Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 259 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

Py or SO. ‘Cutlass and Chicas. CHAPTER XVI. WHAT THE SEAL REVEALED, In moody silence Colonel Brandt ate his sup- r, Maud leaving him to bis meditations. After the meal was over the colonel asked: **Do you think the warning you received this morning, Maud, worthy of thought?” “‘T certainly do, sir.’ ** And you wish to leave here?” i ~ Te or,” ' * And go to New Orleans to live?” a ‘For the present, sir, while all is so uncer- tain and unsettled.” ‘© Well, we will start as soon as Irving re- turns in the lugger.” **It would be well, father, to be ready to de- part immediately upon his return,'and [ would advise that the servants strip the house of all that would benefit robbers, and store the things back in the cabin in the hills.” “They shall begin work in the morning then, for your faith in this letter leads me to believe that you know more about it than you will ad- 7 mit,” and Coonel Brandt eyed his daughter sharply. sata) ‘ Maud felt the color rise in her face, but she answered: '*T have faith, father, in the letter, and I would set the servants at once to work, and not await the morning. “For my part, I sball begin to pack up to- cid night,” and Maud arose. or” * Let me see th» letter, Maud.” my She took it from her bosom, and was about to 3 hand it to her father, when her glance detected : a roll of very thin paper sticking where the seal AS . had been. Instantly she walked around the center table a to hand it to her father, but in doing so pulled _ off the paper thus adhering through the seal. _, . The colonel read the letter twice over, and - *. “then said: : ** Tt sounds honest and can do no harm. tn ‘We will be ready to start Maud. as soon as 4: the yacht returns.” ae) * And should not Irving return to-morrow, a 4 father, we had better depart in the plantation jugger.” et “We will, for I am the more convinced that os you know more than you will tell.” 1a Maud made no reply, but ascended to her _ room and locking the ane glanced at the piece sit gag she held cloge in her hand, * It was of very thin texture, and had been i closely folded and placed beneath the seal. = It was closely written, though in the same hand as that which had indited the letter. es It read: “ There is a large armed schooner afloat, sailing under a Crossand Cutlass flag. “ Ter commander [ have not seen at close quar- ters; but he is dressed in the garb of a priest, is a tall man, and may be the man he is accredited with being. “TT may as well say that there is a female on board the vessel, and this may, in a manner, serve to solve the mysterious departure of the person in whom you are interested. “T will give you full information as soon as dis- - *eovered,; and will communicate with you through Myrtle, as I feel that you will take my advice and Z0 to the city, for Brandt Mansion is no haven for you just now, “Should you wish to address me, a letter left _ with Monsieur Dauphin, at Carteret Arms, Rue - Royal, will reach me. *Po not neglect my warning, but leave your home at once.” _ This was the secret letter which the broken seal revealed, and Maud read it over twice to full comprehend its meaning. Then she paced to and fro for a while, lost in deep thought. __ Pausing by the window from which she had geen her lover depart that night, she let the balmy Gulf breeze fan her hot cheeks, while ef __ she gazed off over the star-lif waters, _ __ At last she murmured, and with bitterness in her tone: __***T am confident that he too feels that Brad- a ford Carr has turned pirate. nial ** He says the strange vessel is commanded by aman in priestly garb, and that he is tall, and carries a Cross and Cutlass flag. __ Such was the flag Bradford raised when he became the Pirate Priest and the one over the _ €ross-bones with an anchor. _ “Then be says that there is a woman on _» board, and that she may be a solution to the - mystery. ey Uy understand him but too well. ‘.* “He means that some love of the past, per- _ haps a wife, may have appeared on the scene, and thus forced Bradfora Carr to give up honor 7. ‘and all and become a pirate, rather than re- J. 2 schooner to-day had in addition the skull and ~ main here and meet an exposure. **Oh! what does all this mean? ** Still, £ will not doubt bis honor, nor his Tove, until I know all,” and the uuhappy maiden bent her head on her arm and burst into — ¥ t * ref _ tears. __ At last she arose, monce more calm, and call- ing Ellizette, began to pack up for her de- “For hours she was engaged in this, while _down-stairs she heard her father busy with the servants, removing the articles from the house A Z ¥s) 4 =e would be tempting as booty to sea-rob- rs. 4 At last her work was completed and she stepped to the window and again glanced forth. It was some time after midnight, and the moon, waned to a crescent, was just rising. Suddenly across its disk appeared a vessel. An instant ‘only did it hide the moon, and then the vessel swept into full view, and was running straight into the harbor. ‘*Ob, Heaven have mercy! it is the pirate schooner!” cried Maud, and loudly her voice ung out as she sent the alarm through the ouse, CHAPTER XVII. THE BATTLE ON THE LAWN. Tue cry of Maud alarmed her father, and, with the frightened servants he hastened to her room, He met her in the hall, and she cried ear- nestlv: ‘* Alas, father, the warning came too late, for the pirate schooner is now in our harbor!” Colonel Brandt started as though shot. He was a brave man, and loved his daughter devotedly, and a picture of ber as a pirate’s captive flashed before his eyes. **My child, come with me, for this is no place for you. “Come, and fly to the plantation and I will remain here and defend our home as best I can.’ She hastily threw some wraps about her, seized her jewel-case, and was descending the stairs, with her faithful maid, to meet her father, who had gone to get his arms and order the horses saddled, when a loud voice was heard out upon the lawn. ‘* Follow me, lads, and sack yonder rich nest; but remember, harm no one!” was the stern order given. “Oh, Heaven! that voice rings so in my ears,” cried Maud as she sprung down the last steps into the hall, and was met by her father who with half a dozen armed slaves gathered about her, just as wild shouts were heard out on the lawn, **Come, Maud, I will place youin your sad- dle, and then Abram will be your escort, ** Come, we will leave by the back door.” ** No, father, not one step will I stir unless you go with me, ‘‘] will not leave you here to be slain,” said the maiden firmly. Her father knew her well, and that she meant just what she said, and he said quickly: ‘*Then I will go with you, my child. ‘* Yes, we will all go together, and leave the dear old bome to its fate. ‘*Come, boys, we must lose no time, for do you not hear their running feet?” As jthe colonel spoke he led the way toward the rear piazza, when suddenly there came the ringing words: ‘* Up and at them, lads!” There was a ringing cheer, pistol-shots, curses in hoarse voices, orders in stern and trumpet tones, and then the clash of steel against steel. ‘Great God! what means this?’ cried Colonel Brandt, and he rushed to the front piazza, fol- lowed by Maud and the servants. There all stood aghast an instant, for the lete rising moon shed its beams upon a startling and strange sight. There, upon the lawn, amid the majestic live- oaks, a hundred and more men were engaged in fierce conflict. In the harbor, close inshore, lay a large schooner, her white sails glimmering in the moonlight, and upon the beach were the boats that had brought her crew ashore, But no other vessel was near, excepting small sail-boats, and from whence had come those who certainly had attacked the pirates?” “They are Government men, who knew of the pirates’ landing and met them. **T will lend them the went of my sword,” cried Colonel Brandt, and he bounded away, sword in hand, with all the ardor of his younger years. Maud called to him to stay, but he did not heed her, and in a moment he was among those who were certainly fighting to defend the man- sion, while at his back came half a score of gal- lant negroes rushing to the rescue. “To your boats, devils, we are beaten,” came in a voice that all heard, and the pirates broke suddenly and went toward their boats, after a volley that staggered their foes. But they were hotly pert and seeing it the pirate leader called out: ** Ho, the schooner!” ** Ay, ay, sir,” came from the vessel’s deck. ‘ = Train your guns on yonder crowd and re! “To shelter, lads! to yonder mound!” cried the leader of the victorious party, and the men darted toward a large ornamental mound, terraced and beautified with flowers that adorned the grounds, ‘* But one, two, three, four flashes came from the schooner’s side, and as many deep roars fol- lowed, while shrieking iron balls went tearing across the Jawn, here and there cutting down some poor unfortunate. But the boats had now reached the schooner, and boarding in hot haste the crew sprung te their posts, and the pirate craft headed out of the harbor. In amazement Colonel Brandt had seen all, and, with his negroes, who had kept close to him, he too had retreated for shelter to the mound of earth. Now he turned to those who had saved his home, just as Maud, followed by her maid, came running to the spot. ‘* My dear sir, 1 owe much to you, and who is it that I have to thank for such brave work?” said the colonel. The one he addressed turned upon him and said sternly: **T am Palafox, the pirate, sir.” “What! that—” ** Come, lads, to your boats, and then pull for our vessel, and we will try and overbaul yon- der craft,” cried the man who had so abruptly given his name, breaking in upon the words of the colonel. A cheer answered the words of their leader, who continued: ee Take your wounded comrades, lads, and you, sir, be good enough to bury our dead,” and he addressed the colonel. Then, without a word he led the way across the death-dotted field, picking up here and there one of his wounded men, and crossing the grounds toward a little cove wherein lay his boats. In speechless amazement Colonel Brandt watched their departure, Maud standing by his side, and then he said in a dazed kind of way: ‘Well, my child, it was a case of dog eat dog: but they fought well for us, and we owe od safety and all to that famous pirate, the Sea ox. * What will happen next, I wonder?” CHAPTER XVIII. FROM DYING LIPS. ERE the pirate schooner, which bad met with such a rebuff at Brandt Mansion, had gotten into the offing, the boats of Captain Palafox were pulling nimbly along the coast, evidently heading for their own vessel, secreted in some retreat not very far away. Into the mansion went Colonel Brandt and his daughter, after glancing over the scene of carnage, at the bodies of the dead which both sides had left behind, though the schooner’s and boat’s crews had both carried off their wounded, In the brightly lighted library Maud paced to and fro, while her father sat in his easy- chair, his brow moody and lips set sternly. ** Well, Maud, we have bad a strange experi- ence this night,” said the colonel after a silence of some minutes. “Strange indeed, sir.” “Warned by a pirate of danger, and then, when he found his warning was too late, being on hand to save us. ‘My child, what do you know of all this?” and Colonel Brandt looked fixedly into the face of his daughter, She met the look without flinching, and an- swered: ‘*Wather, I know we were warned by one who wishes us well, and were then saved by him. ‘More I cannot tell you.” Did this mean, thought the colonel, that she could not or would not? But he dared not ask the question just then, so said: ‘Well, Maud, there is one thing I suppose that you saw, which will remove all doubts from your mind.” ‘*And what was that, father?” “The leader of the pirates.” ‘**] saw him, sir, yes.” “He was in priestly garb.” ** Yes, sir.” * He was tall, and—” ‘* You mean that you recognized in him Brad- ford Carr?” “ I do.” ‘*T saw him at a distance, father, and he had something the look of Bradford Carr; but I am not yet convinced.” “You are blinded by your love,” **T love you, father, and yet I was not so blinded by my affection that I failed to see that you were destroying yourself, your honor and your name, by persistently gambling as you did, losing Jarge sums under the guise that you were arich man, when all that you are sup- posed to as belongs to my brother Irving and myself. “] saw your sin, sir, and I could see Brad- ford Carr’s, were I certain that he had sinned; but I must know first that be has, and thus once knowing, I will cast him out of my heart, as though he were a snake.’ She spoke earnestly at first, and then with ve- hement bitterness, and the colonel flinched under her scathing allusion to bis sin of gambling, and wisely kept silent. “T have told the boys to keep a watch over the dead, my child, so let us return and get what rest we can.” ‘ This advice Maud was willing to accept, and going to herroom she threw herself upon her m (GE (eo) DOOKS :