Beadle's Dime Library, No. 198 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

22 —__——— el OOOO re - rh rr-—- --- er--_ Oe aes eee ee SS ** Yes, I have your money for you; but your hirelings did not earn it.” ‘‘T think they did, for they lost their lives.” ‘‘ By their death you get their share,”’ said the masked man, with a sneer in his tone. ‘* Yes, for they were only to be paid upon the completion of their work.” ‘They were a miserable set of cowards, to | iet one man defeat the three of them.” | ‘* He was no ordinary wan, senor, though a | bov in years, report has it.” * Bal! any one of them could bave mas- tered him, had he had the courage.” ‘‘Rumor has it that the deadest shct, and one of the bravest men on this coast met bis match | when be faved young Senor Wyndham.” ‘To whom do you refer?’ ‘To Major Mark Mortimer.” “Ah! but Ihave always thought that duel was not a fair one,”’ ‘I believe that it was: in fact I know it.” * You know it?” ‘Yes, senor, for I witnessed it, though I was | not seen.” ** Indeed! and you say that it was a fair duel?’ “As fair as any ever fought: but here is your ring, senor.” “* And here is your money. ‘“ Now to business.” ‘(Is there more work to be done, senor?” ‘There is work to be done, for you did not accomplish what you were paid for.’’ ‘The risks were all taken, but the end was unforeseen.” “ Well, I want it done this time.’’ “Try it again?’ “ Yes. ”? ‘When, senor?’ “ Witbin the week, and be sure you make a sure thing of it.” ** How much?” ‘* How much what?” ‘* Money.” ‘‘T have paid you, man.” ‘*That was for the other job.” ‘You demand more?” “ Yes.” ** Well, I will give you five bundred more.” ‘It is not enough.” ‘‘T will give no more.” ‘‘Why, the risk is greater now, and I guar- antee it will be done this time.” ‘You guarantee it?” a ie. “ Well, I will make it a thousand.” ‘‘T demand the same price as before.” “You are grasping.” “And you cowardly, or you would do the job you pay others to do,” ‘By Heaven! do you dare call me a coward?” “ Hold, senor! there is no need of trouble between us, for you would surely get the worst of it. ‘Tf you want your red work done, Ill do it for two thousand dollars.” ‘When you finish your work I will pay you,” said the masked visitor, sullenly, as though he would like to spring upon the fisberman, yet dare not, without being certain of the result, for the fact that he had been called a coward seemed to rankle in his heart. ‘‘Return me that ring as security,” said the fisherman. Toe masked man reluctantly drew it from bis finger and banded it to him. ‘‘ Now, I expect you to keep your word, sir.” “T will do it witbin the week. ‘Where will I see you to give you proof?” “Oh, I will know if it is done, and then I will seek you here,” The stranger turned on his heel as he spoke, and getting into his boat pulled away, leaving the fisherman standing upon the beach watch- ing him. Hardly had he disappeared from sight when a second boat was seen coming toward the lit- tie harborage. It was a small cat-rig boat, and held a single occupant, and the cabin home of Juan Gito was evidently the destination of the one who sailed the little craft. CHAPTER XLII. BESSIE’S LOVER. Asovr a mile further down the coast from the Gito cabin was another little house, and the abode of a fisherman. It was by ‘no means as{pretentious as was the Gito home, but it was comfortable and well kept, and its owner was a young man who had worked hard for a livelihood. The Skeleton Schooner. His father had been asea-captain, and, dying, had left a wife and one son, That son, Jean Jewett, was the owner of the cabin referred to, and there he had dwelt with bis mother for years. But the good mother who had taught him the right from the wrong bad died and been buried among the magnolias at the back of the cabin, Living alone, Jean Jewett had sought com- panionship among a reckless class of men, and, it was said, was going to the bad, until one day, when out fishing, he came upon Juan Gito in his smack, which bad been dismasted in a storm, He took the smack in tow astern of bis little sloop and helped the Spaniard to rig her anew, passing several days at the c:bin. And then it was that the beautiful eyes of Bessie Gito went straight to his beart, and he learned to almost worsbip her. The maiden bad heard of him; and that he was in the downward path, and, like the true woman she was, sought to raise him up. Jean was a tall, handsome fellow, with an honest, resolute face and pleasant manners, and | Bessie could not but admire bim, and the two became the best of friends. The result was that Jean gave up his dissipa- tion and evil companions and devoted bimself to his work and to Bessie. An educated man, and a refined one, in spite of his calling, Juan Gito had taught his daughter much, and for three seasons had had ber at the convent in New Orleans until she was justly called by the men of the coast the ‘* Lady of the Lagoon.” But, in spite of her having seen something of the world, Bessie might have believed that she really loved Jean Jewett, and one day have become his wife, had she not met Mark Morti- mer under the circumstances which she did. Then she knew that he, not Jean, was the one man in the world to her. Now and then Mark Mortimer was wont to come to the cabin for a visit, and he and Bessie would sit on the cliff talking togetber for hours. And sometimes the young girl would spring into her sail-boat and go up the coast alone, re- maining away for half a day. But, strange to say, although Jean Jewett had heard that the young planter had saved the life of Bessie, be was not jealous, but thankful to him, and often wished to meet Mark Mortimer to thank him, in his honest way, for the service he bad rendered the one he loved so well. But neither Jean nor Mark Mortimer met, and it was doubtless through the engineering of Bessie Gito that they did not. Having informed my reader who and what Jean Jewett was, I will now tell him that he was the occupant of the sail-boat which came running in toward the cabin after the depar- ture of the masked visitor. CHAPTER XLIIL. THE SKELETON SCHOONER, ‘‘ WELL, Jean, my boy, I am glad to see you,” cried Juan Gito, as Bessie’s ardent lover ran his boat inshore, and springing out, grasped the band of the fisherman. He was a trifle over five feet, straight as an arrow, with great broad shoulders, and was neatly dressed, far more so than was his wont, in a suit of white duck pants and blue jacket. Upon his head was a cap that but half hid the clusters of chestnut curls, and his face was beardless. He smiled at the welcome of Juan Gito, and asked, quickiy: ** How is Bessie?” “Well, and gone to the village,” The young seaman looked disappointed, and said: ‘*T came over to see her, Juan, and to see you too.” ‘* Well, you’ll have to rest content with my company until Bessie’s return, and then we will have tea.” The manner of the fisherman was certainly most friendly, but still Jean Jewett did not seem at home. It was evident that something troubled him. “ How is fishing up your way, Jean?” asked Gito, after awhile, as the two sat down upon an upturned boat together. ‘‘Good, for I just returned from Mobile, where I carried a lcad, and got a good price too.” ‘I thought you looked mighty fine in your new clothes, Jean, a — a eee ** Better not let Bessie see you in them, or she'll fall in love with you, sure, for you are a deuced fine-looking fellow.” Jean smiled with pleasure, and seemed about to burst out and make some confession that was troubling him; but he hesitated, and | changing his mind apparently, he said: **What do you think I saw on my way home?” ‘* A whale?’ “nO.” ** An iceberg in the Gulf?” ** No, Juan.” ** A wreck?” **No; guess again,” **A pirate?” ** Yes.” se No.” “Tt is true,” ** Did she give you chase?” ** No, for I wasn’t worth it.” ‘Nor fire at you?” ca,’ ** What colors had you up?” ‘*The pretty blue flag with its gold fish in the center, which Bessie worked for me.” ‘Ah! were you near the pirate?” ** Yes, within a quarter of a mile, for she came on me out of a lagoon before I could escape,” ** How do you know that it was a pirate?” ** Well, that was plain enough to see, for she not only had her colors flying, but her rig indicated what it was.” ‘* What colors did she show?’ “A black flag at the peak, with a skeleton form in the center.” ‘By the Padres! but it was the Skeleton Schooner,” cried Gito, ‘* Yes, it must have been that craft, of which I have heard so much,” “What had she at the fore, Jean?” ‘‘A red flag with a skull in the center, out of the sockets of which seemed to come rays of light.” 3 “It was the Skeleton Schooner, Jean Jewett, and you were lucky to escape her, for she is the most fearful craft afloat.” ‘So I have heard, Juan, and they do say that her captain was kin to the devil, and her crew are evil spirits,”* ‘** All true, Jean, I verily believe, for I hava seen the Skeleton Schooner several times.” ** You have?” “Yes; but only by night, and she certainly looked then more like the ghost of a vessel than a real one.” “They tell strange stories of her, Juan?” ‘Yes, they say if she ever pursues a craft those, in it are doomed, and the one who sees her at night, with the light streaming out of her skulls, that his soul will be forever lust,” ‘‘How about the daytime, Juan?” and Jean spoke with a tremor in bis voice, and consider- able anxiety as to what might be his fate, for the young seaman was easily impressed, and believed all stories he heard of the spectral and supernatural sort. “Ob, you are all right, Jean, if you. saw her in the daylight; but come, let us go up te the cabin.” ‘Let me ask a favor of you first, Juan,” blurted out the young man. “All right, Jean, any money you want up to a moderate amount I can accommo- date you with; but don’t get back again in your wild, extravagant ways,” ‘*You misunderstand me, Juan, for I don’t want any money, as I have laid up a snug sum the last few months, and not a card, or a drop of greg do I touch now, for Bessie asked mo not to,” ‘*She’s a good girl, Jean.” ‘“She’s an angel, Juan, and I came over to-day to ask you to let her be my wife—there, it is out now,” and Jean Jewett blushed like a young girl at his boldness, CHAPTER XLIV. A SAILOR’S LOVE. HAVING asked ‘‘the favor,” as he called it, Jean Jewett stood up and waited for a reply. As Juan Gito did not reply at once, Jean said nervously: ‘Juan, I know I am not the equal of Bessie in money or family, for they do say you have got plenty of gold laid by, and that you are an exiled Spanish noble. “‘T am not her equal in education, for I am * This was ata time when the world was full of superstition, and sailors believed the wildest stories imaginable. JOO com cS (E (E()