Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 108 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

A ae —-_<- .- ——EEE———EEE ~~ ———— ee = eee Oe ee ~- —_————— a - ———— —- —— — oo, . . ™ -_—--————- a a The Duke of Diamonds. CHAPTER X. THE FLOWER OF CALCUTTA. Witn Dom Gil came a single female figure closely vailed, and the Duke of Diamantina lai d his hand softly on the king’s bridle and said, gently but firmly: “ Come, my brother, some woman and gain us goin.” ou have lost a trouble- a faithful sword. Let 6 barbarian—for Fyzoul was, after all, a barbarian—was sufficiently cowed by the civil- ized man to yield in silence, and the duke rode up to the hall door and dismounted after the king, who tamely reéntered the castle. As they went in, Clarence heard Diamantina say in English to Dom Gil: ‘ Seize at once.” Dom Gil nodded, and then Clarence forgot everything else in the interest excited by the vailed figure that had just been ushered into the The duke beckoned him forward to the dais where the woman was already standing, and then said in English: “‘T will beg the lady to take off her vail that Senhor Hart may be able to see if she is his friend.” ney the woman unvailed, and Cla- rence saw before him the Flower of Calcutta, pale and sad, as if she had no hope for life. Poor Helen flushed scarlet when she met the eyes of the Brazilian. It was evident that no one had told her anything of what was about to happen, and the surprise of hearing her own language in such a scene was great. en she recognized Clarence Hart beside the duke, and her eyes lighted up again with hope, for she began to realize that ransom was at hand. The Duke of Diamantina looked at her pale beautiful face fora moment with undisguise admiration and surprise, and then asked Hart: ‘My dear sir, will you introduce me to this lady so unfortunate?” tammering—he hardly knew why—and feel- ing strangely embarrassed, Hart repeated the formal words, that sounded so unnatural in that wild hold of Arabian desperadoes. ** Miss Lawton, the Duke of Diamantina.” Helen started and looked at the other with swimming eyes, her face all suffused with blushes. ‘*Qh, senhor duke,” she said, in a stifled voice, ‘‘I never expected to see you in such a place as this.” Diamantina had taken the opportunity of fix- ing his eyes on hers while she spoke, as if in paying strict attention; but there was some- thing so singular in his glance that Helen’s blush grew deeper and deeper, and she finally drop- ped her eyes in confusion. The Brazilian, with the cool, unruffled ease which always marked him, bowed low before her and replied: ‘Ma dear ladee, I am charmed to be able to do a slight service to one so well known as the daughter of that eminent person, Sare Lomley Lawtone.” She looked up in quick surprise. **Oh, sir, do you know my poor darling fa- ther? hat would he say if he knew the dan- od I have run? Perhaps you have a father, , your grace?” Diamantina’s face altered, and a reserved, of- fended expression crossed it as he turned away, saying curtly: ‘My father is dead, mademoiselle.” Fyzoul Abdallah had listened to this English conversation in dumb embarrassment, still sur- rounded by the duke’s gta for his own men did not know what to do. They saw their master seated quietly on the divan in the midst of the white strangers, to all ap nce chatting with the jeweled chief, and they did not dare to make a fight on ac- count of his risk. Now, however, Diamantina altered his tone. He ordered his men to draw away from Fy- zoul, and beckoned Nubar al Hayzari and his ards to surround their king once more in the which they eagerly hastened to do. He laid the jeweled saber at oul’s feet, and drew back to the door of the hall, saying, in a clear and distinct voice: ‘‘Our bargain is ended, brother. I have the slaves; you have the price of them. Now let us have and friendship, while I show my brother the presents I have brought to De- —— , ut, already Fyzoul Abdallah was a different man. His guards were round him and a — of retreat was open; so that his fears vanished and his malice arose in arms. He had been cheated and cowed by this st er, and had bought himself out of ower. Now was the time to be revenged. urning to Nubar al Hayzari, he whispered: ‘Rouse all the city. Seize the passes. Let not one man escape. We will have ali their riches now.” . Nubar nodded and slipped away among the guards while Fyzoul replied to the duke in his most oily manner: “Let us not think of presents when one great king visits another. My brother must eat with me at once, Ho! Seyd, bring in the dishes remarked to the duke;. . _ - Mh Mary | uickly.. The Lord of Jewels dines with the rd of Horses.” But to his surprise Diamantina did not offer to stir from the door, and a smile not devoid of derision was on his face as he answered: ‘*T have heard too much of Fyzoul Abdallah’s fare to be anxious to eat thereof. I might not sleep easily at night after it. I will give my presents and take my leave, for my home is on the sea.” Fyzoul Abdallah was not at all put out. He was too consummate a villain and too secure in his own power to fear the duke’s ultimate es- cape, though he felt a little virtuous anxiety to absorb his possessions by the safe way of poison rather than trust to the chances of ambushing the caravan on its way to Tuat. He concealed all this anxiety under a smooth exterior, bowing and smiling: ‘*Since my brother is desirous to return to Tuat, far be it from me to detain him. My oung men shall ride to the coast with him, and —- away all the robbers on the road.” is time the duke smiled so openly that Fyzoul could no longer think he was being de- ceived. ** My own men and my camel guns can clear a road to Tuat,” he replied. “I am trul thankful to my brother for his hospitality. notice that he has but few camels. I hope he will accept with favor this my little present.” He waved his hand, and into the hall sham- bled all the camels and donkeys with which his caravan had been provided, saving the gun ani- mals and their followers that had been loaded with ammunition. The donkeys were all un- saddled, but the riding camels were still hand- somely caparisoned, and over the housings of the foremost—the same lately ridden by the duke—was hung a splendid robe of scarlet silk with a velvet mantle above it. Fyzoul Abdallah started to his feet, feeling that he was being tricked and insulted, but ex- actly how he knew not; and his guards instinc- tively drew their cimeters to keep off the irrup- tion of beasts of burden. The duke stood alone in the ys doorway and waved his hand ironically to the sultan. ‘‘ Farewell, my brother,” he said, ‘* lam in great haste to reach Tuat; therefore I shall ride Al Sabok myself. Ileave you Al Kader and Hamama. ey were very good animals, twen- ty years ago.” Then he vanished out of the doorway, and the astounded king clapped his hands to his head and yelled in despair, as the full force of the situation struck him: ‘‘ Allah’s curse upon them! They have stolen my horses !” And indeed there was no sort of doubt about it, The frantic Fyzoul rushed to the door, and saw that the whole of his stud was in the foe’s Seat tee vanishing with the speed of the wind n the direction of the Tuat road! Al Kader and Hamama, the only two blem- ished animals of the entire stable, were still standing at the door. Diamantina had left be- hind him convincing proofs of his knowledge of horseflesh. For several minutes the Arab chief was so ut- terly overwhelmed by the suddenness of the blow that he could do nothing but tear his beard in impotent rage. Then Nubar al Hayzari, who had paused and come back at the sound of the escape, ventured to speak to his master, and his words were full of astute consolation. ** Allis not lost, my master; they can go no faster than the camels with the zamboureks ;” (thus he called the Gatlings). ‘‘ We can take them all back in the passes, Al Kader will stand a day’s work, yet.” Fyzoul listened, and his face cleared up a lit- tle. After all, a blemished Nedjed horse is swifter than a perfect animal of any other breed. ‘Take him and go,” was all he said in answer to Nubar, and the minister answered: | **On my head be it.” A moment later he was flying toward the city like the wind. Al Kader had been fired fora spavin, it is true; but no one would have reamed of it to see the way the beautiful crea- ture skimmed over the ground, as swift at twenty-twoas the best colt in the Derby entries. In the meantime, as Nubar had from the first predicted, the caravan of Diamantina could ad- vance no faster than the pace of the camels that bore the Gatling guns; which, with their sad- dies and riders, weighed about four hundred pounds, A burden camel will carry twice as much, but its pace isslow; andif pressed toa trot it cannot preserve that pace to any distance without t distress. Nevertheless Dom Gil, who had assumed the management of the caravan, kept up @ rapid amble all that afternoon, till the shades of eve- ning closed around them, when the camels gan to flag and fall, anda halt was called. | It was in an open valley, where a large spring gave birth to a running rivulet, that the cara- van of Diamantina now went into camp, the un camels being unloaded, and the deadly mi- Prailleurs trained to command all the approach- es. Not an Arab -had.been seen al day, and Hart Saree > —_—- - _ ” ees 5 ee ee pte ie = er SE ee a -- Ee - o— -- ——____ ———— ** We seem to have given them the slip at last, senhor duque.” Diamantina smiled as he answered, in his tranquil way: ‘My dear sir, our danger begins to-night.” “Then do you think there is danger that we may not reach the coast?” ‘* My dear sir,” was the quiet answer, ‘‘ we shall reach the coast—some of us. It is a ques- tion how many will do it, alive.” CHAPTER XI. THE ENCAMPMENT. As the sun went down that night it left the moon in the zenith, half full, and under her mild beams the camp was soon in fair order. Clarence had noticed, when leaving the yacht, that the duke was traveling very light, havin hardly any of the baggage one might expec from one of his luxurious habits. A single tent of silk, very light and compact, was all that he carried besides food, and this was at once appropriated to the use of the res- cued Helen, who was secluded in true Oriental fashion. During the rapid ride from Dereeyah, Clarence Hart had not had a single opportunity to speak to the woman he loved, though he had wee ngel gage set todoso. He had seen her plac by the duke’s own hands on one of Fyzoul’s horses, and, from that time forth, Diamantina had remained close to her side, from which the respect of etiquette banished every one else. arence himself felt this restraint as strongly as any one, though he fought against it, and strove to muster courage enough to ride up be- side Helen and engage herin conversation. He tried to argue with himself that he was the Brazilian’s equal, that he had not yet accepted the post of secretary to the whims of a million- aire. It was allin vain. A subtle influence that he could not divine, kept him divided from the woman he loved, and he was compelled to ride in the rear, out of earshot, while Helen was con- versing in the most animated manner with this -tmeaere4 handsome man, this combination of roesus and Adonis, who could do anything he leased with almost any woman he met, as Clarence bitterly thought. In fact, the young man, having once saved this girl’s life and having good reason to believe that she was not indifferent to him, was now oon 7 ——— ae miserably jealous, and began to feel all the love | idly turning to bitter hatred. _ Nevertheless, such was the fascination of this singular man over all around him, that no soon- er did Hart listen to his melodious ‘‘ Ma dear sare,” and see his wonderful smile when he spoke to him at the halt, than all his uneasiness van- ished to the winds, and he felt ready to follow Diamantina wherever he chose to lead. All the same, however, the duke effectually debarred him from seeing Helen; for no sooner did she dismount, than the tent was raised, into which the lady was ushered by Diamantina himself, after which she was no more seen that night, except by the duke’s little black boy, who took them in their supper. Clarence would have fretted at this, had it not been for the exquisite tact of the duke, who kept him in conversation, asking him his opin- ion of this and that, strolled with him round the defenses of the little camp, and gave him charge of two of the , with the remark: ‘‘ My dear sir, I shall hold you responsible if the Arabs get in on your side. We have a precious treasure to guard, and we must not go to sleep, or Fyzoul Abdallah will wake us up when the moon sets,” Clarence caught at two of the other’s words, and echoed: ** A precious treasure, indeed. Oh, senhor, if ou knew how precious she is to me! I saved er from the sea once. God grant I do it from the Arabs.” Diamantina leaned his hand on the shoulder of the American, as he answered: “My dear sir, she may be precious to you; but, I warn you, keep from her, as you value your happiness! She shall be saved, and I will ve her back to “49 gga ‘ ra costs me the ves of every man here. Dut, emy advi and think Bo more of this lady.” 7 ste Clarence looked at the Brazilian in some sur- prise aoe apne ring abed ‘“Why do you say this to me, your e?” «Because 1 see that you are bent on making yourself miserable,” was the quiet reply. ‘‘ M dear sir, you are an American, and s love Americans for the sake of ons to whom I owe 3 hes and liberty. You do not know these Eng- ish asI do. Sir, they are as cruel as the tiger, as selfish as the swine. Do you think that this Sir Lumley Lawton would give you his daughter because you loved her and she loved you? No no, my dear sir! That man would sell bis child to Satan himself, if the dark gentleman would pa on the likeness of a lord with plentee monee. ae be relearn Leave these En tee to them- selves, for there isa curse upon them-—a curse that will yet wither and blast them to ashes and dust!’ The American with wonder on Dia- mantina, for his usually calm and frigid man. ner had changed to one of intense earnesta and admiration he had felt for Diamantina rap- Eomicbooks