Beadle's Dime Library, No. 139 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

ae dred feet below him-was _ step, or the tremor of a nerve woul Fire-Eye, THE SEA HYENA; OR, The Bride of a Buecanee#: A Romance of the Reality of Piracy During the Bygone Century. . BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, UTHOR OF ‘‘MERLE, THE MUTINEER;” ‘‘ MON- € , THE MERCILESS;” ‘‘ CAPT KYD,” “DARKIE DAN,” ETC. CHAPTER I. “ SOLD TO SATAN. ’ 7 By x | In the name of Heaven! who are you?” 4 he 4 oI 7 ae é ” Ph eaag no! you do but jest; you are not— tod have mercy on my soul,” and the eaker fel shy ie upon the stone flooring, while in his ears echoed, with the last sense of yusness, the mocking laughter of the one who had so fearlessly confessed himself Satan. — The two stood in the turret of an old ruin, that for many long years had overhung the sea, d looked off from the English coast. One time, in the far past, it had been the | homé of a noble race; but their hot blood had made them live too fast, their large hearts had beggared them, and the last of his name, a mere boy_in.years, had been driven from his home b a schemin debtor, and forced to seek’ upon the: seas a ref et ry tT And that debtor had ere¢ted upon the broad’ domain, within sight of the old castle, a lordly mansion; and, won by his wealth a girl-bride, the very maiden that the sailor youth had sworn to return and claim for his own. What mattered it that he was almost treble her years, so that he held position in the land that his gold bought for him? ‘ What mattered it that one called him father, of whom dark stories were told, for his riches could buy silence? His bride’s name was a noble one, and her father held high title, and yet, being poor, sold his child as a mercantile commodity to the stern owner of Sealands, as his place was called, =e Sac to forget the pledge he had made the boy sailor, Brandt Greyhurst, that when he re- turned from beyond the seas the Lady Lois should be his wife. And thus the gold of Ross Vashti had gained him the grand old estate of Sealands, won for him the young and beautiful Lady Lois Nor- milk) the daughter of an earl, and made him as happy as one of bis stern, sordid nature could The nuptials were over, the guests had gone, and in an evening strol) Ross Vashti had ex- tended his walk to the old ruined castle of Sea- lands, and in its main tower had been looking out over the waters, unmindful in his medita- tions, that night was coming on, for the full moon rising with the going down of the sun, bad so blended day and night, that the change was not sufficient to draw him out of his rev- erie. Suddenly a low, mocking laugh bebind him had caused him to start and turn, and he was aghast with horror, for, not ten feet from him, stood a form such as he bad never seen before. Strange stories were told of the ofd ruin, of orgies held there on stormy nights by witches atk weird revelers, and yet, though avoidin the place when darkness crept over the lan and sea, Ross Vashti had believed the stories but the idle tales of old women. | Now, however, standing at the head of the stone stairway leading to the tower he beheld a form which suited all stories he had and read, and pictures he had seen, of none other than his Satanic Majesty himself. Dressed im bright red, with slender, wiry form, peaked nose, sharp chin, long, claw- ss, and with vibe Baws Bis. . _ from his fore , the ee cotttisd indeed the real Satan, the lips of Ross Vashti broke the © of yen! who are you?” ec ne different Paly-sthas it played u eg some one mm upon the stone floor of the wholly’ unconscious. 2 7ead «OUD UpOr & il oe a sconscious, seemingly, th he rock neath the castle, and which the sl hurl him PAs motionless and silent as th trate motionless and silent as the pros man stood the creature who had called himself the Devil, until the few moments that L senate seem- ed hours, ar.d at last Ross Vashti showed signs of returning consciousness. | ' i, deg ee SS 7 thee UPON. or Then Satan turned a quiet glance upon him, and seeing the eyes open hespread his red wings as though about to fly from the dizzy hight. ‘**Great God! It was no fearful dream then, but a most horrible reality!” at length burst from the lips of Ross Vashti, as he half arose and crouched back in one corner of the tower. ‘* Yes, I am a reality, Ross Vashti, as you shall know, and I came here to visit you,” was said in deep, stern tones, ‘* Heaven protect me!” ‘* Silence! “Dare you wey to Heaven in the presence of the King of Hell?” .The tone and words brought a ery of terror to the man’s lips, and again several moments of silence passed, and then Ross Vashti, feeling his very brain growing cold and knowing that madness would come ere long, said in alow, piteous voice: ye **What would you with me?’ | ._ “Not thy life, Ross Vashti, if you obey my commands.” ° wi - on will do all that is commanded, only spare me. " ‘*Thou art a therefore thou been committed against th Satanic regard has been shalt know punishment. " ““ Mercy!’ ‘* But now thou didst ask mercy of Heaven; but I have no time to waste with thee, Ross Vashti, so will simply oy that the hate of thy boyhood caused thee to bring the noble femitly of Greyhurst to ruin, and, not content wit clutching the wealth that was theirs, thou hast stolen from the last of his race his bride; and for it Ihave placed my seal upon thee.” ‘ ** Mercy, oh mercy !” : ‘‘Ha! ha! ha! I love to hear thy voice in pleading; but Iwill. tell thee.now that I lay claim to thy soul just eighteen years from this night, or shall demand of thee all else that thou hast to give: dost swear [ shall have the one or the other when I demand of thee the one I desire?” ; ‘‘No, no, no, I cannot! I dare not!” ‘Then from this turret this very minute shalt thou take thy hellward flight with me,” and the Devil spread wide his wings again, and sprung down from the wall to the side of the cowering man. ‘* Mercy! oh mercy!” “T tell you the word is not known in my vocabulary! Speak! wilt thou live on in wealth and seeming honor, with thy young bride, for eighteen years, and then give me what I choose to demand, or wilt thou this instant take thy preat sinner, Ross Vashti, ‘and easeth me; but thy sins have upon whom my hellward flight?” “Let me live! oh! let’ me live!” was the pleading cry. ‘Then you sell me thy soul when I demand’ it, after eighteen years from this night have passed, or whatever else in its I may claim?” «Yes, only let me live now!” ‘*So be it: here, wear this ring, and if it leave thy finger, that instant you forfeit your soul: whoever comes to thée, and asksin the name of this ring thy soul, or aught else, then wilt thou know that he comes from me. ‘*Thy band, Ross Vashti!” The trembling hand was stretched forth, and the man shrunk, as though the touch of the claw-like fingers burnt him. Then, upon the little finger of the left hand the Devil placed the ring, a solid band of gold, with a red stone set in it. ‘‘This shall protect thee, Ross Vashti, for from this moment know that thou hast sold thyself to Satan.” Vashti made no ly for his tongue could utter no word, and the Devil continued: “Should that a to remind you of my visit to you this night; shouldst thou, in the bright eunlatt, forget ¢hat thou, hadst sold thy soul to Satan, in return for eighteen lon years of wealth, happiness and honor, then loo thou in thy glass, and thy snowy locks will recall this night.” ‘* My snowy locks?” the man. | “Yes; I have made thy black hair as white as the driven snow. Farewell, and ‘ts There was a vivid flash of lightning, that blinded momen the eyes of Ross Vashti, _and when he looked again, his Satanic visitor -had gone: but the heavens had suddenly be- come overcast, the thunder rolled, the lightning flashed, and in terror the man fied down the stone stairway of the turret, sped through the vast ruin, and flying like a deer through the park bounded into the brightly-lighted parlor of his villa, and upon the floor in a swoon. i THE KING’S ARMED YACHT. — a mid-summer’s evening, dures the ying - past century, a rakish looking cruiser was at anchor in the river Thames, not far below the Tower of London. The glow of sunset yet lingered in the west, and the English ensign a he ote ; oe a rgeous-plumaged bird, down e deck, for the evening gun had ust been fired, and ‘twi- ht shadows were falling upon land and sea. . Upon the ears of those on the pretty craft fell ’ ? + > 4 ‘ w* = 4 —< ‘en? & -« ed, and for it thou. at the prisoner, and a grim Fire-Eye, the Sea Hyena. the ceaseless hum of voices, the rumble of wheels, and the deep tones of the vesper bells floating from the city. That the armed yacht was a. king’s craft was evident, for her officers and sailors wore the livery of the nation, and her being anchored close in toward the London Tower proved that its coming there was evidently an object of im- rtance, as boats had been passing and repass- ing frequently, between the craft and the gloomy old stone pile within which dwelt so much of misery. . . The yacht _wasa model of symmetry from stem to stern, and her rig proved that she was con- structed with an eye to speed and stanch sea- going qualities, while her armament was heavier than was generally seen on a yessel of her ton- nage, which was about a hundred and eighty ton S. The mass of the crew were below. decks. at supper, and the watch on deck, impressed by the gathering twilight, and the gloomy towers of the prison, were spinning yarns of fearful deeds done in that black, menacing pile, which flung its shadows almost over the'craft. i? The yards were squared and the sails furled with ‘the nicest precision, and the rake of her masts was such that : e long silken pennant, with no breeze to fan it, hung down beyond the stern davits. : | The masts and spars were of polished black, and the hull was also of the sume’ somber hue, excepting a belt of crimson that ran along the a of the bulwarks fore and aft. resently out of her cabin came a tall form, wearing the undress uniform of a captain in the British naval service. a Across hisarm was thrown.a cloak, as though he ted to be exposed to the ehill of the night air, and after a glance at the ‘‘ Tower,” he pegan to pace slowly fore and aft the white ec He was tall in stature, well-made, and pos- sessed the air of one of high birth. By degrees he relaxed his walk, and presently came to a stand-stiJl, as though so iost in deep meditation as to be unconscious of the move- ments of his body, and then his noble features became so distorted with his inward emotions, as to mar their beauty, for his lips were severely compressed, his dark eyes scowled beneath the contracted brows, and a suppressed groan issued from between his teeth. Asif the sound recalled him to himself, he started and resumed his walk, and suddenly turning to a junior officer who was near, or- dered sternly: : ‘*Mr. Morley, lower away the third cutter!’ “Ay, ay, sir; third cutter away!” cheerily rdacnded the young officer, and the crew sprung to obey, and then stood in readiness awaiting the next order of their chief. **Mr. Morley, bring the prisoner, Greyhurst, from below, and place him in the cutter; then go to the Tower, and deliver him up to the keeper with £ letter which I will give you,” and Captain Tudor Vashti entered his cabin, and sitting down at his table wrote as follows: - T6 the Commandante of the Tower: « “Srm—tI send by one of my officers a deserter from the service, although he wore the uniform of a mid ipman in the Royal N ay ; “He is Brandt Greyhurst, lately promoted for gai- bere the Indies, which circumstance you ma recall; but his desertion, while in port in the Ameri- can colonies, placés him under the of death, and as I may sail at any moment, I send t& your keeping. VASATI, oy toe pian Royal eres Spd “Commander H. R. H. armed yacht ce, “ Trames River, off London Tower.” Returning to the deck, Captain Tudor Vashti handed the letter to the young officer, and said, sternly: “Give this to the keeper, with the prisoner, and return at once!” ‘Ay, ay, sir,” epee pene over the side into the cutter and took his seat at the tiller, and by the side of a young officer in uni- form, but from whose shoulder had been torn the ay ro ego his rank, and who sat with bowed head, and heavy irons upon both hands and feet. The captain gave a glance over the bulwark smile came upon his face; but he made no remark, and the boat pulledaway in the direction of the Towerstairs, and was soon lost frem sight in the gathering gloom. Slowly, and. with hands clasped behind his back, Tudor Vashti paced the deck, until he heard the officer of the deck hail the approach- ing boat, and Paul Morley called out: ‘ All ready, sir!” ; Taking his cloak from the bulwark, he threw it around his shculders, and stepped toward the gangway, whichwas quickly lined» by side- Ss. ' x Well, alley ‘alia pipfiicer i Lp’ ress was e youn ’ cept his ecg fa the tiller, and who de ing it, replied: . ! rw “I delivered the prisoner to the command- ante of the Tower, sir, and here is his receipt.” “Very well; but I take the coxswain with me ashore, Mr. Morley.” . The officer reluctantly, or at least with an air * $ * }. Gomicbooks . c ‘ ’ e% r ol 6 ‘ge t= @ ) | he a ta