Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 181 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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28 not only wee aes in scarlet ree ba Seeimocstane was t a mephisto, and standing at the guns pe ae a to be a band of devils. Upon the quarter-ieck were three o to ju from their on there, and that they gold tassels hanging from the red horns on each temple. and wore sashes of gold thread, as of rank. All these things every man on board the polacca took m with seared eyes, and came to the conclu- sion that Satan had sailed in his war-ship from the burning lakes of Hades, and had mag lost on an earthly sea in his cruise for lost so : ** Look at her flag!’’ whispered Colonel. Navaro. It was flaunting out free with the breeze, and was a black field, with a red gallows, from which droo a scarlet rope, with noose, hanging ready for a Ne the flag at thef again whispered Cap- ** Now the e fore," n whisper tain Beldas. lt was a blue field, representing the waves of the sea, and in the center was a long, slender red ser- pent, with flery eyes and head erect, represented as u- gliding over the waves. ‘*Itis the Red Dukite,'’* said Colonel Navaro, re- ferring to the red se ton the ; ‘*Yes,’’ answered Captain Bel and in silence Ym Sones pe with his arms in his , they watched the ‘let Schooner glide by. Nearer and nearer, until abeam, then forging ahead, and yet making no sign that they saw the polacca. At last she glided by, and all drew along breath, for pnen saw that the Scarlet Schooner meant them no harm, ‘*Put her een ag a ey se and head for Vera Cruz,” cried Ca n Beldas, impressed with what he had seen, and the polacca was once more headed. for home, and dropped anchor without further ad- venture. With fear and trembling, Colonel Navaro went to repont all that had occurred, and though it was mid- night, was ushered into the presence of his com- mander. In silence the Governor listenéd to the story, and then said, quietly: . ‘*Many sailors have reported seeing the same strange craft, Colonel Navaro, and the superstitious call her a phantom, a myth; but there is one thing that is not a myth, and thatis your conduct during the years you ve been here, a trusted officer." ae or! , “ Hold, sir! no anger, after the career you have pursued of wholesale robbery, gambling, deviltry, murder and trickery.” ** But, sefior commandante, hear—"’ **Not one word, sir, for already have your papers ‘been overhauled, your deeds discovered, and you are banished for lite toa cell in the Castle of San Juan d’Uloa, and, Fernando Navaro, he who enters there bids farewell to as ; i With a groan the guilty and wicked man sunk down in a chair, murmuring: ‘‘The Nemesis has ruined me, too, for had I not me away, my deeds would never have been cnown,”’ Stepping up to the wretched man, the comman- dante tore from his uniform his badges of rank, and said, sternly: “Put him in irons, and carry him to the Life Cell of the Castle!" One hour after Fernando Navaro had forever bid- den ell to hope; but, though severe, his pun- ishment for his numerous crimes was just, ‘ CHAPTER LIV. AT LAST, A ¥Frencr hurricane was sweeping over the Carib- Loan .con Neleing yupe Wwale-at water before it, and beading toward the southern coast of Cu In the midst of the wild scéne a vessel was dri along under bare poles ata pace that was fearfu and threatened to send her h g beneath the waves, It was an armed schooner, as trim a vessel as any seaman would car ) to look upon, well armed, every- thing about her shipebepas yet manned with as sav- age acrew of human beings as ever swept over blue water under canvas, Crouching down under the bulwarks for shelter, to the masts, ratlines, or qup:leghings for safety, they were a wild, reckless of men, well fit to be uader the command of the tall, dark- faced, stern, cruel-eyed man who stood near tiie helmsman at the wheel. That man was Don Diablo, the Terror of the Seas, who,once more afloat ina stanch and fleet craft, bad spread more fear than ever before on land and peal a aD A Ae Bal i come & greater vils under his command feared him as they did Satan himself. ** Well, setorcenteies I think she has gone down,” said — who been over the - rail, y gazing astern over the wind-lashed waters. “The Devil, my master, grant you do not lie, Cata- na.’ le ‘**I say so, too, sefior chief, for I am, I confess, getting most nervous at the way this Scarlet Phan- tom has dogged our wake for months,’ answered the lieutenant addressed as Catalena by Don Diablo, ‘*If be would only fight us, I would not care; but to continually hang on our wake, until we turn upon him, and then sail away, keeping just out of range, I coufess it makes me feel as though I was being haunted for all the red deeds I had ever done.” “And I guees, added Catalena, in a low tone, not intended for chief’s ear, *‘the blood you have caused to flow would float the schooner, and paint her crimgon, too," and, still gazing at his chief, he continued: ‘*Dof Diablo has broken more in the past few months than in years before. *The Red Dnukite is a remarkable serpent seen only in the South seas; it is said to have the faculty of reason, and is really beautiful, with its long, slender scarlet body, and bright eyes, but as venom- ous as an adder. The natives say that two always go together, and if one is killed, the other follows his slayer day and night, tracking him like a bloodhound, until he buries his fangs in his tiesh,—_Tux AUTHOR, Saree s+ oe oe _ SO a FS OT eee es - Pe eee _ The Scarlet Schooner. oe ee ee Se - e e e e ‘* His face seems haggard now, and always cru while his eyes have lost the tenderness he once cou assume at will. “Then his hair is white on the temples, and not et is he forty-five; I verily believe it is Scarlet ooner, 80 constantly dogging him, that is killing him. 5 Well, the world will rejoice when he goes, that is certain.’ **Catalena!” ** Sefior!”’ **T believe the Scarlet Schooner has gone under, for she was lying broadside to, when the hurricane struck her, and we nearly were lost though we met her with our bows on," ‘It looks so, sefior chief.” ** if she lives out this blow Iwill believe her com- mander is the devil, its crew demons, and give up piracy and turn padre.”’ “If confess I would like tg give up this red life, sefi- or, for I have laid aside enough of my earnin + ** Your honest earnings,"’ sneered Don Diablo. **Yes, sefior, from my honest earnings, I have laid aside enough to support me.”’ ee 2 2 ve, for nota peso have I outside of this craft. . “Thave fought from love of excitement, robbed for mere pastime, killed from sheer enjoyment in taking life, and though I have stolen millions I am not worth enough to gine ths to pray my soul out of purgatory— Great ! see there!” ‘* It is the Scarlet Schooner,”’ cried Catalena, glanc- ing astern, when, a long way back, was seen a red craft, the very counterpart of the pirate vessel, ex- cept in color, coming on before the gale under her storm-sails only. ** And he has his red sails set, while we can hardly live under bare poles," said Catalena. ‘Yes, but he can live anywhere, for, Catalena, that craft is a scarlet phantom.” Struck by the tone of his chief’s voice, the bucca- neer lieutenant turned to look at him, and was startled at the change he saw there. | | The face was livid, the lips blue and trembling, the | eyes wild and staring, and the whole face indicative of fearful terror, a terror that is awful to behold in & man's face. . “*Sefior chief, you are not well; go into the cabin and take a drink of brandy,” said the lieutenant. ‘*T will, Catalena, for I am not well; Lut see, that phantom rsues me! see! its red wings are flap- ping, flapping the man, in piteous accents. c Schooner is crowding on sail to attack us, for we have never had her this near before.” With a wild cry Don Diablo sprung toward the cabin, and ppeared down the companionway. And there Catalena found him, crouching on his knees in the corner, his teeth chattering together, his sunken eyes rolling wildly, and his whole atti- tude and actions those of a man gone mad. In fain he told him that the storm had abated, and that the schooner was making fleet time; his chief go! chatted on in a rambling way. ben he told him that the Scarlet Schooner was rushing on to atlack them, ; * Keep it off! Keep it off, for I dare not meet a spirit crew,’ yelled the chief, in agony. ‘*Hark! sefior, we are firing upon the stranger. Come on deck and fight it out, for she also » as you hear.” **No, no, Lwill L rht men, but not devils, the spirits of those Ihave slain. Oh, hide me good Catalena.”’ In despair the lientenant rushed on.deck to find the Scarlet Schooner not half a mile away, and look- ing grandly beautiful, yet terrible as she came on under clouds of crimson canvas, and sending from her sor mee at every flash puffs of blood-red smoke. . : The crew of the corsair were at their guns; but their pallid faces showed the terror they felt, and ‘that they believed they were not going to meet hu- man beings in combat, for in those days superstition had a strong hold even upon the minds of the intel- > masses. ith a bold front Catalena*determined to meet a PAveCeN Se and he ordered the gunners to open ely. But his shots flew wide, while the red shot of the ng over me—save me, Catalena!” cried | ; | on the battlements of the castle raised an alarm at aon startled lieutenant sprung to his side and | “Control yourself, Don Diablo, for the Scarlet | | his eyes ro & his hair whitened in the hour passed, and great beads of sweat ing from his brow, was the once magnificent Don , the dreaded pirate chief. He turned his sunken eyes upon the intruders, and cried in a voice that was piteously pleading: “Spare me, oh spare me, ye souls that I have slain! I am a coward now, and I beg you to go away and leave me alone—no, not alone, or! shall go mad, for my brain is on fire, my heart is burning up, and | soffer, oh, s0 mugh,”’ “Don Diablo, look on me!" **Good God! are you dead, for 70 are Nita, my wife. Yes, you are dead, but I did not kill you— yes, I must. have done so, for you are amony the returned spirits that I have slain. Yes, I killed you by breaking your heart; but I loved you, Nita, and you are all I ever did love. ‘*Back! Dont come near me, or I shall go mad, my brain is so hot. ‘See, I have a band of red-hot iron around it— oh! do not thrust that dagger in my heart—let ito! take off your hands, ye hundreds of red phantoms that I have slain, and do not ail clutch the dagyer’s hilt together, for the blade is in my heart.” ‘Don Diablo. Tam avenged, for at last your heart is broken, and your crimes have driven you mad. Now, seeing you the pitiable object you have be- come, I can forgive you your sin toward me."’ Nita Sabinas moved, as she spoke, toward the chief; but with a shriek of terror he bounded to his feet, and dashing out of the companionway, sprung into the sea, his mad cries shut off by the gurgling waters as he sunk down forever beneath them. Like a statue stood the Nemesis, her face as white as marble, until Conrado Estevan stepped teward her and said: **Come, Nita, the end is accomplished; let us go from here.”’ ‘““Yes, let us go from here,” she auswered, me- chanically, and El Saltader ordered sail set on the two vessels, and, just as night fell upon the sea, they glided away over the dark waters, CIIAPTER LY, CONCLUSION. OnE morning, some ten days after the death of Don Diablo, Vera Cruz was enveloped in a dense fog, which also shut out from view the gloomy old fortress known as the Castle of San Juan d’Uloa, When the fog lifted from the waters the sentinel beholding two vessels lying at anchor within musket range. One of these vessels was red from keel to truck, and the other, its counterpart in build, rig and armament, was black, and showed signs of having been in severe action, Upon the decks of either vessel not a human be- ing was visible; but when the Sw lee put off to them they found in the bold of the crimson craft three-score prisoners in irons. In the cabin, on the table, was a letter addressed to ‘Colonel Navaro, a life prisoner in the Castle of San Juan d’Uioa.”’ Opening this the officer of the guard-boat read as follows: ** According to my promise Ireturn to your Gov- ernment the vessel 1 borrowed, and which served me well as the Scarlet Schooner. ** Also, I return her sister-craft taken from Don Diablo, the pirate, and his crew in irons, the hated chief having gone mad, and ended his own hfe, a very fitting thing for you to do to escape from haunting memories, E NEMESIS OF THE SEA.” Some years, kind reader, after the capture of Don Diablo by the Scarlet Schooner, an American vessel-of-war ran intoa small bay on the soutbern shores of Cuba and dropped ancl or, as if to repair damages, for there was evidence that. she had been severely handled by a tornado. The bay where she anchored is af amiliar one, for it lies in front of the Villa del Florida, the old home of Nita Sabinas. ‘But though ruin once seized the place with rude touch, after the death of its master and his heir, it had again put on the same beautiful look as in the olden time. And lured by its beauties the young captain of the vessel Went ashore, and wandering through the Scarlet Schooner went crashing through his bul- | g aths came sudde upon an orange bower warks, and staining his decks with a current of the | in which sat ete dave Indes gentle- same c n hue that pig Ma man, a beautiful lady and two children. Nearer and nearer the Scarlet Phantom, asthe | They arose at seeing him, not having, from their pirates now called her, came, and as the sea h bower, seen the cruiser come into the bay, and he now run down,and only a seven-knot breeze was | offered apologies at his intrusion, which the seiora blowing, it was evident that her crew intended to | interrupted by saying: board. 7 “ Are you not Captain Guy Stanhope, sefior, of the rod dean erate veg cata cee | AERO eee In ipetood evils, crowcing e bows rd, tor * Yes, sefiora,’’ was answer - he poses Schooner was sailing directly in the cor- , . — ; ‘: r’s wake, ‘‘Tam glad to again meet sefior, for we have cst a parsing ot chains, a of red gra met Sie ao alan nels, and the Scarlet Schooner was lashed to the cor- “T am Nita Sabinas that was, but now I am the sair, and the red forms were pouring over her bows to the attack. Cries of mercy came from the corsairs, and it was indeed an easy victory, for the outlaws seemed be- numbed with , and their brave lieutenant was cut down while in vain striving to hold his deck. **Hold! kill no man who does not resist,’ cried a ringing clear voice, and at once every weapon was owered. ‘*Now where is your chief, Don Diablo?” asked the: same speaker, who was dressed in a suit of crimson velvet. And one glance into that face, and upon that beau- tiful, slender form, was sufficient to recognize Nita Sabinas, the Nemesis of the Sea. ‘He retreated to the cabin before the combat, and would not lead us,’’ said a pirate, in answer to her question. **Don Diablo a coward? No, no, that cannot be,” said the Nemesis. rs ‘**He feared your vessel was a phantom, “Ah! then at last his lion heart is crushed, and J have gained my revenge. Come, Sefior Conrauo, let us seek this chief.” Conrado Ej Saltador, who was the first officer of the Nemesis, at once followed her to the cabin, and Pits stood dumb with horror at what they bcheld re, Sefiora Estevan, and this 1s my husband, Don Con- rado Marial Estevan, and these are my children.” It was a pleasant meeting between the handsome yous captain and the Cuban sefiora, but the houghts of each ran back to the bitter past. But Captain Stanhope became the guest of Don Estevan and his still beautiful wife, an o paeued days at the pleasant home;. but then, and rward, he could not forget the shadow that hung over it, and shut out perfect happiness irrev from its hearthstone. THE END, BEADLE’S DIME LIBRARY. 176 Lapy Jaguar. By Capt. Mark Wilton....... 10c 177 Don Driasio. By Col. Prentiss I am... 178 Dark DasHwoop. By MajorS.S. Hall. .. . 10c 179 Conrap, THE Convict. Prof. 8. Gildersleeve. 10c 180 Oup 49. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. .. ...... 1c 181 Tue ScARLET ScHooneR. 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