Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 255 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

born that way,” was the innocent remark of the young girl. ‘*Ob, [do not blame you, Myrtle, only I wish you could be some one else, and your father too.” **Is being a pirate so bad?’ ‘‘ Yes, it is pretty wicked.” ** What do they do?’ ‘* They kill and rob people on the seas.” ‘Tt would not be wicked if they killed and robbed people on the land then?” was the inno- cent question, ‘*Ob yes, it would,” ‘* My father does not kill any one unless he attacks him, and he says the world owes him a living and he has to get it.” ; Irving saw that the girl was too innocent to argue with, so he said: é ‘* Well, 1 hate to see you growing up in this swamp like a wild flower.” ‘‘ Where else can [ grow up, Master Irving?” ‘*Tn different surroundings,” “But I like this forest, and I love this gray moss, while I think wild flowers are very pretty and would like to be like one,” ‘* You are too pretty to grow up wild.” “You might tame me then, as some of the men do birds and squirrels they catch.” ‘**T wish you could be like my sister.” “Father says she is very beautiful.” ‘Yes, she is, but you are beautiful too,” **Tben why do you wish me to be different?” “I wish you to get away from the life you lead here. ‘‘ Ask your father to send you off to school in the city, and no one need know you are a pirate’s daughter, and you could become a grand lady one of these days and make hira so proud of you that he would give up the wicked life he leads, and you could have a love- ly home elsewhere,” ‘Like your home, for I have seen it as we sailed by. “ Yes, as handsome a home as Brandt Man- oY. ‘Well, Master Irving, [think that would be so nice, and 1 will ask father to send me to school, for I like to study, and he teaches mea great deal.” “That is right, Myrtle, and if you go to school in New Orleans I can see you. “Tell your father to take you to Madam Chotard’s; for there is where sis was educated and she knows more than the country parson, for Mr, Carr told me so himself, and he ought to know, ** Now good-by, Myrtle, and don’t you forget to tease your father to send you to Warinit Cho- tard,” and after a warm grasp of hands across the gunwales of their boats, Irving Brandt raised his sail and stood out of the lagoon, Myrtle watching him until his boat grew dim in the distance, when she rowed rapidly back to the cabin to put her father to the test of with- standing her pleadings to go. to the ree to school, that sbe might become a beautiful lady just like Maud Brandt. CHAPTER XXVIII A MIDNIGHT SURPRISE, CAPTAIN PALAFOX was utterly astounded when his daughter returned from the mouth of ‘the lagoon, and went in burst him with: ‘Father, I want to go to the city to school, have Madam Chotard for a teacher and learn to be a fine lady like Miss Maud Brandt, who is reducated and knows more than the country arson, for Master Irving told me that Mr. ‘Carr told him so and—” _** Avast there, my girl, and take a reef in that little tongue of yours or your breath will blow it to ribbons,” cried Captain Palafox. ‘‘But, father, I don’t want to be a pirate’s dau ae a aint ‘** Well, I don’t see exactly how that, Myrtle.” Paper en belp ‘“‘ Well, Master Irving says if £ go to school, Madam Chotard can make me as beautiful as his sister, and that I needn’t tell any body that you are a pirate, while you can become a pentemen and have a home just as fine ag his ome, “Well, Master Irving has tied your tongue in the middle and it wags at both ends,I verily believe,” ‘‘ No, he didn’t touch my tongue, father,” ‘ Well be touched your heart and your brain, and the boy is right, for you might be a fine lady, and I am an old fool not to have seen it before. “* Here I have been making a sailor out of you, and keeping you here among the alligators, or carrying you with me upon the seas to show you how skillfully I can cut a throat, scuttle a ship and rob a man of a purse and a woman of ber jewels, when I should have had you at School, learning how to become a woman.” ue I want to learn how to be a woman, ** And you shall.” **Ob, father! ‘**] mean it.” “You will send me to the city?” “a Yes ” To school?” et ty gt The Pirate Priest. “To Madam Chotard’s?”’ “sé Yes ” ** Then you see if I don’t grow up beautiful, and know more than a country parson, too.” And having decided upon this course, now that Irving Brandt’s good advice to Myrtle had opened his eyes to the cruel course he had fol- lowed toward bis only child, Captain Palafox sat up until late in the night, explaining to her all that it was necessary for her to know of the world she was going to enter, and bow silent she must be upon the subject of what his career was, ‘‘A few more years, my child, by the time oe are ready to leave school, I will give up this ife I lead, and together we will seek a home far from here, unless some young gallant wins your heart and age you in this merry land. ** So be content, Myrtle, for assoon as I rescue this friend of Master Irving, I will carry you to the city and oa you under the care of Madam Chotard, and my word for it, no girl there will outshine you in beauty and intellect, and none shall in wealth, even if my gold has a red tinge toit— Ha! was notthat the splash of an anchor in the lagoon?” It was after midnight, for the father and daughter had taken no note of time, and ex- pecting the lugger’s return, Captain Palafox stepped to a small lookout window and looked out. All was darkness and silence, and he at once gave a shrill whistle. Then out upon the lagoon flashed a red light, and the pirate chief said quickly: ‘Tt is Conrad, and the lugger has returned.” Opening the door he stepped outside, support- ing himself upon a cane, and hailed: * Ho, Conrad!” ** Ay, av, sir, lam here,” called out a voice on the water, and then followed the splash of oars and a few moments after a form advanced through the darkness. ‘** Ah, Conrad, you are welcome. ‘Come in,” and the captain ushered the vis- itor into the cabin. As the lamp shone upon him it displayed a young man with a fearless face, stamped with refinement, though it had the look of one who was governed by evil rather than good. He possessed a well-knit figure, and, dressed in sailor costume, was armed with a cutlass and belt containing two pistols and a Spanish dirk, tke hilt of which glittered with diamonds. He certainly was a rakish-looking individual, and one to capture a sensitive and romantic heart at sight, provided the said beart did not possess a mind that was capable of reading deeper than outward appearances. ‘* Well, captain, how’s the wound?” he asked in Agee Kee voice, as he threw bimself into a chair, ‘‘About well, thank you, Conrad.” ** And you, sweet Myrtle, still up? “Why, you'll rob those pretty eyes of half their brightness if you keep late hours,” ““T have been sitting up and talking with father, Conrad; but I will say good-night now,” and the young girl took her departure to an inner room as soon as she had set a bottle of wine and glasses upon the table, with a jar of tobacco and pipes. ‘Well, Conrad, what off your cruise?’ asked Captain Palafox, when he bad pushed the bottle and tobacco toward his lieutenant, for such the man was.” ** We had a successful cruise, sir, for I met the Spanish brig on time, and ran her cargo of wines up to the city; and I hailed the French barque the day I got back into the Gulf, and got from her the bales of Jaces and silks, and sent those up to Rudolpb’s also.” ‘You have done well, and smuggling pays us better than piracy, without having the blood- letting to do.” ‘“‘T rather like the sea-fight to get booty, though, sir; for all the excitement in smuggling is in keeping out of the way of the cutters, and with a craft like the Devil Fish there is nothing to fear—tbough if they were as fleet as a little craft I know of, they would ran us down,” ‘* And what craft is that?” ““A prize I captured shortly after dark to- night.” ‘ Indeed!” ‘*'Yes, sir. She was in a light breeze, and when [ sighted ber I threw out the sweeps and Zave chase, ° ( . ‘““T caught her; and just then a stiff wind came up, and she showed the lugger the way to the lagoon. with plenty of sail to spare, while the Devil Fish was rigged out in her best.” ‘** That is strange, for I never saw the equal of the Devil Fish for speed, blow bard or light!” ‘ * She’s met more than her match this night, sir. ., And you captured the craft?” She lies in the lagoon, sir.” “What is she?” ‘* A sloop, built for a planter’s yacht.” ‘Indeed! And where did you catch her?” “In the lake, sir.” **Is she valuable?” ‘Well, cargo she has none.” ** And crew?” ** But one man,” Bb eo ** What!” ** But one man, and he was captain, mate and crew.” ‘* What was the matter?” “That I don’t know, sir; but there was one other on board who, if Imnistake not, will be a valuable prize.” ‘* Ah! who is that?’ “i A lady.” “Ha! Do you you know her name, Conrad?’ “IT heard the captain, mate and crew call her Lady Maud, and I brought her for ransom,” ‘Great God! Conrad, you have done that this night which I would not have done for thousands of dollars!” cried Captain Palafox, in earnest tones, springing to bis feet wholly ob- livious of his wound, and gazing into the face of his young lieutenant, i sat like one thun- derstruck by his captain’s words and manner. CHAPTER XXVIII. A STRANGE INTERVIEW. “CONRAD, where is this lady?’ sternly asked Captain Palafox, after an instant of silence. “She is on the yacht, sir; but pray tell me, my dear captain, in what way have I offended?” ‘‘You bave not intentionally done so, Con- rad, though you know I do not at any time make war upon the dwellers upon this coast far or near.” ‘*T bad no reason of knowing where the lady dwelt, sir, for when I hailed, the anwerss of this man who was al! in all, except the passen- ger, were so ambiguous, as to lead me to be- lieve that I was being inveigled into a trap, and even after I had my prize crew on board, | half expecteg to see men dash out of the hold to fight us to the death,” ‘*[ weuld give much had you not taken her.” “ T did so, sir, thinking she would bring you a snug sum in ransom money, and, after seeing the yacht hurry the lugger so to keep in sight, I] was determined that you should have a craft such as I had never met the equal of before,” ‘‘You meant well, Conrad; but you have made a mistake, and I will at once board the yacht and release her.” ‘* Not send that craft off, now!” ‘* Yes, at once.” “But captain, they may turn her into a revenue cutter; and the saucy craft knows so much she will find her way back into this lagoon and hang us all,” ‘She must go, Conrad,” ‘* Well, captain, you are the judge; but may I ask, sir, who is this lady whom you are so deep- ly interested in?’ ‘‘ Yes; do you remember a youth who saved life a year or so ago?” ‘I do surely.” ‘‘ It is bis sister.” ‘* Aha! now I see that I have made a mis- ake, ‘* Had I only known it, I would have bowed myself off ber deck, sworn that I was a revenue officer hunting for pisatee, and in fact been willing to turn honest to win one so beautiful, fcr she is ail as a woman, what her yacht is as a vessel; but you are lame, sir, so shall I not go on board and set the fair bird free from her. bondage, and tell that one-man-crew to get home witb all dispatch, after I have piloted his craft out to sea?” ‘‘No, Conrad, you remain here and finish that bottle, while 1 see the lady,” and Captain Palafox seized his crutches and left the cabin. Reaching the shore he was about to hail the lugger for a boat, when a slight form glided up m t to bis side. > ‘What! Myrtle, you bere?” . ‘** Yes, father, and 1 will put you on board the yacht in my skiff. | * Please let me, for f want to see Master Irv- ing’s sister, for I heard all that Conrad said and I wish to see just how I'll lcok when I geb to be a beautiful fine cuss tel ’ ‘* All right, Myrtle, bring your skiff here.” The girl dashed down the shore and soon had her skiff against the bank, Stepping in, Captain Palafox took a seat, and seizing the oars Myrtle sent the skiff flying out over the inky waters of the lagoon. There in the stream lay the Mies t, silent and oo excepting the glimmer of the lamp in the cabin. ‘*She is a beauty,” said the pirate admiring- ly, as he approached the pretty little vessel], a que that boat!” called outa voice from her eck. ‘*Palafox,” was the reply of the chief, “Ay, ay, sir.” returned the one who hailed, and, as the skiff ran alongside he met the cap- tain at the gangway, ; ‘* It is you, Breslin, is it?” * Yes, captain, and I’m glad to see you around again, sir.” ‘*Thank you. ‘How many men have you on board?” ‘The lieutenant left only three of us,sir.” “All right; bas the lady been out of the cabin to-night?” “No, sir.” ‘She has doubtless retired.” ‘No, sir, 1 saw ber through the companion- way pacing to and fro, and I guess she’s still at it. Goim <S Ghboo (E(o)