Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 181 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

“Sir Spaniard, and you, padre, let me repeat that you are my prisoners, for a score of guns cover your hearts,” and pushing Nita gently one side, the chief cried in ringing tones: ** Devils, show yourselves!” The result was a complete surprise, and an alarming one for the Spaniards and the padre, for a dozen men bounded into the open door, and in each of the two grated windows ap- peared several musket muzzles, covering the hearts of those who had believed Don Diablo wholly in their power. “ Now, sir priest, itis for me to make terms, for you see you are entrapped,” coolly said the pirate, as the Spanish officer and his men low- ered their arms, in token of submission, well knowing the utter madness of resistance. ‘* You hold the vantage, Reno Quesala, as al- ways you seem to do; but you cen make no terms with me,” was the bold reply of the padre. ‘You shall seo if you do not obey my com- mands,” the chief said, sternly. “*T obey the commands of no man.” ** We shall see; I carne here with this lady to have you make her my wife, so put on your robes and get to your holy work, for I would not tarry heré longer than there is need for. “This Spaniard and his men may be witnesses of the ceremony,” and Don Diablo turned satir- ically toward the Spaniards. ‘**] will not commit so vile a sacrilege, Reno Quesala,” said the padre, firmly. ‘** Will not, are two strong words, “padre.” ‘*T mean just what I say.” ‘** By the you shall.” **’You have no power to make me do wrong.” **Men, seize that padre.” The crew of the lugger quickly obeyed their chief, the priest offering no resistance, **Mateo, you are a man without heart, so I order you to do my bidding,” and the chief turned to a villainous-faced Mexican who stood near. ** Si, sefior,” answered the Mexican, quietly. **T have ordered this man to perform the rites ef marriage between this lady and myself.” ** Si, sevior,” again said the Mexican. ‘*T givo him just one minute to say whether eaven you adore, but I say that he will or not.” “*T will not,” boldly interrupted the priest. Unheeding the remark Don Diablo continued: “If he obeys, well and good, and I will pay him gold in abundance. ‘5 i ut, Mateo, if he refuse, then you do your uty. ‘‘And that duty, sefior chief?’ asked the Mexican. ‘Then never again shall he perform a holy rite, for I shall leave my mark upon him,” sav- age!y said Don Diablo. ‘“* And that mark, sefior chief?” asked Mateo, in the same quiet way in which he had before spoken, “T order you then, Mateo, to cut his tongue out of his vile throat.” A burst of horror broke from every one pre- sent, even from the lips of the pirate crew while Nita Sabinas v nly tried to speak, bu seemed terrified beyond movement or utter- ance, ‘‘Now, padre, you know your doom; one minute have you to obey or refuse, and Mateo will do his work.” ‘**T will not do your bidding, Reno Quesala, suffer what I may,” was the unflinching reply of the Padre Infelix. ‘Then, Mateo, do your work so well that even the angels cannot understand his mumbled prayers,” was the savage command. And at the cruel order all started, except the priest himself, and ths Spaniards seemed half inclined to attempt a desperate struggle to save the padre, who stood pale, but calm and fear- less before his enemy. “Sefior chief, this ey is a priest of my church, for I am a Catholic, and I refuse to do your bidding,” said Mateo. With burning eyes Don Diablo wheeled upon him, while he hissed forth: “Dog of a Mexican, vilest cut-throat that sails the seas, do you refuse to obey an order of gainst this padre, yes, sefior chief.” “Then you shall die re Out from his belt was quickly drawn a pistol, and the flash and report followed, But, with the Ag of the weapon mingled a abi shriek, and two forms fell upon the oor. Those two were Nita Sabinas and Mateo, for, to shield the man from death at Don Diablo’s hands, the maiden had thrown herself forward, and the bullet had cut through her flesh and yet ch peg its destined mark in the heart of the exican, CHAPTER XVII. THE RETREAT. ** NOMBRE DE Dios! I have killed her!” The cry was heart-rending in its pathetic sor- row, and, uttered in the full intensity of grief, even affected those who heard it from the lips of Don Diablo. pringing forward he kicked to one side the The Scarlet Schooner. Le body of the dead Mateo, and raised in his arms the beautiful Nita. Pallid as a corpse, and with no sign of life, she lay upon his arm, the crimson blood stain- ing the dress, and the lovely eyes closed, it seemed as though in death’s last sleep. By her side knelt Alena the octoroon, dazed with grief, and in the background stood the lugger’s crew, silent and grim. con the other side was the padre, calm, fearless and sorrowful, and behind him the Spanish officer and his soldiers stood like stat- ues, ‘**She is not dead, but I fear me may die; but whether she lives or dies, Don Hildos, thou ac- ripedgee padre, thou shalt not escape me this time. ‘*‘T am ready to meet death even at your hands, Don Diablo, for you have-taken from me all that I held dear in the past, so why not take my life?” The padre spoke without the quiver of a nerve and faced his implacable foe with un- daunted mien. ‘*T will take thy worthless life, Don Hildos, and this time there shall be no doubt but that my bullet goes home.” As he spoke, in his cool, cutting tones, and still supporting the wounded maiden upon his left arm and knee, he drew a second pistol from his belt and leveled it, **No, no, seflor chief, do not, I implore you, commit a crime s0 foul,” cried the Spanish offi- cer, springing forward. But the weapon already covered the heart of the unmoved padre, and, at the words of the Spaniard, the finger touched the trigger. But though the flint struck fairly, the powder flashed in the pan, and no report followed. Instantly Don Diabloturned deadly pale, and arose to his feet, still holding in his arms the tara sheng Nita, while he said, in a hoarse voice: ‘* Don Hildos, I owe allegiance to but one, and that one is my master, Satan; but my teach- ings are to spare the one Il fail to kill upona third trial, ‘*T have tried three times now to take your life, and, having failed, I now spare you. ‘* Back to the lugger, men!” He turned, as he issued the order, and, with- out another word strode away bearing Nita in his strong arms, and with the wailing Alena treading close on his heels, while his crew in si- lence followed him, At the gate they came upon Nana, the padre’s servant, under the guard of one of the lugger’s crew. . ‘Release that fellow and come on board,” sternly said the chief, and he continued on his way to the shore, 2 ag into a waiting boat and his crew following, all were soon on board the lugger. . ‘*Get under way at once, Anton, and have the men at their guns, for the fort will give usa greeting as we go by,” said the pirate, sternl and he went on into the cabin of his vessel, closely followed by the weeping Octoroon. ‘Silence, girl!” he said, sternly, as he laid Nita gently own upon a lounge, and then bent over her and stripped the dress from her fair shoulder. As he did so, the act displaying a marble neck, through one shoulder of which the cruel bullet had cut its way, the chief cried, fer- poh “Thank God! it is but a flesh wound, and the shock only caused her to faint.” Instantly the eyes of the maiden opened wide oo: gazed into his own, while the soft voice said: “Yes, I am not severely hurt, but it is your mark, Nevil.” ‘‘ Forgive me, Nita, and forget the act, for it was not meant for you,” and the chief knelt be- side her. ‘* And he for whom it was meant?” she asked, significantly. ‘He disobeyed my orders,” was the evasive reply. f Where is he?” ** Dead.” **Oh, Nevil!” and she eovered her face with her hands, ‘Nita, do not blame me, for remember I live upon a powder magazine, as it were, and if I relax discipline one instant, all would be lost, for these mad devils would quickly end my career.” ‘* Give up the life you lead, Nevil.” ** How can I?” ‘*T will show you.” ‘* Where, in the wide world, could 7 find a refuge?” he asked, plaintively, and into his eyes came a hunted look, ‘* Nevil, the navies of the sea have tried hard to capture Don Diablo and put him to death, and they have failed; but I have taken you, and I will not put you to death, but say, rather live for me, and we will go far from here an try, in our own love, to bury the past and its red scenes. ‘** Will you go, Nevil?” He had been quietly and skillfully dressin the wound as theyewere i together; bu at her words he paused, and said: ‘* Ah, Nita, the only joy for me in life is to mingle in combat with my fellow-men. ‘* But to you I will be all that I can be— Ha! ag ge the fort upon us, and I must on eck, He kissed her brow as he spoke, sprung to his | feet and ran upon deck, to be’ met by Anton, who said, gravely: *‘Sefior chief, the fort opens as you see, but we don’t mind that, as we can run by; but look there!” He pointed, as he spoke, to the mouth of the inlet, a mile below, into which was just coming the Spanish schooner that had before been in chase of the lugger. CHAPTER XVIIL. A GANTLET OF FIRE, ** ANTON, V’ll take the helm.” “$i, sefior chief,” and Anton —— aside, as Don Diablo, baving caught sight of the Spanish schooner coming in, and which he readily recognized with his night-glass, took his lace at the helm, just as another shot came rom the fort for the lugger to heave to. ‘*The commandant of that fortress is a fool, if ho vhinks I would obey his iron summons,” muttered the chief, and calling to his crew he ordered all sail spread upon the lugger. Instantly the order was obeyed, and with an alacrity that showed the crew knew well the danger they were in. The wind was stiff and strong, ee a good twelve-knot breeze, and Don Diablo felt that he could force the lugger into a fifteen- knot pace, for he had the pressure on his sai's: from the right direction, and almost a straight run out to open water. Should he find that the schooner could cut him off, he would try another plan, but not un- til the very last moment. And on the lugger went, gaining pan speed as she got from under the land’s lee, yet bringing upon her the fire of the fort, which, however, flew wide of the mark, ‘*Those accursed Spaniards are too nervous to aim well; show them that we are not fiur- ried, Anton,” said Don Diablo, coolly. Instantly Anton gave the order, and from keel to truck the lugger shook with the dis- charge of her broadside of four guns. And straight into the huge ports of the fort- ress went the iron balls, and then came crash- ing of timbers, shrieks and loud orders in the voices of the officers. ‘* Well done, ye-devils! you showed them we knew how to aim; give them anofher lesson,” cried Don Diablo. ie np a the lugger’s guns burst forth fire and smoke, and once more it was evident that the aim had been true, for but two of the cannon of the fortress could return the fire. **Tf I had my old schooner I could wreck that fort,” cried Don Diablo, joyfully; but then he added, as he glanced ahead: ‘There is our worst foe, Anton, so turn your ns upon him, for he cannot fire, for fear of ocking the town to pieces.” * Cy tae See wily chief had been olding his course or this v rpose, and had cleverly gotten into a sitation, that if the schooner fired upon him guns would rake the little town. — And, at the first shot from the lugger, those on the schooner, which had been rapidly com- ing up to aid the. fort, seemingly having recog- nized the Tartar they had caught, realized that the pirate chief had again outwitted them, for, though the iron shot went cutting through their hull and riggin , they dared not return the fire on account of being in direct range of the town. To extricate himself from this unfortunate predicament the Spanish captain at once headed across the inlet, so as to open fire upon the lug- with his broadside without danger to the wn. yr ye a ee changed the —— oO e lugger, e er running paralle with the ehecmenr while from each broadside he ke gs a NE se fire upon the fort and the vesse * crew saw his clever maneuver, and that they were punishing both the feebly-garrisoned fortress and the schooner, and themselves es- = almost unscathed, and they = their chief three rousing cheers, which he did not. no- tice in the slightest degree. Putting away on another tack, though still holding in the direction of the town, the Span- ish schooner tried to throw her enemy off, as it were; but the keen eyes of Don Diablo watch- ing her closely, sent the lugger about instantly, oon “ci to her with the persistency of a blood- ound. The situation of the two vessels was now one of deepest interest to all on board, and also to the garrison of the fortress and denizens of the town, all of whom had been roused by the fir- ing. With the inlet, two miles in width, in front of the town, and increasing to two leagues at its mouth, and deep water throughout; the town on the let bank, and just below it the fortress, and the two vessels, the one a mile distant, the other not half that distance, it can be seen that C@MAIE! OCC) ss) ceo)