Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 128 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

| | of dawn -_- —--—— what men eall you, not the guilty being the world would make you, bub a man of noble impulses, and one whom an unkind Fate has cursed most cruelly.” For a moment the Chevalier was silent, and the words of the maiden seemed to deeply move him; but then he said, in his low, musical tones: x Lady, I fear you have laid out for yourself in life a rugged path to pursue, and imbittered the draught your noble nature should drink, with the dregs of sorrow; but you know best, and if you ask the life of your husband, I grant it, and you are free to g»; but for your sweet sake only do I this.” ‘““From my heart I thank you, sefior,” and taking his hand, Stella Enderos, before he was aware, imprinted a kiss upon it. He started visibly, and to hide his emotion, called out: ‘* Ho, El Maldito!” ‘Ahoy the lugger!” came back in Alvarez Navarro’s voice. “‘Lay the schooner to, and we'll bring the lugger alongside.” ‘Ay, ay, sir,” and five minutes after the Chevalier Corsair and his men sprung upon bis own deck, while the two vessels stood rapidly away from each other. ‘ But hardly had they placed half a mile be- tween them when a flash was seen on the lug: ger, a faint report heard, and thena cry for help came over the waters: ‘* El Maldito, ahoy! ahoy!” Springing to the wheel the Chevalier chan the schooner’s course, and his ringing orders sent his men to their posts, while he shouted: “There is trouble yonder, and woe be to the man who has caused it.” But, as the schooner headed for the lugger, suddenly a bright flash illumined the waters, and the roar of a heavy gun echoed against the dark shores, while out from the shadow swept a voessel-of-war, in hot pursuit of the corsair crait. ‘** Ha! that is the coast-guard cruiser, Alvarez, and a good sailer, as we have had cause to know,” said the Chevalier, coolly. _ “Yes, sir; there goes her gun again! and see! it is the cutter,” and once more above the schooner rushed a solid shot, _ “The lugger has put about, sir, and is head- ing back toward the Lake, as though to enter Pontchartrain, evidently knowing we dare not follow, with yonder cruiser to cut us off. ‘* But we do dare follow, Alvarez, so spread _ Sail after the lugger, and never mind the cut- ter,” said the Chevalier, with determination, and with her crew at her guns, and a deathlike silence upon her decks, El Maldito bounded away in pursuit of the little craft, which was evictently using every effort to escape, while, the cutter-of-war, half a league away, was coming on under a cloud of canvas, having evi- dently recognized her foe as the fleet-win craft of the Chevalier Corsair, which often fore had so cleverly eluded capture, but which now seemed rushing into a trap from which there could be no escape, as the firing of the er would bring other American cruisers the scene, the commander of any one of which would give ten years of his life to be able to capture the daring Belmont, the Buc- caneer. CHAPTER XXXII. ; THE DOUBLE CHASE, As the eastern skies grew gray with approach the wind increased to half a gale, causing the little lu ger to lay far over as she staggered along under all of her canvas, and the cruiser also bent gracefully to the breeze, yet rushed on in hot chase, while the schooner sped along as straight as a church steeple, and was gaining on the West Indian craft rapidly. _ As the sea grew lighter under the breaking day, it was observed that the vessel-of-war was not, as had been believed by both the Chevalier and his lieutenant, the cruiser of the lakes, and which was kept as a sentinel, or guard, in Borgne, Pontchartrain and the Chandeleur Passes, or Sound; but, on the contrary, 16 prov- ed to be a brigantine of three hundred tons, graceful as a gondola, swift as a bird, and as saucy and rakish as a pirate. ‘“‘We could disfigure yonder pretty craft, sefior, if we did but try,” said Alvarez Navarro, suggestively. And we could bring yonder lugger to with a shot, but I never fire ona vessel 1 know has a female on board, or upon the cruisers of my country,” was the Chevalier’s quiet response. ‘¢ Ho will not be so generous, for yonder comes another shot, and up go his colors,” remarked the lieutenant, as the discharge ot a bow gun was followed by the running up to the peak the stars and stripes. ; But the schooner paid no attention to the command to show her flag, but continued on in chase of the lugger, which was now heading for the pass between Lakes Borgne and Ponies train. The chase was now most exciting, for hardly half a mile divided the schooner from the lug- ger, and astern two miles came the brigautine, all set that she dared carry, and some few miles The Chevalier Corsair. — —— es —_—_———— eee ee which all three vessels were rushing under clouds of snowy duck. Gazing attentively at the cruiser for awhile, the Chevalier Corsair said, addressing his lieu- tenant, to whom he seemed much attached: ‘* Alvarez, when in the city | heard that a new vessel, a brigantine, had been built, and es pecially armed, officered and manned to hunt me down; her name was the Huntress, and she carried a crew of a hundrea men, four twelves to a broadside, and three pivot heavy guns, for- ward, amidships, and aft, and was reported as a craft of marvelous speed, and that one in pur- suit is the very one, and the captain I told you I deceived in New Orleans, is her commander.” ‘* Captain Sylvester, sefior?”’ ‘* Yes, Harold Sylvester, a man whom I know well, and he is as noble as be is brave; I would not aim a gun at his vessel for the world; but I had supposed he had gone up the river, and not approached the city by way of Lake Borgne.” ‘* Fle has a handsome vessel, sefior, and she can fly too, for she holds her own pretty well with El Maldito; and just see that lugger how she rushes along; if we were not running intoatrap, as I believe we are, I could enjoy this chase im- mensely; but once through the pass, sefor, and weare cut off froma _ escape.” The Chevalier Corsair smiled, but made no Bs hy some minutes; then he said: ‘Set the topsails, Sefor Navarro, for I wish to gain more time,” and under her increased sail, the schooner fairly leaped ahead, and her sharp bowsprit was soon, as the night before, hovering over the stern of the lugger. At the wheel stood Manuel Hernandez, prov- ing himself, by the way he had handled the craft, a thorough seaman, and forward were the half-dozen men that comprised the crew; but Tolosa was nowhere visible, nor was Stella Enderos, and a frown came upon the face of the corsair chief, for he dreaded mischief, ‘‘ Ho, sefior corsair, why do you change your mind and dog my wake, after having set me free?” called out Don Manuel, as he beheld the chief standing upon the bow of his vessel. ‘‘ Alvarez, go to leeward of the lugger; and stand b all, to shorten sail, for I do not wish to run by,” called out the Chevalier, and his orders being obeyed, the schooner and lugger were sailing broadside to broadside, and at the same rate of speed. Then turning to Don Manuel, the Chevalier answered: ‘““It is my humor, sefior, to dog your wake, for I believe you have been up to some deviltry; where is the skipper?” ‘*In the cabin; he dropped a pistol and it ex- ploded, wounding him in the arm,” ‘¢ And the Sefiorita Enderos?” “She is looking after the wounded man,” was the curt reply. ‘*No, sehor chief, she is here to answer for herself,” and Stella Enderos appeared on the deck, her face pale, her manner nervous, At sight of the maiden, Don Hernandez looked as though he intended springing upon her, and hurling ber back down the companion- way; but to release his helm he knew would throw the lugger against the schooner, and per- haps sink her, and he contented himself by cry- me Back into the cabin, Stella! there is danger for you here.” ‘There is no danger I dare not face, Sefior Hernandez,” and turning to the Chevalier, she continued: ‘‘Sefior, again I claim your protection, and frankly admit I spoke falsely to you; but it was to save this man’s life, and under a pledge that he would return me to my father; now, I tell you, that I em not his wife, nor ever shall I be, for he is base and heartless, and he, after you, a sea-rover, set me free, dragged me away in this vessel, to force me to marry him, and thereby gain my fortune.” “‘ This isa pleasant story to hear, Don Manuel Hernandez; pray proceed, lady,” and there was a look in the Chevalier’s eyes, as he stood on the schooner’s bulwarks, looking down upon the lugger, which caused the Spaniard to tremble. ‘I have only to say, senor chief, that after you permitted the lugger to go, Don Manuel showed his true nature, and boldly told me that I should marry him; but poor Sefior Tolosa would permit no such wrong, and was shot down, but thank the Virgin not killed, by this double-dyed traitor, who then, by threats and bribes, forced the crew to aid him in flying from you, for he saw that the firing of the pistol had alarmed you.” The Chevalier cast a hurried look astern at the coming brigantine, which was slowly gain- ing, as the schooner had shortened sail; and then said, in a loud tone: ‘‘Safior Navarro, come here!” “Your orders, sefior chief?’ and the lieuten- ant sprung upon the bulwarks beside his com- mander. “Take six of my crew and board this lugger, and put back to the Lake shore, at the place in the lagoon where the schooner lay hidden: at night go to New Orleans, and ask at tle eabaret of Pierre Jacot for Don Ivan Enderos, and lead him to where his daughter is; then you can, if ee ee a a ee eee —-__—_- --—_—-_-- --_—- - ~- oS --- ~- oo sree ee mr ee ee ee —--— oor eO-r-- oeeeee_e-™- 19 —— ae ahead was the pass between the lakes. toward | he so wishes, give over the lugger and crew to his keeping, and, with your men return to the city, where you can await my coming; but under all circumstances hold Don Manuei Her- nandez as your prisoner. ‘Do you understand, Lieutenant Navarro?” ‘‘In everything, sehor chief.” ‘Then obey at once,” The corsair lieutenant — back upon the schooner, and in five minutes had selected bis crew oO! six picked men, armed and equipped them, and with light bounds they were upon the lugeer’s ceck, and Don Manuel a prisoner, and the West indian crew iv irons. ‘*Seforita, you can trust Alvarez Navarro as you would your brother; may your life be a happy one: farewell,” and the Chevalier raised his cap, bowed, and, at a signal from him to the ee Steen the schooner mane | off, the lug- ger went about, and the two vessels par ed, and not a moment too soon, for the brigantins was now not a mile away, and coming on with a saucy look that meant mischief. CHAPTER XXXITL RUN INTO A SNARE. Wuen Alvarez Navarro headed the lugger back the way he had come, it was with a fore- boding of evil at his heart that his chiet was running into a danger from which he could not extricate bimself, for he knew that Belment, the Buccaneer, had the reputation of never fir- ing upon the American flag, though be was a bitter enemy to the Spanish, French and British ensigns, and all his acts of outlawry had been against vessels of those nations, excepting the + ve a the rescue of Conrado Costello in the und. ‘There! it is as 1 expected: the firing has alarmed the Lake Guard, and yonder she comes,” he cried, as afar off, coming down the coast under a spread of canvas, the American cutter was seen, baving just run out of some inlet indenting the shores of Lake Borgne. ‘““Sbe is heading for the schooner,” said Stella, who stood by the wheel. ‘* Yes, and with the brigantine will get ber into a place from which I can see no escape, for one will d the Pass to Pontchartrain, into which E) Maldito must will run iu and capture her, I fear.” ‘*T trust not, for, corsair though he be, Sefior Belmont does not deserve a fate so ignoble,” said Stella, with anxiety. ‘* You are right, lady; no nobler man treads the deck of any vessel, aud though he never turns a gun against the vessels of his native land, its cruisers are his most unmerciful foes; but the brigantine, 1 sec. wants to bail me,” and the young Cuban put his helm a couple of points nearer to the coming vessel. ‘* And what will you say?’ asked the maiden, with interest. ‘Oh! Pl) make some good excuse, lady.” ‘* Which he may not believe.” ‘*True, but yonder is bis game, and he will not tarry with us,” and as the brigantine swept nearer, a loud, hoarse voice bailetas. ‘“* Ho the lugger!” ‘‘Ahoy the brigantine!” answered Alvarez Navarro, in his ringing tones. ‘*Whoand what are you?’ came back from the brigantine. ‘* A poor fisherman, sir; not big enough game for yonder serail cried Alvarez in response, and a half-cheer was heard on the cruiser, while the officer who hailed said quickly: ‘*That is a bloody pirate, then?” ‘Yes, sefior, it is El Maldito, the craft, of Belmont, the Buccaneer.” A wild cheer now burst from the brigantine's | crew, and the two vessels were too far apart for further conversation, and Stella Enderos said: “You ‘stood the ordeal well, sefior; but was it mn to tell him that it was the schooner of the Chevalier Corsair?” ‘**Oh, no, sefiorita; but it hel us, and can do no harm against my chief, as the cutter coming yonder well knows the of El Mal- dito, and, as they do not fire upon the schooner, itis evident that they see the trap she is in and hope to take her alive—that is, withou scarring her beautiful hull and £3 ‘* She is indeed a beautiful vessel,” said Stella, with admiration. ‘None more so, and for speed she has no equal, for she was built for a revenue cutter on the New England coast, but, drawing too much water for the inland waters, was bought by the Chevalier as a yacht, in which he intended making a cruise around the world: but, bein truer to a friend than to himself, he commit an act that caused him to fiy for his life, and made him an outlaw upon the seas; but, see, the schooner has entered the Pass, and the cut- ter and the brigantine are rapidly closing in after ber—the Virgin grant the Chevalier’s star of fortune set not now in gloom.” “Amen!” fervently responded Stella, and, giving the helm to one of his men, Alvarez Na- varro turned his whole attention to the chase of the buccaneer, while, standing by his side, the maiden also looked on with an anxiety second only to his own. And the anxiety was not unwarranted, for SS COMMUG LOO) ; = # o now, and the other — (E() ST Ts