Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 210 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

eee aime ee i ie rg ti Buccaneer Bess, the Lioness of the Sea. ee — but will pay you full price for my passage, as that of my men has been paid. ‘‘ Well, this is remarkable indeed; but your gold for your passage will not bring back the dead among my passengers and crew.” ‘‘ That is unfortunate, I admit; but I cando mo more than I have promised.” ‘¢Noram [ the man to ask it, for when I be- lieved we had been taken by piratical cut- throats, | find that you are a gentleman, no matter what flag you may sail under.” Bessie smiled in her sweet, sad way, and it quite won the heart of the captain, who said with courteous manner: ‘‘May Lask who you are, sir, for I-did not see you iu the attack upon us?” ‘‘No, for I was ashore then, and in taking your brig as they did; my men made a blunder, which I wish to repair as much as lies in my power so to da.”’ “‘ You are then, sir, in spite of your extreme youth the commander of these men?” _ “Tam their captain, sir.” ‘‘Some unfortunate midshipman of the American navy, I take it, whose temper has gotten him into trouble, and driven him to piracy?’ said Captain Hart, more deeply inter- ested in his captor, and anxious to discover just who he was. “T am unfortunate, sir, yes, fearfully so; but who, or what [am I care not to tell you,” said Bessie in a touo that touched the heart of the cap‘ain and his men, and ere he could re- ply, she continued: “Tf vou will give your parole, for yourself and officers, you aro at liberty to come on deck; but your men, though L release them of their irons, must remain prisoners in the fore- castle. ‘* Yet, if I see, between you or your passen- gers, the slightest act to cause mo to suspect your intention to try and regain your vessel, I will bang you, sir, your officers, and every passenger thus concerned in the plot, to the yard-arm of the brig.” All who heard the stern threatening words, knew that they were terribly in earnest, and Captain Hart responded: ‘‘T cannot answer for hot-headed passengers, sir, and, as my men are to remain in durance, I prefer to share their fate.” “As you please, sir,” and Bessie turned away, and followed by her two officers left the hold to the prisoners. CHAPTER XVIII. THE JACK-O’-LANTERN SETS SAIL Wen Percy Wyndham made known to his mother, after he had boldly breasted the break- ers back to the yacht, what he had learned at Cliff Cottage, she seemed cast down with grief at the strange course pursued by Bessie Gito. She dearly loved the girl, for there came back to her the remembrance of how her son and her slaves, after the fatal duel, in which she had killed Major Mortimer, all told her that she had vot killed him, and remaining firm in this statement, it had driven her to the verge of madness, and for long weeks had she been confined in her own rooms as a maniac, until, escaping one night, like a hunted deer, she had fled to the forests and lived in desolate lonelines, called a ghost by those who caught sight of her, and shunned by all, until Bessie Gito had followed her to her woodland retreat, and taken her to her cottage home, caring for her with all the kindness and love which she would have shown a mother. Through Bessie’s act, Mrs. Wyndham had again met her son, who far and wide had searched for her, and thus had the poor woman learned why Percy had so deceived her, to protect her good name from the stain of taking human life, and once more united, all thoughts of madness had fled from the heart and brain of mistress of Lakelands, To Bessie Gito, Mrs, Wyndham owed all this, and bitterly did she mourn the act of the young girl, who had gone forth alone) in the world to follow the bent of her Byeag tu! humor. Well.did she know herself what revenge was, for she.had held Major Mark. Mortimer responsible with his life for bis sin to, her; but now. that he was in his grave, the still small voice of conscience welled up to her in the hours of darkness, and she would have sacrificed her own existence to bring him back from the tomb, or at least that her hand might not have been the one that had placed him “This ig fearful, Percy, to think of, but what can we do?” said Mrs. Wyndham, when she had heard all that her son had to tell of his visit to the cabin. ‘‘God only knows, mother, what we can do; but how Bessie ever left this place in this blow; is a mystery to me,” answered Percy. ‘* Perhaps, after all, these letters are only to hide her real purpose, and that she bas gone forth to commit suicide by drowning in the sea.” ‘*No, mother.” ‘Why do you think to the contrary?” ‘* Because Bessie is too much like you, mother ” ‘*T do not understand you, Perey.” ‘Pardon me, good mother, but Bessie has a revengeful nature, and, like you, believing herself wronged, and in fact most cruelly she has been, she will Jeave no stono unturned to reap a bitter revenge.” “TI believe you, Percy, in spite of her dovelike nature, she has a heart of fire.” ‘‘ Yes, and she would never take her own life until she had accomplished her object, and I am assured that she has goneto New Orleans to seek out Mark Mortimer.” ‘¢ And woe be unto him when she shall meet him face to face.” ‘* Yes, for she will know no mercy toward him, and whocan blame her?” ‘But how did she go?’ ‘‘ Ah! there’s the mystery; but she says in her letter here, that circumstances unexpected permitted her to carry out her reyengeful in- tentions, and the only way I can interpret that, is that some vessel passed near, which she went out and boarded.” ‘*Or perbaps put into the harbor.” ‘No, mother, for had it done so, it would have been a mad captain that would have put to sea in this tempest. “She may have at once set to work digging the graves, when I left, and then gotten away in one of ber boats in the lull that followed for awhile, after the first blow of the tornado, and, I now remember that I saw a vessel off the paint, when I was trying to beat out in the Glide.” “Well, what can be doneabout it, Percy?” ‘*T will lie at anchor here, mother, until we can land and make all safe at the cottage, and then I will leave you at Lakelands and run on to New Orleans, via the lake, for if Bessie has gone thither by a vessel, she has doubtless boarded a packet out of Mobile, or a coaster, and must run round by the river, so I will not be much behind her, if any.” ‘7 think that is the best course to pursue, Percy, and you must find the bons girl and bring her back to Lakelands, for I will be a motber to her.” Thus it was decided, and, as soon as the sea and wind went down sufficent for a boat to go ashore, Percy Wyndham and his mother landed and went up to the cottage, which was securely locked up. Then, returning on board the Jack-o’-lantern, the yacht headed for Lakelands, running be- fore the gale, and after sending Mrs. Wynd- ham on sbore, set sail for New Orleans, by the way of the Lake. As the yacht swept out of the barbor, the wind was still fresh, but the sun was just set- ting in a clear sky, and the beauty of the scene had lured out upon the piazza of The Everglades its fair mistress, Mabel Mortimer, who gazed at the receding vessel an instant, and then seizing a spy-glass from the bracket where it rested, leveled it at the pretty vessel. Instantly her face crimsoned, for her eyes fell upon the tall, elegant form of Percy Wyndham, and he too held his glass to his eyes, and they were bent upon her. Simultaneously both glasses dropped, and both the young man and maiden, thus caught trying unknown to eatch a glimpse the one of the other, turned away in esatusaet. CHAPTER XIX. A RECOGNITION. THE moré Bessie Gito pondered over the strange situation in which she found herself the more she seemed willing to relinquish herself to tha torrent that was carrying ber irresistibly downward. The early training her father had given her had. ceftainly made her a proficient sailor, while she understood thoroughly, from hard servicé and the practice she had had, the laws of navigation. Then too her father had skilled her in the use of asword, until she had proven teacher to ! 11 - a oe aera ae e- = r the tutor, so quick was her apprehension, her movements, ay, and her strength was by no means slight, as her rounded limbs were full of muscle, which her constant exercise had hard. ened. Fire-arms she was also skilled in the use of, and bad often supplied their humble table with game which she had brought down with cruck wing shots, Her nerve was also remarkable, and she had the courage to do and dare anything, and goaded on by the wrongs done her, and her thirst for revenge upon the wronger, it was no wonder that she undertook to Jead bold men to the consummation of ;her ends. Thus, by early training, contact with dan- gers and. nature, she was well fitted for the mantle of authority which she bad thrown around ber to wear to the bitter end. | At heart she was-as pure as the petals of the rose, and her sympathy was ever excited for the unfortunate and those in distress, and now that she bad cast. off the guise of her sex, sbe was yet, determined tbat she would be guilty of no.act against her Government or its people to be ashamed of. Did she find Mark Mortimer in New Orleans she had made up her mind to visit; upon him the direst penalty for his crimes, and the power she held as chief of a bold; fearless crew would aid her in carrying out her designs, After that it was her determination to hunt down the man she bad _ befriended, Forrester, the Freebooter, who had afterward contem- plated and plotted such treachery toward her father and herself, and, in bringing him to justice, serve well ‘her country and her own revenge. Having done this, she would ask pardon for her crew, and giving up the world forever, go to her humble cottage on the cliff and pass the days until the end of life must come. Having arranged her crew into watches, and gotten ali ship shape on board the brig, Bessie held on her course through the storm until iong after nightfall, when the winds were so fierce and the sea so wild, that she determined to lay to and ride out the gale, for the vessel was laboring in a way that was moss danger- ous. Giving her orders, they were soon execu the bows swept up to the wind, and the brig lay to, riding out the tempest. Slowly the night of storm passed away, the winds still keeping up their fury, the waves still wild and fierce, and at-last the gray light of day stole over the waters, which yet looked somber beneath the sullen; threatening clouds that drove along above them. It was'a cheerless breaking of a gloomy. day, and all on board felt its influence, for they were completely tired out by the long ant con- tinued storm. ** Sail ho!” The cry came in the clear voice of Captain Bess, whose searching eyes had discovered a strange craft not half a mile distant, and beat- ing up toward the brig with evident intention to get a nearer look at her. The cry caused all on the brig’s deck to in- stantly scan the waters, and as the eyes of Binnacle Ben fell upon the stranger, he shouted in stentorian tones: “The Red Rover, by Neptune!” “All hands to make sail!” cried Captain Bess, loudly, at this startling announcement, ‘‘ Surely, yer hain’t going to run, cap’, from a friend, for he won’t barm us,” said Binacle Ben, with apparent surprise. Bessie turned quickly upon him and asked: ** Do you know that craft?” ‘+ Yes, cap’n.” © “Ts it thie. {aghoorty Waiown | @a:'the Red Rover?” “Tt is, sir,” answered Ben, who had at last learned to drop the miss in speaking mye i “It isia pirate craft?” : iw Bas zirf* Veapeapin?d o9!)! ‘i . Well, this brig is re mls neeutnaiiiies to form a closer acquaintance with the Red Rover, at Jeast, not now, while! it seems: you © have forgotten. ‘that you told: me Forrester, the Freebooter, was seen on the decks of ‘that. etaft.”:{) «a | iat Yo Isvot A “ Golden Anehicht but I ‘did forget it, and you don’t want to fall-into: this clutch: of that man. “Come, lads, this here brig bas got to show a clean pair o’ heels, or we'll bave to fight, for no bloody pirate can take our young cap’a from us.” | The crew echoed this sentiment with @ JOOKS "EO mie Cor