Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 181 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

_The Soarlet Schooner. : 9 his warning?’ and the tears came into the | flitted over the face of Don Diablo, or heart: ¢ maiden’s beautiful eyes. his muttered words: On; m0,” right Don Diablo, ‘* but do you ** Nombre de Dios! what if she bad seen the say that he was not a traitor to me, to thus —— i pige ee ee the trap and hurl warn you against me?” Saltador and his pl into the sea? ‘* He was truer to his hope of saving me from ‘Well, the schooner did me one good turn, ruin than to his allegiance to you.” | for with E) Saltador alive, I would fear for my It was an unfortunate remark, for Don Dia- | beautiful Sefiorita Sabinas, for women are as 9 obey, as again came an order from the set l 7 A Now seize that traitor and bind him!” He pointed to Conrado E] Saltador, who, ere he was aware of what the chief intended, was seized and securely ironed, just as Vincente se called out: { ‘The plank is ready, sefior captain,” ‘“‘“TKen, Conrado Estevan, the Leaper, if you | fickle as these West Indtan breezes.” i are not acoward you will take that road to per- dition,” hissed the infuriated corsair. ‘*T am no coward, Don Diablo,” was the firm response, ‘* You are a traitor though, and hence I pun- ish 0... ‘You lie in your false throat, sir pirate,” was the angry retort. ‘*No words; yonder lies your walk, take it, or suffer death by torture,” was the merciless response. Saltador cast one glance at the lugger, which was flying seaward with fearful speed, and then he turned his eyes upon the Spanish schooner, now nota mile distant, and steerin so as to head the buccaneer off before he coul ain an offing, while a hot fire was poured upon e chase. Then he glanced over the crew and saw that there was no Ps ya for they stood cowed before the terrible chief, who stood regarding him with onytge menace. ‘ . ‘Don Diablo, I have done you no wrong; but Iam in your power, and 1 shrink not from the death you condemn me to die, ‘But, cruel devil that you are, may the fate him that Don Diablo sent you.” CHAPTER XIII. A LESSON WELL LEARNZD. ‘(Wat madness is this, Captain Nevil Vane?” The voice was that of ‘Nita Sabinas, but the words were ringing, and the real nam* of Don Diablo, pronounced then and there, caused him to start visibly and turn pale, while he wheeled upon the speaker. The condemned man, Conrado Estevan, also heard that question from the maiden’s lips, and he too turned, just as he was about to step fear- lessly forward into e rnity. He beheld Nita Sabinas as white as a corpse, roach. . She had just stepped out of the cabin, where Don Diablo had left her with her octoroon maid, and just in time to save the Cuban from walk- ing the Bee into the sea. She eld him, white-faced but fearless, proudly par I himself up, and with flashing blo’s face darkened again, and he said, te “In my mind treachery is worthy of death, and that man, Conrado El Saltador, is doomed. ‘* Gomez, get a handspike and urge him to the walk heso shrinks from, and from which this lovely lady would save him.” The face of the Cuban flushed at the insulting words, and the obedient seaman sprung to obey the command of his cruel master. But all were struck dumb with horror at see- _— ita Sabinas suddenly draw from the folds of her riding habit, which she still wore, a small silver-mounted pistol, and press it against her temple, while she cried in resolute tones: ‘*Give the order for that brave man to take his mye and I send this bullet to my brain, Don Diablo, the Pirate.” ‘* Nombre de Dios! Nita Sabinas, what would you do?” cried the chief, in dread alarm, ‘‘Keep my word, by the love of the Mother oe sd , ** No, you will not do a crime like that?” “* Ay, will I, for I learned the lesson well from you, Don Diablo, when you protected your life with a knife held over m y heart. ae Order that man released from his irons or I ! ‘*Sefiorita, do not such an act to save my worthless, wretched life, for if spared now, sooner or later the end must come for me.” “‘T will save your life, Conrado Estevan, or die. If the latter, the words of that man to me are false and he does not love me. This wil prove if he loves his revenge more than he does But as the word trembled on the lips of Don Diablo, there came a broadside from the Span- ish schooner, hurled full upon the flying lugger. Then followed a crashing of timbers, shrieks of mortal anguish, and the bulwark upon which rested the death-plank was shattered, and down blue depths, none could tell. re | crippled in hull and rigging, it was an instant of peril for the lugger; butabove the uproar arose the trumpet-like tones of the indomitable chief, commanding order, and dis- cipline was at once restored, the dead and the wounded alike were hurled into the waters, the With a harsh laugh he then turned away and Le amg himself to the duties devolving upon m, CHAPTER XIV. THE PIRATE AND THE PADRE. WITH a that surprised those on the Spanish schooner, and caused the superstitious members of the crew to believe that she was in- deed sailed by the devil, the lugger sped away from her pursuer, and shortly after night came on easily eluded her in the darkness. Having thrown the Spaniard off his track Don Diablo immediately headed for a small seaport, or rather fishing hamlet on the coast, and ran boldly np to an anchorage nearly op- posite the town. ‘*The padre shall come on board and unite us, my dear Nita,” he said, as he ordered a boat eo ae. and descended into it. ‘*) am content, Nevil; but oh! what does m love for you not drive me to become—the bride of a buccaneer,” she said, sorrowfully. **Do you regret it, Nita?’ ““T would regret to give you up more,” **Tf you care not to become my wife in all that you now visit upon me, one da yours.” There was no doubting her intention to keep | willingness, 1 will return you at once to your | He ceased speaking and stepped upon the | her word, for firm resolve was upon every fea- | own home in all honor.” lank, while Don Diablo said in his clear, but | ture of her face. ‘*No, no, I love you, and loving you, I am ronical tones: And all stood spellbound gazing upon her, | blind to your faults,” ‘Now, sir, my compliments to Satan, and tell | while El Saltador said calmly: ‘You are a noble girl, Nita, and I am sorry I am not more worthy of you. **T will not be gone long, and the padre will return with me; give way, men!” The boat moved shoreward in the darkness and was soon lost to the view of the watching maiden. ‘‘Dona Nita, that sefior is awful handsome awful nice-spoken, but he is awful bad.” end Alena the octoroon slipped up to her misiress’s e. ‘Silence, Alena; you must breathe no word st the man I am going to marry,” said ta, sternly. “T only said, Dona Nita, it is a pity a man can have such a handsome face and ugly heart,” ~aien-- but with angry eyes bent upon the chief, while | into the sea sunk El Saltador, but whether kill- ‘* Ah, Alena, | would that he were erent ; her form was drawn up, her bosom heaving, | ed by the shot of the schooner, or to sink to his | but whatever he is, I love him. and her whole attitude that of indignant re- | death, dragged down by his irons to the dark- “Come, let us go into the cabin and prepare for my marriage; oh, how strange it all seems —Nita Sabinas to be wedded toa buccaneer, and with her own consent. ‘**Love, love, you rule these hearts of o and make them apPy or wretched; which wil mine be, I wonder She descended to the cabin, followed by her eyes meeting the punishment Don Diablo was | shattered rigging was re , and once mofe | faithful maid, and began preparing for her Vaitinig upon him. the lugger was fying on her way. terrae with the same feeling in her heart ‘* Back into the cabin, Nita, and do not con- Seeing that, inlu ng up to deliver her broad- | she mig t feel in dressing herself for her execu- side, the schooner had lost considerable time, | tion. test my humor,” angrily said the chief. ‘No, Nevil Vane, I will not return to the cabin, and I will contest your cruel humor,” she said, haughtily. “What! do you dare me?’ and it was evi- dent that Don Diablo was losing his temper with the maiden. her answer was about to leave her 7 a shot from the schooner tore through the bul- warks, killed one of the seamen wounded an- other and knocked a water cask to atoms. But with a steady voice she spoke: ‘‘T dare rebuke you, Don Diablo, when you are going to take the life of the man to whom ou owe your escape from the garote.” ‘He is'a traitor, Nita.” “A traitor, and to whom and what?” she asked, scornfully, while El Saltador and the crew looked on, with what interest may well be imagined. ‘‘ A traitor to me, his chief.” ‘*f owe you no allegiance, Don Diablo; like yourself lam an outlaw, and we became con- freres incrime merely because it suited your while his own vessel’s s had not been check- ed, Don Diablo gave orders to his helmsman not to deviate from his course and approached the statue-like maiden, who stood white and silent, gazing down into the wild waters, as if to pene- trate their foaming depths and discover the dead forms lying there. ‘‘Nita, you triumphed,” he said, in his soft tones. ‘** Death triumphed, say rather,” was the cold reply. That was an unfortunate fire from the schooner, Nita; had it not been for that I would have proved my love for you and set El Salta- dor free.” ‘*Nevil Vane, would you have done as you say ?’ and she looked him eagerly in the face. eS Nita, as llove you 1 would have done ‘*T feared otherwise; forgive me.” “ Willingly, my sweet girl. Now return to the cabin, for I fear for you here amid this fly- But she had a nature that was governed wholly by her heart, and having taken the fearful step she would not retract her pledge. In the mean time Don Diablo landed at a quiet part of the village, and, with a word to his men to be on the alert for his signal, moved at a brisk step up the street. Following the shore for a distance, he soon came in sight of a wall, within which was a gloomy-looking house, a still gloomier church, and around the latter were the graves marked the last resting-places of those who had gone into the Great Beyond. A rope h on the outside of an iron-studded gate, and pulling it, Don Diablo heard the an- swering jingle of a bell in the somber house. Soon after a form a through the darkness, and a deep voice asked: ‘* Who is it that seeks entrance in this monas- te 9” A son who would confess his sins, give an offering of gold to the church, and ask a service ng iron.” at the hands of the holy padre,” was Don Dia- ar and mine so to be. ‘* And you, Nevil?’ blo’s firm reply. ‘You saw in me one to aid, or rather pro- i not be hit, for Fate does not yet in-| Whether it was the offering of gold that tect you, and I saw in you a valuable ally; hence the compact. ‘“No, oh, no, I am no traitor,” was the bold reply of Bl Saltador. ‘This paper will prove otherwise, sefior,” and the chief held up the piece of crumpled paper which Nita had — : Conrado, at the sight of it, did not change a muscle, while Nita grew a shade paler. **Do you say that you did not write this?” asked Don Diablo, triumphantly. “No, I wrote it.” “Oh, do not judge him by that; he knew me when I was a girl, and knowing you as you are, tend me to die; but if I lost you, my darling, | would not care to live, so go below, please.” ‘* And the schooner?” ‘“Will not overtake us, for see we have run the gantlet of the worst fire, and this vessel will outsail ber.” ** And then?” ‘¢What do you mean, Nita?’ ‘‘T mean, what is the destination of your lag- ?’ Intuitively he seemed to understand her mean- ing, and answered: ‘There isa small seaport down the coast, a few hours’ sail from here, and thither, as soon caused the — to ask no further questions I know not; but certain it is that the gate was quickly opened and the chief stepped fearlessly into the inclosure. ‘*Come, my son, follow me!” said the padre, speaking, as had Don Diablo, in Spanish. Following him, the chief was led to the house, and asked to be seated in a room that was far from uncomfortable, and yet was not a cheer- ful place, Once seated and Don Diablo gazed into the face of the padre, who returned the compliment with a direct stare, and 4 look as though he had before seen his visitor. he sought my home and threw that note of warn- | as I drop the schooner in the darkness, I will The yg was a man of many Por mes to judge ing into my epen window. go, as I have business there with a padre.” by his long white hair and beard; but his gait ‘Read it carefully, Don Diablo, and see that “Thank you, Nevil, I will not doubt you | was firm, his form erect, amd his eyes bright it only implores me not to leave home, kindred, and all I hold dear, to become the bride of a man whose name and whole life have been blackened with infamy and cruelty. **Do you wish me to regret that I heeded not again; but oh! it will be man fore I forget poor Conrado sad fate.” As she spoke she turned away and entered the cabin, not seeing the dark shadow that again a long day be- van and his and piercing. He was dressed in the order of his church, and after seating himself asked in deep, almost stern tones: “Well, my son, name your business.” CONNIE KOO) <S4 EC)