The New York Dime Library No. 1053 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

eo hrotie ; » ares re - “oe oy ee * Ain, ot . . _ tinent fellow.” - hun and touching his hat to Kate of Belmont, sai * the embarrassed archer, and extendi the life of my sweet cousin.’ ar - and I am more t bappy ee — —<— —---- — Captain Kyd, the King ci the Black Flag. — SSS LL. her lips, Kate of Belmont sunk upon her knees, resigning herself to the deaih she felt must be hers, and which her proud, brave heart, would make her face undauntedly. But suddenly, when the ragged antlers of the | you.” fierce stag were within ten feet of her, and the Kenton Cavanaugh’s face turned crimson, horseman and horsewoman drew up in horror, | and seeing it, Lord Manly said ee: the latter to cover her face with her handsto | ‘‘ Forsooth, he blushes like a lover about to shut out the fearful seene, there came the | ask the hand and love of his lady.” sharp twang of a bow string, a steel-headed ar- ‘*For shame, Lord Meredith, to insult one row sped on its way, and sunk to the feather who, not being your peer, cannot resent an in- in the huge body of the maddened forest mon- | jury,” said te of Belmont with evident arch. anger, while her co&sin, Lady Grace, cried: Down in his tracks sunk the stag, and, her | “ Well said, cousin mine, and if Lord Manly full length upon the green lawn fell Kate of | repeats the offense I will look upon Kenton Cav- Belmont, unseeing the tall form that came anaugh as the most noble.” bounding toward her, bow,in hand and a| The young peer bit his lip angrily and his second arrow bent for use. | eyes flashed, but he made no reply, and the But a second shot was needless, for the first | huntsman again spoke: had been unerringly aimed, as the stag lay dead | “Lady Kate, you have given me, in your where he had fallen, his sharp antlers driven | friendship, a greater reward than I could ask; deep into the <a pren and his hairy body almost | may ILalways deserve your respect.” touching the fair form of Lady Kate, who had ‘By the gray castle of Meredith, but I will sunk upon the soft greensward in a deep swoon. | not listen to a peasant’s fine speeches to thee, ‘‘ A brave shot that, my lad, and worthy the | Lady Kate of Belmont, but punish him as he t Robin Hood himself,” cried the horseman _ deserves for daring to address you as he has,” asbing and springing to the ground, while and the angry Lord Manly strode forward, the one who had sent the fatal shaft, stood with | whip in hand, for a lover of Lady te, his flushed face, looking down upon the maiden, jealousy got the best of his reason for the and seemingly not daring to raise her from the | moment. ground. Kenton Cavanaugh turned calmly toward him, as he advanced, and there was a dangerous light flashed up into his dark eyes; but unheeding the cry of both Lady Kate and her cousin to | stay his hand, he brought the whip down with | heavy foree upon the shoulder of the young sult you by offering you gold for what thou _hast done; but you are poor, and [ know earn _ your living by your hunting and fishing, and I would that you allow me in some way to reward CHAPTER VI. THE NOBLE AND THE PEASANT. THOUGH’ the one who had fired the amet -shot that brought down the stag, seemed diffi- dent about raising Kate of Belmont from the | huntsman. ground, not so with the horseman, who sprung Stinging under the insult and unheeding the ag from his steed, and knelt by her side, | law that one of humble birth dare not raise his while he took her small, gloved hand in his own, | hand against a noble, Kenton Cavanaugh seized and said sternly: the whip, tore it from the hand of the insulter, ** Quick! bring me water to dash in her face; | and grasping him in a clutch of iron burled him be quick, I say! . | to the ground with a force that momentarily ‘Here is my flask, Lord of Meredith,” was the | stunned him. haughty response, and the archer handed it to ‘Ob Kenton, what have you done?” cried the horseman, who was about to dash the con- ; Kate, in alarm. tents into the pale, but beautiful face, when the ‘*Ay, young man, you have struck a noble- fringed eyelids were raised, and Kate of Bel- | man,” said Grace, With an angry flush on her mont looked up at the one bending over her, . , and said softly, while a shudder passed over her ame: ‘Ah! Iam safe then, and to you Lord Manly | I owe my life.” | young noble flushed, but he The face of the said evasively: a set lee “T am glad to see you recovered, Lady Kate.” ‘“‘T have resented an insult offered me, and were he of royal blood I would do the like again; but I crave pardon, Lady Kate of Bel- mont, for losing my temper in your presence.” ‘Cavanaugh, you have just sayed my li and, as Lord Ma ed c and then strike you, so I cannot condemn but go, or he will take Shey life,” and Ou; Placing her hand upon his arm she rose toher | spoke ya while Lady Grace said: feet, just as there approached a maiden, of al- | ‘‘ Yes, fly while you can.” most equal beauty as Kate of Belmont, and ‘‘ No, I will not fly from any danger, even at who had been the companion of Lord Manly. _ your command, Lady Kate,” and turning to Dismounting from her horse, when she saw rd Manly, who had risen to his feet, and stood that Lady Kate was unburt, she now rushed up ; : like one dazed Dy arcomian ent, hi © At S08. ‘Lord of Meredith, that ‘though you call me, and noble thoug you be by birth#i will not shun you, and my home, should you wish to find me, you know full well.” ‘‘ Hal! is this a challenge, fellow?’ burst from a eno pean iaitia wkd ailing thn batt ‘* As you please, noble,” an ising bis ha the s oe ed Lady Kate and her equally as- tonished cousin, Kenton Cavanaugh slung bis bow and quiver upon his back, and strode on to the castle with the bag of game, the result of his afternoon’s hunt. ‘* Peasant though Kenton Cavanaugh be by birth, he isa nobleman by nature, Lord Manly,” said of ont, as the young hunter walked away. © we “Ay, and peasant as he is, his life shall be ae peretyy for this day’s work,” hissed Lord anly. es You gave the insult, and he but resented it, my Lord of Meredith,” said Lady Kate. ‘By the Cross! but you uphold that lew-born dog in what he has dane, and admire him for it I verily believe,” and the noble became id with rage, while Lady Kate calmly replied: ‘‘T admire any man who has the nerve to re- sent an insult, my Lord of Meredith, and I ad- mire Kenton Cavanaugh more because I owe it to him that I am not lying at your feet mangled and dead.” | he Chastening Rod! but I believe you love this castard B oecrec siz Lady Kate of Bel- and threw her arms around her, crying ear- I will say ‘‘Ob, Kate! how near you were to death, and how I rejoice in your rescue; but no, indeed, rd Manly Meredith did not fire the arrow that saved you, but this handsome young man here,” and y Grace, of Greyburst Castle and a cousin of Kate of Belmont, approach her rrr ame hand, continued: ies: ‘* And 1 thank you from ry heart for saving “ And it is to you, Kenton Cavanaugh, that I emy life? I might have known no other and eye could send an arrow as you have done; here, let me clasp the hand that saved me, and ever remember that in Kate of Belmont you have a true friend.” The one he aideeened was attired as a bunts- man, and one in the lower waiks of life; but his costume, though not of rich texture became him well, and fitted his splendid form, as though *twere made by the same tailor who cut the vel- vet riding-suit worn by the young Lord Manly. With a face that was darkly bronzed by ex- re, there was yet upon every feature the stamp of intellect and character, and in his dark eyes there dwelt a power of fascination few men could boast of, and, knowing him to be the son of a poor man of the coast, the haughty oung Lord Manly was angered at the kindly ne of ae Kate in addressing him, and spoke up quickly: Putt wen a fair shot, Lady Kate; but the fel- low but did his duty, and, had it been neces- sary, Should have sacrificed his life to save thine. ‘‘] would gladly have given my life, Lord of Meredith, to save the Lady Kate from hartn,” was the reply of the young huuter, in as haugh- a tone as that need by the noble, whose face hed with anger as he hotly responded: “By the Cross! but thou art become imper- - EE ee a Unhbeeding the remark of Lord Manly, the mont, but you sh weep over dead, rather than smile on him living.” . ‘“‘ Lord Manly of Meredith, you have gone too far: whl precenots nt oud Lady Kate’s eyes flas erously, while her li iver- ed with emoti me y er lips quiver Apstantly the young noble saw the mistake of his words, and mat. By upon One knee he said pete sn ‘‘ Pardon I crave, sweet Lady Kate, for I was mad and knew not what I said.” “Go! Lord of Meredith,” and Lady Kate tsman raised his game. bag from the ground, | pointed toward the pin as tee 3 acters and forget my words, I implore.” eep respect: 3 PSs ‘* Lady Kate, I have game here for the castle, | Hesaw that she was unyielding, and rising to I was going when I saw rpur danger, | his feet he strode toward his horse, and throw- to have served | ing bimself into the saddle < you.” is | ; bu a tin ‘ $¥ : 2 A ae , . '+™ : w be 7 Stay. . Cavanaugh, I would not in- | on ; i™~ . . 5 > ~ o . Rag; “a, oe ait Py ~~ ~~ +92.” Se i oes : - a eS - =. - SY ae ee we i . i . : ar : <x WD “= ee. OF: i“ . ade ~ =i eS nee J _ = at eel life, | nly acted cowardly to incatt made when sbe wasa dashed away like the t the a on his lips boded evi to | aS es * pe) .% “> = CHAPTER VII. KENTON CAVANAUGH’S OATH. THe young fisherman, or huntsman, for he was both, ing his time almost equally uj the sea fishing, or in the forests hunting, deserves more than the passing notice given of him ib ihe foregoing chapter, as he is destined to pisy a prominent t in the pages of this story of the ocean the olden time when the name of Kyd was a terror to mariners from the Mediterranean to the Gulf of Mexico. Though scarcely over twenty years of age his Byam was perfect, as he was tall, with road shoulders, a slender waist and small hands and feet that would more become the noble than the peasant. a His face, as I have before said, was dark] bronzed, and his eyes were his most remarkable feature, being soft and gentle almost to sadness: in moments of calm: but, when aroused to an- r they fairly burned, and his habit, when eeply moved, of lowering his brows, caused them to fairly blaze, and seemingly to emit. fiery gleams, like flashes of lightning bursting out of a thunder-cloud. Carrying himself with: the air of a high-borm youth, and with his dark, waving hair falling upon his shoulders, his coarse, though well-fit- ting hunting-suit alone distinguished him as one not of noble lineage; but of humble origin though he was, he possessed an independence of spirit, and pride of character not compatible with a poor fisher lad, and a fearlessness that the reader has ae oe exhibited when in- oe by the young Lord Manly of Meredith astie, Stopping at the side entrance o* tae casile, and SMe upon the lawn, Kenton Cavanaugh celled to the pompous butler, delivered to him the geme for ile earl, and which he bad orders lo furnish for the nobleman’s teble twice each week, and strode on round the wall toward the cliff, dovn which a steep and rugged pathway lea to the beach. As he went along it was evident that he was deeply moved; but it was not by the scene with Lord Manly, or his threat; on the con- trary it was because what he had not dared cieam of before be now knew was reality—he loved Kate of Castle Cor. Peasant though be was, and the daughter of an earl as she was, be loved ber, and to his own heart be could not longer disguise the truth. When a little girl he had often killed for ber a noble eagle, and sent herthe wings, or brought down a splendid stag with far-branching antlers, and made her the recipient of this proof of bis skill with the bow and arrow, while in many other ways he had sbown his interest in the sweet little maid of Castle Cor. And Lady Kate, knowing that Kenton Cava- naugh, bumble led though he was, was the truest archer in all the coun near, and the best sailor on the coast, she could not withhold her admiration, especially. when, as a horse- man he had no equal among the young nobles of her acquaintance, and was engaged by her father, the ear], to train the refractory steeds in his stables, while, added to all of his accomplish-. ments he was certainly the kandsomest young man she had ever seen, she felt herself irresisti- bly drawn toward him, though the idea that she, Lady Kate of Belmont and Castle Cor could love a poor’ fisher lad, had never entered her head, | Besides, was she not, through an agreement child, between her father and the old Earl of Meredith, the promised wife of Lord Manly, the boon companion ot er brother, Sir Gerald? No, the thought of loving Kenton Cavenaugh had never entered the haughty head cf t Leautiful gir) until the momeut she felt that she owed to him her life, and then her fece flushed with the revelation of the secret her heart had securely held, and in very shame she had dropped her eyes before the huntsman when he stood before ber, as’proud, and far | handsomer than Lord Manly, her accepted lover. And this very circumstance brought to Keri- ton Cavanaug bumble home, that Lady Kate Belmont was dearer to him than all the world besides, and he groaned in agony of spirit as he felt how far apart in life his path and bers must lead. “Oh God! what a curse is birth if it elevates aos ag and wes partes be m ae e swung him reckless e erring - ly down the cliff, and ratning’S teach walked swiftly along, he contmued: ‘‘ Curses amy low-born lot that ¢ me from the side of that beautiful being, whom now I know I love with all the passionate Snag of my strong nature. ‘* Am I not like t they noble “Is there one of them with eye as true, and hand as steady with the bow and arrow? ~ ae ator a — that I cannot crush witb m pater < “Am I nota fafloe oh will asa lan has not my good old father taught me teries of learning until 1 am their squats their —— in knowledge of great wide world? _ = cannot, thus feel ng red; and, as an, and e mys- Ad as he wended bis way to his ; - te gee J 2 ~_ . ts “Wem ice 4 A Try os ‘ ues a ae. : +. ped “R54 ~ — . % Oe * eat 5 — Fas -. on 0 ~. - ys : soe 2 » ae “ _* > +>"? > ‘ ee ro a a. hg : ¢ yn - a “ty Ps 2 45 “kr « ~ F - x . 2) ys >. ‘oe a - ll et a > ’ . al & ¢ ~~ - P =. i ae cep tc stig” =e ; ' —- 5 =’ - * a — - rat , ad ied a= ge . * * - “ aa “Aa ae a . al f ay > a a <> > ~ | 4