Beadle's Dime Library No. 111 — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

oA RL 8 ee ee ae ee — - _— —_ an + ee Sa Se —— - - for latterly the Captain had been sullen and morose, and seldom paused to exchange a word with the landlord, ere he sought the solitude of hig chamber, where, with his bottle and cigars, he found the only solaee which his dark and guy soul could know, ow goes it to-night, friend Hunt; how yoes it to-night with you?” said Hewlet now, as ne paused by the landlord's chair. «Fairly, Cap'n; fairly. But merrily with vou, 1 should think,’ replied the landlord. “ You've had the blues for a’most a month past, but you seem to have the brights to-night.” “Well, | have, and with some reason. | have iaade up my mind to quit worrying about past and lost love, and to make amends for it by tuking Miss Drummond for better or worse to- niorrow.: I'm to be married at noon, in the elureh, and you must be there to see it.” “Jehosophat! Won't 1? Why, all the vil- luge that ean walk, creep, or crawl, will be tuere!’ replied the landlord. And then he shouted in a louder tone than he had used since be lost his poor Betsy : ** Napoleon !” “Wall, here I be, right under your nose, Ne- hemiah, What's the use o’ rousing the mare- waids outside o’ the harbor by hollerin’ so loud,” answered Napoleon, whose dignity had yrown considerably since he had learned to sinoke cigars. “Go and get some eggs, right off, straight, and immediately. I'm goingto make as many noggs to-night as ev'ry pow wants, free, gratis, aud for nothin’! cried Nehemiah, still in a loud key. “Somethin’s broke loose, or else you've heen improvin’ on my stun-fences, I guess,” sid Napoleon, as he deliberately rose to obey tne ordedfand started off with an extra snuffle or two. “ Married to-morrow, Cap’n? Don’t it make you feel kind o’ bad to think of it. It’s a good while since I took my Debby for worser or bet- terer, but yet I can remember that 1 felt awful seary all the day before. And when we stood up in Friends’ meetin’—for we were sort 0’ Quakerish in them days—I felt more like an icicle than a man, and if one of the elders hadn't a nudged me, I'd have sat down ag’in without sayin’ anythin’. The spirit didn’t move ime in them days as it does now, when I can make my own noggs, aud owe nobody nothin’. But, come in, Cap’n, anid have a stun-fence, while Napoleon is after eggs. Goin’ to have a time after you are married, eh ?” * Yes; the best dinner that can be got up in Ledvetown.” “Up to the Cottage in the Pines, I s’pose.” “No, friend Nehemiah. Right here in your own house, and it must be got up regardless of expense. Hire all the help you need; buy all the good things you can, and my purse shall bay for all. Ishall not stand back for a few dollars, when I marry the heiress of Tom Drum- mond |” “Hooray for you, Cap'n. IfI hadn't my eye on the man that is to be the next President, I'd vote to have you nominated. But come in, Cap'n. Lean’t wait for eggs now.” And the landlord moved behind his bar with unusual agility, and proceeded to concoct a evuple of choice beverages, which were soon disposed of by himself aud Hewlet. And, just as their glasses were emptied, Na- joleon caine in with a basket of eggs. ‘‘ Napoleon !” eried the landlord, loud enough to have been heard a half mile off. “I want you to go and buy all the turkeys you can get in the village!” “ That isn’t more’n a dozen!” said Napoleon. “And the geese, and the ducks, and the chickens! And I want two of my own sheep butchered, and a calf—Peaked-nosed Haight!” “Want him butehered? Why what'll the Widder Bombasine do if he's killed ?” “{ didn’t say L wanted him killed. You didn t hear me out. 1 meant that Peaked-nosed Haight would help you do the chores and all that. Tell Barney, the butcher, I want two rousin’ rounds of beef, and go to old Greeley’s for punkine and garden sass. I'm agoin’ to have the grandest dinner to-morrow that ever was heard of in Ledgetown!” “Why. it isn't the Fourth of July by 4 darn- ed siglit.” “] know that, you snuffle-nosed gander! But the Cap’n is goin’ to be married, and gives his weddin -dinner here. Now, do you understand ?” ‘Look at that, and see if you understand any better!” eried Hewlet, as he Lauded Steve a five-dollar gold piece. ; “Yes, I see right through it now, Cap'n 1” The Smuggler Captain. | eried Steve, as he raised the piece of gold to his eye. “And Ill ransack the town to get up everythin’ that’s good, you'd better believe. If Nehemiah paid like you, Cap’n, he’d go to Con- gress. He's got his good p’ints, though—that he has, but it’s only me that knows ‘em—he never let's ’em out afore folks.” | “Well, be stirrin’, Napoleon, be stirrin’— | you'll have to tell Ase Avery to come and help tend bar. I spose he’ll come if he does belong to church, so long as he don’t have to drink | nothin’ himself! And hurry up things—hurry things—you'll have to work all night, I s’pose.” “ Won't there be any dancin’, Cap’n ?”” asked Napoleon, who was lighting a cigar, notwith- standing his hurry. |. “Perhaps so—to-morrow will be time enough fo see about that,” said Hewlet, with a laugh. | And he turned to go to his chamber to pass a | _ to use a common term, was there. ee CE a i — gleeful yeni Ah, little did he dream that, but a few miles away, & wes ea and wronged wife, and a ruin- ed and broken-hearted girl waited only for the morrow to darken the festivities which he an- ticipated—to dash the triumphal cup of vil- lainous bliss from his hand ere it reached his lips. CHAPTER LIV. In a village like Ledgetown, news travels fast—there is no need of a public press to spread local information. It was known long before the hour of noon that Captain Frank Hewlet was to be married at that hourin the village- ehurch. And as the Captain’s real villainy was et utterly unknown there, and he had ever vite free and liberal, he had many friends, and few who were not such. The “Golden Anchor” had never before been more crowded. Nehemiah was in his glory. His tongue and his hands were both busy, and money rolled into his drawers faster than it ever had before. The whole population seemed to look upon itas a festal day, and to enjoy it ac- cordingly. Hewlet was exhilarant—every one he met, of course, congratulated him. Yet, os the hour of noon approached, he began to show some signs nervousness. He had evalled early at the Cot- tage in the Pines, where he had been received with chilling reserve by Rosalette, who would not listen to his accompanying her and her bridal cortége from her father’s house. “Ttold you last night,” said she, “that at fioon, precisely, lfwould enter the chureh, reauy for the occasion. There you ean meet me— until then, | beg to be relieved from your pres ence.” ‘ But I insist-—” he commenced to say. “Sir, your authority will commence when ! am your wife.” “Very well, Miss Rosalette ; until that hour I will not exert my ‘authority’. But, then, you you may rest assured you shall be made to obey my wishes.” “Very well, gallant Sir—very well! You know my wishes—lI shall expect your subservi- ence tothem. At noon, precisely, I will enter the church in fitting attire for the occasion. Doubtless you have secured the attendance of Mr. Noble.” ‘‘ OF course, fair lady; a marriage without a minister would be singular.” *“ Yet I have hearc of such marriages,” she said, quietly. He started, turned pale, and looked earnestly ather. Could it be possible that she could bave learned of his mock-marriage with Betsy Hunt? Butin the quiet of her face he could not read that she knew of that villainy. “Ours will be no mock-marriage, at any rate,” said he, as he turned from her aad went back to the village, pondering over her words. _It wanted yet a half-leur of noon, when the little church was far better filled than it ever _had been under the gifted ministry of the good Mr. Noble. In truth, almost “ alli the village”, Nervous and | impatient, Frank Hewlet, attired in his best ap- | parel, and wearing more jewelry than a gentle: _ man would ever appear in, waited on the tavern orch until he saw the family-carriage of Mr. | Drummond descending the hill toward the ehurek. | Then he hastened to be at the door of the | holy edifice ready to assist Rosalette to alight, and to escort her into the church. He arrived _ but a moment before the carriage, and opening _ the door, found both Rosalette and ber father, attired in deep black. “ I told you, Sir, that I would be here at noon, . and also attired suitably fur the occasion,” said Rosalette, as she descended from the ourriage without appearing to see the hand whict: liv ex- tended to assist her. “It matters not tome how you are dressv:i, 80 that you are here,” said he. And he tried to smile, but a chill seemed to freeze the simile ere it appeared. “ Father, your arm, until I am before the al- tar! This man has no right to touch me yet,” continued Rosalette. And, taking her father’s ' arm, she moved forward with the hauglity digm- ty of a queen rather than with the timid tread of a bride. The people seemed amazed at the sible colof of her bridal-dress, but made way resjeettull) as she passcd along; for none could be more leved than she. Yet they wondered—wonder- ed, too, why Hewlet shonld look so pale and gloomy, while her face looked fairer, brighter than usual, in strange contrast with ner sable robes. Hewlet walked on by her side until they reached the spot where the minister stvod pre- pared to perform his part. He looked surprised when he saw how Miss Drummond was robed ; but it was not for him to question the propriety of her dress. As Hew- let stood before him, the minister asked of him if he was ready for the ceremony. Hewlet promptly replied in the affirmative. “ Are youalso ready, Miss Drummoud ?” ask- ed the minister. Rosalette cast a quick glance to her right, where good old Captain Hadley stood with two closely-vailed females, by his side—then at the portly form of Nehemiah Hunt, near them ; and giving her father an assuring look, replied that she was. The minister then raising his voice, said : “It isa usual form with our church before we commence the holy ceremony for which we are now assembled, to ask if any one knoweth aught which ean of right debar these holy pro- ceedings. If any one knoweth cause that this ceremony should not proceed, let him or her now speak, or else hereafter hold their peace !” “The cause which authorizes me to say the ceremony cannot procced is here!” said Cap- tain Hadley,ina firm voice; and he advanced with one of the vailed females by his side. She also led a young child by the hand—a sweet lit- tle thing, whose wandering eyes had not yet rested on the face of the man who now stood, pale and wild with rage, before the altar. The lady unvailed, and stepping to the side of Hewlet, looked at the minister, and said : “J, Sir, am the lawfully-wedded wife of Frank Hewlet. Here is my certificate !” “It is false—false as hell! A conspiracy!” shouted Hewlet, as he snatched the certificate from the hands of his wile and tore it to atoms. “Papa! papa! O my papa!” eried the little one whom the lady held by the hand; for now little Rosy, hearing her father’s voice, looked up in his face. “Frank, you eannot deny your child! Come with me from this place!” said his wife, in a pleading tone. “Never! Woman, I know you not. Miss Drummond, shall this ceremony proceed, or shall I pronounce the doom of your father?” cried Hewlet “ Ask the spirit of your victim, Betsy Hunt!” replied Rosalette. Aud she raised the vail from the pale face of poor girl who now stood beside her. “Are all the fiends of hell leagued against °* \roaned Hewlet, for the moment reeling under the shock. ‘ Has that woman risen tio the grave to damn me here before all men!" «“ You will now excuse me, I hope, Captain Hewlet ?’ said Rosalette, bitterly. “1 cannot marry a man who has one wife by a real mar- riage, and another by @ mock-marriage.” “ Betsy ! Betsy! my own Betsy! where did you come from? Who took you from me?” cried Nehemiah Hunt, as he pushed up by the side of his daughter. The poor girl could not reply, but pointing her hand toward Hewlet, she fell senseiess inty hér father’s arma. * This is a vile conspiracy !” shouted Hewlet, who began to hear murmurs in the crowd, hitn- erto still from surprise. “It has been got up by Thomas Drumwond to prevent wy Marriage with his daughter. But it shall not prevent lis exposure. I here denounce him as a murderer, aud a fugitive from justice for crimes comin ted years ago in Enyland!” Every eye was now turned toward Mr. Drum- mond. He stood, pale and trembling, lookin as if he weuld sink inte the earth if he cout comicboo <S Cor