Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 172 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

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He had arrayed himself in full uniform, but his face had not fully recovered from its hag- gard look, caused by his stay on board the brigantine, and fierce struggle with the tem- pest in his daring escape, and around his lac- erated hand he had wrapped a silk kerchief. ‘* Be seated, sir, and I would hear from you an explanation of your very strange conduct,” said Sir Roslyn, with unbending mien. ‘Pardon me, Sir Roslyn,” and there was a fiush of anger upon St. Vale’s face, ‘‘ but may I ask in what respeet you consider my conduct strange?” Sir Roslyn looked bis surprise at the ques- tion, and answered with sarcasm: - J should think it strange for an officer, sent on duty, to deliberately remain on a pirate vessel, and return a letter to his com- mander to the effect that he expected to be- come a pirate.” St. Vale sprung to his feet in bitter anger, but almost instantly burst out into a laugh, while he said: “Sir Roslyn, as you know, that vessel was SE _————_ —_ _- ee - — — The Black Pirate. politeness, for I suppose you intend I shall re- sume my duties?” ‘“‘ Instantly; come on deck with me, for it is now eight bells and you relieve Lomax, for I intended to do so.” St. Vale arose and accompanied Sir Roslyn Stannix on deck, and even the well-disciplined seamen looked up with surprise, as they had all been led to believe that the young lieuten- ant had turned pirate in earnest. Lady Eve's face flushed with joy, Sir Grey frowned, for he had no love for the young lieutenant for the very reason that his daugh- ter bad, and Kent Lomax raised his bands in amazement, while he half turned his head to hide the bruise on his cheek received by con- tact with St. Vale’s fist. * Lieutenant Lomax, Lieutenant St. Vale, as before his departure, is the first officer of this vessel, and relieves you from duty now,” said Sir Roslyn ‘sternly, and in a loud tone that went the length of the ship. “But, Sir Roslyn, are you fully satisfied that—” * Lieutenant Lomax,” angrily broke in the captain, “‘ permit me to say that J am satisfied, and if you are not Iam confident that Lieu- tenant St. Vale will fully satisfy you too,” Kent Lomax turned pale at this, but reliev- ed of duty on deek scowled and went below, believed to be a merchantman, but upon | bitterness in his breast, for he was one of these boarding her I saw that ber armament was jealous, cross. grained natures that envy others, ‘ =. — said Sir Roslyn Stannix, whem he had heard what his lieutenant reported. ‘*T got the locality, sir, of the strange eraft, and we might still find her in that neighbor- heod.” - ‘‘ But can you account for the mystery, St. ale?” ‘Only in one way, Sir Roslyn?” “And that way?” ‘‘The Black Pirate!” ** Hal it does look like his work; but what vessel can it be?’ “Tbe Petrel is overdue, sir.” “Good God! can you mean—” ‘“You know they were within a league ef each otber when I left the brigantine, as I told you, sir.” ’ “True; but Cuthbert is an old sea-dog, brave as a lion, and has a larger craft, heavier guns, and more of them to a broadside, and a larger crew than this sea-devil.” ‘True, sir, but you know that the Black Pirate is considered invincible,” ‘Bah! I would attack him wherever I met him.” “True, Sir Roslyn; but—” “Bot what, St. Vale?” . ‘¢ You know something of the deadly marks- manship of his gunners, the speed of his vessel, and that bis crew are trained by daily eom- bats with foes, and from what I know of the Black Pirate, I shudder wheu I think that this i fe oes cleverly concealed, and I knew that it was the | and having once segn Lady Eve, and remem- | vessel may be the Petrel.” ie: ey Black Pirate. bering that it was said at the club that she ‘‘ What does the merchant captain report . emer _“ Had I betrayed surprise, or fear, the death | cared more for St. Vale than for Caverly, he | her as being” |} eae ef myself and the men in the boat would have | had determined to destroy her regard for the ‘‘ A trim, small brig, pierced for guns, and i _ -—- instantly followed so I acted with strategy, | former by base insinuations against him, for in | with masts raking far aft.” b Sabenies pretended to know just what the vessel was, | his heart he believed that the mystery of his} ‘That certainly looks ominous; but I will hae Pie. and intimated, as-I had killed an officer, | remaining on board the Black Pirate’s vessel | hasten work and run out after this Black ne referring to poor Lord Caverly, sir, it was | could be explained away. ‘| Pirate, and give him a chance to string us up, if necessary for we to seek safety iu flight. Once in his state-room, and the door closed, | too.” v0 Hi ‘‘This deceived the pirate officer, and I | he turned and shook his fist toward the And so urgently did Sir Roslyn push repairs Mate. begged to write a note back to you, sending it | deck, while he muttered: that the Vulture set sail two weeks after com- tt oa by the boat. “Ill not forget you, St. Vale, and I swear | ing into the barbor, and many a farewell was ‘i ‘““T wrote two, one for your eyes, which I | you shall yet rue that blow, for I shall crush | waved to her as she sped away, for all knew Dues .5¢ thought you would understand, yet I dared | you in her eyes and the eyes of your friends, | that her mission was to look up the weird ship if epee, not write more explicitly, in case the coxswain | so help me Heaven.” and hunt down the Black Pirate. it Me might be made to hand it over after 1 Lad given | : Two days had the Vulture been at sea, and ; . . j . ® va , san 144 . othe other I wrote for the pirate’s eyes, and | CHAPTER XX. ae Rab aciyee ene euler dest Bit! be: I dropped it overboard and handed the | A FATEFUL COMMUNICATION. Night came on, and the gale increased to His coxswain the other; and in this way saved the | Tue mission upon which Sir Grey Alstone | such an extent that Leon 8t. Vale, who had Mis ue crew in the boat, and made known to you just | had been sent by his king to Canada was one | charge of the deck, laid the brig to to ride it 4 ae what the vessel was, while I took fearful | of considerable impor'ance in the baronet’s | out. t Nat, a a ~ adap UR a Bi ee eyes, though of really little importance in re- : aga es by ae cae | came rye the (1 ae en St. Vale went on of his ghasily | ality. ook-out, and driving ore the wind, plung- ee experience on the brigantine, all that he bad Trusted with the management of his daugh- | ing, bending, and fearful to look at even in Oat learned from the Black Pirate as to his intended | ter’s fortune, and ‘the missions salary not pay- | the dim light, came a vessel, (, ake cruise, and of the chase of the craft by the | ing him very generously, he was determined-to | Instantly St. Vale turned his face upon her Wit 4) Petrel, the storm, and bis escape, and adding: | ‘‘ astonish the natives” in Canada by his great | and cried: the Ty oa ‘‘It was my intention, sir, to remain with | dignity as a king’s eommissioner, and dazzle ‘‘Great God! it is the gallows-ship!” Hite i him until I got command of the schovu.r be | them with the splendor in which he lived. Quickly on deck came Sir Roslyn, the officers AEE promised to give me; but I concluded not todo | A large and handsome mansion not far from | not on duty, and the crew that had turned in, a so, and after my perils and chances with death, | the Governor’s was selected only a short time | and all beheld drive by likea hideous phantom, ns I return to my ship to find myself insulted by | after he landed from the Vulture, and thither | the weird craft! Hine. Lieutenant Kent Lomax, and hurt by your | he went with his daughter to carry on an es- ‘*Ho, the brig, ahoy!” shouted St. Vale in Mies manner and suspicions,” tablishment which had swamped its owner, | trumpet tones. (1 ea “Forgive me, St. Vale, for I will admit I | financially, in a few months after he had built | But no answer came from the ghastly-look- He Ne wronged you, and was strangely obtuse regard- | it. ing craft, with its dark forms waving iu the i} a ing your note sent me; but since your departure As for Lady Eve, she knew not what her | air, chains rattling, and swooping, plunging ibd 8 Lomax has continually thrown out insinua- | father received for his services, and supposed | mution, and on it swept out of bearing. ‘} t ae tions, and some seeds of doubt regarding you | that he was allowed certain expenditures, and “Shall we give chase, sir?’ asked St. Vale of which I did not notice then, but do now, and he shall publicly ask your pardon for the insult offered.” Roslyn.” “ Egad, but you are right, St. Vale; but I will see Lomax and urge that he drop the mat- ter; but you certainly have had a strong champion in Lady Eve, and Lomax is sore over *-e asked no questions in regard to her own wealth so long as he paid her monthly ber income, and was very glad to return what she could upon their hands, and St. Vale often found his way to Sir Grey’s erga greatly to that gentleman's regret and Eve’s delight. Some ten days after the arrival of the Vul- ture in port a merchant vessel came in with a Captain Stannix. ‘‘ No, for we would endanger our craft in this wild sea. | . | en “ That is immaterial, sir, as I punished him | not use to him to invest for her as be thought ‘Take her course, and when the wind and tf 3 Shs for it, and it remains with Lieutenant Lomax | best. sea lull, we will pursue,” answered the com- i! _‘ .| whether the matter shall go further. The Vulture needing repairs after her short | mander. bag ‘‘ One can recall words, sir,. and obtain for- | fight with the brigantine and long battling ‘¢ Did you recognize the vessel, sir?” leans giveness for them, but a blow can never be | with the hurricanes, was taken into the docks, “Tt looked strangely like the Petrel,” sadly 1 ead recalled or forgiven from my standpoiat, Sir | and her officers consequently had much leisure | answered Sir Roslyn. ‘*7¢ did indeed, sir, but. with the driving spray, and watching those ghastly swinging forms, I did not note her hull and rig as I should,” replied Leon St. Vale, and left alone once more he paced the deck until dawn, and TF ee the biting rebuke she gave him after some of | strange, weird story to tell of having passed a | then put the brig away upon the course of i ee - his remarks about you, vessel im a storm at night, driving aimlessly | the strange craft, for the gale had lost its fury. Ne gs “That Caverly duel hurt you with the ad- | with the winds, and with ber rigging hung | 4, But search as they might, no trace of the ss miralty, St. Vale, Iam free to admit, for they | with human forms. strange vessel could be feund, and, giving up We re wish to put down dueling in the service, having, Of course there were unbelievers of this | the hunt, Sir Roslyn, at the suggestion of 1 they think, enough fighting outside for their | story, and hearing it, Lion St. Vale sought the | Leon St. Vale, headed for Newbank, in the 2 oe officers of the army and navy, and I do not | mercbant captain and questioned him upon the | hope of heading off the Black Pirste on }is " (eg Sf care to have you mixed up with another affair, | subject. cruise down the coast, as he had said he in- HH for nothing less than the capture of the Black The man was no coward or stery-spreader, | tended hovering off each of the large seaports | a j Pirate weuld get you pardoned for it by the | St. Vale saw at a glance, though possessing in | for a few days, on his way to the Gulf, to lio 4) ae king.” a degree the superstition of his craft; but he | in wait for richly Jaden ships. | a ‘ ‘‘T have nothing to do in the matter, Sir | told his story plainly, and his werds earried Several vessels were met and spoken, and all i Ar Roslyn, but if Lieutenant Lomax presses it, I | conviction that he had seen just what he said | had stories te tell of the deeds of the Black HL _-—s- eannot retreat. he had. Pirate, whom they said had gone South, and bib fas ‘As far as duty on board the vessel is con- “This is a most remarkable affair, St. Vale, | twe reported having seen the weird craft with i Bid cerned, I will always treat him with marked | and we will hasten repairs and put te sea,” ' the ghastly forms in the rigging, amd one, im ak ae i aR oe SC ; i olan.