. With a strange look upon his face, he began to pace to and fro, evidently inwardly excited though-outwardly calm. After a while his thoughts found vent in words, low and earnest: ‘* How strange that I should have crossed his pa and stranger, that I should have remem- ared his face. ‘* Had I not met him, I never should have re- called that fearful night from the past, for it seemed buried, not even to be exhumed when I read my poor father’s letter. ‘‘l was but six years old then, yet I am con- fident he knew me, as I did him; I saw that he remembered me when I staked the anchor and necklace, ‘*Thanks to my wonderful expertness at cards, I was enabled to revenge myself upon him, and show him to all as a cheat, while he will bear my mark to his grave. ‘* Were it other than his money I would not take it, for I have as much gold as I care for— and that Mexican officer is either in league with him, or is in his power from some cause. Come in!” he called out, as a knock came at the door of his room. A man entered that was a stranger—a man of gentlemanly address clad in undress uniform. ‘‘ Pardon, senor; the Senor Don Merlino, I be- lieve?” ‘*T am, senor; how can I serve you?” ‘‘{ come from my friend, Major Vistal Gua- rena. ‘‘ Ah! a challenge, I presume?” ‘Yes, senor; he begs that you meet him for the insult cast in his teeth.” ‘‘ With pleasure, senor; I caught Major Gua- rena in evil gag, and was not very choice in my language. hen does he desire the meeting?” “If you would suggest your friend—” ‘*T have no friend in Vera Cruz whom I would ask to actfor me. I will come alone.” ‘‘ Ah?’ and the Mexican raised his eyebrows in surprise. ‘‘ T hope it will not inconvenience you, senor, to postpone the meeting for two weeks. The major is called at once to the capital and will be absent that length of time.” “Very well, 1 am myself going away to-mor- row, but I will return as soon as ible, and will let the Major Guarena know of my arrival. Adios, senor.” The Mexican left the room muttering: ‘¢ A mere boy, yet one who knows what he is about, judging by what Vistal told me of him, ‘My advice, my dear friend Guarena, will be to let him alone, or he may serve you worse than he did the Monte Prince.” So saying, the Mexican betook himself to his quarters, while Merle threw himself upon his bed, and slept until Boots came to awaken him and say that the New Orleans packet would sail within the bour. When it did sail Merle was a passenger on board, CHAPTER XXIX. THE MONTE PRINCE, Wren the Monte Prince left the gambling- hall he was joined outside the door by Vistal Guarena, and the two walked rapidly along to- Merle, The Mutineer. gener until they came to the quarters of the nor Cosala, ‘* Pedro, you imp of Satan, run and fetch me a surgeon—that American doctor who has set- tled here,’ cried Don Felipe, savagely, as he en- tered his luxurious quarters; and he gave the Mexican servant a slap in the face with his bleeding hand. Pedro uttered a yell of terror, for he had just been awakened from a sound sleep, in which he had been having a bad dream—not that he was afraid of a little blood: oh, no, he had often seen blood on the Monte Prince before, but it was from the veins of other people: the gambler was considered invulnerable, and a number had fallen before his deadly aim and cool hand. ‘‘Tam the imp of Satan for I serve you, Don Felipe!” said Pedro, as he bounded away; but it was in a voice his master did not hear, While awaiting the coming of Dr. Henry Rathbun, formerly a surgeon in the United States navy, and who had settled in Vera Cruz, neither Don Felipe nor Major Guarena spoke a word. The former paced the floor with angry strides, holding the wrist of his wounded hand in a vise-like grasp; the latter threw himself into an easy-chair. They had not long to wait, for Pedroreturned, accompanied by a man whose appearance at once denoted his American origin. There was nothing striking about him—a plain-looking man who had taken a fancy to live in Vera Cruz, ‘‘Well, senor, who have you for my services now?’ he asked, pleasantly. ; ‘* Myself,” and the Monte Prince smiled grim- y: “You? Why, I thought you were like Achil- les, invulnerable?” ‘* Like Achilles I have a vulnerable spot, yet it is not my heel, but my hand,” and he held forth the wounded member.” ‘‘ By Esculapius! this was a bad drive; had it been at your heart it would have gone clean through.” ‘It went clean through pest hand, as you see, and two inches into the wooden table; the man that drove it had anironarm.” — ‘True; but I can soon fix you up; you will have to keep oo for a while—wear your arm in a sling, and it will give you an interesting look, as you have lost a great deal of blood. There, now, how does that feel?’ and Dr. Rath- bun completed his work. ‘* Curse the pain; I don’t mind that; it is the being beaten at one’s own game. I caughta Tartar, captain.” ‘*1 expected you would; luck will change, and I have felt that the sword of Damocles was hanging over you, Don Felipe, upheld by a single hair. Who was the man who did it?” ‘‘A ranchero from Corpus Christi, he calls himself.” ** Ah! ser 38 a bad lot up there. When will he be buried?” ‘* He is not dead,” ‘*Not dead! you astonish me, senor; a man wound you that way and still alive?’ and the doctor elevated his voice and eyebrows together. “Yes, he won all my money, caught me fin- ering a secret pack of cards, pinned my hand own to the table, and told me to go! Strange, wasn’t it?’ ‘* Marvelous; but now I must gO; will drop in after breakfast to see you again,” and the doctor departed, passing another person at the door just coming in. ** Well, senores, you sent for me, I believe?” he said, gayly. ‘Yes, Juarez, J wanted you. I wish you to carry a challenge for me,” said Major Guarena, addressing the new,comer, who was Real Juarez, a Lieutenant of Cavalry, and the boon com- mp of his brother officer and the Monte ce ‘* Assuredly; and to whom?” “To Don Leon Merlino, a ranchero from “ovgee Christi, and at the Plaza Hotel.” ‘Hold on! Don’t be in too great a hurry, for my hand will be in a bad way for some days. Tell him, Real, that Major Guarena has to go at once to the city of Mexico on official es a — ng ys two weeks, and w en meet him for his insulting lan e,” said the Monte Prince. : eh “St senores; what weapons?” asked Real Juarez, in the same gay tones he had first used. ‘* Not knives, certainly, You area dead-shot, Guarena?”? ‘Yes, and if I mistake not*his eye, he, too, is one who never fails.” ‘* You excel as a swordsman?” cc Yes.” ‘Then Juarez must work round to get those weapons, although he will of course have the choice, Get what time you can, and say the place will be appointed when the major returns, and drop in in the morning, Juarez, and let us know the result—say about twelve o’clock; the major will remain with me to-night.” he Monte Prince seemed to govern the whole air; his influence over his companions was certainly great, and the young lieutenant dash- ed off a goblet of aguardiente and went on his mission, as the reader has seen. For some moments after his departure no 23 word was spoken, and then Don Felipe said gruffly: ‘*To bed with you, Pedro!” The Mexican quietly obeyed, and, as he left, Vistal Guarena burst into a rude laugh. ‘‘In the Fiend’s name, what ails you?” and the Monte Prince turned savagely upon him. “Tl was anghing at you, and myself, too.” “I confess I do not see the joke.” ‘‘It is very plain—the stool-pigeon and the huntsman both caught.” ‘‘Meaning you for the stool-pigeon, and me for the huntsman?” sneered the gambler. ‘Of course! I cultivated the pleasant stran- ger at your suggestion, led him into the net, and both of us caught a Tartar—you are cursing now inwardly, and gritting your teeth in pain, and I am dreading a funeral, with myself in the leading vehicle, for that man will kill me if | ever meet him.” ‘*Of course he will: swordsman and shot that Il am, I would not dare face him; he has the nerve of his father.” ‘“* His father?” ‘Yes, his father.” ‘‘ What know you of his father?’ **Much; he is the son of Freelance, the Buc- caneer.”’ ‘* Impossible!” ‘“No more impossible than your being my son,” sneered the Monte Prince. ‘‘Hush! not so loud, please, for 1 am not roud of the relationship,” said the major, in usky tones. ‘*No more am I[; but what you are, boy, you owe to me.” ‘* My being a villain, granted.” ‘Bah! all men are villains, if you only find them out; the creed of this world is that there is not so much harm in doing wrong, as being caught at it.” 10 it seems; you were caught at it were you not! ““Have a care, Vistal Guarena, and don’t anger me; blood is thicker than water, yet it flows easily,” threateningly said the Monte Prince. “So I observed, to-night. I really thought you had no blood in you, but I see I was mis- taken, and it is red, too, like a Christian’s.” The Monte Prince made a step toward him, his hand in his bosom on a knife-hilt; but he “Tae with a smile on his face. ‘**Bah! I am a fool to get angry with you; you are useful to me.” ‘True, I have been made so from the fear that the world might know you were my fa- ther!” ‘* This is useless talk.” ‘“*So I perceive; tell me about theson and heir of that other t man, Freelance, the Bucca- neer; I never before suspected you knew him.” “Yes, I served upon his vessel for years un- der him; hast heard of Red Manuel, Freelance’s lieutenant?” ‘* Yes; I have heard he was such a devil that even Freelance sentenced him to be hung at the yard-arm for his cruelties.” ‘*'You have heard aright, boy; he Had a pas- sion for shedding blood, and he hasn’t yet got- ten over it. Jam Red Manuel.” ‘You! Santissima Maria! You lie!” The Monte Prince smiled pleasantly, and turn- ing to the table dashed a glass of fiery liquor down his throat. ‘** No, I tell the truth.” ‘‘Hush! Pedro may hear you.” Don Felipe quickly crossed the room, opened a door and strode into another apartment. There lay Pedro fast asleep; he had curiosity, as has every servant, but he had discretion with it, and preferred sleep to eavesdropping, where Don Fe ipe was his master. ‘* How slender a thread life hangs on, my son. Had Pedro been there listening, te ma now be dead,” and a devilish gleam was in the speak- er’s eyes. Major Guarena shuddered in spite of himself, and said, agate ‘*Did you tell me the truth, padre mine?” “] did: a name was Manuel Guarena, as you know; when I went to buccaneering I left the latter name to you, and became, as soon as I distinguished myself, Red Manuel. It was only to please you, my son, that I became Don Felipe Cosala.” ‘‘T knew you to be a gambler, one who had neither honor nor mercy, and that the mysteri- ous death of a traveler, who had stopped at our home, had caused you to leave the country; it was even whispered that you had taken with you the dead man’s gold, yet I never believed you so vile as to be Red Manuel.” ‘“‘No slurs, boy; if I had not left that little home in Florida, you would not now be the Mexican, Major Vistal Guarena. No, you would now be a poor farmer, and perhaps married to some tow-headed country girl. ‘‘ But my—departure we will call it, for flight does not sound dignified—my departure from home brought success with it, and in your tenth year I was enabled to bring you to Mexico, to be reared in a respectable family, and my secret influence made you an officer in the Mexican army, where you hold great power as the adju- tant of that stone pile of misery, the Castle San (EONNMUCE| OOO SS