Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 128 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

ee —— and ill they were cast, as wrecked seamen, upon your mercy, and cruelly you had them put to death, and I[ have felt revengeful toward you ever since.” “They were your men, and they bad broken the laws of land and sea; but, what had I done that you should rob me of my innocent child, my beautiful daughter, and my gold?’ ‘Hold! did not your daughter tell you why she cameon board of my vessel, sefior?” “Tell me? No! I bave not seen her, and—” ‘‘Have not seen her? Why, when did you leave your home?’ “The day after your landing and carrying her off, with all my wealth, the accumulation of years.” “Sefor Ivan, your daughter was landed at a seaport, and your gold, too, not ten leagues from your honse.” “Oh, God, [ thank Thee.” “Listen! As you will have me tell you all, I may as well make known to you that I consent ed, as a revenge against you, to land and pil- lage your gold chests, but I dare not be treach- erous even to him who laid the plot and tell you his name; let your daughter do that. **] knew not that you had a child, or I should not have consented; but I saw her that night, and when she made known who she was, | or- dered the gold restored, and it should have been then, had not the dragoons come upon us from the fort. “ Stoppin , with some of my men, to beat them back, | reached my vessel to find on board your daughter and yoer gold. * Life is sweet, sefior, and I did not delay then to put the Sefiorita Stella ashore, for al- ready bad the cruisers along the coast been sig- naled to give chase; but I landed the next morning near a seaport, and sent your daugb- ter and your fortune ashore, as she will tell ou. ‘* Bat, how came she aboard your vessel, Sefior Chevalier?’ ‘*That she will tell you; but I pledge you by no act or order of mine.” ‘* And was the one who laid this plot against me the one who determined to carry her off?” ** Yes, sefior; but more I cannot tell you.” The Hunchback arose, evidently deeply moved by what he had heard, and paced several times across the room, the Chevalier Corsair eying him closely. At length he approached and held out his ‘*Sefior, your words I believe, for you have no false Jook in your eyes. I returmed to my home, from Havana, to find it sacked, and my darling child gone, and the commandante of the fort told me that the Chevalier Corsair had done the work, carrying off my daughter, her maid, my gold, and my kinsman, Don Manuel Hernan- deez, who would have defended my home, ‘I knew that vessels were sent in hot pur- suit, and I waited for several days to get tidings of the capture of your vessel; but alas, they re turned, and all I could learn was that your fleet vessel had run from them like the wind. A coaster reported that a combat seemed waging en your decks as you flaw along—” “Yes, my men mutinied, because I gave up oe gold with your daughter; but I quelled iat trouble, and, as I teil you, put into the port ten leagues from your hacienda, and land- ed Sefiorita Enderos, her cousin, her maid, and your treasure.” **Sefior, you indeed deserve the name you have won of Chevalier, even though it is linked with that of corsair, and it was knowing of many of your noble deeds that I hoped the best for my poor child; but I sought you out, and came, in a small lugger to this port, where I was told I could find your haunts, or meet you, rhaps, that I might beg you fer my beauti- fal idol, telling you to keep my geld, but return her to me. : ‘*Ay, and for her I intended to give you as ransom one equally as beautiful in face and form, and in knowing that you brought dis- honor upon her, it would be joy to my heart.” **Hold! would you show that your hears is as deformed as your body, that you would revel in the wretchedness of an innocent gir! ?” The Hunchbaek sprung to his feet at the ring- ing words of the corsair, and his face became livid as he said, in husky tones: ‘The same feeling—revenge—that prompted ou to rob me of my gold, in retaliation for the anging of your men, causes me to wish ruip upon the one of whom I - ‘“*Don Ivan, I pitied you fer your misfor- tunes in beiag stamped as one accurved of God: IT admired you for your devoted love for your daughter; but I abhor you for your cow- ardiee. ‘“‘Cowardice? Dare yeu call me a coward?” and the Hunchback’s voice rung threatenirgly, while he glanced towarda h mel y-mount- ed sword that lay on the table. ~ “Ay, the man whe would wish to drag a pure woman down to ruin, to gratify a revenge, Oh, God do y it? Thom shall **Oh, Oo you repeat ons ou ansver with your hfe,” and the Hanchbock speung for the sword, and oe it, came to- ward the corsair, who kad calmly risen, and LL LL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL ee _— eee awe ue se ee ee The Chevalier Corsair. dropped his hand upon the hilt of a dagger he carried in bis bosom. ‘‘Sefior, if you have cause of quarrel with me, we can select a more fitting time and place,” warned the Chevalier, calmly. ‘*No, the word coward to me shall never grow cold on your tongue; ay, and Ill rid the seas of the Chevalier Corsair and avenge the insult.” The Hunchback was a skilled swordsman, and, conscious of his own strength, he began the attack; but his blade was shivered to atoms when it struck the uplifted weapon of the cor- sair, while he was seized in a grasp of steel and hurled inte the corner of the room as if he had been a toy. Staggering to his feet, half-stunned, livid with passion, and bleeding, he saw that he was alone; the Chevalier Corsair had departed! CHAPTER XIV. DON IVAN’S PLOT. WHEN Don Ivan Enderos brought his power of self-control into command, he checked his tirst intention of running after the Chevalier Corsair to denounce bim in the street as a pi- rate and the famous sea rover; he stood a mo- ment in silent thotight, and then bathing the cut on his forehead, dressed it, and sat down to meditate. “Is my heart getting as deformed as my body, that 1 attempt to slay the man who has given me back my sahelher and my gold?” he murmured. ‘‘It would seem so; but coward is a word harsh to my ears—and yet, am I nota coward to visit upon er the sins of her father? ‘*But 1 hate her, too, for ’twas ber mother who, when I told ber of my love, gave me a mirror, in which to look at myself, while hatred of him I have inherited! A y, from my mother have I the heritage of hatred for Don Henrico, the basely born Enderos; and I will have my revenge, for if this honorable pirate will not aid me, then some ono else shall, for I will drag down into the very filth of the street both fa- ther and daughter— Ha! I think I havea tool to serve me, or I mistake the avaricious face of the Padre Bonito; now for an interview with that brother of Satan.” So saying the Hunchback arose and attired himself for the street, throwing around him the heavy cloak he wore, more to hide his hideous deformity than for warmth. Sauntering out of the cabaret he met Pierre Jacot, the landlord, who said, politely: ** Tho sefior saw his visitor?’ ‘Yes; Co you know who he is?’ ‘“*A very une gentleman, indeed—the Mon- sieur De Lisle.” ** And, what else?” ‘‘If the sefor does not know his guest, it is not for me to do so,” replied the cautious Jacot. Don Ivan passed out into the street, and after a rapid walk approached the old convent in which the Padre Bonito had his home. Finding his way to the cell, or chamber, at one end of the rock-bound corridor, be gave a loud knock. The padre quickly appeared, and recognizing him, said, simply: “inter, my son.” “Your son! You would curse me, padre, were I really thy offspring. Il am deformed and accursed, I know, and hence I fling down the gauntlet of hatred against the race of whom lam but a foul blot.” ‘* Benedicite, hijo mio,” answered the padre, solemuly, rising amd hc!2ing his hands above his head. ‘‘Oh, curses upon your blessings, padre! I -_ not here tor nonsense but to ask your aid. ‘* You have seen the Chevalier, then?” “Yes, and he left me his mark, and the taunt of coward ringing in my ears.” ‘* You should have known better than to have angered him.” ‘““Sefor padre, I choose not my words to any man. But enough:—he did me a favor such as [ean never repay him for, bot when I sought his aid in a matter of revenge he was insulted that I should believe him so base—called me a coward, which I resented, but he shivered my sword and hurled me across the room with a strength I knew not man could possess, and I am no child, padre.” ‘** Though a corsair the Chevalier has honor.” “‘How unlike youand I! But, to the point:— I need your aid.” ‘* Would you ask a padre to serve you in that which a pirate had refused to act?” demanded the priest, sternly. “Ob, yes, for you wear but a mask of piety, which removed, shows Satan in the robe of the saint. ‘You are bold, sofier, and I kave a mind to fling you from that window,” and the padre aroKe. **Only ope man could do that, and I’ve had one lesson to-night; but, sit dewn and hear me, for [ have gold now to offer, as I can get an Havana banker to advance me money, now that your courtly corsair has returned me my fortune,” “* Well, sefior, what would youf” and drop- —— —— ened tt — 9 a ---- — -_—_—— oe ep eS ping all sign of anger the Padre Bonito resumed is seas. ‘‘] seek revenge. There is but one way I can reach my foe so well as through his-love for his child, and, Spaniard though he is, he is no Cath- olic, and dreads your church as Satan does holy water, ‘‘Tt was my intention to give the daughter of my foe in ransom for my own child; but she be- ing safe I offered the maiden to the corsair, with the result you know. NowlI ask you to take her and place her forever behind the walk of a convent.” i ‘‘That were hard to do here, sefior, if, as I suspect, she is rich and prominent,” “Then elsewhere?’ ‘* Elsewhere, yes.” ‘* Where?” ‘*In Havana, for instance. You came heré in a swift-sailing caravel.” ‘‘ How know you that, padre?” ‘‘I know many things, sefior,” was the sig- nificant reply. ‘*‘ Admitted; I came here in a small but swift carave), from my island home in the West In- dies, and she is still here: what then?” ‘“‘T will give you a letter to a person in Ha- vana, who will place the maiden im a convent anor but you must take her to Cuba your: ‘I can do so, I think, on my way back to my own home; but how to get her in my power is the trouble.” “That is easy, for the Carnival time has come, and vou can go boldly to her bome, gag her, mask ber face, and bear her to your ves- sel, and it will be looked upon as a masquerad- ing freak, especially as you are—” “*Go on, padre! Don’t re me, but say that my own hideous form will be looked upon as a mock deformity; but I will take your ad- vice, so tell me your fee and I will give you the gold to-morrow.” ‘* Place in my hand fifty enzas, and I will go with you, and carry the maiden safely on board your caravel,” ‘It is a bargain! I will be here with the gold; then we will arrange the hour for our work, and the vessel shall all ready to sail. Most pious padre, adios!” and with a mock reverential bow the Hunchback left the cell and the ruined convent, rubbing his hands with sin- ister joy, while he muttered: ‘‘Hal ha! ha! all the venom of reve is coming back against my noble brother, Don Henrico, and when I have his sweet daughter incarcerated inthe walls of a convent, 1 will torture his life into a very hell on earth. Oh! but revenge is a sweet morsel thut melts like nectar on my lips!” He walked rapidly along, unaware that a tal! re form m cre — ie ag shadow of the old ruin and was following with swift, silent tread, and that a long, keen knife wis rea in a hand that grasped it with deadly in- mnt. A moment more and the tracker was u him; the gleaming blade descended with terrific force upon the deformed shoulders, only to strike with a ringing, metallic sound, and break short off at the bilt! The blow staggered the Hunchback for an in- stant, but only for an instant, for, with a cry of rage, he turned and grasped his intended as- east in his long and powerful erms, while he cried: . ‘* That is your game, is it?” , The man struggled, but the slouch hat an cloak were torn from him, and the light of a swinging lamp, across the street above, revealed the dark, passion-marred face of Don Henrico Enderos, while, in sneering tones, the Hunch- back said: * My noble brother, I thank you!” CHAPTER XV. ENTRAPPED. FOILED in his dastard astempt upon the life of his half-brcther, Don Henrico Enderos stood silent, dejected, and overwhelmed with anger and mortification, for he knew that he was but 7 a child in the arms of the one he would have ain. é With sneering, sinister smile the Hunchback gazed upon him, and then said slowly; ‘*T have done thee rare service, brother mine in preventing the brand of Oain from being set on thy brow, for, not trusting in bhirelings lon- ger, you thought todo your own deadly work well and sure, and thus save gold and misery for thyself. ‘* But the dagger point has sought my hideous form so often, | have seen fit to wear a steel shirt, and this is not the first time it has turned aside your blows, though the one just struck was the first with your own hand. “You are gaining courage, Don Henrico, with years; but let us not quarrel, for I am none the worse for the blow, and I was just in- tending a visit to your palatial home.” Don Henrico now looked the Hunchback straight in the face, and said moodily: “Ivan Enderos, the devil takes care of his own, or long ago you would have been dead.” ‘‘ Admitted, brother mine. Bat come; Jet us not quarrel, but welk with me to your home.” (EOMALC OOO KS (EO) ~