Beadle's Dime Library No. 103 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

Merle, The Mutineer. 29 In five minutes he was alongside a small vessel, on the deck of which he the next instant stood. ‘* Hulloa! who have we here?” cried a voice, and a man stepped from the cabin. ‘““Ah) Ainslie, I am glad to have found you. I feared you, like all others in the city, had gone car- nival-mad, and would be away. Are you alone?” ‘Tam, sir, excepting an old shipmate who came aboard to keep me company with a bottle of wine and cigar; but you are unknown to me,” and Mer- ton Aimslie gazed earnestly into the face before him, for Merle had resumed his disguise of an old man. ““Ah! I forgot; Iam he whom men call Merle, the Mutineer, deserter, pirate, or whatsoe’er you will,”’ said the youth, bitterly. “Mr. Grenville! Iam indeed glad to see you! I knew not you were in New Orleans, and your dis- guise is most complete.” ‘* Yes, I came here upon important business, and I must leave to-night for Vera Gren: and in the yacht; but I will return hither after ashort delay in Will you accompany me there?’’ ** With pleasure, sir; but—’”’ ‘“*I know what you would say—Captain Grenville left pou in charge of the yacht; but the vessel, Mr. Ainslie, = may own, and not an hour ago I left Cap- tain Grenville and his party atthe Salon Sainte Louis, where I made known to Miss Monteith my intention of going to Vera Cruz, and she it was that told me I would find you here,”’ ‘I have nothing to say, sir; the yacht, I know, is yours; but there is no crew.” “That is a secondary matter, for you can easily procure one, and at once. Is the vessel stored?” ‘* Not for more than two days’ cruise.” ‘Here is gold. You have a companion with you, you say?” vee, oe. ** Yes, sir; and out of a berth.” ** He shall have one; I will make you my first luff, your friend my second; call him, please.” In answer to the call of Merton Ainslie, a young man stepped on deck, and, by the light of the cabin that fell upon him, Merle saw a good-looking face, marked by recklessness and eens and a com- pact form, under the medium hight. This was Merton Ainslie’s shipmate, Louis Chande- leur by name, and a Louisiana Creole, who, with his companion, had been a midshipman in the na from which the two had been dismissed for some escapade. dince his dismissal Louis Chandeleur had gone steadily down hill, until he had lately served before the mast in a coaster; but, made of bette® mate Merton Ainslie had been endeavoring to hold his h up among his peers as a gentleman, for he came of a good family, yet poor one. ‘Mr. Chandeleur, I intend sailing in the yacht to- ht, and I wish agrew. I will make you my second oO i Ainslie being my first; will you sail with me ‘9 ‘* Yes, sir,’ promptly answered the young man, > = ag no questions as to destination or anything else, ‘ exico. oe a0 you secure me a crew of ten men within the ur?” “Yes, sir; b ving them extra and some gold in hand,’ cigar —% _ Here is gold; I want only good men.” I will get you men who will be saints or devils as you desire, sir,” and the young man smiled. ‘Enough; return here within the hour with them, or as soon after as you can. Now, Ainslie, how long will it take you to get stores?” ‘I know a merchant who lives near here, sir; his store is yonder on the levee. I will rouse him, and gold will soon bring him to terms.” “Very well; I will write some letters, and meet oe My the pier within an hour, with the yacht’s “You and Chandeleur go ashore in m skiff,”’ and going into the cabin Merle sat down at a rosewood esk and for mg Lae hour was busy writing to those of the mutineer trew whom he wished to meet him ay Ngenore upon ne poner bot e also wro ptain Grenville a short note tell- ing him he had taken the yacht, but would be back in the city before very long, In the meantime the two friends rowed away from the vessel to the pier, Louis Chandeleur asking: ‘*Who is the old cove, Mert? He talks as though he Sos came rae ‘ **He does, Lou, an fore the vo is ended he td know who he is; now, I can ‘ell. you noth- ‘Don’t care, Mert; ar’n’t inquisitive in the least. “His gold has the ring of true metal, and he is lavish with it, for I’ve got enough to drown me if I tumble overboard; must be careful.” ‘You must be careful, Lou, not to tumble into a ries now that you have money. If you come back nk the captain would set you ashore,” ‘*Don’t doubt it, Mert; will take care of that. “I’m going to Palpito’s cabaret, and I can get there a crew of Frenchmen, Spaniards, Americans and West India niggers—if the captain wants 'em to up-anchor, furl top-sails and the like, all he’s got to do is to damn ’em and they'll do it, for they know gust, be to do when they get cursed from the quar- r ec . ‘“*] found this out in my last cruise to Honduras; such a crew saves much t g, and a few onzas to the padre will save his soul as far as the swearing 0es. BE “ Nothing like it when you want anything done, e > | Ww hich, Lou, the swearing or the onzas?” ‘** Both; what cursing won't do, gold will. PO ust to meg Ropnbernen oo Iwas a pauvre é, a glass o eau you; my - tations noth “ m worldly ssessions m cloth- ing which is slightly ‘ tattered and torn,’ as daylight show—oh! what a dresser-up of the is darkness, Mert—”’ m PaBENS: * Always joking, Lou.” ‘*T find a man lives longer on jokes than groans, Mert; a joke sounds better on an empty stomach, and a laugh staves off for an hour the gs of hun- ger; with pene. a crumb here, a bone there, a h, a joke, and some philosophy a, man can starve and not die outright. “But you changed the golden current of my thoughts, amigo ; I was saying that I was no longer a meserable, but with gold in my lockers, hope in my heart, and the prospect of a lon voyage. ‘*But, here is the pier; in an hour, or soon after, I will be here with <A mixed breed of seamen,”’ and bounding ashore the gay young profligate darted away upon his mission. In the time specified Merle was at the wharf with the yaeht’s two boats, and, shortly after, Merton si e appeared, accompanied by a dray well load- The load was cast off and the driver sent back for a second load, just as Louis Chandeleur returned with his crew. Whatever might be said of the dissimilarity of the dozen men he brought with him, as regarded their peseane appearance, they were all strangely alike n one particular—drunk |! But Louis had kept his word, and was sober, and commenced the practice of his advice to Merton Ainslie, by cursing the men into the boats, when Merle’s stern tones soon brought order out of chaos, and had all on board the yacht, which, just as the gray of dawn apneete over the distant house-tops, elided swiftly down the river, a five-knot breeze send- ng her merrily along, and her sails well set in spite of the drunken crew; but, however intoxicated a true seaman may be, he can generally attend to Bef When the yacht was out in the Gulf the pline on board was perfect, for, notwithstanding his fail- ings, Louis Chandeleur was as good a sailor as was Merton Ainslie, and that was saying no little in his favor, while asa commander, young as he was, Merle few superiors. As if to favor this waif of fortune, the winds blew steadily and strong, and the yacht was kept under all the canvas that she could , and run into the harbor of Vera Cruz in what, in those days, before saan ers plied the ocean, was a remarkably short ime. And still she could have made port a few hours sooner, had not Merle pepoeey, shortened sail to make an anchorage after nightfall. sf . Ainslie, £ would like to see you, sir, in the ca n.”’ The yacht was now anchored before the city, and Merton Ainslie followed Merle into the cabin. ~ Mr. ore think I can trust you, sir.” y; ad “I came back to Vera Cruz for a special purpose, and though I make known the circumstance to you, I wish it, under no circumstances, to be known to others; do you understand?” “Perfectly, Mr. Grenville.” ‘Very well; I have an affair of honor to settle here with Major Vistal Guarena, of the Castle San Juan de Uloa. It will bea prrene matter, for, when I accepted his challenge, I did not expect to have ou with me in Vera Cruz at the time be fought, ‘I expect the meeti day; if not, very soon hotel to remain. “If Iam not back on the yacht one week from to- morrow, or you have not heard from me, I will be dead, and I wish you to return to New Orleans and report to Captain Grenville. ‘In the inner drawer of this desk you will finda package addressed to Miss Mildred Monteith, and to erl wish you to deliver it in person, for it is of the greatest value, and the papers of the utmost im- rg nes they are all in this little box and here is e key.”’ “IT hope Iwill have no use for the key, sir, for I trust uyo will come out all right,” said Merton Ainslie, w ‘ “I expect to, Ainslie, for, without vanity, I may say I have a quick and sure eye with a pistol, and a strong arm and a skillful hand with a sword. ‘“*I have no dread whatever of meeting a foe with either weapon; but then, accidents will sometimes happen, and ‘tis best to be prepared, and I repeat, if, by to-morrow week, I am not here, or you have ns psa from me, return to New Orleans in the yac “Here is plenty of gold for your expenses, and to pay off the men, besides a good bonus for you and andeleur. Now, call one of the boats to the gang- wey to put me on shore.”’ erton Ainslie obeyed the order, and wrung his ors hand, as he went over the side, in fare- e In half an hour more Don Leon Merlino, Ranchero, from Corpus Christi, was on the hotel books, and that personage, divested of his disguise, was en- joying a substantial dinner, after having dispatched & messenger to Major Vistal Guarena to inform him that, true to his word, he had come back to Vera Cruz for the honor of meeting him in the duelo ; nor was that the only motive that carried him back to Mexico—he ho to learn from the lips of Don Felipe Cosala, the Monte Prince, why he had shown such hatred toward him, when a mere boy, as to slay he ma who were his protectors, and carry him from ome. Merle had determined to hold the Monte Prince an- Swerable for the past. e duel was will be to-morrow, or next r, and I am going to the CHAPTER XXXVII. FALSE! ‘““My God! was man ever tempted th a et > man og 3 resist pr ei saat e cry, for a t was, f ene: ry 7 cry came from the lips of He was seated in the cabin of the yacht, the com- 4G ot A eh pose _ 9 open box. is he Ss n ands, an - e e vessel was gliding swiftly along, havin pumped the sunny land of Mexico Ae = tem Then, when the pores turrets of the San Juan de Uloa were no longer visible, Merton Ainslie had left the deck in charge of Louis Chandeleur and gone into Senin ben hie sing quic rom seat, he to pace to and fro, walk extending nec but steps; but he cared not for that. ¥ ole “ “I more than did what he asked,’ he muttered; I waited ten pe be instead of one week, and upon going to the hotel they told me he had gone outa week before one evening, and had never returned. He is dead! I know he is dead, poor fellow! “Well, there lies my temptation to do wrong, and I am yielding.” He took up a bundle of papers as he spoke and glanced over them. “These tell the story of where the guilt lay in that mutiny, and he gives the address of each one of the seamen who swear to the truth of bis statement; ould to God he had lived to have Saree Wilber ebastian to justice, and then I would not have been so tempted. “If she reads these papers, she will see that he is the papers, ‘hese must go innocent—ay, if she with them.’ As he spoke he held up in his hand the diamond ee and ruby anchor already known to the reader. “These are alone enough to tempt a saint, and I never was even good. “Then his dirk, with its gem-studded hilt in the shape of an anchor, and the gold scabbard with its precious stones! “And this ring! Holy Neptune! what a stone! “Lucifer, sympathize with me, for thou didst fall from heaven to hell.”’ Again he sprung to his feet and paced the room for a long time, to once more resume his seat. ‘* Had I never met her to know her, the generous allowance of gold he left to square accounts would have been enough for me; but, Mildred Monteith, your ravishing beauty is what tempts me to this sin. ** Pardieu / Fie ah, woman, as in the days of Adam, art still a temptress. Yes, Mildred Monteith, I love you so deeply, that I lose my soul to gain you. wai Ha! oa) ps! : ese ses - — 6 grasping Israelites ve me gold far beyon the wealth of Mildred Monteith “Then, with riches at my command, I will seek and win you, proud beauty; for I will sympathize with you in the ignominy of him whom you trusted. You must never know that he was innocent; for, thus kno , you would revere his memory. No, you must hate him, even dead, and then I can work on your heart with better hopes of success. ‘** Let me see—the gems in the scabbard of this dirk shall go first; rae will get me a handsome home in the e of the , furnish it luxuriously, and fit me out with horses and c es; besides, now I look at them again, they should run the establish- ment for several months. ‘*Merton Ainslie, you are a made man! No more tar-stained fingers—no more weary deck watches— no more two- c dinners, with cloudy claret to wash down tough steaks. “*No, my boy, you will feast on the fat of the land, ree take to your heart the most beautiful girl in New rleans. “Well, what a ch ! From a poor sailor te a rich swell about sien: “And all thrown into my hands without the ask- i 1 ie Be still, accursed conscience. How dare you raise grim specters before my diamond-blind eyes, for can I see through the sparkling beauty of these precious stones? “* No, no; but I wish all had been diamonds. These are emeralds in this gold scabbard, and they mean, perhaps, I am green for falling as I do when ed and here are pearls—do these suggest that dred Monteith is a ‘ pearl beyond price,’ or winning? ‘*‘And these rubies! they are red, and blood is red. *“*Bah! why do I shudder? ‘* And here is a superb opal in the head of this dirk hilt, and ‘tis said that opals ig Foca yt re Pye it’s cursedly suggestive in a dirk hilt—a pointed re- minder ine og “Well. the die is cast, and here goes! I accept the alternative, come what may.” Carefully he placed the precious stones back in their receptacle, returned to the inner drawer of the desk, and locking it, carefully put the key away from sight. The papers he then rolled up in a package, and as- oe Watching his - rtunity, wh look atc is opportun when no one was look- ing, he eres fee into the sea. ‘Mert, old fellow, you are as white as the ghost of your grandmother; the death of the Somes has un- nerved you,” said Louis Chandeleur, joining him, as the roll of papers sunk from sight beneath the blue waters. “Yes, I am not well, and I was greatly attached to the py tap “And the yellow fever carried him off? Yellow Jack will get the best of strangers, whenever they come to this port; was he sick long?” “* Not long, Lou; but he left the men treble what they ed for, and you and I get a cool thou- sand apiece.”’ “Saint Jonah’s whale! I will be a millionaire on a small scale. “Let me see; I'll dine at the Cafe Sainte Louwis, and if my worthy uncle, Simon Levy, not disposed of my watch and chain, and sundry other articles that go to make ie a gentleman’s wardrobe, I cut a swell on the Rue Royale.” ‘**' Lou, stop your nonsense and listen to me.”’ ** All attention, Mert.”’ “You are poor?”’ = As a church-mouse—until I get that thousand ‘** Hush! will you make me a promise, if I put you in the way of m a fortune?’ ‘“‘T’ll make you a thousand promises, Mert.” “No, two do, and if you pledge yourself sacred- ly to keep those I will do something handsome by you when we return to the city.” ‘““The promise, Mert, for you seem in earnest.” ‘“*T am in earnest; you have two vices.”’ ‘* Vow you are joking; there are not /wo that Ihave not laid up against me.” ‘You are not as bad as that; but you will drink and gamble.”’ “Fact! I lose my wits by the former, and my money by the latter.” bn You have a mother and sister who love you, uu.” The young man’s face color at once. “Don’t speak of my r old mother, and of Fidele, Mert; I have diematen thiae name long since; it is the one arrow in my heart.” “ Then it is time you began reform.” ‘Satan rebuking sin,’’ said Lou, in a mischievous voice. (EOE OOO! <S