Beadle's Dime Library, No. 198 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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6 “T know that, sah; but mistis is recover- ing.” The son bent anxiously over his mother, who gave a@ sigh, and then opened her beauti- ful eyes with a,wild, frightened look. “Ah, Percy! what bas happened?’ she gasped, as though the truth had not yet flashed upon her, and, as Perey had drawn her away from the dead body of the planter, she did not at first see it. ‘ Mother, I have just killed Major Mortimer in a duel, and you fainted when you arrived with Toby and Phebe and saw what I had done.” The youth spoke with perfect calmness, and gazed his mother unflinchingly in the face. She looked at bim in a manner that was a dazed stare, gazed at the dead form of the planter, and asked in a whisper: ‘‘ What did you say, my son?” Word for word he repeated his former utter- ance, She rose slowly to her feet, glanced at her son, then at the body, and then turned to Phoebe, asking in a hoarse tone: ‘Phoebe, did you hear what Mars’ Percy said?” “Yes; mistis.” “ He said he killed Major Mortimer.” ‘Yes, mistis.” “Why does he say this?” ‘Tt is so, mistis,” replied the mulattress, as firmly as though she were telling the truth. Mrs. Wyndham passed her small hand across her brow several times, as though striving to recall her bewildered mind, and then asked: ‘‘ Percy, am I asleep or awake?” ‘“‘ Awake, my dear mother, but I fear you are not well, as the shock of suddenly coming upon the scene, and beholding Major Mortimer fall dead when we fired, has been too much for you— Qh! here is Uncle Toby,” and turning to the old negro, who came up panting, and with the remark: ‘Sam will be here, sah, at onee with the carriage,” Percy Wyndham continued in a sig- nificant tone: **Uncle Toby, my mother does not seem to understand that I killed Major Mortimer, so please explain how it was that she came up with you and Phoebe and saw him fall.” The old negro’s powers of conception were very quick, and he realized that his young master was determined to play the part out be- fore his mother, and said: “Yes, mistis, when the major and Mars’ Percy fired you fainted.” ‘“‘My God! have I gone mad?” groaned the poor woman, and then, with the fearful thought crowding upon her in all its horror, she reeled, ee me ee eee uttered a loud cry, and sunk into the arms of | her son, again unconscious, just as the carriage drove up from the mansion, with Sam, the ne- gro driver, the very picture of amazement and terror at what he beheld. a CHAPTER X. THE TIDINGS. Tre most intimate friends of the family at The Everglades, were the Masseys, and Mr. iferton Massey seemed alone the boon com- panion of the stern major. On his way to meet him at his home, it was a great shock to Mr. Massey to come upon the body of his friend, just slain, and he was so | overcome with emotion that he urged his son. to ride on abead and break the news to the daughter and son of the dead man, Morgan Massey, a handsome young planter, was always only too anxious to go to The Everglades, for his heart had been deeply touched by the beauty of Mabel Mortimer, then in her fifteenth year, but who looked al- ready a womun, and had scores of admirers among the neighboring young gentlemen. Now, however, be shrunk from the visit, as his father did, and determined to go in search of the muajor’s son and heir, Mark, whom he hoped to find at a little cottage called Wild Idle Retreat, and which was distant from the mansion a couple of hundred yards and used by the young heir as bis loafing place and where he was wont to receive his boon com- rades, and indulge in orgies to the bent of his humor. Here were kept his guns, pistols, swords, and other treasures, and a sideboard, well filled with liquors, wines and cigars, was an impor- tant piece of furniture in one of the two rooms that composed the cottage. Riding up to the Wild Idle Retreat, Morgan — ee Massey saw Duke, the negro valet of the major, advance to take his horse. ‘Well, Duke, where is Master Mark?’ he asked pleasantly. ‘‘Gone to Orleans, sah. ‘‘ Went over in his yacht this morning.” ‘‘And Miss Mabel?” he asked in a disap- pointed tone. ‘‘In the hammock on the sea side, sir.” ‘‘ Duke,” began Morgan Massey, quietly, “there has been trouble over at the Magnolia Arbor.”’ ‘What is it, sah?’ quickly asked the negro. ‘‘ Your master is dead, Duke.” ‘* Dead?” The negro hoarsely uttered the words, and he drew his form up to his fall hight. He was a splendid specimen of manhood, with great broad shoulders, muscular limbs and over six feet in hight. His face was handsome, his hair black, glossy and in ringlets, and his eyes and mouth fearless and resolute. ‘Yes, he was killed in a duel.” ‘“My master killed in a duel, sah?’ ‘f' Yes, Duke,” ‘Who killed bim, sah?” There was a dangerous, threatening light in the dark eyes, as he asked the question. “Percy Wyndham.” “ Captain Wyndham killed him, sah?” “No, his son, Master Percy.” “Why, sah, he looks like a woman, and could never have killed my master in a square fight. | ‘*T will go there, sab.” ‘‘No, Duke, order the carriage to bring your master’s body bome, while I go tothe mansion and break the news to Miss Mabel,” “it'll nearly kill her, sab.” “T know it; but there comes my father, and he will return with the carriage for the body of the poor major. “See father, Duke, while Mabel.” ; Morgan Massey dismounted and strode away toward the mansion. He was a well-formed, open-faced young man of twenty one, with a free and easy man- ner, that was sure to make for him friends, and being rich, he was considered a good match, and both Major Wyndham and Mr. Massey had hoped some day that he and Mabel would be- come man and wife. As for Mabel Mortimer she was a beauty in every sense of the word. No one would have believed her less than seventeen, so perfectly molded was her form, while her face was spiritue//e in loveliness, and reflected the purity of ber heart. When Morgan Massey approached, having gone around the rambling old mansion to the sea side, he found her reclining in a hammock, swung between two massive pines, The lake spread away upon one side, placid and beautiful, and a balmy breeze coming from off the water had soothed the young girl to sleep, her book having fallen from her hand upon the ground. Behind her was the lawn, dotted here and there with magnolia, pine and live-oak trees, and beyond, surrounded by flower gardens, arbor vite and gloria-mundi hedges and arbors, was the spacious mansion, once the home of a Spanish noble, it was said. Mabel Mortimer was clad in sunny white, and a lace scarf was thrown about her, half- hiding her form; but her face, flushed with some pleasant dream, and fanned by the balmy breeze from the lake, was visible. Her hair had become loosened from its comb, and hung in a massive braid upon the ground, coiling there like a black snake, and a ringlet or two upon her forehead was quivering under the wind. ‘‘My God! what a sad task is mine, to waken her from dreamland and plunge her into sor- row,” groaned Morgan Massey, as he stood for an instant gazing upon her. But nerving himself to the sad task before him, he called softly: * Miss Mabel!” The maiden smiled, but did not open her eyes. ‘Miss Mabel!” he called in a louder tone, With a strange voice in her ear she awoke with a start, and sprung from the hammock, her large, deer-like eyes fixed upon the in truder. ‘‘Pardon me, Miss Mabel, for seeking you here, but I felt it my duty to seek you,” said the young man, I seek Miss The Skeleton Schooner. The tone and manner of her visitor impressed her, for Morgan Massey was always light- hearted, but now he seemed sad and embar- rassed. “Your pardon I gladly grant, Mr. Massey, only I was startled, as at first I did not recog- niz3 your voice, ‘‘Come tothe mansion with me, for I sup- pose your father is there, as papa told me you were both to be here this afternvon,” she an- swered now, herself, ‘“Miss Mabel, we met your father, as we went hunting this morning, and he asked us to stop on our way home. “Then we little dreamed that I would have to be the bearer of sad tidings to you.” He spoke in a tone that could not fail to im- press Mabel deeply, and she turned deadly pale, and asked in a voice that trembled: ‘You have tidings of evil to my brother?” She knew the wild nature of her brother, and his follies, and it was for him she feared. ** Duke told me that your brother sailed for New Orleans this morning, Miss Mabel, and—” “Then my father! quick! what of him?’ She grasped his hand eagerly as she spoke and riveted her gaze upon his face. “Miss Mabel, I could not be the bearer of worse tidings of him,” he said, moved to the heart. ‘‘Oh, Heaven, have mercy! He is dead.” She gasped the words, and her bead sunk until ber ch'n rested upon her bosom. ** He is dead, alas! Miss Mabel.” She tried to speak, to raise her head, but the blow had been too severe, and unconsciousness came to her relief, for she tottered forward aod fell into the arms of Morgan Massey, who quickly bore her toward the mansion, his heart aching for pity of her intense sorrow. CHAPTER XI, FOILED REVENGE. DvKe’s first act, after the departure of Mor- gan Massey, te break the sad tidings to Mabel, of her father’s death, was to call to a negro near by, and order the carriage at once to the Magnolia Arbor. Then he joined Mr. Massey, who just then rode up to the cottage. ‘“ Well, Duke, | suppose my son has told you of the sad affair?’ said the planter, in the familiar and kindly way in which the true | Southern gentlemen were wont to address the | slaves. “Yes, sah, I have heard the fearful news, and ordered the carriage. _ “Will you go in it, sab, for my poor mas- ter?” | Yes, Duke, for I do not feel like seeing | Miss Mabel yet, as I am all unnerved.” ‘Come in and have some brandy, sah,” said _ Duke, and Mr. Massey dismounted and enter- ing the cottage, helped himself to the liquor, _after which he went out on the little porch, saying: ‘‘I will wait here until the carriage is ready.” As soon as the planter’s back was turned, Duke poured out a glass full of the fiery liquor and dashed it off, and again repeated it. He was no drunkard, and could be trusted | with the liquors under all circumstances; but | now his face, fierce, and calm, showed that he craved some stimulant, Leaving the house by the back door, after stopping an instant at a case of arms, he went. straight to the carriage house, where the ne- groes were hastily hitching the horses to the vehicle, and said sternly: ‘‘Get Mr. Massey, Jake, and he will tell you where to drive.” Entering the stable, it was but the work of ——_——$—$—$— $$ $— an instant for him to throw a saddle and bri- die upon a large, dark roan, and mounting him he dashed away like the wind. A short ride brought him upon the scene at the Magnolia Arbor, where he beheld Uncle Toby upon the bex with the coachman, and Phoebe upon the back seat of the vehicle, sup- porting in her arms the unconscious form of her mistress, As he dashed up he heard Percy Wyndham say: “Now drive rapidly home, Sam, and Toby let no one but Phoebe and yourself go near my mother until my return.” “Yes, sah; but are you not coming?’ asked the faithful Toby. ‘ Not now, for I shall remain with the body until Mr, Massey returns with the carriage.” The vehicle from Lakelands rolled rapidly IOO ‘Ss (E(0) Eomie = _— eg