Beadle's Dime Library No. 18 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

officers as he chose to admit into his presence. He had seen Monona but once since she left him in such terrific anger to go and see her daughter, and then she passed him in sul- len and moody silence, not even asking him where her daughter was, This did not dis- please him; for he had been fully satisfied that in tongue-battle she was more than a match for him, and so long as she avoided and did not actually annoy him, he eared little what became of her, or what she did; for if he had ever felt any love for her, that feeling was now utterly banished from his heart, and to ae the least, indifference, if not dislike, had taken its place. . But once had he seen her until about noon of the day succeeding her second night visit to the American v Then she came from her chamber, looking as calm and contented as if she had never been pained or angered, as if nothing whatever disturbed her. He, with all his knowledge of human character, might have mistrusted that “calm,” but he did not seem to. He glanced carelessly at her as she passed in silence through the room where he sat, but made no remark. When she had ne out, he said to Solano, who was by his side: “It is time that we saw or heard something from Mariana! I do not think it will take her long to discover what we desire. She possesses the wit of a woman with the courage of a man!” Searcely had these words passed his li when a hurried step was heard, and the eu ject of his thoughts and words made her ap- posuanee, Her face was pale and anxious— er manner nervous, and full of agitation. PR te have news?” cried Colcefrinas, hur “] have. It is not good. The rendezvous is known to the enemy, and you will be at- tacked to-night.” “‘ Who is the traitor that has betrayed ust’ “T cannot tell, my master!” said Mariana , and she turned deathly pale, and trembled like a reed shaking in a gale. **Do you know ?”’ asked Colcefrinas, and hi keen eyes seemed to read her very soul. “*[ do, my master. I can not lie to youl do!” ** And will not tell ?”’ “Oh, my master, spare me—do not ask me!” and she drop on her knees before him, and kissed his hands, while hot tears rained down in showers from her great black eyes. oe an instant Colcefrinas divined all; and with & effort completely mastering his passions, and seeming to be perfectly calm, ne said, in the most gentle tone: “ You need not, my poor Mariana—you need not. Rise and go to your own room to take some rest. But spare a moment—you say we will be at- tacked to-night.” “Yes, my master. At midnight a beacon will be shown at the outer point of the wind- ing entrance to the bay—it is to guide your destroyers here.” : “ It will guide them to death. We will now show them that we learned something of them the other night. But what meant the cannon- ading we heard to-day?” uf know not. It was nearly dawn when I escaped from the vessel, and | to row far to windward, among the islands, to escape the ' sight of their gaar-boste, which are rowing along the coast. I heard the gums fired as :f for a salute, and supposed that more vessel had ake them !” “Likely. Do you think they know of the hold and treasure vaults in the moun- tains ” “No more than the Seivurita de Regla has pee age and she knows not where they are “Tt is well. Retire now, my child, and rest—by-and-by I will have you called !” Mariana’s face flushed with joy. He spoke to her so kindly. She again kissed his hand, and then retired as he bade her. , |, But the moment that she was gone, the bland look upen the face of Colcefrinas chang- ed ; and even Solano, who knew him so we was almost terrified at the terrible change which his anger made in his face. “The tigress was right!” he hissed. “She is not to be ised! But she is to be pun- ished! The traitress shall dearly rue the ea when first the thought of treachery to us en- tered her heart!” “To whom do you allude ?” asked Solano. “To Monona. She it is who has betrayed ue! She it was who informed the cursed The Sea Bandit. Yankees of our intended surprise, and who caused the loss of half our best men, and gain- ed for me these erippling wounds. I have been blind not to gua inst her, knowing that a jealous woman will ‘os stop at any- thing. But she has had help. She could not go alone, for she has not Mariana’s skill with the oar. We must quietly find out whom she nas in her confidence, who has rowed her about in the many little pleasure-excursions ee 5 has recently undertaken, ‘Lo you Solauv, : intrust this delicate work, while | zonfronther; and then we must make haste tc repare to receive our friends to-night. If they do obtain a foothold here, we have yet a place of retreat which they cannot force—if they do, it will be the worse for them, for if the worst comes to the worst, my own hand shall send all to hell together. know that you never will desert me !” “ Never—never !”’ said Solano, ashe grasped the hand of the desperate chief. “Then haste to do my bidding. But let no agitation of yours announce our discoveries. hen you have found those men out, secure them where they cannot be seen or spoken tc except by their guard, and bid the latter nei ther to ask nor answer any questions! But first tell that she-tigress that I want to see her ; and if she refuses to come, have her arrested and placed in the strong-room below, without causing any excitement, if you can. If she comes, send two of the trustiest men to await my orders!” : officer bowed, and Colcefrinas, piss a great effort, had again become calm, was for the moment alone. CHAPTER XLIV. “You wanted me—so said your messenger ! Iam here.” Monona, when she entered the room and ut- tered these words to Colcefrinas, looked as quiet and innocent as if never a storm had raged in her heart, or a bitter thought emanat- ed from her mind. The pirate chief looked at her intently for a minute or two, without speaking. “ Sit down,” said he, at last. “ Your re- cent exertions must have fatigued you !” “Not at all. One scarcely feels fatigued when they are in pursuit of pleasure.” “Then you have been in the pursuit of plea- sire ?” “ Yes.” “ And found it !” “ Not yet—but soon expect to do so!” “ When—at midnight, to-night, when you light the beacon on the outer point?” For a moment, the woman’s forced compos- ure gave way, and the color left her cheek, and she trembled ; for she felt that he had gained some knowledge of her secret. But how, she could not divine; for her boat’s crew were sworn by terrible oaths to be true to her, and her only, and they did not know of the ar- rangement to light the beacon. That had een made with Allen alone. But her sterner «ature in a moment gave her streugth to meet is glance, and she replied: “You speak in words which I do not under- tand |” “You need not add falsehood to the crimo if treachery, madam, I know all of your machina- jons and intentions, and when the Americans ht, tuey will meet a most fervent eome weleome. I shall be fully prepared te meet them !” “Very well, sir, I give you joy in your would ad- prospects. But as you are lame, vise you to make due provision to assist you in running ae again |’’ “You are thoughtful, madam. And for fear that harm may come to you before the hour when you are s light the beacon, I will have you under guard !” fs em he said this, he made a motion to the men who had been sent by Solano, and they at once advanced to seize her. “ ps pee yi ahand upon me and you die !’’ she cried ; in an instant she changed from the dove into the ti Her dark eyes fairly blazed, as she drew a pistol from her gom, and with her back to the wall, confronted the men. For an instant they hesitated. “Cowards! She is but a woman !” said the chief. One of the men sprung forword to seize her. The action was his last, for a ball crashed through his brain ere he had taken two steps forward. The other, with an oath, prune to seize her before she could draw another wea- "pon. bnt he was too slow. She drew another 23 oe ee istol before he could reach her—fired—and sunk with a low groan to the floor. “I would serve you asI have them,” she said, bitterly, to Cole~frinas, “if I did notre. serve to myself the hope to see you hanged.” “ Murderess—you shall die for this!” cried the excited chief. “Seize the she-devil !” The last order was given to Solano, who, with a guard of men, had hurried in, attracted by the firing. And as they took her unawares, e desperate woman was instantly secured. “Remove her to the strong-room below— she has slain your comrades, men, and betray- ed us all! I will find a fitting punishment for her,” said the chief. Searcely had they left the room in obedi- ence to the order, with their prisoner, when Mariana, who had been awakened from slum- ber by the sound of the shots, hurried in. “What isthe matter, my master?” she ask- ed. “Are you in peril ?” “Tt is past, good Mariana, it is past,” he said, with a gentle smile. “Do npt be dis turbed, but rest now; for ina little time I shall eall my officers to council, and then I shall need you.” The girl glanced at the bodies upon the ° floor, and knew that the chief had been in peril, but she questioned no further. He was safe, and the danger was past. CHAPTER XLV It was midnight ; and at the head of the dense column of boats containing the united forces of English and Americans. Allen cautiously approached that part of the coast where Mono- as had promised > light a beacoy which would lead them to the masked entrance to the bay of rendezvous. Another boat close by the side of his own, so near that low-voiced words could be heard from one to the other, contain- ed Lord Seymour and his chaplain. The night was not entirely obscure —the moon was up, but drifting clouds moving over the sky caused its light to fall only in patches here and there upon the earth. “Ts it not time that the beacon the woman romised was alight?” asked Seymour of Al- en. “My watch says twelve.” * Mine also,” replied Allen. “ And we are near the shore. Ah, there the light flashes. She is true to her word.” A bright blaze was seen suddenly to spring up from beneath a bold bluff a little on their starboard bowe—and by its light there seemed to be a group of persons standing there, See- ing a woman's dress, Allen exclaimed: “It is the woman and her boat's crew. We are all right, and can go on safely.” Giving the order to his men to row on, Al- len steered directly to the point, and the other boats followed. en within a few fathoms of the shore, he gave orders to the other boats to lie upon their oars, while he pulled to the shore to confer with the woman, and learn how matters stood ahead. He asked Seymour to land with him. Allen was a few paces in advance, and had almost reached the group — which remained silent and motionless—when, with an exclama- tion of horror, he stopped. “What is the matter?” asked Seymour, hu ing up. “God of mercy! Look there—we ourselves are in peril, for the pirates are on their guard !” exclaimed Allen. Both Seymour and his chaplain also paused in horror for a moment, for now they saw why the group had been silent and motionless. Each person—Monona and all of her boat's crew—was dead, and fastened in an erect po- sition to stakes. Upon the breast of Monona was fastened a placard, with these words writ- ten upon it in letters of blood; “ Thus Colcefrinas Nos treason in his own camp! Let the Yankees advance. They will find a warm welcome I” Allen and Seymour for a moment were ai- lent; then the former said: “We will advance — welcome or not wel come !” ; “T see no inlet here or hereabouts,” said Seymour. “The lips which would have to'd us how to steer are silent now.” _ “ That is so ; but from her previous descrip: tion, I feel satis‘ied that the entrance is ver near this s ot,” said Allen. “Wecan but loo for it ; if we do not find it in the dark, we need only wait until morning. In truth, now that they have prepared for us, it seems to me that it were nc fuore than prudent if we waited unti: we could see what was before us.” NIGDOOKS (E(e) co