Beadle's Dime Library, No. 198 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

a & The Skeleton Schooner. eT ‘ By all you hold sacred on earth and in heaven, Mark Mortimer?’ 46 I do. 9? ‘““ Then I am the one you are to meet, Mark Mortimer,” and the woman sprung to her feet, her face quivering with unfeigned joy. CHAPTER V. AT BAY. No one whc knew Major Mark Mortimer had ever called him a coward; but rather con- sidered him a man whose courage was above the average. He had entered the army when a mere boy, and during the Indian wars that followed the Revolution had greatly distinguished himself and risen to the rank of major, when, because there came a time of peace, ha resigned and returned to his plantation home and family, which consisted of his wife and two children, a son and daughter. . He had been a wild, reckless man, and may- hap it was that he brooded over his wrong to- ward his friend, and his crime toward Nina Valjos, the lovely and confiding Mexican girl, that caused him to become austere and keep men aloof, from his reputation of being a stern man, little caring for the companionship of his fellows. He passed his time in his library, or on horseback, with gun and dogs, riding about his plantation, but religiously devoted two hours of each day, not excepting the Sabbath, to practicing with rifle and revolver, and with a sword, having had one of his negroes, his valet, Duke, take lessons to serve as a foil for him. Duke was a superb specimen of manhood, and thew pet of his master and family, a cir- cumstance that rendered him unpopular with the rest of the slaves. Mark Mortimer had named his son after him, and had trained him up to be a thorough athlete, and rider and marksman, while he also intending him for the naval service, had made a good sailor of him. He regretted however to see that the youthful heir to The Everglades was very wild, and feared that he would become worse as the years went on, in spite of all that could be said and done to prevent, and he had just been thinking of some plan to check his son’s fast career, when he spied the yacht containing Percy Wyndham leaving the shore, and had been interrupted in his meditations by the coming of Uncle Toby with Mrs. Wyndham’s decoy letter. Having given my reader a better insight into the man whom Mrs. Wyndham had brought at bay with his past crimes, I will new return to the moment, when she made the startling announcement that he should meet her in the duello. In spite of his nerve the man trembled violently, and his face turned to the hue of a —— or some seconds he could not speak, and then he cried: ‘‘Nina, for the love of God! what do you mean?’ ‘‘ Just what I said, sir,” was the cold reply. “That you intend to force me into a meeting with you, if you can?” ‘‘T intend so to do.” ‘‘T will never face you with a weapon in my hand.” ‘‘ For fear you may kill me?” she sneered. “T could do so did I desire.” ‘‘You did worse in the wrong youdid me long ago. ‘1 trusted you, and you inveigled me into a marriage, when you already had a wife. “‘T do not hate her memory even, but rejoice that she is not alive to to know your shame. “But you I do hate, with all the venom of my heart and soul, and by the Heaven above, Mark Mortimer, you shall face me as a man would face another.” “Your husband and your son I will meet, but not you.” ‘‘My husband and son you shall not meet, sir, but me. “T wronged them, though God knows I did it unintentionally, and my band shall make the one my legal husband, and give the other the legal right of his name, and that can be done only by your death.” “‘T will not meet you.” , ‘‘If you kill me, well and good, for Toby and Phcebe here will say to the world it was an accident, that I shot myself, as I am known to practice as much as you do; but to my hus- band and son, for I will call them so, they will tell the truth, and your master, Satan, will not let you slay aJl three of us.” ‘* No, no, Iam no coward, to fear a woman in a duel,” ‘‘You were coward enough to cruelly wrong me.” He winced under the words, and answered: ‘“‘T did you wrong, I admit, but I see no way out of it now but to let the matter drop, unless Captain Wyndham wishes to push the affair with me, under which circumstances I am wholly at his service. ‘Now I bid you good afternoon, my dear Mrs. Wyndham,” He raised his hat politely and turned to go, when Uncle Toby said sternly: ‘‘ Hold on, Mars’ Mortimer, for I have orders to kill you, sir, and I must obey mistis, tho’ I wouldn’t like to, sah.” Mark Mortimer uttered a deep oath, for he saw that he was in a trap. Not for months had he ridden away from home without firearms of some kind; but that day he had done so, and the exception seemed likely to be the death of him, as he knew well Toby would kill him. Had he been armed with the double-barrel pistol he usually carried he could bave dropped Toby dead in his tracks, and taken the chances. But, as it was he was powerless, and the thought enraged him almost to madness, ‘ You are in my power, sir, and you have only to meet me,” said Mrs. Wyndham firmly. “ And I say I will not.” ‘You are mistaken, sir, for if you do not, Toby shall shoot you down as he would a mad-dog. ‘*I give you a chance for life by killing me.” ‘*T believe you are tired of life and wish to make me the means of ending your existence.” ‘*‘ Perhaps I am tired of life. “Ts ita wonder that I should be after all you have made me suffer?” “T will harm you no more than I have.” ‘* But I will not want to die, if you are dead, so face me, or be killed by Toby, and have your body thrown into the lake, and have no one to know your fate,” The man was in a quandary, and know not what to say or do. There were certain feelings of manhood in his heart that prevented him from facing a woman in mortal combat. Her soul he might destroy by making her criminal, but her body he would not kill, was bis reasoning. Yet he saw that he must act one way or the other, and after a moment of silence his face brightened, and he said with firmness: ‘* You are decided in having me meet you, madam?” ‘cy am. ” ‘‘T will do so,” and he threw himself upon a seat witb the air of a man who had deter- mined upon some ordinary venture. CHAPTER VI. FATAL PREPARATIONS. A GLEAM of fiendish delight passed over the face of Nina Wyndham, when she heard the words issue from the lips of Mark Mortimer that he would face her in a duel. ‘¢- You have decided well, sir,” she said, in a tone as calm as she could command from ber inward joy. ‘* Well, as my acquiescence in your very fool- ish plan seems to please you, please let me know what arrangements it is your intention to make?” remarked Major Mortimer quietly. ‘‘T had Toby bring weapons for the meet- g. “They are, as you can see, four foreign made dueling pistols, and you can choose any one of them and load it yourself, while I do likewise. ‘¢ Phoabe can mark off the ground, for I will need uncle Toby to keep his eye and gun on ou, as you are a very cunning man, Major ortimer, and will eseape this meeting by any trick that may present itself to your very fertile brain. “Have you a choice of distance? ‘‘Ten paces, say, or fifteen,” he answered, indifferently. “Oh! you prefer the latter to destroy my aim; but let me tell you that I am as dead a shot as you are, Mark Mortimer, so that will avail nothing, as I intend to kill you, unless you kill me first.” ‘Make the distance what you please, then, madam,” ' “Then I'll say ten paces, ** Phoebe!” ‘Yes, mistis.” ‘* Please step off ten paces, east and west.” The mulattress stepped out of the arbor and obeyed. ** Now, major, we will toss up this locket for choice of position. ** See, it isone you gave me, and has your miniature upon one side, and mine on the other. “Tf it falls with your face downward, I win, if mine is down, you win. ‘*Toss it yourself, please,’’ “There is no choice of position,” he said, sullenly. ‘‘Pardon me, sir, but there is, for the sun straggles through those branches, and might destroy the aim of the one facing it,” She spoke in the most nonchalant tone im- aginable, and, though very pale, and with eyes that seemed to be slumbering sparks of fire, she was very calm. With an impatient imprecation, Major Mor- timer took the locket and the three stepped out of the Magnolia Arbor, for Toby followed closely behind with his gun. **Now toss for choice, sir, as the seconds say,” said Nina Wyndham, with a smile, He threw the locket into the air, and watched its whirling until it fell. ‘* Your face is down, sir, and I win,” said the woman calmly, and the man turned slightly pale, for he seemed to feel it might be a pre- sentiment of evil to himself. “ Phoebe, bring that box of pistols, please,” ordered Mrs. Wyndham in the same soft tones. The mulattress obeyed, and, at a sign from the womam the man took up a pistol. ‘‘ This is a beauty,” he said, with real ad- miration of the weapon, ““T think so. “They were made for my uncle, who was a great duelist. “There is powder and ball, sir,’ and the flint you willffind perfect, I believe.” * To set the example, Nina Wyndham took up a small flask and at once loaded her pistol, adjusting the flint with care, and seeing that the pan was filled with powder. Having watched her load the pistol, Major Mortimer very carefully set to work to charge his weapon, several times remarking upon its workmanship. “Now, sir, to protect myself, kindly sign this paper, which I have written in anticipa- _tion of this meeting.” She handed him a small piece of paper, ang he read it aloud. ‘This will certify that for a great wrong done Mrs. Nina Wyndham, née Valjos, long years ago, I con- sented to give the satisfaction a man has the right to demand of me upon the dueling field, and if my death follow, let it known that the meeting be- tween us was conducted with all fairness and honor, and in the presence of two witnesses, slaves on the Lakelands plantation, and known as Toby and Phoebe.” ‘You will sign this paper?” she queried. “Certainly, for it can do no harm, as I be- lieve the affair will be honorably conducted by you, though I am wholly in the power of your- self and slaves.” “‘T would bate myself were I to take advan- tage of even you, Mark Mortimer,” answered the woman. “Well, give me pen and ink, and I will sign it.” She returned to the arbor, he following her, and placing the paper upon the rustic table, she pushed toward him an ink-horn and quill pen. Hardly had their backs been turned however, when Phoebe said in a hoarse whisper: “Tl do it to save mistis, and may the Lord forgive me.” She bounded to where the pistol box lay upon the grass, seized one of the weapons therein, and put in its place the one which, the planter had loaded and laid down upon the gnarled trunk of the tree, where they had been loaded. The other she adjusted the flint in, poured powder in the pan, and placed it as Mark Mortimer had left it. ‘‘ What are you doing, child?” asked Uncle © Toby. “Saving mistis, sah,” was the response of the faithful mulattress to her aged father, just as the planter and Mrs. Wyndham came out of je Caps and cartridges were not used in that early | Eomicbooks Go (C