Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 11 — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

oe ee tee we --- ae eee en eS ee a ee eee ee Se ~ - Pa — —= . ae we rr ae OOO a oo = - < = —_ too, I believe. I will be there by ten o'clock to-morrow morning; we will march almost the whole night.” ‘“* They have no arms,”’ observed ‘ ‘“‘No, but they will soon get them; they will go to some small town in a body, plunder it, and then seek the protection of the mountains. Your captain has given us a pretty job.” Jack exchanged a few more words, and then, ex- cusing himself on account of his haste, put the spurs to his horse and regained his own party, who now pro- ceeded at a rapid pace. ‘Oh, signor!” said the guide, ‘‘ we shall kill the ho ‘ ‘““T’ll pay for them,” said Jack. ‘Yes, but we shall kill them before we Jack,” replied Gascoigne, ‘‘ and have to walk t the way.’ et there e rest of ee ) ae — | | ~—— eee eee ee oo The ee — oe ee + ee ee ee —_— ““ How now, Pedro, back so early!”’ **Oh, signor!”’ exclaimed the man—* they have taken the cart and the wine, and have drawn it away, up to the mountains.”’ ‘“ Who?” inquired Don Rebiera. ‘The galley-slaves who have been let loose—and by of our blessed saint, they have done pretty robbed thing—murdered many—clothed themselves with rovisions, and wine the bod mischief—they have broken into the houses, eve the best—collected all the arms, they could lay their hands on, and have marched awa into the mountains. This took place last night. was coming down within a mile of the town, the me with my loaded cart, and they turned the bullocks round and drove them away along with the ee By the blessed Virgin! but they are stained with but not altogether of men, for they have cut up some mae true, Ned; let’s pull up and give them their | of the oxen. I heard this from one of the herdsmen, ‘“* By de holy my ribs,” cried Mesty, whose black face was hung with dewdrops from their rapid course. “Never mind, Mesty.” It was about five o’clock in the afternoon when they arrived at the seat of Don Rebiera, Jack threw himself off his jaded steed, and hastened into the house, fol- lowed by Gascoigne. They found the whole family col- lected in the large sitting-room, quite ignorant of any danger threatening them, and equally astonished and | do not take care, Jack flew to | to-night.” pleased at the arrival of their old friends, es, who screamed when she saw him, and felt so i dy afterward that he was obliged to support her. aving seated her again, he was kindly greeted by the old people and the two young officers. After a few J minutes dedicated to mutual inquiries, our hero stated the cause of their expeditious arrival. “Don Silvio, with one hundred and fifty gallerians let loose on the coast yesterday afternoon!”’ exclaimed Don Rebiera: “* you are right, I only wonder they were not here last night. he has gone down with a load of wine: he will bring us intelligence.”’ ** At all events we must be prepared,’’ said Don Phiii ; “the troops, you say, will be here to-morrow morning.’ “Holy Virgin!” exclaimed the ladies, in a breath, ‘‘ How many can we muster?”’ said Gascoigne. ‘“We have five men here, or we shall have by the evening,” replied Don Philip—‘ all, I think, good men —my father, my brother, and myself.” ‘We are three—four with the guide, whom I know nothing about.” but he too fled and could not tell me more, But, signor, oker, Massa Easy, but my shirt stick to | I heard them mention your name.” “T have no doubt of it,” replied Don Rebiera. | for the wine, I ome! ae they will drink too much of it ro, the | to-night. But, Pe ! ] ; | } “Twelve in all—not one too many; but I think that | now we are prepared, if they attack, we can hold out till the morning.” ; se we not better send the ladies away?’’ said ack. ‘‘Who is to escort them?” replied Don Philip; ‘“ we shall only weaken our force; ides, they may fall into the miscreants’ hands.” “Shall we all leave the house together? they can but plunder it,’’ observed Don Rebiera. “Still we may be intercepted by them, and our whole force will be nothing Philip, “if we are without defense, house we shall have an advantage.” “vero,” replied Don Rebiera, thoughtfully; ‘‘ then | was soon recognized by those end upon it Don Silvio will not | Silvio. let us prepare, for de lose such an opportun iy to wreak his ve will be here to-night; I only wonder he here with his companions before. arrive in two hours.”’ eance. He ‘““We must now see what means we have of defense,”’ | front of those men? said Philip. ‘Come, brother—will you come, sir?” CHAPTER XXXiTI. A REGULAR SET-TO, IN WHICH THE PARTIES BEATEN ARE NOT KNOCKED DOWN, BUT RISE HIGHER AND HIGHER AT EACH DISCOMFITURE—NOTHING BUT THE TROOPS COULD HAVE PREVENTED THEM FROM GOING UP TO HEAVEN. Don Resrera and his two sons quitted the room, Gas- coigne entered into conversation with the senora, while Easy took this opportunity of addressin nes. He had been too much occupied with the consultation to ay her much attention before. He had spoken, with is eyes fixed upon her, and had been surprised at the improvement which had taken place in less than a year. He now went to her, and asked her, in a low voice, ‘‘ whether she had received his letter.”’ “Oh, yes!’’ replied she, coloring. ““And were you angry with what I said, Agnes?’’ in a low tone. ‘“‘No,”’ replied she, casting her eyes down on the floor. “I repeat now what I said, Agnes—I have never for- gotten you.”’ ay But—” ** But what?”’ “ Wather Thomaso.” “What of him?” ‘* He never will—” * Will what?” ** You are a heretic,” he says. “Tell him to mind his own business.” “He has great influence with my father and mother.” ‘* Your brothers are on our side.” “T know that, but there will be t difficulty. Our talk to you—he will religion is not the same. He m convert you.” “We'll argue that point, Agnes. I will convert him if he has common sense; if not, it’s nouse arguing with Where is he?”’ ‘*He will soon be at home.” “Tell me, Agnes, if you had yourown will, would you rry me?” “I don't know; I have never seen any one I liked so ‘* Ts that all?’’ ‘Ts it not enough for a maiden to say ?”’ replied Agnes, raising her eyes, and looking reproachfully. “ Signor, let me go, here comes my father.” Notwithstanding, Jack cast his eyes to the window where Gascoigne and the senora were in converse, and, perce.ving that the old lady’s back was vy Fema d he pressed Agnes to his bosom before he released her. The gentlemen then returned with all the firearms and de- structive weapons they could collect. _ “We have enough,” observed Don Philip, “ to arm all the people we have with us.” “* And we are well armed,” replied Jack, who had left Agnes standing alone. “ t now are your plans?” Those we must now consult about. It appears—”’ but at this moment the conversation was in one by the sudden entrance of Pedro, who had been a to the town with the load of wine. He ed in, flurried and heated, with his red cap in his | However, Pedro will | Rebieras; Henne a a speak to them,”’ “ We shall never see the bullocks again,”’ observed Pedro, mournfully. ‘* No: but we shall never see one another again, if we I have information they come here ‘Holy Saint Francis! and they say there are a thousand of them,”’ “Not quite so many, to my knowledge,’’ observed ack. “They told me that a great many were killed in their attack eo the town, before they mastered it.”’ ‘*So much the better. wine, and then call the other men.”’ The house was barricaded as well as circumstances But lexpect Pedro from the town; | would ) ye the first story was also made a fortress by loading the landing place with armoires and chests of drawers. The upper story, or attic, if it might be so called, was defended in the same way, that they em ings ag from one to the other if the doors were ore It was eight o’clock in the evening before all was ready, and they were still occupied with the last de- fense, under the superintendence of Mesty, who showed himself an able engineer, when they heard the sound of an approaching multitude. They looked out of one of the windows, and perceived the house surrounded by the galley-slaves, in number apparently about a hundred, They were all dressed in a most fantastic manner with whatever they could pick up: some had fire-arms, but the most of them were supplied with only swords or knives. With them came also their cortege of plunder: carts of various descriptions, loaded with provisions of all sorts, and wine; women lashed down with ropes, sails from the vessels and boats to supply them with covering in the mountains, hay and straw, and mattresses. Their plunder a peared to be well chosen for their exigencies. To th ainst so many,” observed Don | carts were tied a variety of cattle, intended to accom- whereas in the | pany them to their retreat. sy on appeared to be ons—that leader under a leader, who was pom | op a e house to on ‘Massa Easy, you show me dat man,” said Mesty, as not been | when he heard the conversation between Easy and the ‘only let me know him.” there, Mesty, walking down in He has a musket in his hand, a jacket with silver buttons, and white trowsers.”’ ‘Yes, Massa Easy, me see him well—let me look little more—dat enough.” The galley-slaves appeared to be very anxious 6o sur- round the house that no one should escape, and Don Silvio was arranging the men, ‘* Ned,” said lack, ‘let us show him that we are here. ‘“Do you see him He said that he would acquaint Don Rebiera with our’ arrival—let us prove to him that he is too late.” “It would not be a bad plan,”’ replied Gascoigne; “if it were possible that these fellows had any gratitude among them, some of them might relent at the idea of attacking those who saved them,” more in the house than they think for; and we can frighten some of them by telling them that the soldiers are near at hand.”’ Jack immediately threw up the casement, and called out in a loud voice, ‘* Don Silvio! galley-slave! Don Silvio!” The party hailed turned round, and beheld Jack, Gas- coigne, and Mesty standing at the window of the upper floor ‘“We have saved you the trouble of announcing us,” called out Gascoigne. ‘ We are here to receive you.” “And in three hours the troops will be here, so you must be quick, Don Silvio,” continued Jack. wet ees ¥ continued Gascoigne, letting fly his istol at Don 0. The window was then immediately closed. The ap- pearance of our heroes, and their communication of the s y arrival of the troops, was_ not without effect. e criminals trembled at the idea; Don Silvio was mad with rage—he pointed out to the men the necessity of immediate at —the improbability of the troops arriving so soon, and the wealth which he expected was locked up by Don Rebierain his mansion, This rallied them, and they advanced to the doors, which they attempted to force without success losing several men by the occasional fire from those within the house, Finding their efforts, after half an hour's repeated at- tempts, to be useless, they retreated, and then bringing up a long piece of timber, which uired sixty men to carry it, they ran with it against the cont and the weight and impetus of the timber drove it off its hinges, and an entrance was obtained; by this time it was dark, the lower story had been abandoned, but the barricade at the head of the stairs opposed their progress. Con- venient loop-holes had been prepared by the defenders, who now opened a smart fire upon the assailants, the latter having no means of returning it effectually, had they had ammunition for their muskets, which fortu- nately they had not been able to procure. The combat e fierce, and the galley-slaves were several times repulsed with great loss during a contest of two hours; but, encouraged by Don Silvio, and refreshed by repeated draughts of wine, they continued by de- grees removing the barriers opposed to them. ‘““We shall have to retreat,” exclaimed Don Rebiera; “very soon they will have torn down all. What do you think, Signor 9” ‘‘Hold this as long as we can. How are we off for amuunition?’’ New York Library. “< AS will be here, and we must defend ourselves—so call the men together; I must ———_ ---— Oe + + -- Owen e ee — eee ———— a — _ “ Plenty as yet—plenty to last for six hours, I think.” ** What do P ing say, Mesty?”’ ‘** By holy St. Patrig, I say hold out here—they got. no fire-arms—and we ’ab um at arm-length.” This decision was the occasion of the first defense being held for two hours more, an occasional relief be- ing er ss by the retreat of the convicts to the cover- ed carts. At last it was evident that the barricade was no longer | tenable, for the heavy peeoce of furniture they had heaped up to oppose entrance, were completely ham- As I | mered to fragments by ro brought up by the assail- met ants, and used as battering-rams. Th e retreat was sounded; they all hastened the other story, where the ladies were already aster and the galley-slaves were soon in possession of the first floor—exasperated | pene defense, mad with wine and victory, but finding no A __ Again was the attack made upon the second landing, but, as the stairs were now narrower, and their defences stronger in proportion, they, for a long while, gained no advantage. On the contrary, many of their men were wounded, and taken down below. The darkness of the night prevented both parties from seeing een which was rather in favor of the assailants. Many climbed over the fortress of piled-up furniture, and were killed as soon as they appeared on thé other side, and, at last, the only ammunition used was against those who made this rash attempt. For four long hours did this assault and defense continue, until daylight came, and then the plan of assault was altered: they —— brought up the poles, hammered the pieces of iture into fragments, and gained . The defenders were worn out with fatigue, flinched not; they knew that their lives, and the lives of those dearest to them, were at stake, and the Go now, Pedro, drink a cup of | never relaxed their exertions; still the c | Silvio at their head, progres ls, wi sed, the distance between the parties gradually decreased, and there was but one massive chest of drawers now defending the landing- place, and over which there was a constant succession of blows from long pols and cutlasses, returned witk the bullets from their pistols. ‘We must now fight for our lives,” exclaimed Gas- coigne to Easy; “ for what else can we do?”’ “Do?—get en the roof and fight there, then,’ replied Jack. «: Aye sf that’s well thought of, Jack,’’ said Gas- coigne. ‘Mesty, up and seeif there is any place we can retreat to in case of need.” Mesty hastened to obey, and soon returned with a report that there was a trap-door leading into the loft under the roof, and that they could draw the ladder up after them. “Then we may laughatthem,’’ cried Jack, ‘“‘ Mesty stay here while I and Gascoigne assist the ladies u i exp to the Rebieras and to their domestics w they went. Rasy and Gascoigne hastened to the signora and Agnes, conducted them up the ladder into the loft, and requested them to have no fear; they then returned to the defenses on the stairs, and joined their companions, They found them hard pressed, and that there was lit- tle chance of holding out much longer; but the stairs forte agama thin orce em. But now, as the defenses were nearly destroyed, although the convicts could not reach them with their knives, they brought up a lar supply of heavy stones, which they threw with great Parse and execution. Two of Don Rebiera’s men and Don sat struck down, and this new weapon proved most atal. ‘‘We must retreat, Jack,” said Gascoigne; “the stones can do no harm where we are going to. What Ye you, er tae OF bs ‘ “TI agree you; let those who are wounded be first carried up, and then we will follow.”’ This was effected; and as soon as the wounded men were carried up the ladder, and the arms taken up to revent their falling into the hands of the assailants, or they were now of little use to them, the ammuni- tion being exhausted, the whole body went into the large room which contained the trap-door of the loft, and, as soon as they were up, they drew the ladder after them. They had hardly effected this, when the “Not a bit; but it will prove to them that there are | were followed with a al. the yells and shoutings of the ley-slaves, who had passed the last Turriers aati thought themselves sure of their prey; but they were disappointed—they found them more secure than ever. Nathing could exceed the rage of Don Silvio at the rotracted resistance of the party, and the security of eir retreat. To get at them was impossible, so he de- termined to set fire to the room and suffocate them, if he could do no otherwise, He gave his directions to his men, who rushed down for straw, but in so doing he carelessly passed under the trap-door, and Mesty, who had carried up with him two or three of the stones dashed one down on the head of Don Silvio, who ‘fell immediately. He was carried away, but his orders were put in execution; the room was filled with straw and fodder, and lighted. The effects were soon felt; the trap-door had been shut, but the heat and smoke burst through; after a time, the planks and rafters took fire, and their situation was terrible. A small trap- window in the roof, on the side of the house, was knocked open, and gave them a ie ‘ke relief; but now the rafters burned and crackled, eat the smoke burst on them in thick columns, They could not see, and with difficulty could breathe. Fortunately the room be- low that which had been fired was but one out of four on the attics, and, as the loft they were in spread over the whole of the roof, they were able to remove far from it. The house was slated with massive slate of some hun- dred-weight each, and it was not found possible to re- move them so as to give air, although frequent at- tempts were made, Donna Rebiera sunk exhausted in the arms of her husband, and Agnes fell into those of our hero, who, enveloped in the smoke, kissed her again and again; and she, poor girl, thinking that they must all inevitably perish, é no scruple, in what she sup d her last moments, of returning these proofs of her ardent attachment, Massa Easy, help me here—Massa Gascoigne, come here. Now heab wid all your might: when we get one off we get plenty.” Summoned by Mesty, Jack and e@ put their shoulders to one of the lower slates; it yielded, was dis- engaged, and slid down with a loud rattling below. The ladies were brought to it, and their heads put out- side; they soon recovered; and now that they had re- moved one, they found no tg in iat bite tn te In a few utes they were all with their h in the open air, but still the house was on fire below, and they had no chance of escape. It was while they were de- bating upon this point, and consulting as to their chan? ooo) com (E SSnco nts could not bring were | ee -