Beadle's Dime Library No. 307 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

The Phantom Pirate. » 3 oo eR EEE — ee oe “curiosity-shop” by day, that the house was indeed haunted, was filled with secret passages, and often ghosts were heard walking the de- serted corridors by night. The room in which the man stood meditating, ‘was one that seemed more like the sanctum of an author, and studio of an artist, than the private office of a lender of gold, for articles of all kinds, statuary, armor, books, paintings and curiosities from many lands adorned the rooms. At last the man, whose face showed that he was musing deeply, turned, and the light from a window opening upon a garden court, fell full upon his dark face. It was a face to see and not forget. The face of a refined man, and withal a pol- ished villain, one that might deceive the inno- rect but mever one who read human nature well. “IT dare not remain longer, and I must fly, for, when that womian knows that she has not killed me with her poison, as she believes, she will return, and all will be Jost. “Thank Heaven I have my wealth so that I can take it with me. ‘** Now to get it, and the world can think what it pleases of the fate of the money-lender.” As he ceased speaking be removed a heavy rug from the floor, and theu putting bis foot upon a secret spring, a part of the flooring slid back and a cavernous aperture was revealed, Into this the man descended, and the chink of gold arose from below. Then the door softly opened and a boy en- tered, A boy with a handsome, daring face, and with a certain sadness resting in the eyes that told a story of scenes in his past, young as he was, for he seemed hardly more than sixteen, that had taken much of the sunshine from his young life, It was the clerk of the money-lender, and, as his eyes fell upon the open trap, bis face be- came livid, his form trembled, and springing forward he closed the aperture, while throug his shut teeth came the words: ‘¢ At last! at last! my moment of revenge has come against that man. ‘*He ruined my father and caused him to take his own life; he kidnapped my little sister, and broke my mother’s heart, and drove mea wanderer forth in the world. ‘‘He knows me not as the boy of eight years old whom he last saw by bis dead mother’s side; but I swore revenge against him and it has come, for, in that vault he will soon die, while I, with his bank-notes here, will now seek the wor'd over for my little sister,” Muffled sounds now came from below; but soon these ceased and ali was silent. Then the boy took a seat and coolly looked over a roll of bank-notes he took from a small sachel, ** They are as much mine as his, for he robbed my father of his gold and his life. **] will take them, for bere is a small fortune, and it will aid me to try and find little Lita,” With this the boy pissed out of the room, shuddering as he glanced back at the trap that was over the vault, and where he knew that he had shut a man up to die, yet one who well merited punishment for his crimes, Two days after strange stories were floating through the city of the mysterious disappear- ance of the rich money-lender, and he was searched for far and wide, and the old mansion was ransacked from ground floor to attic, but without avail. Those who were in his shop could tell nothing regarding him, and then came out the secret that his confidential clerk had also most mys- teriously disappeared. As days into weeks, and neither the money-lender or his confidential clerk could ba found, the authorities shut up the old mansion and left it to its former fate once more, that of desertion, and many said, to the ghosts that had long inhabited its chambers. CHAPTER IV. A STRANGE PAIR, WITHIN &@ room of an inn in the Crescent City, only a short distance from where stood the Haunted Manor, sat two persons, several days after the scene where the money-lender was buried alive in bis secret money-vault. The one was a woman, dressed in deep black, and with her face vailed so completely that it was not in the least visible. Her form was graceful in outline and wil- ' lowy, while her motions were rapid and seem- ingly nervous. ‘Phe other was a young man of twenty-four, perhaps, possessed of an elegant form, and hand- some face, though one that was neither to be trusted or would win esteem. They would converse together for awhile in earnest tones, and then remain silent for long minutes. ** You are sure that you killed him?” sudden- ly asked the young man, addressing the wo- man, a ‘* Boy, do you think I am a fool?’ was the harsh response. td No; but tell me again about your visit to im. ys ——“—_-__- -- Orono es SE sss ee “T went, under Bite of borrowing money, and told him I had need of an immense sum, for I wisbed to hear from his own lips that he was as rich as you said he was,” “TI should know, having been for a year in his employ,” impatiently answered the man. “* He offered to lend me any sum, placing no limit, so that my security was good. “Then it was that I asked him fora glass of wine, as I felt weak, and begged him to also join me. ‘*He poured out the wine into two glasses and attracting bis attention to something else, I placed the poison in his glass.” “* Did you see bim drink it?” ‘Boy, were not the results conclusive, for soon he half-swooned away, and then I raised my vail and showed him that I was his wife, the woman he bad so cruelly deserted, leaving ber in the hands of savages, while he made his escape, sought this land and made a fortune.” “ He knew you?” ‘* Yes, in spite of all,and he knew that he owed his death to me.” ** Did you see bim die?” ‘* Yes, and then | left and came back here to tell you.” “It is strange that bis body was not found in his room,” “That is strange; but my idea is that bis clerks, finding him dead, and fearing that they would be accused of murdering and robbing him, hid the body away, perhaps in some secret cell of the old Haunted Manor.” ‘* But the boy’s disappearance, too? ‘* How do you account for that?’ ‘““He may have found him dead, robbed him, and then fled, while the others bid him away.” ** It must be so; but very little has he left.” **Tbat can be found, yes; but I shall red my eye on that old house, and some day claim it, as his wife, and when I tear it down, there will be gold found hidden deep in its walls, ay, and precious gems, too.” “Why not do so now?” ‘* Because we would be suspected as his mur- derers, if we tore down the old place now,” ‘‘And having failed in getting our fortune, what then?” “I did not fail in my revenge, boy; but bay- ing aa in the fortune, we must make one.” ** How ** As I have in the past.” “ Ys fhe 0 too, if d tf es, and pi , if you do not fear to take a vessel under the sable flag.” **No, one life is as dangerous as the other, and it is gold I seek; but it will never do for you to go back to the old island.” ‘*Nor will I, boy; but to a far better field.” ** Where?” “The Bahamas,” “There are strange stories told of scenes among these islands.” “* What care I, and what sbould you care?” ** Sea-spooks and death-crafts I have a horror of,” and the man shuddered, The woman laughed, and her harsh tones vanished, as she broke forth in a burst of musi- cal laughter. “You seem amused,” growled the young man. “T am, when you seem to fear the super- natural,” “‘ After all I have seen I yet am superstitious enough to believe in sea-spooks,” “T am not, and my fear is of the living, not the dead, ‘* But, come, we must away from here,” ‘* And whitber shall we go **The landlord told you that a vessel sailed for Pensacola to-night, did he not?” **Then we sail on her.” ** And then?” “We will charter a craft and go where I think best,” was the calm reply of the woman, and there was that in her tone that told she meant to be obeyed. CHAPTER V. THE ESCAPE. WHEN the money-lender beheld the trap close above his head, saw the white face of the boy avenger, and heard his words, he for a moment stood like one dazed. Then he sorhege D4 the iron ladder and called loudly for help, ting the trap with his fists. But there was a double flooring, and bis voice and blows could hardly be heard by the boy, and still more were unheeded, There was a Jantern in the vault, and this showed the place to be small, and stoutly walled on every side, excepting where an iron door seemed set in one wall. For a man who had been buried alive, the face of the money-lender looked strangely uncon- cerned, and his manner was little like one who felt post he must die a — : neo cn ave my gems,a must depart; but that accursed may cause me trouble by his revengeful actif Ido not hasten, — “So be is the son of that man and that wo- man, is he? “y always thought he had a familiar look about hin, but I did not recall bim; and no wonder, when he was a boy of eight then. ‘* Well, bis parents are in their graves, and where bis sister is I know not, nor care, so he never finds ber, and the kidnappers I hired to do the work, did it too well for bim to do that. ** And he thinks he has avenged them all by burying me alive? **So let him think, and let the world believe me dead, ‘* Now let me see if Iam really buried alive, or if l can not find my way out of this vault!” He threw open the iron door now, and damp air blew in his face, causing him to shudder, and remark: ** That does smell like the grave.” Taking up bis lantern, he stepped into the open space, which was a tunnelway, very par- row, and not bigh enough for him to stand, thus causing bim to go in a position bent far over, The flooring, though paved, was wet, and the place uninviting in the extreme; but it was like a road to Paradise, to the one who was using it as a means of escape from death. On, on, he walked, a turn bere and there, and at last be came to the foot of a ladder of iron. Ascenditg tbis, and leaving the lantern on the floor, iv the water which bad oozed through the bricks, Le came to a smal) iron shutter, just large enough to give egress toa man. After a short search be found a spring, which he touched several times without any result. **Great God! is it not going to open?” he gasp- ed in sudden fright. Again be placed bis band upon the spring, and pressing with all bis might, he uttered a ery of joy as the iron sbutter swung open slowly upon its rusted hinges. Glancing out, be saw only the branches of trees, which there grew against the wal) of the house in profusion. But he sprung from the window to the ground, and reclosed the shutter, which was so painted as to resemble the wall of the bouse, and, being also concealed beneath the foliage, its presence would never have been suspected, He found bimself in a garden, with a bigh wall upon one side, and tbe wings of the old manor surrounding it on the other three sides. In the wall was a gate, and it was locked; but a key Le took from bis pocket opened it, and be found bimself in a side street. Rapidly be walked along unti] he came to a a oaken portal. his Was one entrance, upon another street, of his own house, the Haunted Manor. A key he carried also unlocked this door, and he passed into a large deserted ballway. Up the broad stairway he went, his steps awakening dismal echoes as he went along, causing a tribe of rats to skurry away here, and mice to scatter from his path to+ome safe retreat, . ; Following a narrow ball upon the second floor, he came, at last apparently to its end, But he seemed thorougbly acquainted with the old mansion where he bad so long dwelt, aint touching a spring, a panel opened in the wall, This displayed a narrow stairway, lading down into his own sanctum, which it entere by a secret panel, and where he had so recently left to descend into the vault, where be had eer been buried alive, e until be came again to an i wall before him, which could be but dimly seen by the light cf the open panel into the large corridor. Another spring was touched, and the wall turned on an axis, displaying a small recom, which he crossed to an iron door upon which he Fappes. t was immediately opened by an old negress, one whose face was wrinkled ard cunpirg. ‘*Is your mistress ready?” asked the money- lender. ““Yes, massa, she sav she will be soon, The room be entered was a handsome one, yet its surroundings and approaches, gave one the idea that it was a gilded cage, or prison. At that moment a form swept into the rocm and approached the money-lender. A woman of wondrous be-uty of face, ele- gance of form and fascination of manner, that might make men ber slaves. Her eyes were large and lustrous, yet now tinged with a dreamy look of touching sadness, She was dressed in an out-door suit, that ses off her superb figure to perfection. ‘*Lady, I have come to tell you that we must fly at once, as I said to you I feared would be the case, when I last saw you.” ‘* But, senor, you are pale, and your boots and clothing are damp and mud-stained,” said the woman ina voice that was rich-toned and full of music. “Yes, the necessity of an immediate flight is such, that I was forced to leave my cflice by a secret tunnel under the flooring, and you know our vaults in this city are damp places; but are you Si lady?” 8s “ And your disguises?” am ready, sab, or dat is to pon bis right was a hallway, and along this S) Cc “ Are here, for Gor atte. ; 5 (oY)