Beadle's Dime Library No. 109 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

ge oe tel of the Red Hand, and he aimed a savage blow to clear the youth from his path. But coolly it was parried, and straightening up, the chief put himself on his guard, for he had met a strength that matched his arm, great as it was, and a skill he had not expected, ‘* Now at ye, young sir, and remember that you face Hurtel of the Red Hand.” ‘“‘T care not if you are the devil,” was the cool retort, and the two blades mot savagely, twirled and twisted like fiery serpexts, and then one was struck aside, and the other was sheathed in a human breast. CHAPTER XII. HURTEL OF THE RED HAND. THE human heart which one blade had found was that of the famous Hurtel of the Red Hand, and the arm that drove it was Kenton Cava- naugh’s, Maddened with pain, the chief, though he had received his death-wound, determined to die hard, and shortening his own sword into a dag- ger, he sprung upon Kenton, who had quick! crawn his Own weapon from the body of his Joo, and stepped back, expecting him to fall. But the sudden blow with the shortened blade was skillfully parried, and once more the keen sword of the youth buried itself in the pirate’s broad breast. But still the powerful man, tenacious of life, frenzied by pain, and maddened with revenge, sprung forward with his blade still shortened. And again Kenton Cavanaugh coolly met him, parried the blow, and then, by a most skillful movement, brought his sword down u on the good right arm of the chief, cleaving it to the bene. The blade fell from the stricken hand to the deck, and like a statue the chief stood gazing upon the one who had given bim his death- blow, and who met his gaze unflinchingly, while all around these two rested on their arms, watched and waited. ‘*Boy, you have killed Hurtel of the Red Hand.” In hoarse, deep tones the words came from the lips of the pirate chief, and then he fell his full length upon the deck, while a wild cry broke from his crew, and in alarm they fled to their vessel, some of them falling into the sea. Quickly the grapnels were cast loose, and the heavy sweeps of the lugger set going, while Captain Defoe cried: ‘* Back to your guns, men, and sink the ac- cursed craft!” With wild hurrahs the crew of the cruiser apTURS to their guns once more, and shot after shot was poured upon the flying vessel; Sut the pirates, now despairing of capturing the king’s craft, turned their own broadsides upon her, and it became a running and hot fight, until one shot from the lugger cut away the foremast of his pursuing foe, and the chase ended, tho Huge sails of the buccaneer, extending from deck to deck, rapidly sending her out of harm’s way {rom the superior metal of the gallant British captain. ‘Well, we’ve lost the lugger, but killed her captain, thanks to you, my brave Cavanaugh, for, if you had not cut him down he’d have car- ried us, that’s certain; if you keep on as you have begun to-night, you'll be our admiral be- fore I am a post-captain,” and turning to Lord Manly, he continued in a low tone: ‘The boy does need watching, my lord, and his example is worth following; but now to reper damages and head for port.” © cruiser was by no means in an enviable condition, for her decks bad been torn by shot, her bulwarks and rigging were shattered, the foremast hung a wreck over the side, cut off fifteen feet above the deck, and dead and wounded lay around, more than a score in number, while many a brave fellow, able to move about, was nursing a wound. Willingly the men set to work, and soon order came once more out of chaos, and Kenton Cavanaugh, stealing a moment’s rest, as the skies w rosy with the rising sun, knelt by the side of the pirate chief, whom he had placed near the wheel. ‘““T once saw in Castle Cor, when the earl «ent for me one day, the portrait of Sir Hurtel, and the servants said the Countess Lenore was wont to look at it each morning and evening, when no one was watching her; this man has the same splendid form and face, only it is older, sterner, colder than was Sir Hurtel s; yet 1 beliave this is the earl’s brother, but I hope he ond Lady Kate may never know that he was really a pirate.” So muttered Kenton Cavanaugh, as he knelt pea the dead chief, and y gazed upon im. Raising the lifeless hand, he drew from it the blood-stained gauntlet, and his eyes fell upon a large gold ring, worn upon the small finger. “Ah, here is proof; it is the shield of Sir Uurtel, with the crest of his house cut into the stone,” and drawing it from the finger, he read, °"Giirtel of Castle Crag.” ‘The ring he plaeed in his own pocket, and rising, sive. Captain Defc. ‘Captain, Hurtel of the Red Hand is the brother of the Earl of Belmont; see, here is his ring, and I would ask, for the sake of his name, that he be buried with the service of the church.” ‘‘ A strange request to make for a pirate Cavanaugh, for, noble or king, a man as wickec as he was could never be prayed out of per- dition by the prayers of all the priests in Chris- tendom; but keep the ring and give it to the earl yourself, and as [can refuse you nothing, bury Sir Hurtel with a prayer ” ‘Thank you, Captain Defoe.” ‘‘ But who is todo the praying, Cavanaugh, for I confess [am not up in such things, and I ruess my prayers would never reach the Great dmira] aloft, and we have no one on board who knows about such things.” ‘“‘T will recite the service, sir, for I know it by heart.” ‘** Do so, then, and bring our dead, too, within the bowlines; but give the poorlads the benefit first, so they’ll get a start of the bloody pirate, and we'll sink them to windward, and drop the old fellow over to leeward, and that will give them another advantage over the red-handed wretch,” Kenton smiled at the words of his captain and slipping the ring upon his own finger, wen forward and gave orders for the burial. The dead chief was sewn up in canvas, a heavy shot attached to his feet, and the body laid on the lee side of the deck, while the dead men of hig crew were thrown unceremoniously into the ocean. Then the dead officer and crew of the cruiser were prepared for their watery grave in like manner as was Hurtel of the Hand, and all hands were summoned to attend burial. With caps off, and bowed heads they stood, while Kenton Cavanaugh, ina clear, earnest tone, recited the burial service of the church of England, and one by one the bodies were dropped into the sea, diving rapidly down into the depths below, thereto remain forever. At last it came the turn of the pirate chief and four seamen raised him unfeelingly, an were about to hurl him headfirst over the bul- warks, when there came the ringing order: ‘** Hold!” The men turned in surprise, and all eyes were fixed upon Kenton Cavanaugh. “Men, that is the dead dy of a human being, and be he what he might in life, in death he is sacred.” The stern rebuke was seeggen felt, and Hurtel of the Red Hand, once the lonely exile of Castle Crag, sunk gmetly. into the waves, forever from the view of human gaze, but his crimes to live inromance and story until time shall have an end. A few momenté of silence followed, and then the crew dispersed, a jury mast was skillfully rigged, sail set, and the cruiser headed for port. “Cavanaugh, I intend to put into port to re- pair, and I will send you on with the written re- port of my cruise to the Lord of the Admiralty, and youcan get your commission as second lieutenant at the same time, for no one deserves it more, and then you can join me at Queens- town, thirty days from this.” Kenton Cavanaugh’s face flushed with pride, for his dreams of ainbition and fame were being rapidly realized, and he said er ig “YT thank you, Captain Defoe: I did bu ‘i duty, and am glad of your praise; but, sir, you remember last night, when we sailed, we saw a fire on the shore, and I told you that it was mv own home?” ce Yes.” ‘Well, sir, my father dwelt there alone, and I am most anxious regarding his safety, and would request that I can visit my home ere I re- turn, ‘“ Assuredly: I gave you thirty days, thinking rou would like a week or two to see the sights in ondon.” ‘No, sir, my father and myself have sailed there several times; I would rather spend that time at home.” ‘““As you please, Cavanaugh; the report will be ready as soon as we reach port, and you can start at once; and, by the way, I will tell Lord Manly, as he may wish to send some word home, for you go near Castle Meredith, I believe?” ‘Within three leagues, sir.” But Lord Manly said he would not trouble Kenton Cavanaugh, as he was just going to London, but would post a letter as soon as they reached port, and it would arrive sooner at Castle Meredith. The next. day the cruiser reached her haven, and, armed with his official dispatches Kenton Cavanaugh went ashore, accompanied by Lord Manly, who was to return with the boat. At the mail dispatch office the two youn men separated, Lord Manly grasping the han of Kenton warmly, and wishing him every suc- cess; but as he walked alone back to the land- ing where the boat awaited him, he muttered in a triumphant tone: Cor, my proud fisher ind, you wil find Death to , my F ri you wil weloome you, if I mistake not, and my letter goes straight.” ‘ Captain Kyd, the King of the Black Flag. ee 8) GLAD TIDINGS AND SAD TIDINGS. Wauen the Earl of Belmont and his servants reached the beach, they found there the body of Dermot Cavanaugh, the old fisherman, with several ghastly wounds in his breast to show what had killed him. The humble, though comfortable home hed burned to ashes, and the assassins and incendia- ries had fled; hot pursuit instantly commenced, yet without avail, for who they were, or from whence they h come, no one knew, and: , rat ae hung over the scene, as it did ovi: Castle Death, Pained deeply at what bad happened, Lacy Kate and Lady Grace both urged the earl tod» all in his power to find the murderers, and |. spared no expense to do so; but days went by and not the slightest clew to the guilty ones could be found. One afternoon, some two weeks after the death of old Dermot, Lady Kate and her cousin went out for a ride on horseback, accompanied only by a groom, A favorite lace for them to visit was an old chapel, rapidly crumbling to ruin, and from which a grand view of the ocean and inland was visible. Reaching a halting-place they left their horses with the servant, and wandered on foot to the spot where they loved to sit and view the scene to seaward and landward. Not far away rap the high road, and far in the distance, rising over the crest of the hill, they saw a horseman coming leisurely along. Presently, he drew near the ruined chapel, and halting, gazed upon the scene with evident admiration. His face was turned away from the two maid- ens, yet they saw that he was attired in uniform wore a cloak hanging from his shoulders, an sat his steed like a thorough horseman. And as they looked, from their position a hundred yards away, they saw two men on foot cautiously approach the rider, who, uncon: scious of their presence, still azed at the beauti- ful scene stretched out for miles around him. Cautiously, noiselessly they approached, one of them carrying a musket; and then, even the two maidens knew that some crime was intend- ed, and utterly fearless, Lady Kate called out loudly, to warn the horseman of danger. Her clear voice reached his ears, and he turn- ed, a as the man with the gun leveled and fired. The report, a puff of smoke, a startled neigh, and the animal ridden by the stranger fell in . his tracks, while the two men rushed upon the | fallen rider. But, though taken wholly by surprise he was not unnerved, and in an instant was upon his feet, his sword drawn. To strike down the nearest man with a sweep- ing blow of his blade, and spring upon the sec: ond was an instant’s work, while with the musket he wrenched from his band, he felled him to the earth, his skull cracking under the fearful blow. ‘Well, that was a narrow escape, and it causes me to foot it the resh of the way, for my ae horse is dead; but whose warning cry was hat, and certainly in a woman’s voice,” and the man looked around him; but seeing no one in sight, continued, while he bent over the man who had fired upon bim: *‘These fellows don’t look like footpads; but what else than robbery can have been their mo- tive in attacking me—oh, I know this one now; he was once a servant at Meredith Castle, and he is the very one whose name I saw on the let- ter which Lord Manly posted two weeks ago.” Thrusting his hand into the pocket of the dead man, he withdrew it quickly, saying in a low tone: ‘“* And here is the very letter.” The seal was broken, yet bore the Meredith crest, and opening it, the face of Kenton Cav- ni h became deadly pale as he read half- oud: “DENNIS DALY: “On sailing from the bay I saw by the flames of old Dermot’s cot that your work was well done; but the one to whose life you were to put an end, was on the cruiser, having unfortunately shipped that after- noon, ‘*But that one returns home in afew days, and then the work must be thoroug done; he will re- turn by the northern highway, leading by Castle Cor, and on horseback, instead of by coach, so he Says. “The ruined chapel will be a good place to lie in wait for him, and when I learn that you have finish- ed him, I will send you the one hundred pounds, be- sides what I promised you. ; ‘“Be discreet, courageous, and keep wine out of your head and all will well; but © a miss, and would not give a farthing for ,your life, or that of your accomplice. ‘Destroy this letter as soon as read, and when you have done the work, come to me.”’ There was no signature to the letter, but what need was there for any? The crest told the writer’s name, if the letter had not done 60. ‘“ Well, Mister Dennis Daly, you made the miss, my noble lord warned you uguinst, and neither you or yor acco Pre worth a ut who would believe man could be so base. as I bave fouud out Lord. Manly of Meredith to be; well, a dmy of reckon. » COME (E(0) IGOKS' r a