Beadle's Dime Library No. 162 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

‘The Mad Mariner. 5 able trickery here, and by Heaven I will ferret it out,” was the angry retort. * Your ge, Lieutenant Gregory, is most insulting, and if repeated, I will have you kicked out of my house. Hardly were the words uttered than the lawyer regretted their utterance, for springing forward, asa tiger upon bis prey, Duke Greg- ory seized the lawyer by the throat, shook him violently, and burling him to the floor placed his foot upon him, while he hissei forth: ee do you dare make such a threat to me ” **Help! Burton! Grace! ho all! help!” yelled the frightened lawyer, for he saw that the hand of Duke Gregory was upon his sword-hilt. Instantly the hall door opened and the butler and another servant appeared with alarm in their faces; but they fell back before the stern face and flashing eyes of the young officer, who cried: ‘“‘Leave the room, for I mean the _ base coward no harm.” They fell back, seemingly with willingness, and closed the door behind them, w ¢! xe Gregory, removing his foot from the breast of the prostrate man, said sternly: “Now rise, Leroy Townsend, and tell me what all this means, that J am insulted in my own house, and beware not to offer insult, or by Heaven! I'll give you cause to regret it, for Iam in no mood to be trifled with.” The lawyer slowly arose to his feet, his face white and bis oF quivering, and having learned @ lesson, he said in a low tone: **It means, sir, that Mr. Neil Gregory, your father, disowned you before he died, ‘You lie, sir! in your false throat you lie!” cried Duke Gregory, savagely. “vs the truth, sir, upon my honor.” ‘ And I say you lie, for my father never did me this wrong. “‘ And I say he does not lie; your father did disown you, Duke Gregory.” speaker was a woman, and sbe swept into the library with majestic mien, and confronted the young seaman, CHAPTER VIII. BROTHER AND SISTER. ‘*Graca! great God! have you too turned inst me?” he cry, for such it was, and one of d pathos, was add to the woman who had 30 siddenie entered the library, and fell from the lips of Duke Gregory. ' It was his sister Grace, and in giving birth to her children, for they were twins, the mother had saerificed her own life. _ Lovely in face and form Grace certainly was; and yet in her beautiful eyes, in repose, dwelt a look of coldness and selfishness, while her manner was pacgney even to her equals. Reared without a mother’s influence, and by an indulgent father to her, she had become an pod her own home, and her beauty and exp wealth bringing her hosts of suitors, she had ruled in society as well. Clothed in an evening wrapper, which showed Fag that the cry of the judge had brought er from the seclusion of her own room, she, tore entering, had discovered whe was_ present, a had heard . words of ber husband. F nanswer tothe earnest, appealing query o ber brother Grace said coldly: “When you know, sir, if you do not. already know, the cause of rif cold reception of you, even you can see that, it is but just.” , “Grace, your words madden me, and I a peal to your inmost heart. to tell me what this means.” . ‘Your father left in the hands of my. hus- band a document for your es reading, Lieutenant Gregory, a you to Judge Townsen for ane Fa AL n,” wh. the cold reply. “ Answer me one question: is this man your husband?” and Du regory nted with withering scorn in his look to.the judge. ~ ‘‘Heis; we were ne ed four mon ” Ragen my poor er is dead?” he yy ) ‘* He is.” ‘When did he die “ Six months ago.” ** And left me no word?” ‘‘T have told. you that he disowned you, and left in Judge Townsend’s hand papers for your especial a wit me 3 Yon eh Aeale it.” | ‘. You will find. it true, Duke Gregory.” ‘*T have coramitted no crime.” “That depends upon your idea of what crime yar Oot i FS at mean, vou, Grace?” » | | ** Read the papers left for you.” _ ‘‘T have always been a duvitul son, and I felt sach joy in coming home to win his praise, and ‘You have won a name, yes stand you well, for you sa Saat hey pnd nI ou to explain?” - “My wile-atieee , sir, that the papers I EE Sn hold will be more explanation than you may possibly desire,” said the judge. ‘* Silence, sir, or I shall be tempted to—” “Hold! Duke Gregory, this ismy home, and I shall allow no high-handed bravado here,” cried the woman. ‘* And Grace Gregory, or Grace Townsend, or whatever name you may bear, I wish you to understand that your words have made a des- | perate man of me, and I warn yonder cringing coward not to speak to me, or I will crush him as a worm beneath my heel. ‘* Now tell me; where is my wifeand child?’ **T know nothing of them.” “Wore they not here?’ ‘‘A woman, with a child, came here one day, claiming to be your wife, and after a talk with my father she left.” ‘‘ And whither has she gone?” ‘*T know nothing of her, as I felt no interest in her.” “No interest in her, Grace? kindred?” ‘*T feel none in you, sir, and the sooner this parptal interview ends by your leaving this ouse, the better for all of us,” was the haughty ly. ihe young sailor gazed upon her an instant with a pitying look, rather than one of anger, and then said calmly; ‘*T will leave this house, for the present, at least; but knowing myself to have been my father’s heir, and tless of any wrong toward him while he lived, I will see if his will against me holds good before the courts. Your own “Not that I care for the wealth, for I have a profession, and I have money in plenty ; but I will tear from that wretch the fortune I feel he mt POY by trickery, fraud, and perhaps by meee Gregory, T= i 6 UTregory, — “Hold! Grace, our bullying manner and high tone has no terror for me and I will be beard, when I say you have married a man whom I always told my father was a villain, and whom I-now believe to be worse than my wildest fancy painted him. ‘*Now, sir, you know my opinion of you, and henceforth it shall be war to the bitter end be- tween us. rage nt ae Ea Se IT gz m m wil Atay 3, ; ou. ** You shall have your inheritance, Lienten- ant —— , at once,” And the judge hastily turned to his desk. ‘* My inheritance?” ‘Yes, sir, for — late father left in my hands for you a le of vast importance, to be delivered only into your hands, and with it a roll of bank-notes, sir, amounting to five thou- sand dollars.” The money, Judge Pownsend, you can keep, with the rest of the property in — possession, at least for the present; but letter I will take now.” He yA yee oe Sgn = ge a sealed letter was y the judge. : Thrusting it into mt oe Pe he turned without a word, but with a look of reproach at his sister, he left the library and the mansion. CHAPTER IX. THE WRONG PATH. OvuT upon the broad piazza, down the stone steps, went the disowned son, and rapidly his steps led him by the carriage drive to the high: way. trots 2d o79 he turned to the right, upon reac the. road, and had traversed it for a mile, before he seemed to realize that he was going away from, rather than to his vessel. Remem that a path through the wood- land ahead, would lead him down to the shore he kept on and turned into it, and after follow- ing it for the third.of a league suddenly came ou in an opening. A cot was before him, a quiet little home on the from which a view of the océan pip te whey rien _A rustic fence encire & garden, a small barn, an acre fleld anda front yard filled with flowers, the perfume, of which reached bim upon the bre sap Se homely picture, and momentar | halted. e moonlight silvered the scene with beauty, and the cottage seemed to bring up before him bygone memories, for he sighed heavily. te was about to passon a voice hailed him: ‘* Ljeutenant Gregory, is that you?” He started, and beheld the same woman he had met at the mansion gate. ‘* ‘Yes, Mammy Bond, it is I.” | ‘‘T thought you had gone up to the Hall.” ¢ And so did I; but I found no welcome there, “Boy, in God’s name what do you mean?” she cried eagerly, throwing the little gate open and coming out, ‘IT mean that my sister gave me no’ wel- come, and that I found a r claiming my eritance.” P. ‘Judge Townsend, yes; but be can ‘onl claim your sister’s share,” she exclaimed, wi intense earnestness. ‘*They claim it all, and say I have no home,” he said, sadly. — “You have a home, Duke Gregory, for my home shall ever be yours; but 1 tell you, boy, there has been some devil’s work ree 4 payee up there, and Leroy Townsend and that haughty sister of yours are at the bottom of it. ‘No, no, they cannot deprive you of your rights, and you must see that you wrest your fortune from their tenacious GreeP ay, you must have yonder estate, Duke Gregory, though the heavens fall,” : He seemed surprised at her earnestness, and said, calmly: ““T shall see what the law will do for me, Mammy Bond; but now, if you will allow me, I will come in for the night, as I care not to re- turn to my vessel, and I have an important letter to read; my father’s inheritance, Judge Townsend told me,” he added, bitterly, ‘* Yes, come in, and trebly welcome, my a boy, and you shall have the same pleasant little room “vhere you have before many & day an. night when you were a little child. ‘Yes, come in, and I will get you a light, and kindle a fire on the beat for the nights are growing chill; come!” She led him in upon the little portico and bidding him be seated, went within doors. . ou ro g tbrough his n,a@ c to and fro until she returned and abbered bim into a — room, where a lamp gave a bright light and a cheerful fire was burning in the large, old-fashioned chimney-place. * re, now you can be comfortable, and glad am I to have you as my guest and welcome you beneath my “If you on See | call me, and I will have you a nice breakfast in the morning, for I - re kill for you, Duke Gregory, the fatted She. brushed the tears from her eyes as she spoke, and left the room, and the young sailor was with his bitter thoughts. For some moments did Marmaduke Gregory stand in silent meditation in the center of the room; then, with a sigh, be went over to the table, drew up an easy-chair, and sat down to read the mementous letter be had received from the lawyer’s hands. Carefully he took it from his inner pocket and upon it, while uuoonsciously he shud- ‘Well, I must nct be a coward; but read this, bring it to me what it may,” be said firm- os Sed ere he broke the seals and letter, which was written in his father’s bold, well-known hand. CHAPTER X. THE LETTER. THE first few lines that Marmaduke Gregory read of his father’s letter caused his eyes to w dim, and his bands. to tremble so tha ges were all blurred before him. ‘ bat he read, and which in a short balf-hour turned his kindly heart to stone, the reader full, and I give the letter as it “Ar Home, “ CHRISTMAS Nicut, 18—. “My Son Marmapuxer: “ Knowing that my death is not far off, for my ysicians tell me I cannot live, I deem it my duty to confess to you a secret of my life and of and it isa sin on my that weighs me as I stand upon the old of eternity. WE Sat Ba years ago, whe I was Cdaitiedcne about the age you are now, I was running down from Boston to Salem in a ing schooner, a packet between those two cities. , és that vessel was a young and beautiful girl, with her widowed mother, who was the wife of a ad been lost at Bea. eir tance, and was Sony. in- en from my first sight of her, and a severe storm springing up they looked to me for bel in their alarm. - S we were dismasted and the hull went ashore, and we were all washed off amid the our own, wo new breakers; but I Chang to this maiden and saved her life, ren ig ™m was lost vei. ber to the nearest town, and throtgh days of illness nurse’ her back to life, and fell more and more in love with her each day, until I was de- termined to make her my wife. 2 “Leaving her at the tavern I went home and sounded my father upon the sul ject of my mar- riage; but be was a stern man, had a will of iron and had selected a wife for me, and threatened, it t did not her he would cut me off without a — and I knew well that he would keep his word. “IT returned to Clarice; but upon again meeting her T felt that I could not give her up. ‘Her father had owned a little place, which he had loaned money upon that was never paid, and strange to say it was within little less than a league of my own home. “ was all she had in the world, excepting a mere pittance in money, and here she was deter- mined to go. “Well, my sen, Imay as well confess it to you, that I asked her to become my wife, binding her to rete « ope LE until I would make it known myself, and one night we went to a little church and a ceremony was gone t h with which was a mockery, for, afraid to bind myself legally to her, on account of my father, I had bribed the sexton to rial robes of the clérgyman and perform the service. <S; GO =mcomicbhoo