Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 181 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

I OO Sees ‘* First, I wish to give you this as a souvenir,” and Don Diablo tossed a well-filled purse of gold upon the table. ; The padre poured the contents out and made no comment, though it was evident the sum pleased and surprised him, ‘* Well, you would confess, I believe, my son?” he asked. A rude laugh broke from the chief's lips, and he answered: ‘‘ No, that was a bait to get you to admit me. ‘*T have more to confess, padre, than you have years to listen to, and all the absolution you could give would be but mockery, for 1am sold to Satan forever and aye. ‘*But I need your services, and will pay for them.” ‘* What can I do, my son?’ **] Eave an idea to marry; the lady is youth- ful, beautiful, rich, and a good Catholic.’ ‘4nd marries you with her free consent?” te Yes, ”) ** She is not forced to do so, then?’ “et No ” “Strange.” ** 'W bat is strange, padre?” $A That she is not forced into a union with ** Ask her.” ‘** And she knows you?” ** What! do you know me?” si Yes. ” - ‘As what?” ‘*A pirate.” ‘Ha! have we met before?’ af | hope we never shall again.” **Don’t dodge, padre; have we ever before met?” ‘ é Yes. ” 9 When?” 2 Sdme years ago, ‘* Where?” te *“‘TIn Havana,” ** And you recognize me?” ** Yes, Don Diablo,” “So be it; [am Don Diablo, and I desire to yore: and I wish your services,” “ Where is the lady?” ‘On board my vessel,” ** And your vessel?” ** Lies within a few cable-lengths of here.” ‘You are bold to run in here, where cruisers come almost daily.” ‘*T left one to come here; but what care I?” ** You may be taken and garroted.” “Your prayers, you claim, protect you; my guardian spirit, Satan, protects me,” was the reckless reply. ** We will one day see which is the best pro- tected, you or I, my son.” ‘*‘Very well, padre; but for the present we will act; so come, I wish you to go with me upon my vessel.” ‘“*T cannot.” **T will pay you one hundred pesos,” se No!" ‘* Two hundred.” 4“ No \"? ** Five hundred.” ‘* Money will not tempt me, my son.” * What then?” “If you wish to marry the lady, bring ber ere **T dare not.” ‘Then seek a priest elsewhere.” ° **T cannot.” ‘** Then our interview is at an end, my son,”’ ie | say no, for you must go with me,” **Look here, Don Diablo, red-handed sea- rover that you confess yourself to be, you can- not buy me to do'that which I care not to do,” was the stern reply of the padre. ‘Bah! my price is not enough; you want a thousand pesos,” was the insulting retort. ‘* No, gold will not buy me.” **But you will marry me to the maiden if I bring her here?” ‘* Yes upon one condition.” “Well? ‘‘That I tell her who and what you ure.” ** Do so.” ** Well, bring her within the next hour.” ‘Why not at once?” ** Because I have a sacred duty to perform.” **So be it; I will be here within the hour padre,” and Don Diablo wheeled on his heel and eft the gloomy abode of the padre. CHAPTER XV. UNFORGOTTEN FACES, HARDLY had the gate closed upon the tall form of Don Diablo, as he started upon his re- turn to the lugger after Nita Sabinas, when the padre raised his clinched fist in the darkness and shook it after the retreating pirate, while he cried with almost savage varetaiaae: ** Aha! Reno Quesala, the curse of sea and shore, I have you at last, for an All-wise Power has led you into my bands, and your days, ay, your hours are numbered. **Marry you to some innocent girl whom you would drag to misery, you would have me; but, oh no, the ceremony would be mockery in your BEC. ‘‘ Father, forgive me! but the sight of that The Scarlet Schooner. human fiend brings up the revenge and hatred I believed was forever buried in my heart. ‘“No, no, this white hair and beard disguise me so that he does not recall my face. ‘“‘And yet his deeds turned my hair and beard white. ‘‘ Here is the wound he gave me in my side and which he believed had killed me; but, no, i did not die; I lived to face him once more and have ny revenge upon him for the wrong he did my beautiful daughter and myself.” While speaking the padre had stood at the gate, his hand upraised and slowly shaking, as if in menace, Suddenly he turned and walked rapidly back A i gloomy home, and entering touched a e e A dark-faced man entered, one who evi- dently had African blood in his veins, and was the only other occupant of the old building be- sides the padre. ‘* Nana, go with this letter to the captain- commandante, and return with him, coming in by the gate of the cemetery; here is the key.” Nana took the key and a hastily-written note, and then disappeared in a hurry, leaving the padre pacing to and fro evidently in painful reverie, Within half an hour there was heard the sound of feet without, and it recalled the padre to himself, and he said, anxiously: “What if he should have arrived before the commandante, No, it isnet the pirate; ah, senor, Iam glad tosee you,” and the padre turned to a young Spanish officer who had followed Nana into the house, ‘Padre, the commandante was absent; and your servant telling me your note was impor- tant I opened and read it,” said the young man, who wore a lieutenant’s uniform, ‘** You did right, my son; and your men?” ‘‘ Are with me, six in all,” “Tt is a small force, for they are to meet a most desperate man,” ‘** Who, may I ask, holy father, as your note simply stated a noted pirate?” ‘* Don Diablo,” ‘*Ha! if we can but secure that human fiend we are indeed fortunate. ‘** But I have six good men with me,” iS Which with Nana and myself will make nine, ‘“‘A match for half a dozen pirates, at any rate; but you, padre, will not surely join in the fight, if it should come to that?” ' Yes, for Don Diablo made me a priest, as the sorrows brought on me by that accursed man made ime enter the church, and he shall never escape my just revenge. ‘* But come, sefor, place your men just here,” and the pag: drew aside a heavy curtain that concealed an alcove in the room, The half-aozen soldiers took their stands, with the lieutenant, behind the curtain, and the padre resumed his seat at the table, just as the gate bell rung violently. ‘*Go and admit them, Nana, if it is the chief and his bing said the padre, sternly, yet ect calmness, though his face was very pale, Nana disappeared and soon after there came a knock on “ door. in With the invitation in ste Don Diablo, and leaning on his arm was Nita Sabinas, pale et calm. Behind the two came Anton, and then Alena, the octoroon, and stepping into the room the door was closed behind them. ‘Well, padre, 1 have obeyed your command, and as the mountain would not go to Moham- med, Mohammed has come to the mountain,”’ said Don Diablo, with a sneer. ‘* You are welcome, my son; is this your bride that is to be?’ “Yes, Padre—Padre— I declare I know not your name,” ‘* Infelix, my son.” ‘‘An unhappy name indeed} but in spite of your prayers, penitence and piety you padres manage to keep in the sunshine of life, it seems to me, and give the shadows the go by. ‘‘ Here, Nita, this is the most holy Padre In- felix, and priest, this is the Sefiorita Nita Sa- binas, who desires to become the Sefiora Reno Quesala.” The padre turned to the maiden, and asked in his deep tones: ‘Maiden, have you thought of the step you now would take?” ‘**T have, father,” was the firm reply. “You wish to be married to this man?’ aft I do. ” **'You know who he is?” «c I do. ”? ‘That he is—” ‘Don Diablo, men call him,”’ : The padre fairly started at the wordc of Nita for he had felt convinced up to that momen that the pirate chief had deceived the maiden as to his real identity. ; . sy Ran this you would marry him?” es. ‘*'You love him more than you abhor his crimes?” ac Yes.’ ou,” ** He will bring sorrow upon ‘ women do who “T will take my chances as a marry.” ee He may end his days upon the gallows.” **] will be there to soothe his last hours,” ‘‘ He may die within the hour, leaving you a widow.” ; ‘**I would rather be his widow than live with- out him,” was the firm response, while Don Di- ablo broke in with: ‘You paint shady pictures, padre; but go on with your work, for time flies.” ‘Yes, Don Diablo, from this moment for you time will fly all too fast, for you are my pris- oner |” The priest’s voice rung like a clarion as he ut- tered the last few words, and he stood pointing at the chief, while the curtain was thrown aside and six soldiers stood with muskets leveled at the broad breast of the chief, while the officer cried pag ht ‘* Yes, seflor pirate, surrender or die!” Nita started back with a cry of horror, and then threw herself upon the breast of the chief, and twined her arms around his neck, as though to smeld him from danger by her slender form. And Don Diablo? Not a muscle of his face changed, unless it was to have a scornful smile cur] about the lips, while his dark eyes glowed first at the Span- iards and then at the padre. ‘* Do you surrender, Don Diablo, or shall the soldiers fire?” asked the priest. ‘* Nita, release me, while 1 have a word with this holy padre,” was thé cool response, and there was something in the tone and look of the man that caused Nita Sabinas to instantly obey, though she still remained at his side. ‘*‘ Padre, do you consider me blind, that I did not know your face?” asked Don Diablo, with a sneer. ‘‘Know me?” gasped the priest. ‘¢ Yes, Don Hildos, of Mexico, I know that wo met in the long ago, and that I deemed you coq for the wound I gave you was méant to ill. “Your hair has grown as white as snow, and your beard has enanged you greatly, but m eyes are not deceived, your face is not forgot- ten. ‘‘Then, Reno Quesala, the pirate, you will know that at last your red path was ended by my hand. ‘In misery, in despair, almost maddened by what your crimes left me, Ifurned to the church for comfort, and believed I had forever forgot- ten revenge. *‘ But no, your coming here this night, to drag another young girl to ruin as you did my poor child, aroused the devil in my nature, and I de- bacmped, to entrap you and forever end your eeds. ** For this reason I would not go upon your vessel, but lured you here, and now six Spanish soldiers cover your heart with their guns, and a wove on your part will sound your death-knell. ‘*Now, sir, know that you owe to me your death. : ‘*Place him in irons, sefior lieutenant, and lead him to prison, from whence he shall only walk forth to his death,”’ Obedient to the command of the padre, the Spanish officer moved forward, sword im one hand and irons in the other, But suddenly he halted at the Sharpe Spoken coramand that issued from the lips of Don Di- ablo: ‘*Hold! Move one step, Sefior Spaniard, and you are a dead man!” CHAPTER XVI. A PADRE AT BAY, THat the stern command of Don Diablo startled both the padre and Spanish officer, may well be inferred, when they believed him wholly in their power, to see him assume an at- titude not only defiant but hostile. ‘What mean you, sir pirate?” asked the Span- iard, gazing with fiery eyes upon him, “‘ Just what I now tell you, sefior; you, your men, and this padre here, are my prisoners, not I yours,” was the cool reply. ‘‘-You area fool, Reno Quesala, the pirate, for these soldiers cover your heart with their guns,” remarked the padre, in angry tones, ‘Not such a fool as you take me for, Don Hildos, if Pao ers that I did not know you recognized me as I did you, and saw through your plot to entrap me.” **And have done so, for those men will kill ge if you raise your hand to resist,” said the adre. ‘A better death to die, surely, than by the garrote, or at the yard arm.” “You seek that death then, do you?” eagerly asked the Spanish officer, making a motion for his soldiers to be ready. “a, A light laugh broke from the lips of the pirate, and he answered in his calm way: “‘T seek not death of any kind; but when it comes I will meet it fearle ye ‘‘ This talk is nonsense; either surrender your arms or I will give my soldiers orders to fire upon you,” sternly said the Spaniard, and at his words, Nita moved once more before the man she so madly loved. » CONNIE OOOKS (E(0) =)