Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 172 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

- ee 7 outlaw band?” said St- secret signet of this Vale, in deep surprise, ‘‘Senor captain, all I can tell you regard- ing them is that the Black Pirate claimed them as his family’s crest, and when he organized his sea-robbers into a league he bound them by solemn oaths, ob, so fearful, that no matter what he should demand of them in the name of the Golden Fetters, they would perform, and if one came to them bearing them, he or | ee ww es a we ee ) ' ——— ‘ she were to be obeyed as himself, while the © one upon whose wrists he placed them must consider that as his death-warrant.” * This is remarkable; and my having inci- | dentally slipped them upon the wrists of Senor Quentin was as a sentence of death to him?” ** Yes, senor.” “Well, Pil let it go as it is then for the present, for richly he deserves death.” “Senor, if within eighteen hours after they are placed upon the victim’s wrists, he is not executed, then by the law of the Fetters he is pardoned.” ‘Ah! then Tll see that Senor Quentin gets no pardon on that score; but tell me, Frank, are you bound to this League, by the same oath?” ‘“‘T am, senor.” “And you took this oath to get means to | Quentin, on deck, and summon the crew to carry out your revenge against this black | witness punishment,” was St. Vale’s stern or- demon?” ‘*Senor, that was my purpose; but let me tell you frankly who and what I amif you will hear me?” said the disguised woman in a voice that trembled. ** Certainly [ will hear you, Frank.” The woman remained silent a moment and then said: ‘*My father was a planter on the Mississippi 1iver above New Orleans, and I loved a young man who was my brother’s tutor. ‘“‘A poor man, with only his salary, my father would not hear to my becoming his wite, but insisted that I should marry a man whom [I hardly knew and did not like. “‘Tois person was a man of giant form almost, very handsome, and said to be a gen- tleman of wealth living in Jamaica. ‘*As my father became greatly embarrassed in his estate, at his and my mother’s earnest pleadings, I became that man’s wife, and went with him to his home in Jamaica. “ But I had not been Jong there when the trath of what my husband really was dawned upon me in all its fearful horror, for one night a parvy of sailors, under an officer from‘a man- of-war, came to the pleasant home where we lived, to make my husband a prisoner, and for what, senor?” “ A smuggler, doubtless, as many merchants living on the island some years ago, I have heard made fortunes in that nefarious calling,” said St. Vale. “Ah senor, would to God that that was all: no, he was none other than that Scourge of the Seq, known as The Ocean Vampire.” ‘*Good God! that demon, second only in cruelty to bony, the Black Pirate?’ cried St. Vale in amazement. ‘Yes, senor, that was the fiend I had mar- ried; but when the officers came to take him, having tracked him to his home, where he pre- tended to bea wealthy gentleman, he seized me in his arms, beat them back, and escaped to bis yacht, anchored in the harbor near where we lived, and put to sea, “He brought me to his island, where, as I once before told you, I had passed some years. ‘It was not his regular rendezvous then, as he had another stronghold, and bis ransom captives and treasures only were kept here; but at last I escaped, with a pa:ty of captives in a small sail boat, and his very vessel sighted us at sea and we were retaken, my poor un- fortunates were killed before my eyes, and I was brought back in irons, to his island, and here I remained for months, until I again made my escape, through the aid of his siave who had more mercy than his master, ‘I reached New Orleans, and that very night was met and recognised by the Vampire; but as he placed his hand upon me I fired full in his face. ‘He fell, as though dead,-and was quickly borne off by some of his comrades, while I fled like a deer from the gpot, ‘* Alas! I found my parents dead, my brother gone, and I was going to a convent to end my days, when I Jearned from the Vampire’s slave that his master was not dead. “The powder had disfigured his face fear- | | | | | | —— - — a A I Oe - - ne SO _— - — — -— The Black Pirate. 19 fully, but the bullet had glanced on the bone deep after we have gained an offing from the of his forehead, and the wound had not been a | island; but if you ‘prefer she sball have a severe one.” grave on land, I will have one dug at once, “Instantly I swore revenge, and, senor, I as- The maiden seemed overcome by the kind- sumed this disguise to carry it out.” ness of the man she believed a pirate officer, ‘“My poor friend, you have, indeed, my | and said, softly: sympathy in your misfortune and sorrow; but ‘* Oh, sir, you are indeed good to me, and what cause of hatred have you against the | the name you are branded with you surely do Black Pirate, too?’ not deserve, The disguised woman smiled, and then said “‘But my poor mother had such a horror of in a low tone: the sea while living, I feel that it would be a ‘He, too, is disguised, senor, for that black | comfort to me to bury her on the island.” face is stained, a wig of wool hides his hair, “*It shall be as you wish, Miss La Rue,” and and the Black Pirate is he that was known as ! leaving the cabin the orders were given to dig the Ocean Vampire.” a grave, the captives bore the body to it, and ‘“‘Ha! then by Heaven we will do the wcrld | one of them repeated the burial service above double service by capturing him; but come | the remains, and the end had come. the poor, and I will test the full power of these Golden | suffering woman had at last found rest in the Fetters, and begin one good work,” and there | tomb. was a grim smile upon St. Vale’s stern face as Going upon the top of the Rock Tower, St. he retraced his way to the schooner, that boded | Vale saw that the Vulture still remained at no good to Jacques Quentin, the pirate lieu- | her anchorage, once more diligently searching tenant, the island. As though seized with a sudden thought, be | retraced his way to the schooner and wrote CHAPTER XXXTI. upon a piece of paper the following: 6 (rant a ‘ie THE WORK BEGUN, Risin Pir Boston Sanne in—After nightfall the one who hands you this will pilot the Vulture out into deep water, and then sail for the neighborhood of the Bermudas, where you will be joined by a schooner that will bring te you important information. Sr. Vas, “* Lieutenant, Royal Navy.” Calling to the disguised woman, he said: ‘“*Frank, take this and eome to the Tower Rock just before sunset, and I will meet you there and send you out to reconnoiter as an excuse for you to go at once on board the Vul- ture. “Give this to her commander, pilot her out into deep water, and return here quickly, and we will set sail to-night. “Do you understand?” ‘Fully, senor.” Two hours after the two met in the Tower Rock, and St. Vale bade the guard to let the supposed young man pass out. The crew of the brig were nowhere visible, but the Vulture still lay at her anchorage, and as the shades of night fell, Sir Roslyn had be- come exceedingly anxious, for he said to Lord Cecil, who had been all day searching the island: ‘“‘SENOR ORTEL, bring the prisoner, Jacques der, as he stepped on board the schooner after his talk with Frank, the deserted wife of the pirate chief. *‘ But, senor, the men would like to ask of you the pardon of poor Senor Jacques.” “Tt is useless; had I intended mercy to bim I would not have placed upon him the Golden Fetters, and it is the law of the League that he dies, for he was mutinous.” “* But, senor—” | “Ortel, is it your desire to wear those fet- ters assoon as I have hanged Jacques Quentin?” This question was too significant for Ortel to fail to understand, and he quickly saluted, and going below soon returned with the pirate lieu- tenant, while the men began to gather quickly, and the captives, excepting the maiden. “Mercy, senor, for [T was mad and knew not what [ did,” groaned Quentin as be was led in the waist and glanccd nervously up to the | yard-arm, upon which one of the crew was , rigging a rope with which to hang him. ena That clever young pirate got us into a safe “No, you deserve death for breaking the place, in which to ride out that savage torna- laws of the League, and in my heart there is | do; ‘but it looks as though we were to stay here neither mercy nor pity for you, Jacques Quen- | @2til Doomsday , for I can see no way out, tin,” was St. Vale’s stern reply. and was foolish not to think of how we were The crew stood in a row, silent and almost | % get to sea again before I allowed him to de- indifferent-looking, for the officer had never | P#rt. ‘ been popular wlth them. | ‘‘ There is a boat coming off now, sir,” said ‘Are you ready there?” called out St. Vale | Lord Cecil, who had been attentively glancing to the two men who were rigging the noose, shoreward while Sir Roslyn was talking. “Yes, senor.” ‘Indeed! then it may be the young fellow “Then haul that man up into the air!” coming out to do the handsome thing, and if The noose was placed around the neck of the 80, I have misjudged him. doomed man, who now stood silent and with I do nope” he can give me more tidings of bowed head, uttering no cry or prayer, and | Poor St. Vale.” ; Pigs still there was some delay. Lord Cecil said nothing about what tidings ‘Senor Ortel, are you trying to take Senor | be could give, and five minutes after Frank Quentin’s place by delaying your work until | 800d on the Vulture’s quarter-deck, the eighteen hours are passed, which pardon him, for it lacks but a very short while until they are?’ Again Ortel took the hint, and not at all anxious to take the place of the pirate lieuten- ant, he now seemed as hurried to have the affair over as he had been anxious to delay it before. Then up into the air, without a word or cry, went the crime-blackened villain, and all stood watching him until life was extinct. ‘““Senor, Ortel, you are to act as my first officer, Senor Frank, you are to act as second, and I wish the schooner gotten ready to put to sea to-night. ‘** But first have that wretch cut down and thrown overboard,” and St.. Vale turned and entered the cabin, his words being a great sur- prise to the crew, not one of whom dared ques- Mastering the outlaw crew by his will and tion, however, bis motives, daring, aided by his being the possessor of the Upon entering the cabin St Vale found Lena | Golden Fetters, the young lieutenant had pus La Rue, the captive maiden, sitting by the | te sea for some reason of his own. side of her dead mother, and said to her in a He had not met the first stiff breeze before low, kind tone: he found that the schooner was fearfully un ‘* Miss La Rue, let me relieve your mind by | seaworthy. telling you that you shall be returned in safety In the past she had heen fleet asa bird and to your friends—nay, no thanks, and be care- | stanch and buoyant, but her pirate commander ful not to les my crew know what I have | had hurled her against many a stout bull he promised you. | had robbed, had driven her into many a bard “To-night the schooner sails, and if you | fight, and the iron hail rained down upon her would prefer that your mother should be from her foes had weakened and shattered her. buried at sea, we will eonsign her body to the Patching up did not suffice, and when on her CHAPTER XXXITII. ADRIFT. It was a night of fearful storm at sea, and over the tempest-swept waters a vessel was canvas, and ber crew lashed to the rigging and bulwarks, for the decks were constantly drowned by huge waves that swept them. At the wheel stood three men, and near them a tall form, which, when a vivid flash of lightning illumiues the sea, the reader recognizes as Leou Sr. Vale. In tact, a glance at the vessel, and the pirate schooner thet lay in the secret basin at the island is revealed. | cr — driving madly along, her masts stripped of all _ % * ~ €omicbooks * et Pi. A ol (e@) a = ‘