Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 346 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

— ¢ eee a caw ——— wer we eee ee 18 “You are playing the spy upon me, I see,” the colonel retorted, sternly. ‘Oh, yes; I did not wish to see you ruin yourself,” ‘‘ Why this interest in me, woman?” ‘* Well, if you are ruined, I wish to be the cause of your fall, do you see, and I had rio idea of allowing you to pledge my jewels, as ou would have done, had I not put on this Visguise and gone back. ‘* Now, colonel, get your horse and go home, for I have no idea of letting you as- sassinate me.” ‘“ How dare you—”’ ** Don’t get angry, for we understand each other, and so well, that I will make good to you a thousand of your losses, as you may need money at the prison. ‘‘ Here are a thousand dollars, colonel, and I warn you to go home, and not back to yon- per salon. “Tf you do not heed, beware With this the disguised woman raised her hat politely, bowed and walked away. But Colonel Brandt had received a warn- ing he dared not disregard, and going to the stable where he always put his horse up when he rode into the city, he mounted and rode home, angry with himself and all the world, and from this humor the reader will remember he had not recovered when he awakened the following morning. CHAPTER XXVIII. THE COMPACT WITH RUDOLPHO. Tue second time she left the Palace of Chance the Smuggler Queen, as the reader now knows the cloaked and bearded stran- ger to be, walked off a little distance and then halting in the shadow, watched Colonel Brandt, as he stood where she had left him, in the full glare of the swinging lamp. Presently the planter walked away to the stable, and the Smuggler Queen followed; but seeing him mount Ais horse and ride toward home she muttered, as she turned away: , “The warning had good effect. see Don Rudolpho!’ ! Ten minutes after she reached the shop of the money-lender, just as the clerk was clos- ing the door, for Rudolpho kept late hours, as many of his customers dropped in after night, and many of them, too, were men who could not stand insnection by sunlight, ** Is the Don in?” she asked. _** He is, senor,” ‘*Can I see him?” ‘*T will bear your name, senor.” ‘* Restel.” Bono walked off, to soon return and state that the Don would see the Senor Restel. “In Heaven’s name, lady, what new dodge is this?” exclaimed the money-lender, as Rita entered his private office, and throw- ing herself into a chair, removed her hat and false beard. ‘*[ have been tracking the planter, the reply. **Colonel Brandt?” '“ Of course—who else?” ** Well, lady?” ‘* My husband escapes to-morrow night.” ‘‘Ha!l you are sure of this?” and the mon ey-lender changed color. ‘* Yes, I am sure of it.” ‘“You have arranged it, then?” ‘*T have arranged that he gets out of pris- on, drives along the river-road, and is there to be rescued by some of my men,” ‘* And then, lady?” ‘“‘Then he is to take a boat and pull for the schooner Sea Fox, which is to be already in the possession of your men.” “This isa desperate undertaking, lady.” - Captain Barto is in a desperate fix, se- nor.” ‘Granted; but why would it not be better to have him drive at once to the lake-shore and board your lugger?” ‘*I need the lugger where she is, senor, for another purpose, so you must do as yos said, and get me a crew to seize the Sea Ox.’ ? Now to 2 was ‘**It is such a short notice, rn be ‘Gold buys time, Don Rudolpho.” ** Yes, gold will work wonders, lady.” ‘And I have the gold to give you.” ‘You will need how many men?” ‘¢One hundred, for he must have a good crew.”’ : ‘“‘He will not then use the vessel as a Ocean Guerrillas) means of escape to another land, but raise the black flag again, I take it, from your words?” ‘*Of course he will remain a pirate, for there is no other life open to him; but for the present he will seek other waters in which to hoist his flag.”’ ‘‘Lady, it will cost a round sum to get men on such short notice, and good men, too.” ‘Tt must be done, cost what it will.” ‘*T have some three-score I can count on, and soon pick up; but you want more.” ‘* Yes, one hundred good men.” ‘‘The Sea Fox has about a dozen on board of the old crew.” ** Yes, and you can buy them.” ‘* Perhaps they are not for sale, lady.” ‘* Bah! all men are forsale, Don Rudolpho, if one has the money to buy. ‘“‘T teli you to buy them, cost what they will.” “The Sea Fox is fortunately away just now.” ‘* Yes, and you can go on board, or send some reliable person— Ha! I will go my- self, and I'll guarantee the schooner is mine one hour after dark.” “You are a wonderful woman, Lady Rita.” ‘You prove yourself a wonderful man then, by carrying out my plans. ‘*Listen, | wish twenty men at the Live Oak point between the town and Brandt's mansion. ‘‘They must be on the other side of the river at sunset, cross in boats, and you have a man there to meet them, whom you can trust.” “* | know the man, lady.” ‘*Good! let him be there, and when the Brandt carriage comes along, he must spring out, knife the horses to prevent their run- ning, drag the guards out and kill them, and bear the prisoner to the buat and thence to the schooner. ‘“‘In. the mean time, Don Rudolpho, you must send the remainder of your men on board the schooner, where I will be, and I will see that the crew there offer no resist- ance. ‘*Then, when the boats come with my hus- band, the Sea Fox shall fly down the river to safety. ‘Do you see my plan?” “Yes, lady, and I[ trust all will work well.” ‘* All shall go well, Senor Rudolpho, for I will not fail in my part and see that you do not in yours. ** Here, use the jewels, and they will give you ample means for your purpose. ‘* To-morrow I will see you again. ** Good-night.” With this the Smuggler Queen dashed the gems down upon the table, and, resuming her beard and hat, left the room, the money- lender rising politely and bowing her out. As she departed, he called to his clerk and said: ‘Bono, go to the quarters of Captain Mendez ale tell him to come here at once and bring his lieutenant with him.” ‘Yes, senor,” and the youth disappeared. ‘‘Now I will plot, too, my _ beautiful Smuggler Queen,” said Don Ru nv ow and his eye had a wicked gleam in it as he spoke. CHAPTER XXIX. A DUEL FOR LIFE, Bur to return to the Witches’ Isle, and the scene that followed the return of the giant guard and his prisoner. During the absence of her guard, or watch- man, the Witch sat in her hideous chair and gazed fixedly upon the young midshipman, who, though nervous at the look or rather stare of one whom he eertainly had cause to dread, and could not but believe was in some way allied to the Evil One, yet met her glance unflinchingly. In fact Irving Brandt had made up his mind te meet what came with andaunted mien. He had escaped from the revenge of the Smuggler Queen, and he had found safety in swimming toa craft from which the smug- glers had fled in terror. He had put foot on the island, faced its supernatural terrors, and yet lived, and, face to face with the dreaded Witch herself, he yet had from her lips a promise of life, should he prove victor in a combat she had arranged for him. If victorious, her words told him that he became her slave. So be it, he thought; as a slave he would plot to escape, and, if he found a way, witches, wizards, bloodhounds and all the terrors of the island should not prevent him. Such were his thoughts as he stood under the gaze of the old Witch, and as he saw the bloodhounds coming down the ravine, and knew that the giant and his prisoner were not far behind, he muttered: ‘“* T'll escape if I have to set sail in that in- fernal coffin craft.” In a little while the giant guard and his prisoner came in sight. It was Perdido, the mutineer. “You know that man; I see it by your face,” said the Witch. ‘“Oh, yes, I have seen him before.” ‘*He was a mutineer?” ‘Yes, and worse still, sought to kill and rob a woman, which, smuggler though she was, showed his dastard nature,” boldly re- sponded Irving. ‘You are a good swordsman?” queried the Witch. ‘Yes, a fair one.” ** And he?” ‘*T know not what he can do.” “You will soon find out.” A moment after the guard and his pris- oner arrived, Perdido was a Spaniard by birth, and his nature was full of superstition. He had been a sailor, too, once an under- officer in the Spanish navy, and afterward a pirate, and he was not one to shrink from any red deed; but he nowshrunk back as he faced that dread old being in her death-chair. He had had a hard struggle for life the night of the wreck, but, with several com- panions, he had clung to the wreckage of mast and rigging until washed ashore. Then they had sought a light visible up a ravine, and not once suspecting where they were. | They had just come in sight of the cave, and shrunk back in horror into a thicket, when Irving came in sight, and then the bloodhounds, scenting strangers near, had rushed upon them. As fleet as a deer, Irving Brandt had es- caped, and Perdido had managed to draw himself up into a tree; but before his eyes he beheld the sickening sight of his com- rades torn to pieces by the savage brutes, heard their frenzied shrieks of terror and anguish. Then he had been discovered by the giant guard and made a prisoner, to be thrown into a ghastly den, and have the same mad brutes his keepers. These sights had told upon Perdido, and now, as he faced the Witch, he was’ white- faced and haggard-eyed. “Do you know that youth?” asked the Witch, pointing to Irving. | ‘Yes, he is a mutineer,” was the reply. “ Liar!” cried Irving, moving toward ies: but the Witch checked him with her wand and asked: | ‘* Why do you call him a mutineer?” ‘He led a pre on our ship and ran her ashore, to drown all on board, that he might ossess the booty she carried, for he did not now this to be the Witches’ Isle,” was the unabashed response of the mutineer. The Witch smiled and glanced at her guard; but he showed no sign that he had heard what Perdido had said, and she re- marked: ‘Well, sir, you tell different stories; but as it is no affair of mine which of you is guilty, and both of you cannot remain alive upon this island, I have determined that one of you must die.” k ‘He is guilty, let him die,” urged Per- dido, quickly, Irving smiled, but made no reply, and the Witch continued: “The one who lives must be my abject slave.” ‘‘ That youth does not beg for his life.” ‘* His conscience is so fearful he wishes to drown it by death,” and Perdido spoke with a neryous PR ges that showed how well he knew his danger, and yet loved life so well as to beg piteously for it. ‘Of the two faces, stamped as they are JOO | GOmiic Bul on i me e wef