Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 255 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

law found him so, and he must die on the gal- lows, for such was bis sentence. ‘“*On men, and follow Dick Dresden.” The second party had now come up, and believing that in union there is strength, the villagers gave three cheers, and followed the lead of the brave jailer. But the pirates had now gained a consider- able start, and a stern chase is proverbially a long one, so Dresden found his party would never overtake the jail-breakers, especially as his force would not, or could not, travel as rapidly as he wished. Their lanterns be made them put out, though the carriers of them demurred, until he told them that they would only serve as targets for their foes, and then they were doused with an alacrity that was ludicrous. The rain still fell heavily, but the wind was not as severe, and there were signs of the storm breaking away. On through the dark Pines pushed pursued and pursuers, until at Jast the former came out upon the clearing near the inlet. ‘‘Lugger ahoy!” shouted Captain Palafox, as they approached the shore. ‘ Ahoy the shore!” came back in the clear tones of Conrad, the pirate lieutenant. ‘‘ Send a boat ashore in haste,” ‘Ts that you, captain?’ “i Ay, ay.” “What name?’ asked the cautious officer. “ Devil Fish.” “ Ay, ay, sir.” “Be in a hurry lads,” called out Palafox, and a moment after a boat came dancing shoreward over the rough waters. Just as it touched the beach the villagers came out of the Pines, some two-score in num- ber, and Dick Dresden shouted: ‘* Halt, there, or we fire on you!” ‘‘T advise you not to, for I sball return the fire,” cried Palafox. ‘‘Surrender your prisoner, or receive our fire!’ came from the jailer. **Do you think we are fools?” cried the pirate. ‘Ts that your answer?” os” “Ready, men, fire!” A scattering volley came from the villagers, and a pirate dropped dead, while another was wounded. ‘Do -you surrender?” yelled the jailer, still advancing toward the shore. But the words of the pirate chief con- vinced him that they had not, for he shouted! ‘Ho, the lugger.” “ Ay, ay, sir.” ‘Train a gun on that gang of pursuers, and if they do not retreat at my command, send a load of grape into them!” CAG iy, Git.” But hardly had the response of Conrad reached the ears of his captain, when, with wild cries of alarm the pursuing party broke in a terrific stampede and scampered for the Pines, unbeeding the command of Dick Dres- den to charge and take the jail-breakers on the shore, and the craft would not dare fire upon them. “This is too bad,” cried the brave jailer, as he fonnd himself deserted by all but three of his volunteer band, and beheld the boat stand off from the shore, bearing the rescued prisoner and those who had so boldly saved him from the gallows, CHAPTER XXXVIII. THE MEETING ON THE LUGGER. By the time the boat toucbed the side of the lugger, the anchor was up, and sail enough set to send the craft flying out of danger ““Come, Mr. Carr, 1’t) look after the vessel, while you go into the cabin, for there you will find a friend awaiting you,” said Captain Pala- fox to the rescued man, as soon as he touched the deck of the lugger, aud he led the way _ toward the cabin. Irving Brandt and Myrtle had both been on deck watching the scene on shore; but they had retired to the cabin as the boat put off, as the youth preferred to meet his tutor there, Descending into the cabin at the request of Captain Palafox, who remained on deck to take the helm, for he alone knew the channel in such a night, Bradford Carr started with surprise and joy as Irving Brandt sprung for- ward to greet him. “Oh, Mr. Bradford, I am so happy to see you free,” cried the boy, grasping the hand of bis tutor, and wringing it hard. > = The Pirate Priest. ‘*And I to be free, Irving; but I owe my freedom to you, I feel.” ‘* Oh, no, sir, for I could do nothing for you, so got the captain to aid you, which he intended doing anyhow; but let me introduce you to the captain’s daughter, Miss Myrtle Marsden.” ‘‘Ah! I am happy to meet you, my sweet Jittle friend, and after your father has served me so well, I hope we will be the best of friends,” “TI hope so, sir, for I love my friends, and Master Irving is one,” said Myrtle, simply. ‘* And who is this bold captain that has done so much for me, Irving?’ “Mr, Carr, it is one whom you have heard of often, and do not admire; but he is one whose life I once saved, and failing to rescue you myself by bribery, and determined that you should not die, I sought his aid, and it was given freely, for he like myself believed you to be guiltless of the murder for which you were sentenced.” ‘‘Tam guiltless, Irving, as I hope some day to prove; but who is this captain who has saved me from the gallows, and yet whom I do not admire?” ‘*His name is Captain Palafox, and he is known along the coast as the Sea Fox.” ‘*Ha! the pirate!” cried Bradford Carr, in utter amazement. “Fak; eir;” *‘ And he has saved my life this night?’ ‘¢ He has,” ‘* And he was the leader of those masked men?” “Yee ai” ‘Irving, this is astounding news you give me.” “It is true, sir.” ** And this is a pirate vessel?” "Yes, Mr.-Oarr.” ** And whither does it take me, and you?” “Tt takes you to safety, sir, from whence you can depart for wherever you please; while I shall leave the vessel in half an hour, and return to the Blue Anchor Inn.” “Irving, there is some strange mystery in all this; but I will not question you more, but ask you of yourself, your father and sister?” “They are well, sir, and in this letter you will find the amount of your salary, which you had left in father’s hands; but do not read the letter now,” said Irving, quickly, as he feared, if his tutor discovered that he had given other money, which he asked him to accept as a loan, he would not take it. **As you please, Irving; but are we not to meet again?” ‘*T hope so, sir,” “‘That means when I prove myself inno- cent of the charge of murder?” ‘‘T intend to help you do that, sir,” ‘¢Come, Master Irving, you must leave us now, for I have run into the cove for you,” called out the pirate captain down the com- panionway, and with a hasty farewell to Myrtle and Bradford Carr, the youth ran out of the cabin, and in a moment after was in his boat alone upon the waters, while the lugger dashed on her way seaward. CHAPTER XXXTX. THE FOOTBALL OF FATE. ‘‘ WELL, sir, you are a free man, to go where you will, and to do as suits your humor best,” The one who uttered these words was Cap- tain Palafox, the Pirate, and the one he ad- dressed was Bradford Carr. The latter was standing upon the stern of the Devil Fish, gazing out upon the dark waters of the bayou, or lagoon, and upon the moss-hung trees upon every side, yet seem- ingly not seeing the scene spread out before him. It was the morning after the storm, and the lugger Jay at anchor just off the cabin of the pirate. Myrtle and her father had gone on shore at an early hour, leaving Bradford Carr asleep, for just before dawn he bad retired to rest, aud the lugger bad been some time at her anchorage before he awoke and ascended to the deck. Seeing him, the pirate captain had come out to the lugger and addressed him in the words that open this chapter. In response Bradford Carr said: ‘Yes, lama free man, and I owe my free- dom to you, sir, and to the brave youth whom you so kindly aided. . ‘‘T have been much trouble to both of you.” ‘** None in the least, my dear sir. 7 ** As Master Irving told you, he served ma) well once, and when he could not rescue you by bribery, then he thought of me, and know- ing me to be a law-breaker, and having my pledge to serve him when I could, he boldly came to me. “But, Mr. Bradford, I was at your trial, and somehow received the idea that you were not guilty, but was being punished for others, and my nature being to aid those who are in distress, and save the weak from the strong, I had determined to rescue you ere Master Irv- ing came to me. ‘* Now you are a free man, and I would ad- vise that you seek a home far from here, and when you are able to do so, to come back and prove your innocence. “If, on the contrary you desire a berth with me, you can have one, next in rank to Lieutenant Conrad, but I would not advise any man to step across the threshold of ouat- lawry as long as he can live on the other side,” “You are generous, sir, and certainly hon- est in the way you put matters, “Tf I were really guilty of the crime for which I was sentenced, then I would grasp your hand and accept your kind offer; but, being innocent, I will go elsewhere and en- deavor to build up a new name and associa- tions where this stigma does not rest upop me.’ “T think you are right, sir; and yet I have a revengeful vein in my nature that causes me to wish to hunt down those who injure me, “Now I have gold in plenty, and, if it is sullied perhaps in the winning, it is at your service if you desire to disguise yourself and remain here to go on the track of those who have wronged you so deeply, for I believe you can, in time, bunt them out of their shell.” ‘You are certainly most kind, sir, and [ will tell you what I will do,” suddenly and eagerly said Bradford Carr, as though im- pressed with a thought that had flashed through his mind. “Well, sir?” “T will remain your guest for a few days; and io that time discover one thing which I am anxious to learn. “Tf it turns out as I wish I will accept your offer of aid and go on the track of those who have so cruelly wronged me. “Tf it turns out otberwise, I will go away and, the football of fate, will drift with the tide of circumstances, ‘**Nature teaches me to long for revenge,, but I have been educated for the priesthood, Captain Palafox, though I have never taken orders, and the teachings of Christianity are that I forgive my enemies. ‘“‘Tbus feeling, I cast my future upon one possibility, one hope, and if that fails me, then I am content to go through life as duty calls me,” ‘You are a strange man, Mr. Carr, and I admire you greatly, and trust, come what may to you, that you will ever consider me your friend. ‘Tf the world uses you hard, then look me up, for before you leave I will give you an ad- dress through which I can be found; but I trust that all will come out here as you wish, and then I will have the pleasure of watcbing your course through life here in our midst, though a pirate and a priest can never be friends.” ‘You mistake, sir, for it is the duty of a priest to be the friend of the erring, those whom others have cast off, that he may win them back to honor.” ‘*Egad, I wish you would accept the berth of chaplain on the Devil Fish, and my word for it, you would have us all under an honor- abla flag within the year,” said Captain Pala- fox warmly, and Bradford Carr smiled at the thought. e ‘* But, come,” said Palafox, ‘‘ Myrtle is call- ing us to breakfast and we will go on shore,’” CHAPTER XL. THE TIDINGS REACH THE BLUE ANCHOR. THE morning after the storm broke light and besutiful and the guests of the Blue An- chor were anxious to get out and enjoy the balmy breeze that came in from the Gulf. Here and there a tree was uprooted, limbs and branches were scattered about the lawn, and there were other traces of the flerceness of the storm. . The Lady Maud,in spite of her two an- chors, had dragged nearer inshore, and Boss, mMIcGbDoo Cc (fo Ss ._—<_ who | that thous was % of th Hi the |! won! to al Tl part the se tain ing 44 was T anc slee Bec ‘ lor een ld ¥