Beadle's Dime Library No. 111 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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22 ———————————E The Smuggler Captain. “but beware of me. Your fate shall he a tNion- sand times darker than hers. You might have been hoppy in my love. Now, by all that is good and fair above, or foul and black below, I mean that you shall be miserable in my hate !” And shaking his clenched hand at her, he turned and hurried toward the village. And she, who had acted so bravely all the time that danger was before her, now trembled, and felt that she was fainting. A dim mist came over her eyes, and she sunk to the ground, sdarely conscious that some one was approaching her at the moment; but who it was, he did not kuow. CITAPTER XLI. When Rosalette Drummond came back to eon- sciousness, she found her father bending over ber, pale and anxious. He had enrried her to one of the cool springs which abounded in the neighborhood, and, by bathing her head and face, had sueceeded in restoring her. She smiled faintly when she saw who was by her side, and said: “T was taken suddenly ill, fatlier. How did you find me?” “T saw you fall,” he replied, “and hurried to yon—finding you senseless, with this ;re- volver clenched in your hand. What terrified you so, that you had occasion to draw a weapon which IT never before knew that you carried ?” “I have carried this in my walks, ever since Captain Hewlett first frightened and insuited me with his protestations of love,” answered Rosalette. “ And it was well that I had it with me today; for when the insolent coward barred my way, it drove him off ina hurry. I was brave enough until after he fled. Then all my courage forsook me, and I felt myself sink- ing, in spite of my endeavor to reach home!” “T did not know that the scoundrel had re- turned to the village. Release me from my ine Rosy, and I will go and horsewhip tim within an ineh of his life!” cried Mr. Drummond. “1 will release you from your promise, father, if you will use no personal violence. He might resist ; ami, in doing sv, injure you; and then IT should blame myself. I have rebuked him with seorn, and driven him off in terror, before the muzzle of my pistol. I will not object to your seeing him, and forbidding him ever again to approach me, or speak to me; but I pray you, fur my sake, to go no further!” “* Well, child, I will try and keep my hands off from him, to please you; but it will be bard work for me to do it.” “J think, father, you ean frighten him out of the village, by pretending to know that he ab- ducted Betsy Hunt,’ said Rosalette. “I ut- tered her name in my reproaches, and his face, thenzh dark with anver, in an instant blanched, and he looked as guilty as a thief caught in bis criminal nets.” * But if he denies it, and demands my proofs, he may give me serious trouble,” said Mr. Drummond, thoughtfully. ‘ « Tell him that you will have them in good time,” sail Rosalette, “ Then give Mr. Ilad- ley, who ig a trusty man, funds to enable him te go to Boston and New York, and get the De- tective Police to search for the poor girl. I feel confident that she can be found. If Hew- let leaves the village, }-t him be watehed. wher- ever he goes. He has threatened that I shall be his wife ; but I langh such threats to scorn.” “And well you may, my brave girl!” said Mr. Drummond. “ And now, if you feel able, we will go home. You must not g» out alone again.” “With this by me, 1 fear no danger,” said Rosnlette, as ee replaced the revolver in her pocket. CITAPTER XLII. Tlewlet was warmly weleomed, when he eame tack frum the city, to the sign of the Golden Awcour; sor Netetae Liunt and his wife both believed the tale which he told—-that he had traced Letsy and the peddler to Boston, and thenee te New York; and that, nfter hiding . there some time, they had taken passage in a ‘vessel hound to New Orleans by way of Havana He said he had expended much money and time in the search, and had come upon their Jast hiding-place only a few hours after they had Jeft it. Ile would have followed them still ; but they had found out that he was after them. and he thonght the business could be conducted by agents, to whom he intrusted the work. ** Do you really think that they’re married 2’ asked Mra. Hunt, with te«rs in her eyes. “1 cannot say,” said Hewlet; “ though they lived together as man and wife, I could nowhere find any proofs of the marriage.” “OQ my poor Betsy—my poor ruined daugh- ter!” moaned the unhappy mother. “I shall never see ber again—never, never!” ** And I never want to see her, if she’s livin’ with a man that isn’t her husband,” said Hunt, bitterly ; and then he shouted for Napoleon. ‘“* Here T be—what's wantin’ now, Neiiemiah ?” asked Steve, as he came snufiling into the bar- xoom. “Go and hunt up some eggs. I reckon the Cap’n will like a nogg—won’t you, Cap'n?’ said Mr. Hunt. “You make such good ones, that I never can refuse,” said Hewlet. “ Well, the reason o’ that is, I like ’em my- self, and I’ve had a great deal of experience in makin’ "em, IfI had a shillin’ a piece in hand now for every nogg I've made in my life-time, [il bet Pil be most as rich as English Tom, up in the Pines there; and they say he has a mint o’ money saited down. But he had lots o’ money when he came here. I don’t belicve he ever run in debt a cent in his life—be always liad the hard cash, to spat right down.” “You were here when he came, were you not?” asked Hewlet, with apparent carelessness. “Yes; I kept tavern then just where I do now—only I've fixed up the place a good deal since then, when I’ve been able. I remember the very night he got here. It stormed—oh, crieky, how it stormed that night! Ile was off the coast in an odd-fashioned eraft, they exnlled a lugger—an Old Country eraft—and ‘yot aboard of one of our fishin’ erafi from here, with three or four big heavy chists, and his two children— the littlest not mor'’n a year old, if it was that. The lugger sailed away, and the fishin’-sloop got into the harbor just in time to get clear of one of the eussedest storms that we'd had for ten years. English Tom—or Mr. Drummond, as we call him now—put up at the tavern here for a good while, till he bought into a seliooner and got him a house, and then him and his ehjl- dren lived in that, with old Cynthy Martin for a housekeeper. Then he put up his store, and built the cottage up there in the Pines, and quit goin’ to the Banks after fish, and went to takin’ comfort; and I] reckon times are about as easy fur him as they are fur most o° rich folks in this world. Though he won't be uo better off, when they lay him in the grave-yard, than I'll be, when they pile dirt on me.” Napoleon coming in with the eggs just then, the Jandlor:! stepped talking and entered into the scientific labor of making egg-noggs for himself and Hewlet, “How did he look when he first came ?” asked Hewlet. “Much of a muchness as he does now. A little thinner and paler, maybe,” replied Mr. Hunt. “ Didn’t act strange in no way?” continued Hewlet. “No, not that I remember. What makes you ask that?” “Qh, nothing in particular—only it looks rather strange fur a man to drop into port the way he did, from a strange vessel—nobody knowing where he came from.” “IT don't s’pose anybody cared to know, see- in* as how he acted decent and honest, and paid his way as he went along. I'm sure I didn't. Ile’s been a real good neighbor to me, ever since he’s been here ; and if I was hard ron to-mor- row, and wanted « hundred or two dollars help, [ad sooner go to him than any man I ever knew ; for I'd be sure of gettin’ it. There’s your novy ready, Cap'n. Is it sweet enough ?” “Yes; it is splendid. You cannot be beat at making egg-noggs, Mr. Hunt.” “ Not when I've the stuff to pntin’em. That Jamaiky has been in my cellar nigh fifteen years ; and the brandy is some Mr. Drummond sold me for old Cogniae, ten years ago. New liquor will curdle the milk I put in noggs; but that old stuff is too mellow for that. Napoleon, what are you doin’ ?” “* Makin’ a stun-fence, Nehemiah.” “ Mukin’ a stone-fence! What, in the name o’ Jerusslem, is that?” asked Mr. [unt, looking over the bar, behind which Steve was mixing something. ‘*A new drink I heerd a feller call for over to the railroad tavern the day I went after Bet- sy aud the peddler! I seen his eves snap arter he drinked it, and I asked the barkeeper to make me one. He did it, and I felt my eyes snap, and I asked him how he made it.” “Wall, how was it?” asked Mr. Hunt. “T don’t know as ‘t will do to tell you, Nehe- miah—it may wean you off your nogys!” said Steve, with a snufile. “No danger o’ that—iet’s know how its made.” ‘Wall, its made out o’ three thirds o' raw whisky, the strongest you've get, and another three-thirds of hurd cider! Lalf and half of each !" “ Thunder! ab. “Yes, and goes down easy!" sail Napoleon, as he emptied his ylass, aud gravely !ooked through the bottom of it. CHAPTER XLITII. But a few hours elapsed after ewlet’s inter view at the ledge with Rosalette Drummond, when Mr, Drummond pansed before the tavern, on the porch of which Nehemiah Hunt sat smoking. “Do you know where Captain Tlewlet is, friend Hunt?” asked the old gentleman. “JT reckon he is up in his rovin, sir—shall I eal] him Jown, or will you walk up?” “ Neither, thauk you. When le comes down I wish you would say that I wint to see lim ip my counting-room on business |” * Yes, sir! /Won't you step in and take a leetle drop o” something ?” “No, I thank you. [{ have not time now.” And Mr. Drummond walked on and entered his store. A few moments later, Hewict came down from his room, ‘Mr. Drummond was here just now, Cap'n, and said that he'd like to have you come over to his countin’-room. He wanted to see you on business!"’ sail Mr. ITunt. “Very well—I will go over!” said Tewlet. ‘¢ But first you may make me a good stiff bran- dy-punch ” “ Wouldn’t you rather have a nogg ?” asked Hunt. “No—TI had rather havea punch. I suppose the old man wants to build me another vessel, But I don't think I shall follow the sea much more.” “T don’t think I would either if I’ been as near endin’ my days in it as you was,” salt the Jandlord, as he went behind his bar to concoct the desired beveraye. Hewlet drank it, and then went over to the store. He entered the counting room, which wis in the rear of the store, where Le found Mr, Drummond alone, “Oblige me by elosing the door beinnd you, and turning the key, sir!” said Mr. Drummond, who sat at his table at the further end of tiie room, near the large iron safe. “I wish this interview to be strictly private.” Hewlet’s face turned a trifle more pale as he noticed the stern Jook of the old gentleman, But he felt the effects of the strony liquor which he had just taken, and determined to brazen matters out. So he locked the door, and then advanced to the side of the table op- posite to Mr. Drummond, and tock @ ecut which the latter motioned to, “TIT have some money of yours on deposit, sir!’ said the old merchant. “The amount, with interest to date, is four theusand sevep hundred and thirty-three dollars. You wil find it in that package, The residue of your woges as Crptain of the *Seud’, up to the day of her wreek, amounts to two hundred and six- teen dollars. You will find it in ths package. Count both sums, and if you find them right, sign the receipts filled out in the reecipt-book there.” Hewlet counted the money in each package, Bilently, and then signed the receipts. “T have not asked you for this money, Mr. Drummond,” said he, «8 he deposited the bank- votes in his pocket-buok, “7 know it, sir ; but when T wish to close all business-relstions with a man I pay him eff, take his receipt, and theneeforth have nothing to do with him,” said Mr. Drummond, steroly. ** This is sufficiently plain to be understood, is it not ?” “ Yes, sir—but I am sure I did not expect to be treated quite quite so eavalierly by you. It is but a few weeks since yuu offered to buy or build a new vessel for me.” “Yes! [I id not know what an infernal scoundrel you were then !”’ “Mr. Drummond! Your age alone protects you!” cried Hewlet, reddening with rage. “ Were anv other man to use that term toward me, I would stave his teeth dow” his tvront.” “T claim no exemption on account of my Its easy made,” suid Neheni- A , / S COMIC NCK) (E(0) -