Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 255 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 The Pirate Priest. guests. A young man of wealth from the Missis- sippi river coast country, was killed, how no one cuales knows, and my tutor was found by him and accused of the murder.” ** Did he kill him?” ‘It was so decided by a jury.” “Juries are great liars at times, Master Ir- ving, but what motive had he?” “Well, to tell you the truth, they said that Mr. Carr—” ** Your tutor?” ‘‘- Yes, Bradford Carr.” * Well?’ “They said that he loved my sister—” ‘“‘No one could blame him for that, Master Irving, for I have seen her.” “You have seen her?” “Oh, yes, quite often.” ** But where?” “Never mind now, but go on, for your story holds interest for me and 1 see that Myrtle is drinking it all in too.” ‘“‘The reason for his killing Soule Ravelle, they said, was because he loved sister Maud, who was engaged to the young planter.” ** Ah! she did not love the poor tutor?” ‘‘ Well, she was pledged by father and Planter saree to marry Soule and that was the way of it. “ And they say young Carr killed Ravelle be- cane he was jealous of him?” ‘* But what proof had they?” ‘As I said, he was found by the body, and his pistol was lying near.” ** This looks bad.” ‘‘Yes, but be was found, and so was the pis- tol, by two young men I do not like or trust, and I believe that ney took advantage of Brad- ford Carr’s accidentally being there to make all they could against it, ‘There was also found a letter on Soule Ravelle’s body, signed by Carr, asking him to meet him on the spot where his body was found.” ‘‘ What said Bradford Carr to this?” ‘‘ He said he bad reached the body a moment before Chester Granger came up, and the letter he says is a forgery. ‘‘T believe him; and I have closely examined the letter and Mr. Carr’s writing, and I feel that he tells the truth.” ‘‘ But the case went against him?” ** It did.” = ** And he was sentenced?” c ‘cX08! \ ‘To be hanged?’ ‘Yes, Captain Palafox.” “When?” oe “The time is almost up.” 3 * And you believe him innocent?” | **] know it.” ** And your sister?” ‘* Believes as I do.” ** And your father?” ‘‘ He fears that he is guilty, as do others.” fe ** And he must die on the gallows, innocent or yi “That is just what I wish to prevent.” . ‘* How can you?” ‘Well, I tried to bribe the jailer, but though the fellow looked like a man who could be bought, I could not move him.” ‘* Looks are often deceitful, Master Irving.” ‘*T begin to think so.” ‘* You will know so before you reach my age; i but what did you do next?” **T came to see you.” oe ee Ah id ees “Yes, a happy thought struck me that you / would aid me. ‘¢-You see, I could not get the money I needed to bribe the jailer, so sister Maud sailed in m yacht to New Orleans to borrow it, or raise it on her jewels—you see I tell you all.” ‘That is right; and she is a noble girl.” ‘But she had gone when I found out that bribery would do no good, so I took a boat and ran down tosee you.’ ‘‘ That was right, Master Irving.” ** And can you help me?” ‘* What would you have me do?” ‘““T can pilot you toa place near the jail, and you can land with some of your men by pubes and I will get the jailer to open the gate, when we can seize him and release the prisoner.” ‘You bave planned well, Master Irving.” ‘But the jailer must not be harmed.” ‘¢] understand; and that was just the plan I had formed to save the young man.” , ‘“‘The plan you had formed?” asked Irving, in surprise. ‘Yes, for to tell you the truth, I was at the trial.” a ay ’ ‘Yes; business called me to the village, and I” yi went there in disguise. , * “T heard the whole trial, and felt certain that Bradford Carr was not guilty, go made up my . _ mind to save him before execution day.’ { ““This was noble of you, Captain Palafox.” oi ‘‘ Well, I hated to see him die for a crime I » ed do not believe he committed, so you see I grant <3 you no favor after all, Master Irving,” and the randt was filled with surprise, prer captain laughed lightly, while Irving —_ him, though they may not in 16, CHAPTER XXV. THE PIRATE’S PLAN, ‘*Now, Master Irving, you see I had already decided to do just what you wished of me,” said the pirate, after the youth had expressed his surprise at the circumstance. ‘* Yes, so you have.” ‘‘And I am not doing you any favor after all?” “Oh, yes you are, and I believed that you ping aid me, and hence I came to youasl ‘* You were right, and I tell you now, Master Irving, and mean every word I say, that when Palafox can do you a service, just command Eh 8 ne it is gold you want or anything else. ‘“*T sincerely thank you, sir.” “Do not thank me; but now, Myrtle, fix us up some dinner, while Master Irving and I talk over our little plan.” The young girl withdrew into the cabin, while the pirate and Irving at once began talking over their plan of action. ‘“You say that you were at the trial?’ asked Irving. se as, ” **T should think you would fear to trust your- self there, for there must be many in the village who have seen you.” ‘‘Oh, yes, there are many there who know me, and a few who had cause to regret the ac- quaintance. ‘‘ But I bad to go there to see certain persons, and being detained for several days, went to the Magnolia Inn and had pleasant quarters, for I told the host I had the money to pay for the best. ‘¢-You see I wear crutches from this wound, and I put on a false beard and wig, both gray, and dressing in the fashion, they took me for some wealthy planter.” ‘‘ Ah, now [ remember having seen just such erson at the trial.” ‘TI was there, for time hanging heavy on my hands, I went there to be amused. ‘‘But tell me, Master Irving, do you suspect any one as foes of the young tutor?’ a ‘‘ Yet you think bim innocent?’ “ec I do. ” ‘“You don’t know that he bas offended any one?” “T think not; that is, he was insulted by Mr. Ravelle, the day my father introduced them, and very promptly knocked down his insulter.” Good!” “But Ravelle overlooked it, at my father’s demand, as he was the aggressor, and it is well that be did not call Bradford Carr out, for he is a dead-shot aud a superb swordsman, having been victor over all at a tournament.” ‘‘ Ah! that is a thing that some men do not readily forgive. ‘‘But tell me, for Ido not mean it for impu- dence, has your sister any other visitors?” ‘*A host of them she had until her engage- ment to Ravelle was announced.” ‘*And your suspicion falls upon no one as having played a game to kill Ravelle and use the tutor as a tool?” “ No ” ‘‘ Well, my suspicions fall upon two persons,” “Yours?” “ec Yes.” “ What reason have you to suspect any one?” ‘¢*] watched the trial very closely, and if I say it myself, Master Irving, I am a man with a long head, and I can read human nature well. ‘Now I never would have attempted to bribe that jailer.” “Indeed?” ‘‘ No, for though his looks are against him to the average eye, he has that in his face that eects him 2s a man of character and heart ‘‘No, I should have tried some other plan with bim.” ‘What?’ ‘Well, gained the interior of the jail, on some plausible excuse, caught kim off his guard and knocked him down and bound him.” “I would have tried that, had you not aided me, for I thought of it; but tell me, Captain Palafox, who is it that you suspect as being the foes of Bradford Carr?” ‘‘Do you remember the two young men who appeared against him?” ‘Chester Granger and Barton Keys?” Tor ‘“They were the ones who accused him.” ‘‘True; and they are the ones Is t.” “Tt would be hard to believe that they could be so base.” “My boy, it is hard to look into a man’s heart through his face. ‘Mind you, you have your belief that Brad- ford Carr is not guilty, but can form no idea of who is, though you are searching for the real one. ‘© Now I also believe as you do, regarding the innocence of the tutor; but I have formed my idea that those two men are guilty of some plot be the actors i t ——$$_ EE **One of them, the durk-faced one—” ‘Barton Keys.” ‘* Yes; well, he was the master-spirif, and the weaker one—” ‘* Chester Granger?” “Yes; he looked to Keys continually while giving his testimony to see that be was doing right. ‘** Now, all I can say is for you to watch those | two men, and if you find aught of a suspicious nature in their actions, just jot it down and post me,” “I will,” ‘See if either of them, now that Ravelle is dead, seeks to step into his place as far as your sweet sister is concerned,” ‘*T will watch them closely.” _‘ Now, as to our plan of action, Master Ir- ving. ‘* Well, I leave it to you.” “That is right, and I will say Sunday night next.” * That will do.” ““I know the country and waters, and T will land at a pong half a league from the jail, reaching it by a path through the forest.” ‘‘ Ah, that reminds me to tell you of an ad- venture I had on that path, which I know well,” and Irving told of bis being attacked by the footpad and his killing him. “That was right, is you could do nothing else, Master Irving, and it was best that you did not tell of the affair. ‘* But describe the fellow, please.” Irving did so, and the pirate said quickly: *‘One of my band, as I live, ‘“Ugly Ned we called him, as much for his ugly tace as his hideous nature, ‘*His folks live in the village, and he went home to visit them, for they do not know that he is an outlaw, believing him to be a sailor, s pa yon have done him a kindness in sav- ing him from the gallows, rendered the coun- try, in killing a pirate, a service, and I certainly thank you, on my part, and for the band, of ridding us of a fellow that no one liked, and whom we wanted out of it, so don’t let Ugly Ned’s death rest heavy on your conscience,” and Captain Palafox laughed heartily, and calling to Myrtle, told her of the affair. ‘*T didn’t like Ugly Ned, father; but Master Irving has done right, as he attacked him,” said. Myrtle, and she returned to her duties, while Captain Palafox continued: . ‘*Now, Master Irving, I wish you to find out all you can for me about how matters are at he ail, and meet me at the landing on Sunday night. ‘*But you must not go with us.” ** Must not?” **1 said so.” “And why not?’ somewhat hotly said Irving. ‘*T will tell you why not.” ‘I certainly should like to know.” ‘Well, I am a pirate,” ** Granted.” _ “Tam leading a piratical expedition to break jail and release a prisoner under the Jaw’s: sentence of death.” , ‘You are a gentleman.” **T hope so.” ** And the son of an honored planter, and as such you have no business to go marauding upon a midnight expedition.” ‘* Captain you, for you have opened my eyes,” ‘You felt for your friend, and did not see that in saving him you were becoming a crim- inal yourself.” “Indeed I thank you, sir.” ‘‘All right, my lad, you are heartily wel- come; but if you wish to see your friend just stand off and on out in the Sound after we have landed, for you can put out in your little boat, and when we come back I will lay to for you to lave a chat with him.” ‘* Again I thank you, sir.” ‘Now, Master Irving, that we have arranged our plans, let us go in to dinner, for I see that Myrtle is ready for us, and then you can run ne to the Blue Anchor whenever you are ready Bo. | CHAPTER XXVI. A BOY'S GOOD ADVICE, Ir was late in the afternoon when Irving Brandt took his departure from the pirate cabin in the Dismal Forest. The fact is, he found Captain Palafox a most entertaining man, and Myrtle he certainly was charmed with. In their society he could not bring himself to believe that he was associating with outlaws, and even excused his act. When at last he took his leave, Myrtle rowed — down with bim in her light skiff to the lagoon’s mouth, and there bade him good-by. . “T wish you would come again, Master Irving,” she said ay : “I may some of these days, Myrtle; but I. wish you were not what you are.” : ** And what am I?’ “ A pirate captain’s daughter.” ; *“T can’t help that, Master Irving, for I wax (eo) JOOKS: , Pt eg Lake alafox, you are right, and I thank © t t pet é Yo Jf eee