Beadle's Dime Library No. 111 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

1 i - ho eer ee ee —_—— --s~ wo . ee es ee ns ee we a | etree + re eee gry. f ean get abundance of food and drink | where I pay for it, at the tavern, But I waut aud demand civil treatment at your hands. Aud, Sir—you need not frown and clench your huu-is—I will have it.” “Ilewlet, I have a great mind to blow out your brains, and my own, and end this matter ul once.” * “Nell, do it, and leave your son a knowledge of who and what you are and bave been for Lis heritage. And leave the girl who scorns ie ‘o look upon your memory In bvrror as the wurderer of—” “Stop, man; stop for the sake of boly hea- ven, stop! Say nv more. I will be humble. I pray you to be merciful!” gasped the mer- ehant, turning so pale that there seemed to be no blood left in him. “Ah! I thought you would be more reason- able. I don’t care if you do open a bottle of your old wine; it will look friendly-like to see us touching glasses!” said Hewlet, as calmly as if he and Mr. Drummond were ou the best of terms, “ Bring wine and glasses here!” cried Mr. Drummond, hoarsely, to a servant whom he suw at the other end of the porch. “What kind, Sir?” asked the servant, re- spectfully, as he approached, to hear his orders more distinetly. “ What kind do you prefer, Captain Hewlet ?” asked Drummond, with a forced composure, “ Port or sherry, madeira, or something lights er?" “Port, by all means, my dear Mr. Drum mond ; port, by all means, ns an evening accom: paniment to a pipe or a cigar.” * Port let it be, then!” said Mr. Drummond. ‘‘ And bring me a glass of ice-water, too, my man,” cried Hewlet,in the same tone of cool and lordly assurance. Iu a few moments, one servant brought a small table ont on the porch, and another plac- ed on it wine-glasses, tumblers, a pitcher of ice-water, and a bottle of choice old port-wine, the cork just drawn. The servants, then, at a sign from Mr. Drum- mond, left the two gentlemen alone. ‘Capital wine, this—capital!” said Hewlet, as le poured out a glass, tasted it, and holding it up between him and the setting sun, admired its color. ‘ My friend, Oldeask, the great im- porter, has no better, and [ have been through and through his wine: bins.” Mr. Drummond barely raised his glass to his lips, and then set it down untasted. * Really, friend Drummond, you seem afraid of your own wine! If I had not warned you that auy harm befalling me would result most disastruusly to yourself, 1 should be tempted to think that this wine had been preparer espe- eially for me,” said Hlewlet, in the same tone of provoking coolness which he had used all the time. “ Man, you need not fear poison at my hands. Tam willing that the hangman should have his due!” said Mr. Drummond, bitterly. “If he had, where would you be, friend Drummond?” gaid Hewlet, not at all abashed by the merchaut’s evident meaning. “ But all jokes apart, this wine is too good to be nevlect- os Here is to the health of lovely Miss ite.””. O88a- | Mir. Drummond’s eye flashed, but he dared | not resent the persecutions which he suffered. But alter choking down his passion, he at last suid: * Will not money bay you off from perse- euliuy te here in myownbhome? Tell me if it will, and name your price.” ** Really, Mr. Drummond, you make me feel bud Ly terminy me @ perseeutor.” “That ig uot answering me, sir! Will not money purchase for me at least an immunity for your intrusivas in this house? If you must see tie, let our interviews take place in my counting. room.” *'lhat would be entirely dissonant with m views in visiting you here, Mr. eviniaooail Now you will observe that if I am permitted to visi! you on a friendly footing here, chance must xt times favor me with a passiug glance at, if not an oceasional interview with, Miss Rosa- lette Beeoming used to see me frequently, ber need stoa fe which I am assured is groundless, will gradually wear away, an.ji—" ~ Never, you insolent, eowardly puppy! Never!” cried Rosalette, who bad noiselessly approuched Hewlet, while he was speaking in the most taunting tones. “1 have seen how | you annoy my poor father, and I come to tell — you that if its do not go away and leave him , op in peace, T will chastise you with my own hau, using a good raw-nide fur the purpose.” | ? a7 eo The Smuggler Captain. _——a oe “Your father !” sneered the villain. “ Yes, my father; the only father I ever knew, or ever will know, notwithstanding the lies you would have me believe. Hush, sir— nota word—open not your mouth to me, or | will shoot you down as mercilvssly as I would if you were a mad dog. Leave—leave this in- atant.”’ And the startled villain again found her re- volver at his head ; and in spite of his bold face of the moment before, he fled a second time from before the noble girl. * Thomas Drummond,” he shouted, when he was out of range of her weapon; “[ give you one hour to come to the village and arrange matters with me; if you do not, you know well what I will do, and all your gold cannot save ou.” ; And he hurried away, going ten times as iasi as he came. “Father, why do you fear that coward?’ | to tell!” said Hunt, with one of his oraeular cried Rosalette. “ Alas! my brave girl, I dare not tell you. [I am too truly io his power, and if he fulfills his treat, I shall be dragged away from your side in chains.” “Tn chains?” gasped Rosalette. * Yes, in chains. Torn from you and my peaceful home, and taken back to the land which has seen my happiest and my darkest days, to meet-—l dare not tell you what.” ‘Father, you rave—you surely rave.” “JT do not, my child—would to God I did!” groaned the poor old man, weeping in agony: ‘“ Father—dear father, is there anything fhe I can do to save you—to—avert the dic: if, peril which so terrifies and unmans you.” “ There is, my girl —there is—but I will per. ish before I ask the sacrifice from you.” “Speak not of that—tell me what I can do to save you ?” “I cannot. That man demands your hand as a price for releasing me from the sword which he holds above my head !” Rosalette shuddered, but did not speak. A ES | | —— Ne eS eee - _—~- _ _- Then = ee _— 2s eee said Hewlet, with apparent carelessness. turning tu the landlord, he added : “I think U'll try a brandy-puneh before I go over, Mr. Hunt.” “Yes ‘The old gentleman must be bent on putting things through !”’ said Nehemiah, as he went to mixing the liquor which Hewlet order- ed. “He'll have you hitehed on to his gal afore a month has gone by!” “I’m almost afraid he will, myself!” said Hewlet with a well-simulated sigh. And he drank his puneh complacently, then lighted a cigur, and, witli a leisurely step, saiuu- tered over tv Mr. Drummond's store. “There's many @ young man would like to be in his shoes —Cap’n Hewlet’s, I mean!” said Hunt to his gossip-loving friends, as he reseated himself in his old arm-ehair. “How so, Nehemiah? What's up?” asked one of them. “You'll know by-and-by. I've promised not looks, such as he always put on when he told people who would be the next President. * He’s in a streak of luek—that’s all I ean say, just now He'll write eesquire behind his name yet, and like as not go to Congress or sume other place o' worship!” Mr. Drummond bad not taken a seat when Hewlet entered the counting-room, but was walking to and fro, distractedly. “ Hewlet!” said he, mirage as the Cuptain close: the door, and coolly took a seat. ‘ Hew- let. I have come to make a compromise with you!” “ Have you brought that mad girl’s revolver with you as the basis?” asked Hewlet, with a sneer. “No; she is excitable and rash, while I am goo], as you see—very cool” And the poor old mau shook and trembled like an aspen leaf, though he did uot appear to know it. “Yes; I see you are cool. But a little drop of the vid brandy in yonder closet would help “If I could but temporize with him in some | to steady your nerves!” way—if I could only do that and save you, my girl, I would willingly yield up the few years of life that are left to me!” “Temporize, futher? If I admit his visits will he cease to persecute you ?” “JT think he will; that was all he asked, at present.” “Then I will admit them. But let him be- ware how he acts toward me. The first insnlt- ing word he ever utters to me will be the last he speaks on earth. Go and tell him, that if he behaves himself respectfully toward you and me, he may visit here. But give him no other encouragement.” ‘I will,” said Mr. Drummond, sadly, and he put on his hat and walked toward the village. CHAPTER XLYIII. Hewlet stood upon the porch of the tavern, with a malignant and triumphant smile mant- ling his Satanie face, when he saw Mr. Drum- mond coming from his cottage to the village. He knew that fear alone brought the proud old man there, and that he dreaded the fulfillment | Mr. Druinmond seemed to taink so, too; for be went and took some. “Ah! you rl yee decidedly more composed, Sir. Now, I will hear what kind of compromise you have to offer!” said Hewlet. “My daughter is willing to admit your visits, on friendly terms, to my house, provided you treat her and myself respectfully!” said Mr. Drummond, mastering his feelings enough to barely speak intelligibly. ‘So she has dismounted from the high horse she was riding. Well, I don't know as I eare to ask for anything further, just at present. As | told you at first, 1 am disposed to act reason- ably with you, and it will be your fault or bers if lam driven to harsh measures. of a threat which Hewlet could not have fulfill- | ed if he wished to do so, for all that he knew of the “ smugyrler’s secret had been obtained at atime when Mr. Drummond, having drank too freely, had, in maudlin eonfidence, at once forgotten with returning sobriety, told him something of his former life, his reasons for leaving England his supposed death on that coast, aud his escape to this country in a smug: gling lugger, owned by one of his old com- panions. But poor Drummond did not know how little real power Hewlet bad to harm him. If he had, a horsewhip would soon have driven the wretch from his presence ; for such a tale as he would have told, unsupperted by proofs, and denied by Mr. Drummond, would not have been believed in the village where the old gentleman had been 80 long and so favorably known. Hewlet’s eye met Mr. Drummond's glance as he approached. The latter made a motion with his hand toward the store. ““ Want to see me over at the is be, a friend Drummond ?” asked Hewlet, loudly and in a purposely-familiar tone, so that Mr. Hunt — and three or four others of the villagem who _were by could hear it. “ Yes, Sir!” said Drummond, as he hurried “] will be along in four or five minutes !” ese HO AE ngs wo Pt wees ne} I will dine with you to-morrow, if you have no objee- tions !” “Of course I cannot object, if such is your will!” said Druramond, with a slight bitterness in his tone. “ And now, as I have done what | came for, I will return to my Cottage.” * And I to my room, to enjoy my cigar and 4 glass of old wine. If you are not in a hurry, I should be glad to nave you join me!” “J am in a hurry!” said Mr. Drummond, hastily retiring. “I've got him on the hip, completely !’ said Hewlet, with a ¢riuinphant laugh, as he followed him. ‘And Vil bave his waughter, or rather Miss Rosalette, for a bride before I’m six weeks older. Then huzza for England, to see what I can make by her there. I’m glad Master Etbel- bert is out of the way. He might interfere with my special arrangements if he was here. And poor Betsy—I am sorry for her, though I'm glad she is forever out of my way. But to be burned to death is shocking. Barnard says he nearly lost his life in trying to save her ; but the vbstinate little fool would not unlock ber door, though the house was ina blaze. I shouldn't have been very sorry if he had been smothered then and there ; for then there would not have been a living witness of the way I managed matters with the poor girl. But she’s gone. Pll yo over to my room, and empty a bottle to her memory, though I’d be devilish glad to fur get her, if I eould!” CHAPTER XLIX. Np sooner had Mr Drummond left his ect taye, on his way to see Hewlet, than Rosaletts dispatched a servant to Captain Hadley with » note, requesting bim to come to see her, in great haste, on a private and very important matter. Gomichboo S