Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 210 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

celine a lin. i ta, a \ Buccaneer Bess, the Lioness of the Sea. just.now, and I shall have to ponder seriously ‘on my run over what it is best for me to do. “Juan Gito’s tongue is silenced, thank Heaven, so that Mabel is the only one who cau tell ugly tales, and she is too proud of ‘her mame to wish to see one who: bears it behind prison bars; yes, and perhaps worse, ‘“‘As for Bess Gito, and the Wyndbams, they will ‘keep. silent I think, on that: forced marriage of, mine; but anyway, there are tongues to be stilled if L wish to prosper, and I shall decide what is best for me and act at once. “ Well, Duke?” The mulatto before spoken of here entered the room and reported that the, yacht, was! all ready to sail. ‘‘And the corpse?” asked Mark Mortimer, witb a sneer. ‘* Lies:in) the library, sir; where you ‘killea— ‘where it fell, ] mean, sir,” ‘ All right, Duke. ‘Now pick up my traps and follow me and ‘we'll be off.” ‘« Mistis says Lam not to go, sir.” * Who?’ ‘¢ Mistis Mabel, sir,” ‘She says you are not to go?” asked Mark Mortimer, with an angry flush. ‘¢ Yes, master.” ‘** We shall see about that. ‘* Up with my traps and follow me!” He strode haughtily from his rooms, ‘de- ecended the stairs, and followed by » Duke, bearing bis baggage, was crossing the’ ground hallway toward the front door, when suddenly the library door flew open, and his sister Mabel confronted him. ‘*Ah!.Mabel you: startled me, dressed. in white as you are,” he said, with some nervotis- ness. ** Doubtless, when I.come, too, from. the room where. lies your victim,’ she answered coldly, ‘““No more of. that, if you wish to part friends with me, Mabel,” he said, angrily. ‘‘If were not friends, as well as kindred, Mark, it is your fault. and:not mine,” * Well, -we'll not discuss that now, for I - must be off, “Tell the officers uf the law, whom you had better, send for at,once, that Juan Gito gained access to my library and made an attack upon me, and -l killedy him, while, having importaut business calling me to New Orleans, I could not remain.” |, ‘-I shall tell the officers of the law that which is best; Mark, and, for your own sake I think it is better for you to remain away until a change has come over you, ** Good-by!” She held forth her hand, and stooping he quickly touched her forebead with bis lips, and without a word more turned to depart, when Mabel said: ‘“‘Duke, when you have carried. Master Mark’s baggage on board return to the man- sion, for 1 shall need you.” ‘Duke goes with me, Mabel,” quickly said her brother. “No, he remains here.” ‘*] shall take him with me,” was the stern reply. “You will do, no such thing, sir, for he is my slave, and I.command bim to remain,” ‘** Your slave?”’ bissed Mark. ‘Yes; for allow me to remind you that your inberitance you have squandered, and that The Everglades and its slaves are mine by my father’s will. “The crew of your. yacht I allow you) to take with you, but Duke remains here.” ‘““By Heaven! I will not be brow-beaten, Mabel, even by you, and Duke goes with me, for I need him,” “‘Duke, call, Ephraim here,” commanded Mabel, « Duke silently put down the luggage and de- parted upon his errand, returning in an instant witb the negro named. ‘Ephraim, carry Master Mark’s baguzage to bis vacht, ‘‘Duke, go into the library and watch. b that dead fisherman until: further orders.. ‘‘ A pleasant voyage to ‘you, brother,” and Mabel turned away. ‘* Curses! Mabel, I will not put up with this!” cried Mark Mortimer, inafary. | She turned calmly toward him again, and said, in a voice he could not mistake: ‘* Mark, you are not master here, but I am mistress, aud my orders shall be obeyed, if I have to go to measures you and I will regret our lives long.” With a bitter curse, he turned and left the hallway, followed by Ephraim, while Duke obeyed the orders given bim in silence, and en- tered the library, where lay the dead body of Juan Gito. CHAPTER IV. THE TIDINGS REACH LAKELANDS. THE sun had not yet melted the dew-drops on leaf and flower, and rose-bush hedge ard tree séemed covered with gems of rare beauty, as the rays of light fell upon the tiny drops of water, while the balmy breeze coming in from the Gulf, the singing of the mocking-bird, and gentle murmur of the waves upon the beach, madé up asceno of rare beauty; which Percy Wyndham seemed to drink in with intense de- light, as be strolled forth upon the wide piazza of Lakelands, and cast his eyes around him. It was the morning after the tragedy at The Everglades, and under the shadows of the | vight Percy Wyndbam’s yacht, the Jack-o’- lantern, bad glided into the plantation harbor, just as the Glide, the vessel of. Mark Morti- mer, was spreading its white wings to fly away toward New Orleans, carrying from the scene of his crime the reckless young planter whose pathway was leading him down lifé’s scale instead of upward. On .board of the Jack-o’lantern, when she ran. into the Lakelands harbor, were Perey Wyndham, his mother and Bessie Gito, and the circumstances which brought those on together the story wi'l reveal. As Percy Wyndham stood there on the piazza, that lovely morning, his head unshel- tered by a hat, be locked every inch a man, though his. face in reposé was boyish, nay womanly in its beauty; but there was that in eye and: mouth to denota’ courage, resolution aod manhood above his years, while his form, robed in asuit of white linen, was elegant, athletic and wiry. ‘‘ Well. Uncle Toby, what brings you along at such a lively pace?’ he called out toamold negro of most respectable appearance and dig- nified bearing, who was coming up the gravel’ path, leading to the harbor, where were: at anchor the Jack-’o-lantern, a_ beaatiful ‘sloop yacbt, and several other little pleasure crafts, ‘* Master, I forgets my age, sab, when Ihave news to tell you such as I bring,” responded the old negro earnestly, Seeing that Uncle Toby really had. something | important to communicate, for he bad seldom seen him so excited, Percy Wyndham said: . ‘‘Come into the library, ‘Uncle Toby; and let me know what you have to say.” | ‘No, master, for Mistis and Missy Bessie} might hear mé then, sah, and I don’t want to be the one to give the poor young lady grief.” ‘‘Speak out then, Toby, and tell. me what bas h« ppened.” ‘* Well, sah, Mr. Mark Mortimer bas kilt Juan Gito, the Cliff fisherman.” **Good God!” | ‘It is true, sah,” **Mark Mortimer has killed Juan Gito, you say?” cried Percy in a suppressed whisper, ‘* Yes, sah,” ** When and where?” ‘Last night, sah, at The Everglades?” ‘‘Toby, -how know you this?’ sternly de- manded Percy, ‘‘ Ephraim, told me, sab, not. long ago, for you know we is kinfolks, sah; Epbraim and me, and altho’ our masters don’t speak, we hain’t bad po falling out,” “ Yes, yes; but tell me what Ephraim told you?’ “He said the fisherman came to The Eyer. glades last night, went into the library where Master Mark was, and; sprung on him witha knife, sah, to rob him.” “It is false! for that was not the reason Juan Gito attacked him; but go, on, Toby, with your story.” . ** Well, sab, Ephraim says Master Mark shot the Cliff ’ Fisherman, and then set sail for New Orleans, telling Missy Mabel to report, it to the y } officers at the village,” ‘Coward! to fly and let his poor sister stand the brunt of bis act.) ‘*Ah! Toby, these are troublous. times, and they grow worseinstead of better... “ But where is the body of Gitonow?’ “Ephraim says Miss Mabel had it. laid out decent in the library, until she could send it | to the home on tbe cliff.” Percy Wycdham was silent a moment, and then he said, as though he had decided upon what course ‘he would pursue: “Toby, order my barge and crew to be in readiness; and then return here. © “Now, I must go and break this fearful’ news to poor Béssie,””’ He turned and entered the ‘mansion, while old Uncle Toby set forth on his errand, suddenly’ the ‘sunlight; ‘the dew-dropa, the singing-birds and balmy flower-scented breezs: seemed but a mockery to Percy Wyndbat, when he felt how somber the shadow that must fall upon poor Bessie, whose sunny skies haa already been clouded with gloom, from ‘past acts of the man who had'taken the life of her father. CHAPTER V. ° att BESSIE) GITO'S OATH. | 8 Tux dining-room of Lakelands was light aad” cheery at all times, and seemed doubly so the: morning of which I “write; for. within it ‘sat two persons, still lingering over the breakfast, having dismissed the oe » enjoy a chat together. Ons | One of the two was ‘a rch of stately presence, handsome, just passing the” meridian of life, yet strangely sad‘looking) “04 © Her face was pale, her eyes lustrous; and yet in their depths, and about her lovely mouth, dwelt a look of touching sadness, in which an expression of bitterness seemed often to. creep. She was dressed in a deep ‘black ‘and niorh- ing robe, and reclined at ease in her arm-chair at the table, one of her small ' bands toying’ the while with the silver coffee urn. This was the» widow . of © Captain Pridy Wyndham, whom Mark Mortimor “had” slain, arid the mother of the son ‘who. bore his father’s name, and with whom the ener nlrenay been made acquainted. } Rumor had it that she had seéw »Major Mack Mortimer, an old loverof hers; fall' before the death-shot of ber son, and: the blow’ bad ‘un- seated her reason, which bad wholly fled) from her when, shortly after, ber husband had.‘been ‘another yictim of the cruel Mortimer+sWynd- ham ‘vendetta; i boa -etijom awe y od fi But now, as she sat there at the breakfast table, there seemed» no | wildness:‘in her! eye, though it was said that ber,sow had, form long weeks, kept ber a prisoner in. heriroomss:: hy Upon her right sat a young girl) of. rare beauty, and wittra face Senclicee enoughto: havo been that of aman, retie ditw bowen Still it was a proud, beautiful: face, at times soft and tender to sadness, and again. Jighting . | up with a fire that was’ reflected fromevery | feature, to again change dnto} ‘a look that -_ hard and cold. She. was dressed in) pure. shite, a favorite : style of dress with ladies of the South at that , day, and in fact to-day, and wore no ornament or jewelry, other than a massive -plain old», ring upon her “‘ wedding fiuger.” | ‘*Do you know, Mrs, Mortimer—” | ‘No, no,‘ no, ‘Mrs. Wyndbam, do not call me by that name,” quickly interrupted the — young girl, as Mrs. Wyndham broke a silence of some moments between them. |. ‘It is your name now, my. child,” answered Mrs. Wyndham, “Legally, yes, thanks.to your noble | 7 who forced Mark Mortimet to make good big mock marriage with me; but, as utterly as I discard him, so utterly do 1 discard his name forever,” she answered almosi flercely.: ‘‘ Well, Bessie, forgive me, as I will. not err again; but 1 thought, that as some may have known that. Mr. Mortimer was your lover, ft was best that you claim, for your own sake, the name you now have a right to.” ‘No, I do not fear any one discovering the fact of either the mock or real than those who know;, but should they, | Emo to the sr Mpa Mort readily prove my right fo mer, which I scorn.” “T hope, now that Mr. Mortimer has made my son, that it will prevent. your father any steps.against him, Bessie, for .we iba enough of sorrow and, death along. oon con late,” sadly said the mistress of Lakela ‘Indeed we have, may dear Mrs. W. and Ifeel that my father will let the dead ofiaee bom its dead, re ne Cane to let affairs rest as they are, though | toavenge the wrong done. me by Mr. Morth mer. “I hope my father has not returned to our home and found me absent, for I wish fo be | there to welcome him, and tel] him all that'you s M , - MNIEDoOoks (E(0) (G (E(0)