Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 277 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

a 4 — “7 ; > SR AA <a : J y» ‘. . a _ sting. was none the less severe, che dleli - um 12 os _———— CHAPTER XII, THE ENVOY. Lorp GowRI£ had watched the confiict be- tween the schooner and galley with sentiments of the keenest interest as long as the English vessel had appeared at all likely to win; and when he witnessed her final and rapid discom- fiture, he was so overwhelmed with astonish- ment and mortification that for a moment he could dv nothing but-groan unconsciously: ‘‘Sunk! sunk! Good Heavens! how could it have happened?” ~The excitement in the port was no less great | when they saw the issue of this, the first naval | conflict of the war (though it was never recor- | ded, on account of baving been merely a pri- vateer’s fight.) Tbe soldiers in the batteries, who saw the whole battle from the shore, were particularly struck with the fact of the aeccu- racy of aim.displayed by the crew of the Yankee vessel. In those days the guns of most nations were made round at the top, ava the Americans were the first te introduce the sight, cast.in the | metal of the piece, by which an accurate aim could be taken in any sea-way, instead of the work by which tke British guns were for the most part sighted, over a round surface, in which the top was frequently not by any means the middle of the piece, To sink.a vessel by a single shot was a feat in those days as hard to perform as to bit a pigeon a mile off, in these days of long-range rifles. It was posstbie, but not probable, in nine cases out of ten. But there was no doubt on the subject. The gailey was sunk, and so rapidly that all erew had to swim for it, and the people on sbore could see them struggling in the water and being taken in by the Yankee schooner, as she came up under all sail, as she had fought. After most of the drowning ple had been prgnec up, there was a pause of apparent irreso- ution on the part of the schooner, and then she made a tack toward the town and stood cff in plain sight, while she hoisted a signal that no one in the town understood. The Barl of Gowrie saw it and called to his signal-man to expiain, it, but without success. It was a red flag, with a white diamond in the | field, which no one in the signal service bad ever seen used as a signal, One person there was who could have given a great deal of valuable information on the sub- | ect, bad she chosen; but that person was Lady ave Blair, who Was sitting in ber window watching the whole affair, and who blushed deeply when she saw the signal. But as there was no one to watch Lady Jane, and as sbe was not a person generally to be questioned with impunity, the information she might have ven was never divulged, The fact was that the red flag was a private signal arranged between her and Blair two years before, and it, meant simply: ‘| AM COMING.” * it is about time he did come,” murmured the young lady to herself as she gazed at the brilliant piece of bunting with a kindling cheek. ‘‘A woman is generally allowed to change her mind once a week, and here he has been away from me for two og years. If i were not gifted with the true Blair obstinacy, I should have got tired of waiting long ago.” Lady Jane Blair was a very little lady, in- deed, Her head was just high evough to reach up to ber tall lover’s heart, and perhaps that was the reason why she was so fond of bim. women generally adore tall men, Her complexion was the true Scotch white, that goes with red hair; and Lady Jane Biair had bair, as undeviably red, as any woman bat was ever born north of the Tweed, - But for all that, Lady Jane Blair was a cele- with justice, by 2 beauty, and ; white and red face was of the delicate that we are accustomed to associate with the idea of angels; and her eyes were of he peculiar dark blue that is so seldom met with, and so irresistible when found, redness of her hair was notin any way unpleasing. On the contrary, when you saw it, you felt that any other color was faded beside such a glorious golden red as that, and never re the matter another thought. regularity of ber features was absolute, and her claims tu be a beauty lay on no insecure fou ion? Yet, with all her extreme loveliness there was a something about Lady Jane that kept her 3 baving many lovers. _It was partly the reputation of baving had an affair with a Yankee, and partly the posses- sion of the sh t tongue that was ever be- tones on mortal woman, and that is saying a eral the. men were afraid of Lady Jane’s tongu ane wine reason, a pe cou 5 Ay Abe rudest things with an ease and grace that made rasert forget: hom rude they , though Oe ly ght in tormenting any man that pre- ed to come anywhere near her, on courtin in ent, To them she was so utterly unmercifu The Saucy J ane, Privat eer, AS OE LEP = ES AS ST SS EE ES OE that she had obtained the name, among the aide-de-camps and others, who were able to re- sist her fascinations, of the ‘‘ dame sans miseri- corde,” or ‘‘lady without pity,” and well did she deserve it. Yet it was this haughty beauty that was now gazing out of her window after the distant schooner with wet eyes and flushed cheeks, mur- muring to berself: ‘* Frank, Frank! Back at last! Back at last! Now, farewell to concealment. I will fly with you, if you ask me, for I love you!” As Lady Jane gazed at the distant schooner, she saw a boat put out from the vessel after she had lain for some time motionless, as if unde- cided what to do, The boat looked like a speck on the water, but the young lady had sharp eyes, and saw it pull along the waves, appearing and disappearing, all the time approaching the Government House as straight as an arrow. She colored deeper than ever as she saw it. ‘* Surely,” she murmured, ‘‘ he cannot be go- ing to do anything so rash as that. They will take bim prisoner, and do him some harm. I must go down and puta stop tothis. My father is quite capable of getting rid of Frank, and I am just as determined to marry bim as father is that [shall not There is » spice of romance in all this that suitsme, and L[hkeit. I will go down-stairs, at once.” No sooner had she taken the determination than she executed it; for Lady Jane Blair was not the woman to be daunted by any Governor that ever stepped. She swept down-stairs to the room where she knew that her fatber was in the habit of sitting in the mornings, and found bim there, watcbing the approach of the American boat through a lass, with so much interest that be did not hear er, until she c_me close to bim, and asked ina playful way : ‘* Well, papa, whatis it that you are looking at so fixedly, this morniug? Has unything hap- pened? What was that noise of guns I heard a little while ago?” The old Scotchman looked at hersharply, and answered ber in a hasty and uneasy manner; ‘*Oh, notbing of importance, my dear. What made you come down? I[ expect to be busy, | this morning, and shall not have time to go out riding with you. Take Somers, or one of the others,” ‘Thank you for nothing,” was the rather haughty reply. ‘‘Mr. Somers is such a fool, that he bores me to death. If I must go out, with one of the aide-de-camps, then, give me Ferris. He has brains, if he is copceited.” Lord Gowrie was nonplused., Ferris had been in command of the galley, and it was by no means certain that he was still alive. If he were, then was be surely a prisoner. So my lord hesitated and hemmed for a few seconds, and at last made ouf to say: ‘* Ah, yes, my dear, exac'ly; but Ferris is not here this morning. I sent bim off on duty, and he has not come back yet.” ‘What duty did you send him on?” asked Lady Jane, with an appearance of innocence that hid her real malice. ‘Was it after that American vessel yonder that suuk the galley just now?” Lord Gowrie colored furiously. ‘* Jane,” he thundered, so angrily that the girl at first thought he was about to strike her. ‘* How dare you speak of a misfortune to your country’s vessel, with that levity? Yes, if you wish to know, Captain Ferris was on board the galley, and I fear has gone to a watery grave, ike a gallant officer as he is.” ‘ Oh, no,” replied Lady Jane, in her coldest and most cutting tones; ‘‘ Ferris is not drowned, you may be sure of that, while the Yankees were ready to save his life. Didn’t 1 see them from the window, picking up the poor fellows from the water? Ferris is all right; and I should not wonder if the boat, that is coming to the port now, bas him aboard, full of excuses, to oa mg away his failure to bring in the Ape can schooner.” rd Gowrie frowned at his daughter as stern- ly as he knew how, but Lady Jane was used to his frowns, and did not mind them in the least, Ste had come down to be present at the inter- view that she expected to be going to take place between her father and Blair, and she was not going to budge before she had had her ob- ect. Lord Gowrie frown. i; but perceiving that his tome had no effect on bis willful daughter, he d: } ‘Well, Jane, if Uaptain Ferris ts on board that bout, I sha’: ‘be very glad indeed; but in the mean time it.-omes from an enemy, and it is not proper ‘.at you should be down bere | when I am recviving a flag of truce, You will oe me ri going to your room, and not com- | | send for you.” | Lady Ja z took aseat in a large arm-chair, and replied in her most resolute tones: f Taek 00, but | prefer to stay here. Iam shame MnO ink what the ne pry can ve tosay to you. I never saw a flag of truce come in, and 1 want to see how it is re- ceiv ing down t The old earl bit his lips, but he knew he had to submit. From long experience he had found out that Lady Jane was bound to have her own way,. — that it was cheapest in the end to give it te er. ‘You can stay then, my dear,” he answered, ina resigned way. ‘I suppose that you will not insist on hearing all that we say.” ‘* As for that, I don’t care much about it; but I'am going to be present; and if there is any- thing that is not fit for me to listen to, you had better not say it at all.” replied the lady, in her most severe tones, ‘‘ Surely there can’t be any- thing that I cannot hear, in a communication witb an enemy,” ‘“As you please,” said Gowrie, shrugging his shoulders; and then he made no further obsery- ations on the subject, till the messenger came in to announce that a “boat from the American privateer Emerald was waiting at the wharf, and that the officer in charge bad a flag of truce and wished to speak with the Governor of Jamaica about an exchange of prisouers.” ‘* Send him in,” was Lord Gowrie’s first im- pulse; and then he checked it to add: **No—no; I mean, did you find out what was his name?’ “Yes, my lord. He says bis name is Eaton,” Lady Jane gave a slight start, and murmured to herself: ‘* Eaton—Eaton! Is it possible that he has not come himself?’ The old earl had expected to hear the bated and feared name of Blair; and he was propor- tionately relieved at the strange appellation that met bis ears, ‘**Eaton did you say, Brown? Are you sure that you have made no mistake about it?” ‘Certain, my lord, That was the 1 ame the gentleman gave me.” ‘Very well then, Brown, send him up at ovce, and have some sherry and biscuits ready when I ring. Wedon’t want to be stingy, and let the Yankee go home and tell bis friends that the Governor of Jamaica couldn’t afford to give him a drop to drink when he came ashore with a fag of truce.” ‘* Very good, my lord.” Brown backed out of the room, and the old earl and his daughter waited in silence for the coming of the American envoy, with feelings that differed widely. Lady Jane did not know whether to be disap- pointed, or'to hope, on account of the absence of her lover, while the earl was too much re- lieved at the idea that be should not have to en- counter the dreaded Blair, that he did not much care who else might come, Thé young lady, with the true secretive in- stinct of her sex, took a chair in a place where she could see all that was to pass in the inter- view, and yet keep ber own face hidden from view, Lord Gowrie, on the other hand, paced up and down the room, while he was waiting for the messenger, and displayed decided impa- tience, Presently the footsteps of the returning mes- senger were heard, and he entered the room, pesceding a young officer, who wore a sort of valf-naval uniform, that made him look very handsome, This young gentleman was evidently used to the actions of good society, from the way in which he bowed to Lord Gowrie, as he came in; not showing either embarrassment or undue siiffness, as he saluted; but treating the old mano with the respect due to bis age. Lord Gowrie advanced to meet him in his most imposing manner, ‘*Ah, Mr. Eaton I believe? I can hardly say tbat lam bappy to see you, sir, on an occasion of this sort; but I am glad that the enemy bave chosen a gentleman cf such pleasing persona! appearance to do the necessary business. bwas brought up among gentlemen, and I confess to a prejudice in their favor.” | aton smiled at the open Berner of the old man, and made his reply in a sort of jesting tone: “T on the contrary, am charmed to meet your lordship; for | come to make an arrange- ment that will, I trust, be satisfactory to us both. My lord, you are aware that we have just taken a galley of your navy, and have & great many prisoners?” The earl bowed stiffly. “Yes, sir, 1 am aware of that. It was an unexpected misfortune; but one of those of which war is full. You have come, as 1 under- stand, to propose an exchange of prisoners.” ‘*T have, my lord, to make negotiations that may be mutually advantageous.’ ‘* Ah, yes, yes, and what may be your idea of a fair exchange?” “T came to offer your lordship a p-oposition that will, I think, meet both cur wishes, You bave no prisoners to exchange with us; but you may have some, before Jong, My proposal is that, we put all your men on sbore at once, and that they be paroled, not to serve against the. United States, till fairly exchanged; but in the mean time to bave the privilege of staying at bome, in J. ca. 1s not that a fair proposi-. 10D ben | Eom _* 200) (E 7 Se cor . 4 cs