Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 172 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

— — —— — + re ee ee ee ee ee ee Ce drawing, bard upon the cross-shaped handle of the huge key, and placing his foot against the wall of rock to get greater power to bring to bear upon it. Then slowly the stone door moved, and swung - open, creaking upon its iron hinges in a way that sounded like the shrieks of spirits of the old ruin, furious at having the sanctity of their dismal abode invaded by sacrilegious . man. The rush of foul air that burst out of the cell caused Leon St. Vale to stagger back and nearly fall from the shelf of stone upon the rock below, and he turned his back until the pure winds had invaded the loathsome den. ‘‘ By Heavens! but it has the flavor of a dead- house, this secret inberitance of mine,” mutter- ed the young sailor, as he stood on the edge of the shelf, his back turned toward the cell. After a short delay he again turned to the cell, stepped forward, and gazed within. The moonlight streamed in with silvery ra- diance and displayed to his gaze a rock-cham- ber some ten feet square, and in the center, just fronting the door, was an iron chair. And it held an occupant, the sight of which caused Leon St. Vale to start back, brave as he was, with a cry of horror. And no wonder, for seated in the iron chair was a skeleton form, lashed’ there by chains around his ghastly body, while upon his wrists, his bony fingers se clasped betore him, were manacles of pure gold, that reflected back the moonlight witb dazzling rays. The jron chair and chains bad rusted, the flesh had dropped from the bones, to which shreds of clothing yet clung; but the golden manacles had remained pure and bright through the vears that bad gone by since. **Good God! the Golden Fetters! the crest of my forefathers, on this skeleton form!” and Leon St. Vale staggered backward out of the lonely cell almost overcome by the discovery he had made. CHAPTER VIII. THE GOLDEN FETTERS. For some moments, as though struck with horror at this discovery, Lieutenant Leon Bt. Vale stood outside of the rock-cell, gazing spell- encivled upon the iron chair and its skeleton oc- cupant, waich the bright moonlight revealed in all its ghastliness. At length, with an effort, he advanced within ah dungeon and looked attentively around m. It contained nothing more than the iron chair fastened into the solid rock flooring, the chain- bound skeleton, with its shreds of clothing and without flesh, and the golden manacles that held the wrists. Tne ankles were also manacled, but with iron and not precious metal. Yes, there was one other object that attracted the attention of the young sailor, and this was a picce of paper bound around the top of the cbair. This he quickly took, for the strings had rot- ted, and the paper was stained aud not very strong. But there was writing upon it, and this was, strange to say, not faded out, as might have been expected. , “This may solve the secret,” muttered St. Vale, as he unrolled the paper and stepped out into the moonlight to r what was thereon written. ‘*It is in my cousin’s handwriting; yes, at the bottom is signed his name—Lucas p,” he said, and then he began the perusal of the docu- ment. In a low, slow manner he read: **Rock Hany, Oct. Ist, 18—. ‘*Leaving this, my home, to-night forever, I leave within its secret cell this paper, fastened above the head of one whom I hate with intensest hatred, and whom I now revenge myself upon by leaving here __ to die inch by inch breath by breath, and to suffer ages of mortal anguish in the hours he has to live. ‘Nearly thirty years ago I saved the life of a young and beautiful girl, saved her from a band of dnappers, who had stolen her from her home for ransom, and, because she would not swear never to reveal whom they were, which she had discovered, had determined to kill her. ‘*Many knew the story then, and will remember it now, and that in my encounter with her abductors 1 was seriously wounded, and lay for months in her father’s house. “And in that eng I learned to love her as the heathen loves his idol, and I believed that she loved mé, though she was rich and of noble blood, and I but of the gentry. yet of proud name. “My regiment, for I was a soldier then, was sent to India, and by my cousin, and 1 believed also my friend, who was just returning home, I sent back to her words of love and hope, ‘*Alas! there ended my dream of love, for he whose blood was in my veins, he who was my friend as I believed, maligned me to her I idolized, and stole from me my jewel **Thev forgot that I held claim upon her, and they were wedded, while I, captured by Sepoys, languished in captivity, cheered by only one thought, her truth and love for me. ** At last escaped and came back to England to claim my bride, and found her the bride of another. “I smiled to hide my pare. laughed to drown my groans, and in my heart I swore revenge, on “And this night I have my revenge, and it is a joy to me, ‘ _—_—_—eoorore ee rrr eer ee C+ Oo 8 re er SS eee eee eS ee Oem ase Ores SSO 000 eae eee ae eee ae ets” See ee ————a Sea ae } f The Black Pirate. ‘‘That man, my cousin, Mercer St. Vale, who added insult to me! y naming their child after me, had long thought that his branch of our house should possess the Golden Fetters, presented by the king to our great grandfather, for his gallantry in freeing = ‘English sailors whom the Algerines held as slaves. ‘‘Nobly he undertook the work, as history tells apd bravely did he accomplish it with his vessel anc crew, taking from their cruel masters hundreds of men whose shackles had worn into their flesh, ‘“*For this act the king gave him the Golden Fet- ters, which became the crest of our house, and to me they were handed down, though Mercer St. Vale had tried to rob me of them as he had robbed me of my bride. ‘Now he has them, for I give them to him; ay, place them upon his wrists, and leave him in the secret cell to die, the victim of my revenge. **Lvoas Leon, of Rock Hall.” A moan broke from the lips of the young sai- lor as be read these words, and it was some time before he could control the deep emotion that moved him to his inmost being. Then he said in a low, sad tone: ‘* And that is my father, whom we all mourn- ed as having been lost, while swimming in this very cove one moonlight night,. fifteen years azo, for so said Lucas Leon. ‘*Invited here as the guest of him who penned these lines, he was cruelly made prisoner and left here to die; and sucha death of anguish was his that I shudder torecall it, shut up within this loathsome cell, in chains, and starved by inches, with death’s worst terrors staring him in the face. ‘*Oh, Lucas Leon, bitterly were you avenged for the wrong my father did you, and I wonder that you fled from this hated spot and let it go to him, when you knew the horrid secret it hid. ‘** And this is your inberitance to me? ‘“This old ruia, its ghastly secret, and my poor father’s bones? ** Well for you is it, Lucas Leon, that you lay in your grave ere I know what this rock held, or straight to this fearful den would I drag you to end your days as your victim did, ‘And these are the Golden Fetters, which old nurses tell have been a curse to our race ever since the day the king bestowed them? “Well, they are mine now, and Ill risk the curse that goes with them.” He took from the paper he held a small gold chain, with a key of the same precious metal attached, and unlocked the golden manacles. Gently he removed them from the bony wrists, and yet some sudden movement caused the skeleton to sway, the dry bones fell in a heap in the chair of iron, and upon the stone floor, with a rattiing sound, and the skull rolled ut of the cell across the shelf, and falling upon the rock beneath bounded into the sea. With a cry of horror the young sailor bounded out of the rock-chamber, which had been his futher’s tomb, and closing the heavy stone door after him, Jomped down to the rock below, and rpringing into bis boat, moved away from the fateful spot with every nerve tingling, his heart throbbing, and his brain on fire. CHAPTER 1X. THE KING’S CRUISER. SEVERAL weeks after the strange adventure and discovery of Leon St. Vale, at Rock Ruin, a trim-looking vessel of war, flying the flag of England at her peak, ran into Welcome Haven harborage, and dropping anchor close in under the shadow of Castle Curse, fired a heavy guy, which made a thousand echoes resound from the surrounding cliffs and crags, and sent the sea-birds soaring into the air with frightened shrieks, Shortly after a boat put off for the shore, and in the stern sheets wasa young and handsowe officer in the uniform of a British heutenant. At the stone water-stairs of the castle he was met by Sir Grey Alstone, Lady Eve, and a valet and maid, while servants from the Hall were bringing down the luggage, ‘* Ab, Lord Milnor, I am glad to see you; Eve, my daughter, this is Lord Cecil Milnor, the First Luff of the Petrel, which isto carry us across the ocean,” said Sir Grey Alstone, who looked younger, and certainly acted. so, than when he was weighed duwn by the debts which his own follies had brought upon him, and his daughter’s money bad paid off. The young noble bent low before Eve, and felt that he had never beheld a more beautiful face and form, while, sailor-like, he fell in hove with her at the first glance, and congratulated himself that the Petrel, brig of war in his Majesty’s service, bad been selected for the presen duty of conveying Sir Grey and Lady ve to America. Once on board, and having domiciled them- selves in their pleasant state-rooms, the baronet and his daughter went on deck to watch the re- ceding shores of old England, for the vessel had at once weighed anchor after their arrival. Lady Eve was presented to Captain Rupert Cuthbert, a jolly old sea-dog, who gave her a warm welcome, and added: ‘*T guess we'll not_have such a rough run, tady five, but what I can find time to win some of yous father’s pocket money, and Lord Cecil to in love with you, during the voyage. —— : . eee eee ewe ‘ *‘ But you must watch him, Lady Eve, for he’s a dangerous young man to flirt with.” Eve blushed and laughed, and Lord Cecil Milnor coming up at that moment, she entered into conversatiou with him, and found that, were she not already in love with Leon St. Vale, he would, indeed be a qepgerecs companion for a young girl, for he had a most fascinating manner, and a face that was as noble as it was fearless and handsome. Greatly to her delight, Eve found that she was not to be a sufferer from sea-sickness, that curse of all ocean voyage to many, and many @ lovely evening she spent in promenading the deck with Lord Cecil, while her father and the captain were playing cards in the cabin, and with the latter almost universally the win- ner. It did not take much observation on the part of the maiden to see that Lord Cecil was really commander, the captain’s indolent nature Jeay- ing all to his lieutenant, and that the young sailor was very popular with his brother officers and crew. ‘‘ Are you acquainted with Lieutenant Leon St. Vale, Lord Cecil?” asked Eve one night, when in mid-ocean. ‘“*T know him well, Lady Eve, and a most thorough seaman and charming fellow he is,” was the frank reply. ‘‘ It gives me pleasure to have you so speak of him, my lord, for he is a friend of mine.’ A slight flush stole over the face of the young noble at these words, for he knew.not how much that little word friend, with its big meaning, implied; but he answered: ‘‘ Then there is another tie between us, for Leon is my friend too, and no one felt more for his misfortune than I did.” ‘You refer to his. duel with Lord Caverly?’ she asked calmly. ** Yes, Lady Eve, for I believe they were most intimate friends, and St. Vale owed his life to Caverly.” ‘‘No, ié was the other way; St. Vale saved Lord Caverly from death, and they never were intimate friends.” ‘*Indeed! Iam glad to know this; but I was on the African coast when it oceurred, and got but a vague idea about it. ‘*T believe there was a woman in the case, Lady Eve?” ‘I was the unfortunate cause, Lord Cecil.” The young sailor started for he had heard in- deed an imperfect history of the duel, and little dreamed he was talking to the innocent cause. ‘‘Forgive me, vad y, Eve, for blunderirvg upon a subject that has given you pain, and punish me for it as you p wha best,” he said, mF I’ve laughed and held forth her hand in her mie way as a token of forgiveness, whiie she said: ‘Perhaps we may meet Lieutenant St. Vale in America.” ‘* I hopeso, surely, and doubtless we will, for he. bas been seut to the American shores, under the same orders we bear.” ‘‘May I ask what orders are the Petrel’s?” said Eve.” “To hunt down the bold buccaneers who are doing such damage to English commerce and the wercantile fleets of th. world.” ‘‘ And you expeet to render the king good ser- vice, Lord Cecil!” ‘We should. do so, for the Petrel is well-armed and equipped, and a swift craft, though not es ood a sailer, I believe, as the Vulture, which is the name of the brig-of-war of which St. Vale is the lieutenant; but one or the other, I pray, will have the honor of capturing the scourge of the sea-known as the Black Pirate.” ‘‘T have heard of the monster,” said Eve, with a shudder. ‘‘ Who has not, for he boldly attacks even armed vessels, and has gone into American sea- ports.and cut out merchant vessels under the very guns of the forts. ‘‘ He defies our cruisers, and threatens to hang the crew of any armed vessel that is sent in pursuit of him.” ‘*God grant we do not meet the Black Pirate, pee, alter your fearful picture of him, Lord ‘IT speak of him as he is, Lady Eve; but have no fear, for the Petrel is more than a match for him, and if we cannot whip him, we can run away from bim.” , ** Sail ho!” Lady Eve gave a violent start as the voice of the look-out at the mast-head rung out clear on the night air, and even Lord Cecil could not restrain a certain twinge of bis nerves after what they had been talking about. _ “Whereaway?”’ he however called out in ring- ing tones. ‘* Dead ahead, sir,” came the answer. ‘‘ Can you make her out?” ‘‘ A brigantine, sir.” ‘Pardon me, Lady Eve,” and Lord Cecil as- cended the roping. glass in hand. Eve watched bim narrowly as he bent a long, searching gaze at the stranger, and as he re- joined her, she asked: ‘Well, Lord Cecil, is it a friend or foe?” “It is too dark to see him well, Lady Eve; (E| OOK) com S (E(@) ‘ : ‘ a