Beadle's Dime Library, No. 139 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

Fire-Eye, the Sea Hyena. cern for he had [made up his mind to follow the course laid out for him by Enoch Shylock. CHAPTER XXXII. AN UNINVITED GUEST. Wuen Captain Tudor Vashti’s valet called him, according to orders, at nine o’clock, om the morning of the day set for his wedding, he found him sleeping calmly, as behooves a bride- groom on his marriage morn. Awaking, he made a careful toilet, sent for a carriage, and drove to a jeweler’s and made purchase of a costly set of pearls for his in- tended bride, telling the silversmith to send the bill that night to his club for payment. As he owed only gambling debts, the young officer's credit was good, and knowing him, the silversmith gave him the jewels, and he then drove to his club for breakfast, and, after a sumptuous repast, having a spare half hour, sat down for a game with several of the early comers. To his surprise luck sided with him, and he arose the winner of a thousand pounds, ‘“‘ By the Lord Harry! the Jewess bririgs me luck,” he said, as he left the club, and bade the coachman drive with all speed to Monmouth street, for he was late, and that is an unpar- donable sin in a bridegroom, though it is per mitted with a bride. : Enoch Shylock, dressed in a suit of black, met him at the door, and he was led into the parlor, where he was struck with amazement at the exquisite beauty of his bride, who re- ceived him with a winning grace that made him feel that she was one to adorn his home, and would madden with envy his male asso- sciates at the prize he had won.” “You are ready, Captain Tudor?” asked the Jew. 3 “Yes, Enoch; where are the notes and draft?” ‘The money, yours, is here, see!” and the Jew opened a morocco pocketbook he took from the table, and showed that it was full of crisp Bank of England notes of the denomina- tions of thousands. | “In that pocketbook are the deeds to my daughter’s property, and the money I give her, and see, these cases contain her jewels, and those boxes her silver service,” ‘* But the draft and my notes?” **I told you a Jewish banker, my friend, held them, he having negotiated them for me, and I expect his clerk with them each moment, as I asked him to send them here for payment; the draft I have here,” **Then let the ceremony go on,” was the im- patient response, and as the Jew left the room, Tudor Vashti crossed over to his intended bride and handed her the case of jewels he had brought her, while he said, in his soft, winning way: *“* Adina, accept these from me as an emblem of your purity, and believe me when I tell you that I more than. appreciate the sacrifice you make to wed one whom you know to be a wicked man; but your sweet influence, I feel no doubt, will win me from my evil ways, _ from to-day I will become a changed be- g.” The beautiful eyes met his own, and she re- turned the kiss he imprinted upon her lips; but ere she could reply her father entered, accom- panied by a magistrate and several wit- nesses, The bride and groom then took their places by the table, their names were affixed to the documents, and Enoch whispered in the ear of Tudor Vashti: “ Put, ‘son of the king,’ your highness,” With a reckless smile the young officer obeyed, and the ceremony was read by the magistrate, who, with bis witnesses retired. “‘One moment, your highness,” and as the Jew spoke he opened another door and there entered a Jewish rabbi in his robes, and he was accompanied by half a dozen Israelites, Then the ceremony of the Hebrew church was gone through with, and Adina the Jewess and Tudor Vashti were pronounced man and wife, and a proud smile rested on the face of the young bride, while her husband said: “Now, my revered father-in-law, I must drive to my yacht, for I expect there a mes- sage from the king.” “You will. find your wife not here, Tudor, but at the home I have given her up in the city; here is the address, and here is the money I promised you.” ** And the notes?” “ Have not yet arrived,” “Then give them to Adina for me.” “I will, for I sent my clerk to hurry them along—ah! here is Ephraim now.” “The notes were taken up before banking hours closed yesterday,” said the clerk. Both the Jew and Tudor Vashti turned dead- ly pale, and the latter saw that the news was as unexpected to his father-in-law as himself; but he shouted: ** Impossible!” “No, sir, the notes were taken up, sir,” per- sisted the clerk. ‘*By whom?’ asked Enoch Shylock in a yoice that quivered, while Adina, with white face pressed forward anxiously. “ By Mr. Ross Vashti.”’ Here was another thunderbolt into the Jew camp, and the three seemed dazed, for what could it mean? ; But before any one could reply, aservant en- tered, and. behind her came one whom Tudor Vashti recognized, for it was the king’s chief detective. “Ah, Shirley, I am glad to see you,” he said, with forced calmness, though his heart grew as cold as ice. ** And I to see you, Captain Vashti, for I was seeking you.” “Indeed; anything wrong?” ‘The king desires your instant presence at the palace.” Both the Jews and Tudor Vashti knew well what this meant, but the latter said: **T will accompany you in a minute; but permit me to present to you my bride, Madam Vashti, and my father-in-law, Mr. Enoch Shy- lock.” Fred Shirley was a gentleman, and he bowed at the introduction, said a few pleasant words, and then urged Tudor Vashti to accompany him. “TI will go at once; Adina, I will be home to alate dinner,” he said pleasantly, but the smile upon his face was a mask to hide the fiendish determination in his heart, for he had suddenly formed a desperate plan of action, and was just the man to carry it out, CHAPTER XXXII. TUDOR VASHTI PLAYS A BOLD GAME. ‘Wr, Shirley, what is the trouble at the palace?” asked Tudor Vashti, with feigned in- difference, when the two were seated in the vehicle. “There is no trouble there, but with you; ah, Vashti, 1 warned you and you heeded not my warning,” said the chief detective sadly ‘‘ Why, what the devil is the matter, man?’ “TY will tell you: you did me a good turn in the past, Tudor, and I tried to return it, though I was derelict in my duty tothe king in telling you that he had spies upon you. | | ‘‘T hoped you would be cautious, and try and redeem yourself, but you became even more reckless, and now you have run yourself into the toils,” ‘Why, of what am I accused?” ‘*No one knows your crime—” ac Sir !? - “Do not grow indignant, for you cannot bully me, Vashti; I repeat, no one knows your crime other than myself, the king, and your father.” ‘“‘ And of what crime am I accused?” “ Forgery.” “What?” asked Tudor Vashti with feigned surprise, “ Of forgery !” ‘Who dares accuse me?” “Yourself, Vashti; your father came to town and in looking over his bank accounts, leasned from his partner that a note, drawn by you, in favor of Enoch Shylock, and in- dorsed by him, had been sent in by the party holditg it, asking if it would be paid several days before maturity, if five per cent was taken off for the accommodation, for the holder needed the money at once. ‘‘ Your father’s partner declined, but yester- day your father called and took it up, and thus the secret came out, ‘‘For a while he thought he would drop the matter, and let it go, informing you only that he had that in his possession to send you to the block; but this morning he thought differently, after sifting some of your past losses in gam- ing, and went to the king. “T was sent for, and the king bade me find you, and I have done so.” ‘And I am to face the king and my father now?’ asked the profligate turning livid. ~~ Scomicbooks ‘No, I have orders to take you to the Tower.” r “Great God! to the Tower?’ gasped the officer. “Yes; the king bade me place a mask upon you and deliver you to Sir Charles Friedland, with orders to place you in the Life Dun- geon,”’ “God have mercy! am I to die there?” ‘You know what confinement in the Life Dungeon means.” ‘ | “And Shirley, dear, good Shirley, would you take me there?” pleaded the prisoner, for such he now was, “‘T warned you, Tudor.” “Oh that I had taken your warning.” “*T deeply regret it.” , “But, Shirley, remember, I served you once and you will serve me now.” ** Alas! I cannot.” “But you must.” 4 ‘*No, I will not do aught to forfeit the trust the king has in me.” ‘Shirley, you are a poor man, and I have with me ten thousand pounds; say you could not find me, and it is yours,” ‘“No, you cannot tempt me, Tudor.” “Listen; there is no haste in this matter, so return with me to the Jew’s; they will keep the secret, and I will pay into your hands twenty thousand pounds, if you will only not arrest me, and will wait until night before you return to the king.” ‘‘No money ‘will tempt me, Vashti, to be- tray my trust,” was the firm response. ‘‘Then by Heaven you shall die!” x With a sudden motion, wholly unexpected, Tudor Vashti drove a keen blade into the side of the detective, at the same time clutching his throat with an iron gripe. P In vain the poor victim of his own honor tried to cry out, for the knife had entered his heart, the grasp on his throat held him firm, and within half a minute be was a dead man. “There, now I have outlawed myself; but he brought it upon himself by his false notion of duty to his king; no, no, Fred Shirley, no Tower of London for me, while the sea is open to my vessel’s prow,” and arranging the corpse in a sitting posture, and securely fastening it up, Tudor Vashti coolly leaned out of the win- dow of the vebicle and ordered: “Coachman, drive first to the St. James stairs.”’ ; With no hint of the tragedy committed so near him, the coachman obeyed, and soon after drew up at the river bank, and before he could dismount+-from his box, Tudor Vashti sprung out, and said quickly: “Keep your seat and drive Mr, Shirley back to the home of Enoch Shylock, in Mon- mouth street, where he joined me and here is your fare.” The coachman’s eyes glistened at the five- pound note handed him, and after a profusion of thanks started todrive off, when the cap- tain waved his hand, as though to the occupant of the vehicle, and called out: ‘* Au revoir, Shirley, old fellow.” Away dashed the coach with its ghastly rider, and hastily Tudor Vashti descended the river stairs and called to the boatman, ‘‘Put me on board the king’s yacht with all ” “She sailed two hours ago, your honor,” was the startling reply. ‘*- Yes, your honor, gone to hunt the pirate I beard.” “Ther row me to the Black Dove,” ordered the officer with forced calmness. . “You mean the American built craft sir?” ac Yes.” “She has just hauled out of the dock after repairs, and I heard was to follow the king's yacht, sir.” “Yes, I know; now row my man, if you wish a pound note.” This incentive sent the light boat flying down the river, andin a few minutes it ran alongside of the beautiful craft, which was again in perfect order. : Throwing the bank note to the boatman, Tudor Vashti ascended to the deck, and was. met by Midshipman Leo Pyulding of the Lance, who saluted politely, but looked surprised, while he said: “Tsaw the Lance get under way, sir, and thought you sailed in her.” “No, I sent her ahead; you have twenty men on board with you?” “Yes, Captain Vashti.” LF ov] .. ore he - « « er ee ee Gom