Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 181 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

| | ee eee — en The Scarlet Schooner. — services or my life, she can have them; but now is not the time for an outbreak, and until the proper time, [am but a lieutenant under the chief, bere. | ‘But you know where I can be found, so command me when necessary.” With a wave of the hand, Cam Caliente turned away, and saying to Don Diablo that he would meet him in Vera Cruz he left the Tri- bunal Hall of Plotters, whose oppression by Spain had forced them to league with pirates. ‘*Come, sefior, we will now go and perform the RE Aig pen upon us,’ and Don Diablo turned to his young companion, who had been an attentive but silent observer of all that had , and saluting the members of the Junta, hey took their departure from the pulperia, CHAPTER XXVI. SHADOWED. WG8EN Don Diablo left the Spanish wine-shop, that held within its walls secrets that the Span- ish Government would have given vast wealth to discover, at the suggestion of the young com- panion at his side, he changed his upright car- riage and bold step to a slight stoop in the shouldersand a shuffling gait. y had they gone half a dozen blocks, when they passed a volante, in which sat a per- scn who started as his eyes fell upon the youth, For a moment the occupant of the volante seemed about to spring out andrush upon them; but, observing that they had not noticed him, be checked his purpose, and ordered the driver to drop back and keep them in sight. As though fully acquainted with the city, Don Diablo led the way to an unfrequented part of the town, and directed his ng toward what had once been a fine church, but which had crumbled into sad decay, with all its surround- Still it was evident that service was yet held there for the benefit of those who dwelt near, as the doors were open, and within a dim light was visible burning upon the altar. Around the church was a high wall, and over it, in the rear of the edifice, was visible an old structure as dilapidated as was the chapel, and which was te abode of the padre. Passing into the church, Don Diablo and his companion ascended the aisle until he came to a side door that was locked. A loud knock upon the door brought from a room off the chancel a priest with gray hair and solemn face. ‘*Padre Huesca, I seek thy service,” said Don Diablo, quietly. * And who is it that seeks my services, son?” asked the priest, in deep tones. “Thy unworthy son, Quesala.” The padre started, glanced over the church to note that there was no one present, and disap- peared again within the inner room of the san ‘ A moment Don Diablo and the youth awaited in silence, the latter having dropped down upon his knees to murmur prayers, and then the heavy door at which wey stood slowly opened and the padre confronted them. ‘* inter,” he said, in a low tone. They passed through the portal out into a small court or plaza, and crossing it entered the old stone building that stood within a few paces of the church. Bui hardly had they gone through the door when the one who bad been in the volante en- tered the church, and saw the portal closing. uickly he walked to the spot and, seemingly to his joy, saw that the padre had slowly drawn ne ut not yet turned the heavy key in the He listened attentively for an instant, and hearing no sound, slowly opened the door and gian out into the court. No one was visible, and he boldly step shut the door behind him, and glid toward the stone mansion. The door was open and he entered a hallway and stood in a listening attitude. The hum of voices in conversation reached him from within a back room and he crept to the door, and knew thathe had rightly tracked those he followed. : Attentively he listened, and what he heard seemed to affect him deeply, for he turned deadly pale and trembled violently. Thrice he seemed as though about to enter the room, but each time checked himself to as- sume better control over his nerves. At last, by a violent effort he calmed himself, and drew from his breast a pistol. Carefully he examined it, to see that the flint was properly set and the pan filled with pow- der, and then, with burning eyes, set lips and determined mien, he sprung into the room, say- ing in ringing tones: ‘Don Diablo, thou accursed pirate, you are my prisoner,” CHAPTER XXVII. A FORCED WITNESS. THE startling words of the person who had entered the priest’s domain, and then pursued his Ler of Don Diablo directly into the very mansion of the holy father, caused all to turn quickly and gaze upon him, out, softly One look, and the youth sunk down into a | his fascinations, so charmed her as to cause Ler chair pale and trembling, and the padre stepped forward with an ace. As to the disguised Don Diablo he seemed to be wholly unmoved by the appearance of the one eg so boldly confronted him, and said, mly: “‘Sefior, who are you, and what right have you here?” “IT have the right, Don Diablo, of having recognized that pretended boy in her disguise as my sister, and doing so, I then saw beneath your: garb the form of the most fiendish devil hat to-day lives to curse the earth, and I say to you now, if you move one step, if you do not submit on the instant, I will send a bullet through your brain.” There was no doubt but that the speaker meant just what he said, for it was none other than Don Isadoro Sabinas. But for all that Don Diablo, the pirate chief, did not show the slightest sign of dread at his presence, or the danger he stood in before the man he had such cause to fear. As for the supposed youth, whom the reader now knows was Nita Sabinas, she. remained where she had sunk into the chair, almost dazed by the unexpected coming of her brother. The padre stood in silence, evidently angry at the intrusion of a stranger into his home, but calmly watching events as they happened. After a second of painful silence to all, Don Isadoro, with his pistol still covering the heart of the chief, said sternly, though his voice trem- bled slightly.with suppressed emotion, ** What say you, Don Diablo? Will you sub- mit, or shall I fire?” ** As you please, sefior,” was the cool reply. But as the words left his lips, there came a motion from the padre, and out from behind a screen near the door sprung a hideous form, and Don Isadoro’s form was in his grasp before he could touch the trigger. One glance at the one who had thus seized him, and Don [sadoro was fairly alarmed, brave as he was, at the huge head, hideous face and deformed, black being that held him in his arms as though he were a child. It was an African dwarf, with short, stumpy legs, a large body, long, muscular arms, and a head that was large enough for a giant. He was dressed in red woolen pants, a white and blue striped shirt, wore sandals on his feet and a red cloth cap, trimmed with gold lace and ornamented with a tassel, on his woolly Every feature was distorted by deformity ex- cepting his eyes, which were as soft as a dove’s, except when aroused, and full of tenderness. **Hold, Coocha, don’t hurt him!” cried Don Diablo, springing forward, as Nita shrieked at the sudden appearance of the African and the danger to her brother. ‘*He wantee kill chief,” growled, rather_than said Coocha. **True, but I will not have you hurt him; but I thank you, Coocha, for coming to my aid, as I knew you would do, having caught sight of your handsome form when I came in, ‘* Have you got well?” ‘* Yesee, chief; Coocha got all well, for good— padre make him so,” was the answer. ‘*T knew the padre would cure you, oor and that is why I left you with him to get ri of your fever. **Now, Don Isadoro, I must relieve you of your claws, as you seem inclined to scratch,” and Don Diablo very coolly took the pistes and a a from the young Cuban, who hissed forth: ‘* You are indeed allied to Satan, to escape ou do, sir pirate.” ss _» ** Yes, his Satanic Highness of Hades keeps me under his sheltering wing, my dear Don lsa- doro. ** But lam glad that you are here, as you may be a witness in a certain important ceremony which your sweet sister and myself came here to have this or perine atop pal ‘“*A priest allie a pirate,” said Don Isa- doro, with scorn. “He knows me only as one who gives liber- ally to the church, and who asked him to care for my slave during his illness. ‘*T now seek him that he may perform the rites of marriage between the Donna Nita Sa- binas and myself.” ‘* Never! he will never do an act so full of sacrilege,” cried the infuriated Cuban, and he seemed to meditate hurling himself, unarmed as he was, upon the pirate; but the huge hand of the deformed African dropped heavily upon his shoulder and restrained him. ‘*My son, this worthy person you accuse of being one whom the sea and land tremble be- neath; but he looks not so vile, and surely he might charge you also with crimes, yet he does not,” mildly said the padre, addressing Don [sadoro, who answered haughtily: **He dare not accuse me of wrong doing, —s he knows that he is the vilest of the vile. ** It cannot be, as this maiden, as I know her to be, is willing to be united to him in marriage.” **That maiden, priest, is my sister, the Sefiorita Nita >abinas, and this man has, with as ltl lll CL Se as ne ee —— —- t> forget honor, home and friends.” ** Don Isadoro, you lie. “ Your sister is to-day as true to her honor as ever she was. “* Her home and friends she has given up to marry one whom she loves, and who loves re ** Love a pirate!” sneered the ‘*She says she loves me, an here to marry me. ** Nita, here is your brother; choose between us,” and Don Diablo turned to the maiden, who quickly sprung to the side of the corsair, so deep was her infatuation. , “It is all I ask, sefior; I will unite you in marriage,” said the padre, and he drew Nita aside and held a few moments’ earnest conver- sation with her. ** And Don Isadoro Sabinas, you shall be wit- ness,” said Don Diablo. ‘Never will I look on and see my sister so disgrace herself; I will—” **I say you will; Coocha, see that Don Isa- doro remains.” The African threw his arms around the Cu- ban, and he felt that he was in a vise of iron. “Now, , we are ready,” resumed the pirate, then followed a strange scene, the marriage of a noble maiden, clad in man’s at- tire, to an ocean scourge, with her brother look- ing on as a witness, ‘ Perhaps, for your name’s sake, you had bet- ter write your name as witness, Don Isadoro, to the certificate,” said Don Diablo. “By the cross I will do it; though accursed by her love for a pirate, she will at least be a wife,” and Don Isadoro signed his name as the Pen so Isad I t two pled ‘Now, Don oro expec fe) from you,” said Don Diablo, calmly, are “Well, sir?” “First, that you bring no harm u worthy padre for his act to-day in ma sister my wife—” ** Well, sefior?” ‘‘Second, that you pledge yourself to remain here for one hour after our departure.” ‘Tf I refuse?” ** You shall die.” ce Die hd “*So I said and so I mean.” Don Isadoro remained silent, and to aid in making up his min Don Diablo said: ex will simply leave you in Coocha’s hands and— ‘*T seek no such honor; I will make the pledges; but Don Diablo, I also pledge myself never to relinquish my gedars of you.” ‘**So be it; come, my beautiful bride, and you too, Coocha; farewell, padre.” e turned away; but with a cry Nita sprung toward her brother and cried: *‘ Isadoro, good-by; kiss me, brother.” He waved her from him, and Don Diablo drew the weeping maiden away, and followed by the deformed slave left the padre’s house, CHAPTER XXVIII. A DISCOVERY, Upon the deck of the beautiful American schooner, anchored in the harbor of Havana, and in such close vicinage to the clumsy-looking lugger, stood two officers engaged in conversa- tion, and at the same time en oying their fra- grant cigars as they paced to and fro. One of these young officers was Guy Stan- hope, the midshipman already known to the reader, and having found in the schooner’s commander, Roger Warburton, an old friend, had been telling him of the capture of the craft by the pirate Don Diablo, her wreck in the hurricane, the escape of her chief, and how he had palmed himself off to the inmates of the Villa del Florida as her captain, Austin Au- brey, but being recognized by a Cuban planter, or at least suspected, Don Isadoro Sabinas had one in his goleta to hunt up evidence im, and he had gone as a witness who knew the noted rover. ‘“Then Aubrey owes the pirate another debt, for it is said his sister was captured some years ago, and is either a prisoner on some island now, or dead,” said Lieutenant Warburton. ‘Yes, she was captured by pirates, I know; but the captain never spoke of ber, and no one cared to speak of the subject to bim; but he was always most anxious to hunt all rovers, andis now building a vessel at his own ex- nse, which the Government will commission or him to cruise where he pleases, in pe of buccaneers, and I am to be his junior — “I congratulate you, Stanhope; but there zoes that old ark to sea,” and Lieutenant War- urton pointed to the disguised lngger, which just then swung round to the breeze and ran close in under the stern of the schooner. ** And you expect to get off to-night also, do you not, lieutenant?” asked Guy Stanhope, af- ter the two had watched the lugger glide away in the darkness. ‘Yes, as soon as My messenger returns from the consul, for I care not to wait longer, as the Mexicans are anxious to get their schooner.” **And then you return to the United States at once?” oung man, she has come this g your JOO Goim (C S