Beadle's Dime Library No. 341 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

=< —_—_—_—. iti cee -_—- ——EE oe ‘‘Ror his sake, for her sake, and for all, when I felt that they could go free on my pledge I gave it.” ‘And you intended to keep it?” ‘Of course, sir,” ‘Tt was very noble of you.”’ Helen made no reply, and the visitor con- tinued: ‘“ My captain—” ‘Your captain, sir?” ‘‘Yes, for I am first officer of the Winged Witch, Miss Hayward,” ‘Your appearance did not indicate, sir, that you had herded yourself with pirates,” said Helen, with scorn. The man flushed, and then answered: ‘‘Circumstances beyond my control, Miss Hayward, made an outlaw of me, and once in the vortex of crime I have found it im- possible to reach the shore of an honorable life once more.” He spoke with a feeling that caused Helen to pity him. and she said, with real sympa- thy in her tone: ‘‘T feel sorry for you, sir; but let me un- derstand, please, what your captain desires of me?” ‘True, I should not keep you in suspense, so kindly pardon me for it, and let me know if it is your intention to still keep this pledge made to Captain Morte?” ‘* Assuredly.” ‘‘ You are aware to what a life it will drag you down?” ‘‘T am aware, sir, that in becoming a pirate’s wife | could stoop to nothing worse,” was the ringing response. “ And yet you prefer to become his wife to breaking your pledged word?” ‘‘Do not misunderstand me, sir. ‘‘T gave my pledged word, by all I held holy, to sacrifice myself. ‘By that 1 saved others, and your captain trusted me and gave me one month before forcing me to keep my pledge. ‘‘PDid I refuse, I well know the terrible revenge he would wreak upon me and mine; es, upon every one who was upon the vessel S captured that day, so I am content to con- tinue being a sacrifice, rather than have fol- low what L know would. ‘‘T had hoped that death might intervene to save me, that Captain Morte might be cap- tured; but such has not been the case, unfor- tunately for me, and your chief still lives to claim my pledge.”’ ‘‘ Perhaps when he comes to claim you he may relent.” “No, it is not the nature of Rupert Morti- mer to give up a game he has once started to run down.” ‘You are right, Miss Hayward, and you have my deepest sympathy, when I tell you that Captain Morte, as we call him, sent me to you to say that he held your pledge as still binding, and that within three months’ time you would see him, for he would come to claim its fulfillment of you.” ‘“When he does, sir, I shall not shrink from keeping it, and so you can tell him,” was the cold reply. With a look that said plainly she consider- ed the conversation at an end, Helen uttered these words, and Duval Dunmore arose, bowed, and moved toward the door. There he turned, and said, earnestly: ‘Miss Hayward, I will tell Captain Morte that you have renewed your pledge to him; but let me say to you, with my farewell, that you must not give up hope that all will come well, for the noble sacrifice you offer must never be demanded of you.” He turned quickly and departed, leaving Helen with a germ of hope in her heart, for she feli that he was no man to speak idle words, and in his had been a hidden meaning et which she clutched, as a drowning man might at a straw. CHAPTER XXXIV. THE OUTLAW LIEUTENANT MAKES A SECOND VISIT. DuvaL Dunmore, the pirate lieutenant, Was certainly a most daring man, or he would never have so openly and boldly play- ed the part he did to gain an interview with Helen Hayward. Departing from the mansion, he went back to his room at the inn, where the land- lord treated him with distinguished consider- ation, believing that he was really an officer of the uavy. The Sea Desperado. He had ordered the best room in the hotel, | when he had arrived in the stage that morn- | ing, and had disposed of the choicest break- fast that could be given him, washing it down with a bottle of rare old wine. Then he had arranged his toilet with care | and gone to make his call upon Helen, with a result that is known to the reader. Returning, he asked of his landlord where he could find the Messmates’ Anchorage. ‘““That is not such a place as to suit one like you, sir,” quickly said the landlord, fear- ful of losing a well-paying guest. ‘‘T have no idea of leaving your hospit- able house, landlord, as long as business de- tains me in your town; but I expect I may meet at such a place as the Messmates’ An- chorage, a seaman whom I wish to see.” ‘Ah, yes, sir, it is the place to find sea- men, and I will go there with you.” ‘“‘ No, thank you, only call a vehicle for me to drive there.” This was done, and Duval Dunmore enter- ed the tap-room of the Anchorage. Captain Tom. sighted him, and, as naval officers never visited his place except to look up deserters or smugglers, he was on his dignity at once, and said sharply: ‘You'll find no pirates, smugglers or de- serters here, sir, for my house is a respecta- ble one.” The lieutenant laughed lightly and an- swered: ‘*Are you Captain Tom?” “That is what my particular friends call me, sir.” ‘* Well, I shall have to claim that distinc- | tion, Captain Tom, and I wish to see you in | private.” ‘I can see you here, sir.” ** Pardon me, but I wish to have a chat with you over a bottle of your good Bur- gundy, which Captain Morte tells me, you keep for his especial use.” At the mention of the name of Captain Morte, the host of the Messmates’ Anchorage turned pale; but he said quietly: ‘‘Captain Morte, did you say, sir?” ud Cer ‘| have no friend of that name.” “Oh, yes you have, for I refer to the pi- rate of that name.”’ Captain Tom fairly shivered: but he felt | that he must keep up a bold front, so he an- swered: ‘*Oh, yes, the pirate; 1 have heard of him, but never have seen him, though I'd take a — SS SE OO —— See day off to go to his hanging.” ‘‘ Nonsense, man, you don’t mean it.” ‘*T do in faith.” “Then I shall tell Captain Morte what you think of him, for he believes you his friend and sent me to you,” and the pirate lieutenant smiled wickedly. ‘Blast your handsome face, what do you mean by scaring me to death just to have your own fun with me? ‘* T’ve half a mind not to tap the Burgundy for you,” growled Captain Tom. ce And to talk business with me in here, eh?” ‘No, we'll take safer quarters in my fort,” and Captain Tom led the way to his fort, as he called his private room. ‘So the captain isn’t dead then?” he said, eagerly. ‘*No, but he had aclose call, and is now lying severely wounded.” ‘‘And who might you be?” | ‘*My name is Duval, and I am first luff of | the Witch.” ‘“Ah! I have heard the captain speak of you; but you caught a Tartar in the British- " foolish to fight when he could run; but it is better as it is.’ | ‘Why so?” ‘It gives that poor girl a respite whom the captain demanded should sacrifice " self.” | ‘You are just my way of thinking there, | leftenant, for, though I like Master Rupert, and would do much for him, I don’t like to see him persecute that poor girl, and I’d give much if he’d let up in that quarter.” ‘But he won't, you may rest assured. and er ‘We did indeed, and the captain ‘ he bade me come to see you, and tell you to keep an eye upon her, as he feared she might be influenced by her parents and or to run off where he could not find en »? 19 ‘Not she, if she gave her word, for it’s in her to marry Satan himself if she made up her mind to it.”’ ‘*So I believe; and the captain told me to tell you where we were now with the brig, and where we would put in at certain dates, so that you could have a messenger there to ee —— ee — — — | give him any information for his good, as to the movements of cruisers and merchant ves- sels, which would be for his advantage.” ‘*Tll do that, but I won’t help him harm that lovely girl, and you can tell him that the one man who is really his friend told you to say so to him.” “1 will tell him, I assure you, and if he will give up his idea of dragging her down with him, I will be rejoiced; but from what I know of Captain Morte, I feel that it is vain to hope that he will do so.” ‘*He’ll never do 1t unless one thing pre- vents,” firmly said Captain Tom. ‘* And what is that?” ‘* Death,” was the ominous reply. After posting Captain Tom thoroughly as to the future movements of the Winged Witch, Duval took his leave, and returning to his hotel remained in his room until the departure of the stage, which would take him by the coast road to a point where he could leave it and join his vessel. CHAPTER XXXY. THE TELL-TALE SEAL. AFrrer the departure of her strange visitor, Helen Hayward sat for some time in deep thought. ‘‘And such a man a pirate?’ she mur- mured. ‘“A man of noble face, and a face that somewhere I feel that I have seen before. ‘‘It is strange, passing strange, that such as he can stoop to sea-robbing, and there must be a fearfully weak spot in his nature to allow him to become what he has, or some dire wrong have been done him to drive him to it. ‘‘ Just to think that Rupert Mortimer, a brilliant man, who could have made his mark in the world, and this man, should be what they are. ‘‘But Rupert Mortimer has a wicked and cruel heart, which only needed circumstances to show what he was; but I am wofully mis- taken if that man has not a good heart, in spite of his hands being dyed with blood.” As she thus mused her eyes fell upon a glittering object near the chair on which the pirate lieutenant had been seated. Stooping she picked it up, and to her sur- prise she saw that it was a massive gold seal, with a crest of diamonds upon one side, set into the stone, and upon the other the initials ae Le Then upon the gold band that surrounded it was engraved: ‘‘ DuvAL DUNMORE OF CASTLE CRAGHBAD.” ‘How strange this is, for he alone could have dropped it. ‘‘Yes, | remember now seeing his fob- chain, and the gold here has worn thin and broken. ‘‘How can I give it to him, I wonder? ‘7 must wait,” and with this she placed it | in her pocket and walking across the hall, tapped lightly at the door of the room occu- pied by Lord Stanwix. His valet opened the door for him, and she asked if she should read to the wounded man. “Oh, yes, and I am glad you have not waited until the afternoon, for | was getting lonesome, Miss Hayward,” he said, pleas- antly. She advanced near the bed and asked: ‘‘ How are you feeling, Lord Stanwix?” ‘‘Far better, I assure you.” ‘‘T am glad to hear that. “Now what shall I read?” “Talk to me instead.” . ‘‘And what shall I talk about?” she said, with a smile which brightened up her face, now becoming so very sad in its expression. “Talk to me about yourself.” ‘‘That will be of little interest.” «Ah, no, for the month is up, I know.” ‘Yes, and I have a resp’tc.” she said quickly. ‘‘- You have seen the pirate then?” ‘No, but his representative.” _ ‘« He feared to come then to claim you?” JOO EGomice * S/COt .