Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 277 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

- _ ger, right under the jaw. tive to Mr. Blair of Blair-Gowrie. gure, to see all 1 wante if it had been _ she could not Fa . g> Blair winked at bis companion and answered, as dryly as possible: spoiled with God on earth; that’s all. him.” “And how did you get acquainted with her? You haven’t told me that, yet?” said Eaton. **Oh, yes, I was comiug to that when you in- terrapted me. It was at the Governor’s ball that ful, as I said before. Well, youcan fancy that I must have bad spunk to think of getting in- troduced to her. i fruit schooner, to think of getting introduced to the Governor’s daughter, and she a Lady Jane, at that! I swear it makes me laugh at my own oe ov gers now, whenever I think of if.” nd the privateersman leaned back in his chair and laughed at the recollection, As soon as his mirth had subsided sufficiently to speak with plainness, he went on: of knew that it was no use to try and get ac- quainted with her ky going up to the old fellow they call the master of ceremonies and asking him to take me up. He would have gove to her daddy and asked him, and the old man would have frozen up like an iceberg and said ‘ No!’ like an old brute, as he was.” ‘‘ What did you do, then?” “T just made up my mind that I would find out ali about the lady that nigbt, and waylay her the next morning when she went out to ride, the way they all do in that hot climate, before sunrise.” ‘‘ Then ycu were not introduced to her that night?” ‘Yes, I was. Hold on, and listen a bit. I was just beginning to despair of ever getting in a position to speak to such a gorgeous creature, when there was a row at the door, and several women fainted. You see, these Creoles are mighty hot-tempered fellows, and one of them called the other a liar about something or other; and it was less than a minute before there was a regular fight going on by the <dloor, as if the room was turned into a slaughter-bouse, It wasn’t the Englishmen—I'li give ’em that credit —who made the row, but some Spanish fellows, from Porto Rico, that had come in on a man-of- war, and had got to putting on airs over the Englishmen. The row was a big one in less than two minutes, and I saw the Governor coming for the door, near wh2re I was, like an old lion who bad had his tail trodden on, and was going to have his revenge right off, “T saw him go to the fellows that had started tho fight, as if be expected to scatter them like chaff; but they did not know him from Adam, and went on worse than ever. The old man got handled pretty roughly, and one of ‘the Spanish fellows got a knife out, in_ the - scrimmage, and made a stab at him, which would have caught him under the fifth rib, if T hadn’t seen the man, just in time to get the knife away, and give tue Spanisher a sockdolo- lt settled bim, and ave mea reputation among the English, as I ound afterward, as a boxer. Well, the end ; of it was, that I got the introduction to the daughter, through that scrape. ‘The old maa didn’t know who 1 was; for I had only come . into port, the day before; and I knew enough to keep my tongue from betraying me as a Yankee. My name was a help to me, in one way, for the Governor turned out to be a Scotchman; and you know how they stick to- ther. My name is Scotch, and it bappened hat it was the same as that of an old friend of his; so he insisted that I must be some rela- Tc makea ot the introduction, and long story short, | amaica, for three months masqueraded about or more, as a young Scotch gentleman of for- tune, who was traveling to see the vorld. In - that capacity I was one of the best men on the island, and bad an ppupesna , you may be of Lady Jane. I sup- ose that I might never have done what I did, nown in the first instance that I wasan American; but, as it was, I managed to make such plain sailing, that [ won Jane’s heart, and she didn’t hesitate to tell me so, when I asked her. The trouble began just then, after the prize? was won, as far as it could be won, without the old man’s consent. Of cours I had to tell Jane who I was, after she had accepted mé; and I must say that she went on like a lunatic, at first, at the idea of the trick [had played to win her heart. But she cooled down, after a while; and owned that live without me, and that she rather liked my impudence. Then came the trouble with the old man; and the girl behaved like a trump about it; but it was no use. He - wouldn’t listen to it on any terms, and told me -] was a villain, and a base deceiver, and all the rest of it—you, know how these old fellows go on, when some other fellow comes after the daughter than the one they have picked out , a mere skipper of a Yankee | aving everybody bowing down to him, till he has got to think be is a sort of a little He is not what you | would call a villain, or anything of that sort, or I wouldn’t be wanting him for my father-in- law; but he thinks that all the world must bend to him, and Jane and I don’t agree with _ Jane, or even an interview with heryand | have ee saw her first and thought ber so beauti- | mc a } | | | for her. The Earl of Gowrie—that is his name —wesas mad as a bob-tailed bull in fly time, “ He’s a Ne Stand terror, that’s what he is; just | and no mistake about it. The end of it was, ~thatI was obliged to leave Jamaica without never seep her since.” ‘* And when was this?” asked Eaton, after a pause in, the conversation of several roinutes, in which he was trying to think of something to say to comfort his commander, Blair thought a minute. ‘It was just a year ago, last March,” he said, ina dreamy voice, “Jt was like a vision of Paradise to me, and now it’s all over.” Eaton did not laugh at his raptures. On the contrary, he was as sympathetic as only one lover can be when listening to another, telling about the matter that interests them both. ‘Do you think that the lady loves you still, captain?’ he asked presently, when Blair looked at him as if he was asking for an opinion on his story. “I don’t know. I think so; I hope so; but I cannot say for certain,” answered Blair, in the same dreamy manner as before, as he refilled his pipe, that had gone out during bis conversa- tion, “I think she did love me, when | left the Island; but whether she can stand the test of absence is another question. I don’t think f have any rival in Jamaica that I need fear; but there is no telling what the old Governor might do, to get me out of her mind, if be took a notion. She for all I know. “Do you think he would be likely to take her away from the seat of his Government?” ‘‘No, I hardly think he would; unless he got a better place. You see, I have one thing in my favor, which is that the Earl of Gowrie is as oor as & church mouse, as the English say. iat was the reason he was so civil to me at first, when he thought that I was arich young Scotchman.” *“ And why wouldn’t a rich young Yankee do as well asarich young Scotchman, for a hus- band to a penniless girl?’ asked Eaton with some surprise, ‘‘ Ah! there is where the Scotch pride comes in. The old sinner would, I verily believe, rather see bis daughter dead, than married toa Yankee. Sci!l, | have an idea that if he were to see the tangible proufs of riches, such as could not be equaled by any man in England, in my possession, be might relent enough to give us his blessing, for a consideration, That is the way I hope to work him at last, if I get a chance.” Eaton rose to go. ‘“We are a pair of very unbappy lovers, coptain,” he said, with a faint smile, as he held out his hand; ‘* but the fortune of war may yet bring us out of our troubles, with flying colors.” Blair shrugged bis shoulders with a rueful look, “ T hope so, for both our sakes,” he replied. ‘Tn the mean time, Mr, Eaton, put the schooner on her way to Jamaica in the morning; and send her along for all she is worth, Good- night.” CHAPTER VIII. THE EARL OF GOWRIE, On a bright and beautiful morning in the following week, the island of Jamaica was basking in the sun ofa cae ero summer, and the air was quivering with the intense beat of June; when the semaphore telegrapber at the top of the hill which overlooks the port of King- ston, signaled a suspicious sail in sight. Lord Gowrie, the Governor of Jamaica, a handsome, but hot-tempered-looking gentleman of the schoo! of Pitt and the Tories, was noti- fied of the signal, as soon as the messenger, whose duty it was to watch the semaphore- man, could get to the Government bouse; and the old gentleman at once got in a passion, ac- cording to bis wont, and exclaimed: ‘‘What do you mean by that, sir? What do you mean? What sori of a suil isa suspictous one ?” The messenger—a stupid, honest fellow, who bad no idea but to obey orders—could only stammer and answer: ‘I’m sure I don’t know, my lord; but that is what the telegraph man says. I don’t know what he means, any more than you do.” The old earl growled to himself a little, and at last said: “ Go and tell Captain Ferris I want him.” The messenger disappeared, and was presently followed into the room by a very elaborately dressed officer, in the uniform cf an aide-de- camp, who saluted the Governor with profound respect, and inquired in dulcet tones: ‘*To what do I owe the pleasure of this sum- mons, my lord?” Lord Gowrie turned in his irritable way to the messenger, and snapped out: ‘“What the dickens are you waiting for, sir? You are not wanted.” The astonished messenger could only stam- mer: | ‘‘Beg pardon, my lord, but I thought you might have some orders for me.” ‘None, none,” answered the earl more placa- bly. ‘* That’s all, Brown, l’il eall for you.”’ The abashed Brown left the room ina sub- When If want you, _dued manner, and Lord Gowrie continued to | ee es | | EEE eS. eee eee as oe Ferris, as soon as the man bad disappeared: ‘*T don’t want everybody to know our busi- ness, Ferris, Did you see the signal just now?” “Certainly, my lord. The semapbore-man —— a suspicious sail in sight—that was a ‘‘ Aud what does he mean by a ‘suspicious sail?’ Is it a Frenchman, or what?’ ‘*I think, my lord, that be must mean a Yan- kee. There are no French cruisers that would dare to poke their noses in these waters,”, The earl looked decidedly uneasy. ‘“‘A Yankee, do you say’ But the war was only declared a weck ago; and there bas been no time to send any vessels out this way. sure- ly. There must be some mistake, Ferris. W here is the Pomona? The Pomona was the frigate that bad been on the station for scme montbs; and, the com- mander of which, was also the senior ¢ flicer on the West India station, since the departure of Admiral! Hotham, who bad gone to Europe, the week before, with a large convoy of merchant ships to protect them frcm the attacks of possi- bl- Yankee cruisers, on the lockout for prizes. ‘‘ We are all alone on the station till the new squadron comes to us,” replied Ferris. ‘‘ 1 don’t auticipate that this suspicious sail can be any- 1ay have gone back to England, | thing but a small vessel of some kind, prowlin m pew lias about for prizes. If you like, I will take the Spitfire, and go out to bave a look at this fellow, w hoever he may be, my lord,” ** Ay, ay, do, Ferris,” said the earl, with an air of great relief. ‘‘ The fact is that, 1 bave reason to suspect that a particular Yankee bas the impudence to come even here, and make an attempt on the island, to spite me individually; and I should feel easier if 1 knew that the vessel in sight was not bis.” Ferris stared at his chief in some astonish- ment, as he replied: ‘‘Certainly, my lord; but—pardon me for saying it—no man in bis senses would think of making an attempt on a fortified place like this, unless be bad something to gain, in proportion to the risk he runs. Nosingle v« ssel could enter this harbor against cur wish; much less do any harm to the town. The batteries would blow him out of the weter in five minutes.” “ Possibly so, Ferris; but you don’t know those Yankees. The fellow I mean is capable of anything in the way of impudence; and I really believe he would not hesitate to run his confounded vessel into this barbor, right under the muzzles of the fort-guns; and blaze away at the Government House, if be took a notion to do it. Ferris was a new aide-de-camp; or he would not have been as puzzled as he was at the speech of the old Governor. He had heard vague rumors of a love-affair of the Governor’s daughter, in the days before he cam to the island; but had attached no im- portance to them, being bimself in the lists with all comers, as regards Lady Jane; and feeling too much confidence in bis own powers of at- traction to doubt that be could efface an sateyes person from her heart, if he should wis so to do. / So he said, in a way that he tried to make as - indifferent as possible: ‘* | suppose that man, my lord, ell what you speak of; think of suc him out of the water if we never fired a shot till he had got bis range, as you say, right on the Government House, But this vessel must be in sight from the windows here, if I am not very much mistaken, my a madman might do doing anything else? ] am ready to go out the Spitfire, and bring it in eas a prize; but it may not be necessary at all. It may only be a cruiser of our own, that the semapbore-man may not bave recognized at a distance.” The Governor caught at the suggestion eager- ly, and speedily had the best glass in the estab- lishment at his eye, to sweep the borizon in search of the suspicious sail, of which the signal had been sent to bim. The old gentleman was not used to the work, and made a poor hand at it; but Ferris was more fortunate. He took the glass when the Governor the job in despair, and announced that her in a very few minutes, ‘¢ It is a schooner,” he declared, ‘‘ under a press of sail, making her way past the island, and a perenny not trying to enter this harbor at see notbing suspicious about ber, my lord.” ‘‘Then what did the man mean by sendin word that she was suspicious?” asked the ear in his irritable way. ‘ I don’t see why I should be annoyed by this fellow’s mistakes, Ferris, Go and ie him a good scolding, and tell him that if it occurs again he will be discharged from his place,” Ferris, who still bad the glass at bis eye, was about to obey the order when he s and exclaimed: : ‘‘Ah! now I see what he means I think, my e saw JOO is Se) rae i= ve up ou mean the man is.a mad- » but no sane man would a a thing. Why, we should blow '* lord. Would it not © be well to take a look at it with the glass, before * é s ) ork . _£ - Ld , \ | y= (¢ \ >" P J $ j Ot “ « a li —— eel a = a= i