Beadle's Dime Library No. 307 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

ll te, ———we < | | - and iyig upon the snow i "op ‘ing, far down his back The Phantom Pirate. 5 outside, unmindful that but a rope beneath her feet was between her and death, she also burn- ished up two smaller lights, upon either side of the gigantic skull. These were so arranged as to cast a glow rather than a light upon the huge Death’s ead Beacon. Before all this, fastened along the top secure- ly to the rock, fell a huge canvas, The sides were on pulleys, and could be Jow- ered from the cliff, or raised in an instant, whether a gale was blowing or not, When lowered, the canvas, painted the same ‘color as the rocky face of the cliff, would shield the skull, light, and all its appurtenances, from view from a vessel’s decks, even if that vessel was at the very base of the rocky island. it was certainly a most ingeniously contrived light, and a hideous one, while it was one to ‘strike terror to the heart and brain of the super- stitious mariner that beheld it upon a dark, ‘stormy night. “There, my work is done for the day,” said the girl, as she ascended the rope ladder and again stood upon the cliff, ‘The little, vessel bas not moved, and no wonder, for there is a calm, *‘ But that storm is rusbing on, and will soon lash the sea into foam—and then? Poor little vessel, poor cr-w!” and she turned her gazo upon the now darkening skies, which were rapidly shutting out the light of the setting ‘sun, and threatening to lash the sea into wildest fury ere an hour had gone by. CHAPTER VIII. THE WATER WOLVES. WHEN the young girl left the cliff she went ‘back toward the center of the island. | A short distance brought her to another cliff, and from there she looked down upon a strange scene, y The island without was a perfect shell of rock, while on one side, within, was a plotof a few acres of verdure, with trees, grass and a spot that was almost an Eden of Reeant There were several little huts visible, built of wreckage from vessels, and it was certainly a quiet retreat to gaze upon, Behind this little garden spot of yerdure rose the high walls, or cliffs of rock, and in front of it was a basin hardly an acre in size, Down to the water’s edge sloped the land, sands were skiffs of various kinds, with a sail-boat ard a ten-tou smack anchored out in deep water, At first glance this pool and garden spot seem- ‘eq to have no means of ingress or egress; but by ‘looking closely one could see that the cliff, sea- Died was splitin twain from summit to founda- ‘tion, it was a narrow opening, not over thirty feet wide, and winding, too, passing from the sea to the in through the rock, a distance of a couple of hundred feet, Around the rock island was a reef only broken here and ,there, and it was at the break nearly ite the cleft in the rocks that the reader ‘bebeld the masked woman pilot the little schooner, This pass looked impassable to an widotp at pee et» yet the schooner had come through it in safety. Once within the reef the waters were deep, ‘clear into the basin, and protected as it was by the little haven, was a safe anchorage for yes- sels, Over the cliff where she stood gazing with ad- toiration upon the scene below, although she saw it daily, the young girl swung herself upon the rope-ladder, descending with rapidity and ‘perfect confidence. Arriving at the bottom she saw coming to- ‘ward her a young man, He was tall, straight, perfectly-formed, and darkly bronzed as an ndian, He wore his hair, which.was black and curl- and a mustache of the same inkyh ue shaded his upper lip, though it did not hide the even rows of pearl-white teeth that glistened beneath, His eyes were sparkling, but vicious, and his look was one Of cruelty and cunning. ~ He was dressed as a sailor, yet wore rin ‘upon his fingers, bracelets and a necklace; while @ jewel-hilted knife was in the red sash that en- circled his waist. “* Well, Lita, a storm is brewing,” he said as he Spe eephed the girl. **'Yes, Leo,” “Are the lamps all right?” * Certainly, ; you know I never neglect my work.” I meant not to reprove you, Lita; I only asked, as there is a storm coming up, and when fishing some time ago in the inlet, I saw a vessel afar off.” : **'Yes, a small schooner.” ‘She may have a rich freight,” ' “That you will know to-morrow; but mother calls us to pals at The two walked on to the larger of the three cabins, that stood in a row, facing the basin, and where were a man and a woman, The man was attired as a sailor, wore no jewelry, as did the others, and had a bearded face, with black, evil eyes. In his belt he bad a knife and pair of pistols. The woman was hardly more than forty years of age, but her hair was gray, and that caused her to appear older, Her face was browned, but showed traces of former beauty, and her form was still graceful in outline, But, like the girl, Lita, she was attired in regal splendor, wearing silks, laces, velvets and jowels, ip her occupation, as the youth and girl approached, was frying fish over a fire made of bits of wrecking. ‘Girl, there is a storm coming,” said the man, as she approached with the youth, ‘* Yes, father.” “Any craft in sight?” ‘Yes, father.” ‘* Ab! that is good,” ** What is she?’ ** A small schooner,” “Small vessels sometimes carry rich loads, ‘* Where is she?” ” Two leagues away, off the Shark’s Fin ‘* Well she’ll soon feel the storm, and night is coming on, so she will be ours by the morning; but come, let us eat,” and the strange quartetite sat down toa table—evidently taken from the cabin of some unfortunate vessel, and began their repast upon dishes of solid silver, which bad found their way to the Deaths’ Head Bea- con Rock, the home of the Water Wolves of the Bahamas. CHAPTER IX. THE DEATH BEACON, IT was a strange guartette that sat down to supper upon that rock island in the Bahamas, bree of them appeared as though they might be of one blood, viz,, the elderly man, the wo- man and the youth, Leo, There was that about them which seemed to prove their kindred, either as that existing be- tween parent and child, or the relationship that exists among comrades in guilt. It was a strange place for them to live, in that seemingly desolate spot; and that they dwelt there from no motive of good was evident, But, with the girl, who had so coolly brightened up the Death’s Head Lamp, and then descended | to the cabin to supper, with pity in her beart for the little craft that its false rays might de- coy to destruction, it was different. he dressed with all the gaudiness that a bar- barian chief might have done, having the powela, velvets and satins at her command, and in an atmosphere of sin; but then one glance into her beau‘iful face was sufficient to show that no geile dwelt in ber young heart, and what she id that was wrong, she executed in a way as though from habit or compulsion. Having finished her repast, and eaten with a relish that perfect health alone can give, the | young girl arose and started toward the cliff, over which hung the rope-ladder, which in fact was made of a vessel’s shrouds, * Which way, Lita?” asked the youth. “Tam going to see that the lamp is all right, Leo,” she answered, looking back over her shoulder, without stopr'~~, He did not follow her, and she went on he way muttering: * ey know that the lamp is all right, for I never neglect if, hateful :s the work is to me, “But there is a storm rolling rapidly over, and I wish to see if that little eraft is still near- ing this dreaded island.” p the ladder she went, with the utmost ease and.confidence, and as her foot. touched the top of the cliff, thera came a vivid glare across the heavens, followed by the crash of thunder that fairly shook the island. But she did not flinch, for, girl though she was, she had a nerve of iron, and bad faced too many dread storms out in her little skiff, upon the tempest-swept waters, to care for the reg- an elements when her feet were upon terra rma, Her first glance was out upon the sea, and in the gathering darkness she beheld a twinkling light, which she knew was upon the deck of the little vessel. Then she beheld the light dancing about, and knew that the storm had reached the vessel, while to her ears came the roar, as it skurried along over the waters, howling most furiously, as here and there an island or rock barred its way. Srekin the rope-ladder hanging over the skiff, and heading to the Death’s Head Beacon, the young girl quickly descended to a shelter on one side of it, and, raising the cany*s screen, the act sent the weird glare of the false lights out over the waters, | Then she stood there, crouching out of the fierce fury of the tempest, while ber eyes took in the scene of appalling grandeur spread out before her. A false step, a tremor of the nerve, would bere burled her into the depths below to instant ea But there was no quiver to her slender frame, no fear in her utterly fearless heart. Thus she waite ‘Seemingly for some purpose « f - : a . . . 4 - bad Ae ; ‘ ‘caiv ! BY = >. I - = —mb. dd — - ~— - other than to observe the tempest from that giddy hight, ; bay out over the dark, wind-swept waves, and in a direction different from the one where she had seen the little vessel, her eyes fell upon a startling sight, yet one that did not seem to frighten ber, And how could it, with her body pressed against the buge skull that was then striking terror to the hearts of those upon the little vessel, It was the Phantom Pirate she beheld, the same ghastly craft that had so amazed and appalled those on the little vessel, at whose helm stood the masked woman in black, “The Water Wolves are at their ghastly work again,” muttered the girl, and she allowed her eyes to rest upon the seemingly phantom craft for a while, and then turned them once more in search of,the little vessel. In the driving spray that flew across the waters, it was some time before even her keen vision detected the craft. Then she discerned the tiny vessel, fying along like the very wind, and she cried, as though in terror: ‘Ob, Heaven haye mercy! it believes it is in the channel between the Death Rock ard the Pitfall Reefs, and will soon dash to ruin!” A few momen’s after she said: “It is almost upon the Pitfall Reefs, and I~ must do my duty, or father Sllaro will kill m FF *“Yes, he would kill me!” So saying, she seized the halyards that con- trolled tha canvas screen and drew it quickly down over the skull Jamp, and all was darkness upon the waters, Then sbe hastily ascended to the cliff top, and turning, gazed earnestly down into the gloom and chaos to find the vessel she had just seen driving toward destruction, Nowhere was it visible, and with a shudder she muttered: “How quickly and silently she went to her doom, and without a shriek from her poor crew, ‘Ah me! this is fearful,” and she turned slowly away from the cliff, little dreaming that the craft she had believed so suddenly wrecked, was then lying in safety under the very shadow of the rocks upon which she stood, CHAPTER X. THE MASKED WOMAN’S DISCOVERY. I WILL now return to the masked woman and her companion, who, the reader will remem- ber, left the little vessel at its dangerous anchor- age beneath the Death Rock’s shadow, and rowed shoreward in the small boat. The force of the waves, though broken by the outer reefs, was svfficient to urge the boat into the pass that saddenly opened before their eyes, and they found themrelves thus within ‘the secret basin, that no seaman sailing by the island in broad daylight, would have suspected the existence of. : All was darkness about them, and the storm was still imager the seas without, while the waves, falling with thundering sound upon the rocks, fairly shook the island, Across the basin, where the waters were com- aratively calm, the woman ordered the man row, and before long the bows of tke boat ran out upon the sand, , “Wait for me hers,” she said, as she sp on shore, and then, pausing, she ordered: “ Turn the stern of your boat in there, rest on our oars, and be ready to pull away if need ‘I will be ready, I assure you, for I like not this place,” answered the man, The woman gave a low laugh, and walked away. in the shadow of some trees she beheld a U light twinkling, and thither she cautiously mado her way. A short walk brought her to the cabin, nest- ling away in the trees, and through one win- dow, taken from the stern cabin port of a ves- sel, she beheld the interior, for a ship’s lamp swung above a table, : In front of the cabin burned a fire cf fagots, or rather of wreckage, and this was flickerinj under the gusts of wind that came cver the cliff tops, and through the passage in the reeks leading into the basin. In the cabin was one person, and that one 4 was & woman, At once the eyes of the masked woman be- came riveted upon her face, with a kind of fascination which she could not shake off. It was the wife of the wrecker she beheld, and she sat at the table, the gat falling brightly upon her face, once beauti ul, yet now stern, and in her hands she held a skull which she was gazing upon with the look of one who traced ia the pai lineaments before ber a resemblance to some loved friend, and had her mind filled with memories of the past as she gazed. _ The woman without the cabin had faced the mad seas with never so much asa tremor, and had, by her undaunted courage, ruled the men tye . < 202 )= gos 3 Neb v if ' ' ge i - - ” ‘ e. - oa. » lt —— ~ a Cae oe & —_ y = E <3 rr. - Pas ~ ~~ wl nw “; . ~ <a < - bs 7 oe ‘ ’ * r . . ~ ~ rod ere 2 = ~ “ * A +4 - ~ ~— ea 1 Ny ie ~ ‘ oP ae *,4 ‘ 47 (S “S + a, Eom about ber, 7 Eomichboo i) ii -