Beadle's Dime Library, No. 198 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

14 ‘« Indeed we have, Toby—oh! I see the helms- man now, and it is not my father.” ‘‘ No, sah, for he has a long beard, as I can see now.” | “Yes; but where is my father?’ and the young man became very pale. Glancing over toward The Everglades, he saw that the Jack-o’-lantern had come to anchor in front of the mansion, aud carriages and horse- men going alung the bighways showed that those whe had attended the funeral were dis- persing. Again looking at the yacht, as she went round to approach the pier, he saw a man at her helm whom he had never seen before. The little craft was skillfully brought along- side of the pier, and the helmsman leaped ashore. It was Frank Forrester, and his courtly bow —-_— | | ‘The Skeleton Schooner. a and until I have told you the facts of the duel; , but my yacht lies yonder in The Everglades harbor, and I have promised to be the guest of Mr. Mortimer. « ‘“ Ah! you are then the friend of Mr. Mark Mortimer. ‘‘Then of course I would not detain you from his company!” said Percy with something of a sneer. ‘* Yes, sir,” answered Forrester, the smile on his lips hiding the bitterness of the words he was about to utter: ‘‘It was my friend Mark Mortimer whom I seconded in the duel with your father.” Percy Wyndham started as: though stung by 'a serpent, and turned his blazing eyes upon the and distinguished appearance at once told Percy | Wyndbam that he stood in the presence of a geutleman. ‘“T need not ask, sir, if this is Mr. Percy Wyndham, as your resemblance tu your father is unmistakable?” said Mr. Forrester, with his | fascinating smile. ‘“‘T am Percy Wyndbam, sir, and most anxious to learn if vou can tell*me aught regarding my father, for I see you have landed from his yacht.”’ _standing on his yacht, Mr. mine, the vessels lying to for the purpose, the | | “‘ Alas! I would that I could give you good | tidings, my dear Mr. Wyndham: but I cannot, as my tidings are of the saddest nature,” The lips of the young man quivered, and he became very white; but in a voice that was firm, he answered: ‘‘Has aught befallen my father?” ‘Yes, be was forced into a duel and—” “* Wounded?’ : “No, sir.” “ Killed?” “I regret to say that he was.” *‘ And where is his body?” “‘In the cabin of his yacht, for I brought it home that I might break the sad news to your- self and your mother as gently as possible, for it was the wish of your father.” ‘*T thank you, sir. ‘You were then my father’s second?’ “Yes, sir; though my position was a painful one, I beiag the only second,” “ And you were the friend of his adversary as well?” “His adversary was my friend, and your father I hardly knew; but under the circum- stances I acted for both.” “This was a remarkable proceeding, sir, I must say, and wholly at variance with the laws of dueling.” Percy Wyndham spoke with some asperity, and with just the shadow of a suspicion of wrong, and observing it, Mr. Forrester answered with a smile: ‘‘It was no more strange, Mr. Wyndham, than your duel with Major Mortimer, in which there were no seconds.” Percy winced at this, and said frankly: “Pardon me, if in the suddenness of the shock, and grief for the loss of my father, I appear rude.” “JT understand your feelings fully, Mr. Wyndham, and will explain all as it occurred, when you are at leisure to hear it,” “Thank you,” and springing down upon the yacht’s deck, the young man entered the little cabin and was alone with his dead father. For some moments he remained there, while Mr. Forrester stood for awhile trying to draw the almost broken-hearted Toby into conversa- tion, and failing in this, turned and glanced over toward where the Jack-o’-lantern lay at anchor. ‘Toby, come here,” suddenly called out the youth from the cabin, and the old negro approached and gazed upon the face of the dead, while he said sadly: **Poor marster! Poor marster, he has gone from us forever.” Then Dot and Philip were called, and tak- ing the body of their master in their arms, at the order of Perey, they moved toward the mansion. “Come, sir—” ““My name is Forrester, sir’ Frank For- rester,” suggested that gentleman with his genial smile. Percy bowed, and continued: ‘Come, Mr. Forrester, I shall have to claim you as my guest, as long as you will honor me with your company.” “Thank you, Mr. Wyndham, I will remain if I can be of service to you in your affliction, } i speaker, while he said in a hoarse whisper: ‘‘Mr. Forrester, did my father fall by the hand of Mark Mortimer?’ “« He did, sir.” “Ina duel?’ és Yes. > ‘When fought?’ “At midnight of last night.” ‘Where?’ ‘On the waters of the Sound, your father Mortimer upon distance being about ten paces, and pistols, your father’s they were, being the weapons used. ‘““T hope I have been explicit enough, Mr. | Wyndham?’ | | | | ‘‘No, sir, for I would know the cause of the quarrel that led tu a duel?’ ‘Your having killed Major Mortimer in a duel.” Percy Wyndham fairly groaned, but an- swered: ‘“‘Then Mr, Mortimer should have held me not my father responsible.” ‘‘Of what Mr. Mortimer should or should not doe, I am not the judge, Mr. Wyndham, and as it seems I can give you no further information, or be of service to you, permit me to bid you adieu.” ‘For the good offices rendered my father, Mr. Forrester, I wish you would remain my guest as long as you please to stay.” “Thank you, I must take my leave, and yet, should you desire other information of me upon the subject, I will be only too happy to respond,” and raising his hat, as they reached the beach, Mr. Forrester sauntered on that way to the plantation of the Mortimers, his manner and face not in the slightest degree ruffled by what he had passed through. CHAPTER XXVILI. THE THIRD STROKE. In his own room the form of the late mas- ter of Lakelands was laid, and to the grand old home came many with real sympathy, and many more with simple curiosity. The news having spread that Mark Morti- mer, to avenge his father’s death, had de- manded satisfaction from the father of his slayer, the affair excited the deepest interest upon all sides, and people wondered who would be the next victim, for would not Percy Wynd- ham seek revenge? It certainly looked so, and the whole neighborhood was on the qué vive for the next tragedy. To those calling at Lakelands Toby said that his mistress was ill, and consequently could see no one, and that his master had given strict orders that he would see no one. This was a disappointment to many, but if the young heir to Lakelands wished to nurse his grief alone he certainly could not be blamed for following the bent of his bumor. All, however, who cared to attend, were in- vited to the funeral of Captain Wyndham, to be held the following afternoon, and this the crowd were forced to be content with, for old Toby was a formidable barrier to pass, when he was backed by his master’s orders, “The last one of ‘em has gone, master,” he said, with ready tact dropping the Mars’ Percy, now that he was the head of the house- hold. ‘‘T am glad of it, Toby.” “So am I, sah; but they hung on like wool to a nigger’s head, and seemed determined to get in.” “ Well, after to-morrow I hope we will be left alone to our grief, Toby. ‘‘ Now go and ask Phoebe to come here,”’ Toby obeyed, and the mulattress soon ap- peared before her young master, as he sat in the library alone, LL TT TPT —_—— <0 ese C—O es—C}!e =§ Phcsbe, you have de i St my mo- ther’s room?’ “Yes, sah.” ‘And she has heard, nor seen anything to cause her to suspect more trouble?” ‘* No, sah, she sits in her rocking-chair and pretends to embroider, but she does not really work, sah.”’ ‘* Thea I will go now and break the news to her, and bitter indeed the blow will be.” Like one who had a duty to perform he shrunk from with direst dread, he went to the wing devoted to his mother’s use, and crossing the inner room knocked gently at the door leading.into the outer apartment. The room where he stood was large, and furnished with every luxury, for there were books in abundance, paintings rare and costly, a guitar inlaid with gold and precious stones, and divans and easy-chairs innumerable, In answer to his knock there came in a con- strained voice: ** Come in!” He unlocked the door from his side, upon receiving the permission to enter, and found himself in a sleeping-chamber. A luxurious bed, a lounge, toilet stand, and other furniture of use and comfort were in the room, while in a large rocking chair, her feet upon an embroidered stool was the mistress of Lakelands. In her hands was a bit of fancy embroidery, and by her side on a stand was a vase of the rarest flowers, which filled the room with per- fume. But the woman who sat in the rocking- chair, moving to and fro with a monotonous motion seemed not the beautiful being who bad only a few days before, so fearlessly faced Major Mark Mortimer, and sent him to his doom, for her face bad become white and hag- gard, and the full lips more now an expression of pain. Since his return from the court-room, Percy Wyndham had not seen his mother, for he wished to avoid questioning until his fatker should arrive, and Phoebe had told him be was away from home. Now, at sight of the change in her, he was inexpressibly shocked, for most dearly had be loved his beautiful mother. | To bim she had been mother, sister, swoet- heart and friend, and when he bold! y took upon himself the killing of Major Mortimer, it was to shield her he so dearly loved from the tongue of public slander. For himself, a man, to kill Major Mortimer in a duel, was not out of the way in the morals of that age; but for a woman, and the beauti- ful and wealthy Mexican wife of Captain Percy Wyndham to do so, was quite another question, so he had taken to himself all blame, and once having crossed the rubicon of decep- tion, like others so committed, he wes forced to keep it up, even though he saw it made his mother believe she was almost mad. Dressed in a canary gown of some soft tex- ture, and with her raven hair falling in waves over ber shoulders, and upon the floor, for she would not allow Phoebe to touch it now, Nina Wyndham still looked grandly beautiful, yet a closer glance showed clearly the lines of suffer- ing that were growing into her face. Seeing who it was that entered, when she had expected Phoebe or ber mother, Mrs, Wyndham’s face flushed with pleasure, and she arose quickly, crying: “Ob, Percy, I am so glad you have come, for I have been oh! so Jonesome and so ill. “See, they feared I would harm myself in the delirium upon me, and they have barred the windows outside to prevent my escape, and when Nance and Phebe come in they lock the door after them, and put the key in their pockets, and when they go out, the door is also locked upon me, ‘‘Oh, Percy, my son! my son! what does all this mean?’ She placed her hands upon his broad shoul- ders and looked up so appealingly into his face that it cut him to the heart, ‘“‘ Mother, it means sorrow, trouble, gloom, for both of us,” he said, in a low, tender voice. “Your father?” The words came in a question, and spoken in a voice that was hardly audible, while she trembled as with some great fright. ‘ Alas! mother, it is of my father that I have come to see you.” Sbe looked at him wildly, and then with vehemence broke forth, speaking with wonder- ful rapidity and in Spanish, her native tongue: Of ONe) GONE S Gon Ag