Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 210 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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24 the mistress of Lakelands, while she said fear- lessly : ‘* Mrs. Wyndham, both you and I have much to forget and forgive, but as the first cruel blow was struck by a Mortimer against a Wyndham, a Mortimer, girl though I be, shall be the first to forgive.” **My poor little wounded dove,” said Mrs. Wyndbam, softly, and she drew the girl to her and kissed her. And up to the mansion the three slowly walked in silence, the broad steps were as- cended, and the threshold of Lakelands was crossed by a Mortimer. ** Massa, Caleb done come, sah?” cried Uncle Toby, as Percy ushered Mabel into the li- brary. ‘Where is he?” ** Here, sah,” and Caleb came forward. “Well?” ** Massa, you.am more den right,” said the negro who had been sent as a spy on the move- ments of the mysterious lugger, ‘What is it, Caleb, that you have dis- covered!” “De lugger, sah, rounded dat point; but ‘stead o’ goin’ on like a honest craft ter Mo- bile, why, sah, she just lay to ontil near sun- set, an’ then she put about and are coming down the coast under shortened sail.” “T expected it.” **'Yes, sab; and more, massa, I seen a dozen men on board 0’ her, sah.” ‘Well, Caleb, we may expect a visit from her to-night.” © Yes, sah.” “ And I want you to aid me.” **T'll do it, sah.” “Go to the quarter and get your crew and kalf a dozen more boys you can depend on.” ‘*T kin do it, sah,” “Then come here and I will arm _ome of you, and the rest will get weapons on board the yacht.” “The Lantern, sah.” “sé Yes.” “‘ Dey is dere, fer sure,” “Well, then, when you are all armed, take two row-boats and go in them to the cedar point, take them out of the water, and wait there.” ** Yes, sah; but de Lantern?” ** Lock the’ companionway of the yacht and leave it to take care of itself; but drop beth anchors.” ‘* Yes, master.” “When you are in the thicket wait until the lugger comes into the harbor, and when her crew have come ashore in their boat, you launch your boats, board and take her.” ‘We kin do it, sah.” ‘Tf she anchors outside, board her the same when her boat has left.” “Tf she don’t anchor, sir?” “You can separate your boats, row around her, and in this breeze easily capture her.” **We kin do it, sah; but how about them fellers as lands?’ **T will look after them.” * He! he! I guess dey will be well tuk keer of den. ** But, master, yer’ll want some of the boys ter help yer?’ “Yes, Toby, and the bome brigade will be sufficient.” ‘* Yes, master. ‘““T guess J go now ter ‘tend ter de work,” and Caleb departed full of importance, and only fearful that the lugger might not put in an appearance in the harbor. True to his instructions, he got his men to- gether, a dozen in all, and was half an bour after in the little cedar thicket that grew on the point which formed an arm of Lakelands harbor. Hardly bad he gotten in position when he sighted a sail. “Tt am de lugger, gemmens,” he said, putting bis glass to bis eye with the air of an admiral. “Yer makes her out de lugger, does yer, gah?” asked one of bis devoted followers. “T does. “She am eatin’ slowly in to de land, and is i now off De Everglades, as a blind nigger see, Pio of the black tars wishing to come under category of “ blind niggers,” they all sung out in chorus: v4 “We sees her!” This chorus called from the admiral a re- buke for their thoughtleesness, and they sub- sided into dead silence, which was soon broken by one weak-kneed black tar with: ‘*T say, Cap’n Caleb, hadn’t I better go up ter der bouse an’ tell master de lugger am sighted?” “No, sah, yer stays right here wid de army.” The unfortunate man groaned in agony of spirit, for he hated firearms above all things. But all now became interested in watchiag the lugger, and saw her come slowly along the coast with very little sail set. Getting opposite to the entrance to Lake- lands harbor, they gave a groan in chorus, for they thought she was going by. But suddenly she put her helm down and ran in for the barbor. Nearer and nearer she came, and, under only sail enough to make her mind her helm, she ran in through the channel and luffed up. A light anchor was then lowered noiselessly into the water, and soon after a dark object moved slowly away from her side. It was a boat with muffled oars; but the night was too dark for Caleb and his crew to see how many men it carried. They saw it land and then waited for some little time to give the occupants a chance to get away from the shore. **Come, gemmens, now we has ter act, an’ de nigger dat backslides his duty, has got ter be sold off dis heur plantation. ** Does yer hear?’ They all heard, for the one furthest in the rear, and who bappened to be the same indi- vidual who had desired to carry information to his master, said: ‘Yas, I bears, but I guesses [ll run round de shore ter tell massa, fer he mought hab dropped ter sleep.” “Nigger Dick! ef yer jist makes der move ter paddle dem crooked legs o’ yourn, yer’ll drop ter sleep yerself, an’ yer won’t wake up nuther, till Jedgement Day am sounded with Gabriel’s horn.” This terrible threat of Admiral Caleb had the effect of making Dick an active member of the attacking party, for be syrung nimbly to the front, and seized hold of an oar with alacrity. Tbe oars had been already muffled, anc the two boats stole quietly away from the shore. As they drew near the lugger, they all were a trifle nervous, expecting a volley of musketry, But no shots came, the lugger’s side was reached, and Caleb sprung on board with a cutlass in his hand large enough for Goliath. But he found no foeman for bis steel, greetly to his disappointment, and had to content bimself with taking quiet possession in the name of his master. Finding that his crew were so elated at making a bloodless capture that they were becoming talkative, Caleb silenced them very summarily with: ‘When massa done drive dem pirates back from de house, den we has got ter do some tall fightin’, gemmens.” Hardly had the words left his lips, when flashes were seen near the house, and rapid reports followed. Then came the scund of death-cries, hurry- ing feet, shots, shouts, curses, all commingled. As the sounds neared the shore, proving that the pirates were in full retreat, Caleb had great difficulty in keeping his crew quiet, and then a lotd voice cried: “Now, lads, fire on them, and then to our boats and back to the lugger!” This was too much for Dick, who had been threatened with an eternal ‘sleep, and one other, and into the water they went, and dove toward the opposite shore. But Caleb was not demoralized by this desertion of one-sixth of his force, but pre- pared to meet the enemy, who were coming off in one boat. There were but four men in it, and they were pulling for dear lifeall of them, and struck the Ingger with a force that stove their boat. But they bounded on deck, to find themselves in the clutches of Caleb and his créw, end in an instant the battle bad ended, with the death of two and tbe capture of the others, just as Percy Wyndham followed them in a light boat with several black oarsmen. “Bravo, Oaleb, you have done nobly; but have you lo# any of your boys?” cried Percy. ‘‘ Yes, sah, two done lost; but I guesses we find ’em when dey stops runnin’, for dey got Buecaneer Bess, the Lioness of the Sea. skeert and skooted,” answered Caleb, humili- ated to make the report. ‘‘T am glad it is no worse here, for on shore one poor lad was killed, and two others wounded. **But we have made a brave fight, and have killed and captured all, and their vessel too.” ‘Are you Mr. Percy Wyndham?’ asked one of the prisoners, sullenly. “Ty am.” ‘Which would you rather do, hang me, or hear what I can tell you?” was the significant question. ‘‘ What have you to tell?” ‘Much that you would like to know.” “Then you shall go free when you have made your confession; but for the present I shall put you in irons,” was the response, CHAPTER XLIT}. DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND. For some time, after the news of his sister's death reached him, Mark Mortimer kept his rooms, and still refused himself to all visitors under the plea of illness. Duke, the mulatto, had become his faithful nurse, while he had sent ns yacht back to The Everglades with Fidele and the other negroes, it being his intention to spend some time in the city, and seem in no haste to return to his home and seize upon the fortune that he sup- posed was his own. As he sat in his rooms one afternoon, fret- ting upon baving to remain indoors, and shut off from outside pleasures, Duke came in and avnounced: ‘‘The Senor Pietro to see you, sir.” ‘‘ Ah! show him in,” and he brightened up, A moment after Pietro entered, and was motioned to a seat by the young aristocrat, for in spite of himself, Mark Mortimer could not but treat the man with respect. Notwithstanding the man’s crime-stained life, there was that about him which com- manded respect. ‘* Well, senor, what news?” he asked eagerly. “Will you let your man bring me some of that good cognac, to oil my tongue, which does, not work just smooth?’ was the cool and ex- asperating reply. ‘Yes; here, Duke, bring liquor and glasses,” impatiently ordered Mortimer. Duke obeyed, and then the young planter asked: ' ‘* Well, now what news?” - **T hope your bealth is improved?” . ‘* D—— my health, man! and tell me what news you bring.” Then Senor Pietro coolly poured out a glass of brandy, and said in a tone that was signifi- cant: “* You kad better take a gluss too, sir, if your doctor does not forbid.” Mark Mortimer was struck by the man’s manner, and turned slightly pale. But be took the advice and the brandy too, * ‘Your good health, sir,” said the exasperat- ing Italian, and as his guest made no response, other than an impatiently muttered impreca- tion, be continued: ‘“T have come for my pay, Mr. Mortimer.” ‘For both deeds?” eagerly asked the young man. ‘No, for the murder of your sister you ows me four thousand dollars more.” ‘*T admit that; but why have you not ac- complished your other task, which was the easier?” ‘“‘T endeavored so to do, but failed.” . ** Bab! such a man as you fail.” erg help it, sir, for I did am part we “I chartered a yacht, disguised her as a lug- ger, took a dozen good men on board, and fol- lowed the Jack-o’-lantern to her harbor at Lakelands. ‘At night I ran in and made en attack on the house; but, as ill-fortune would have it, that dashing young fellow Wyndham had seen us land, mustered bis killed and tured all bat myself, and got the yacht, too.” ‘‘Curses! some strange Providence prowots that man,” said Mortimer, savagely. “So I think, senor ; but do you was me to make another attempt.” ed ‘* By all means.” ‘Well, I will do 80, senor, if you ay bide my time ‘and pay me my dues,” ‘I will do that, and promise you five thoo- sand if you kill Perey Wyndham.” * “Pil get your money, whan but now settle my little bill, please.” oj wid Eomicbooks (E(0) ! 4 ‘§ a