Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 346 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

“ c . . : > A aa > | ; 4 Al ! , ny seen by me, you bear the guilty one,” said the Witch, sternly. “No, no; I am not guilty, and if you spare my life I will be your slave.” ‘*TIt is not for me to Fas your life.” “To whom then am [ to plead?” and the cowardly wretch glanced earnestly about him. “To your own nerve, your courage, and your skill with a sword.” ‘‘T do not understand you.” ‘Bring forth the rapiers!” ordered the Witch. The guard entered the cavern, Perdido’s eyes following him, while Irving Brandt was gazing down the ravine out upon the glimpse of blue water beyond. “In a moment the giant returned, bearing in i } | * ~ ee Ocean ‘Guerrillas. NS down the river on the further shore, without attracting attention at the navy fort. ‘* And if she does, we will run the gantlet of the fire, while, if they send the Sea Ghoul in chase, why, as she outran the Sea Ghoul and captured her, it is not likely that she will be overhauled, though I hear that the navy commandant has put some extra rig on the schooner that Captain Palafox suggested to have done. ‘Now what a strange man that Palafox is. ‘‘ Why, when he was a sea robber, be only brought two vessels under foreign flags, and then, when he sent his booty here, he always gave one-third of the money to charity. ‘‘ Now he has turned honest, bears a roving commission uuder Government, and a par- don in his pocket, and I know does a great his hand two superb blades, both exactly deal of good with his money. alike. ‘‘Well, every man to bis own liking; but “There, sir, is the weapon that must save he is one I prefer to have for a friend rather or lose your life for you. ‘Take your choice!” ordered the Witch. Perdido looked at the blades and then at her, while he allowed his hand to rest upon the hilt of one. “Take it, and with it face the one you ac- cuse, for it shall be a duel for life between you. “Tf you kill him, you will save your life and become my slave. ‘If he kills you, the same fate awaits him. _“ Now cross weapons, and let the play be- in,” The Witch spoke with the utmost calm- ness, and, now fully realizing what was ex- pected of him, Perdido seized a weapon and wheeled toward the midshipman, his face flushed with hope, for never had he met his superior with the sword. ‘“*Ready!’’ said the deep tones of the giart, and confronting each other, the two blades crossed with a ring and a clash that made the sparks fly. CHAPTER XXX. A VILLAIN’S SOLTLOQUY. Ir was already late at night, verging on the hour of twelve, when Don Rudolpho dis- pe his clerk Bono after one Captain endez, But the Don was accustomed to late hours, and in New Orleans then, as now, most of the deeds of deviltry were done under the cover of darkness, and the money-lender had determined upon a rare piece of rascality. As he paced to and fro, his face writhed with his thoughts, a thing that would not have happened had there been any one pres: ent to behold him, for the money-lender had no tell-tale countenance. “* And, as he walked he soliloquized, and ‘aloud, for he knew no ear could hear, and his voice gave emphasis to his thoughts. — Well,” he said, ‘‘I will be a fool if I lon- ger delay. “T love that woman to desperation, and her busband stands in my way. ‘“‘And he the one who sought to kill me with that fatal powder, but then, had I not opened the packages, I would not have suf- fered, that is true. “And how that dead boy haunts me, whom I had such trouble in getting out of the house after the powder had killed him. ** But he is safe at the bottom of the river now, thank Heaven, and it is believed that he ran off and went to sea, “Well, I guess he will go to sea when the river floats his roe there,” and the money- lender chuckled at his low wit. ‘‘ Now that woman refused my love when I was masked the other day, and asked her to become my wife, and I cannot wonder at it; but, with Captain Barto, as they call Barton Keys, out of the way, I believe she will turn to me, and I shall at least try her. ‘Tf she does not willingly, then I will make her my wife anyhow; but I think I can win her by kindness, after he is out of the way. ‘Now, to accomplish all that she wishes done is no easy matter. ‘‘She says she will handle the few men left on the Sea Fox, and I do not doubt but that she will, if she gives a fortune to each one, for, though they reformed under their ; i | | ee than an enemy. ‘* But to my little scheme. ‘‘Now I can get Mendez and his men to carry it out for me, and as I put the old pi- rate afloat in a fine vessel, he must obey my orders for the present. ‘*Let me see what is best to be done. ‘*T have it: 1 will leave Bono in charge for afew days, and then I will know just what will be the upshot of this foolish love affair of mine, for foolish it is. ‘But I cannot help it. ‘*T love the woman more than my money, and I will sacrifice half I have, if need be, to et her. ‘Oh! if the world only knew what Don Rudolpho, the money-lender, was worth, would nct a howl be raised? ‘But I take big risks, and I make big profits. ‘* Now there is my trade with sea-rovers— see how that pays me, and my interests on loans bring in a fortune. ‘* But | deserve it. ** Who would think, to look at my fresh, outhful-looking face, that I had touched the alf-way mark to a hundred years? ‘*No one, for men call me young, and I look it. ‘‘Ah me! I wish I could clear up one mystery of the past. ‘Tt is the nightmare of my life, for I can- not believe her and her child dead. ‘* Yet I should not doubt it. ‘*And even if they were not dead, they would never escape from where I left them, and more, they would never find out Don Rudolpho. ‘*No, no; I must not think of them. **Tt only worries me and makes me ner- vous, and that it is that makes men grow old before their time. ‘* Well, I am determined upon this scheme of mine to win this woman, come what will, and this night I shall lay the plot. ‘‘Ah! there is the knocker resounding; it is Bono, returning with old Mendez and his lieutenant,” and thus interrupted in his so- liloquy, Don Rudolpho arose and passed ye, his silent shop to open the outer oor. CHAPTER XXXI. A TRIO OF VILLAINS. THERE were three persons at the outer door—Bono, the clerk, who had stepped into Perdido’s shoes, and two others. ‘** Bono, ty are at liberty to go,” said the Don, and he ushered his visitors into his sanctum. ‘‘Be seated, senors, and there is wine, and here cigars and cigarritos.” One of the two men was a grizzly lookin old seaman of fifty-five, with white hair an beard, a fierce, black eye, and a skin like parchment. The other was a young man of half his years, and so much like him that it was easy to see that they stood in the relationship to each other of father and son. Both were dressed in sailor costume, and there was beneath their loose jackets the sus- picion of a belt of arms. They both took a pull at the decanter, lighted a cigar, the old man, a cigarrito the young one, and then turned to their host, who had thrown himself back in his easy- chief Palafox, ‘once a thief, always a thief,’ | chair and was awaiting their convenience to and they will be open to bribery. ‘‘The craft is all stored for a cruise, with begin the conversation. ‘‘Captain Mendez, you have been in hard anmmunition and all on board, and can drop luck, I believe, since you ran your schocner a mo~* a eee ee 19 on the Florida reefs to escape capture?” said Don Rudolpho. ‘‘ Hard luck indeed, Don, I can tell you, and I have had to hide here like a rat in @ hole, owing to the licks against we sea rovers. of late; but I was not born to despair, and have hopes of getting a vessel con. ‘‘ Yes, you have hope, for | ntend to fur- nish you with a craft.” ‘‘You! this is indeed good of you, Don Rudolpho.” ‘“Of course I have my own ends to for- ward.” ‘‘Oh, of course; what man has not?” “No man.” ‘‘But if you help me, it is but right that I should help you.” ‘So I think, Captain Mendez, and that is why | sent for you. ‘‘ Now, how many men have you?” ‘‘T can put my hand on a clean half-hun- dred.”’ ‘*In how long a time?” “ By dawn, if need be.” ‘Good! that shows business; but-can you not get a few more?” ‘« Yes, a score, perhaps.” ‘* Well, I can furnish the balance through my agents,” ‘‘ What! you need so large a crew?” ‘Yes, ninety to a hundred.” ‘‘Desperate work, I guess, senor?” ** All outlaw work is desperate.”’ ‘True; well, lam ready to do anything, for I lost my gold with my schooner, and what you have on storage for me is running low.” ‘* Now to the craft.” ‘‘ What is she?” ‘* A schooner.” ‘*Good, I feared she might be a fleet lug- ger, a brigantine, or something else for coast work.”’ ‘No, it is for any work you please, after you have done the service 1 demand of you. ‘‘Let me see, you have only about ten thousand to your credit with me, and I will pay you half of that, to fit out as you desire, and use the belance for you. ‘‘The craft is the Sea Fox, and—” ‘‘ What! that splendid schooner?” ‘Yes, and she isa good one and no mis- take, and fleet as the wind, while she is in perfect condition.” ‘‘T have had my eye on her.” ‘“You will now get your foot on her, Cap- tain Mendez; but I will tell you what | wish you to do.” ‘* Well, Don?” . ‘‘ Get your men together on the other shore, to board the schooner in shore-boats; balf an hour after dark.” sé Yes.”’ ss 8 will be already in my hands,”’ <e es,” ‘Then I want your son, Lieutenant Carlos here, to take a score of men to Live Oak Point, above the town.” ‘‘T know it, senor,” said the young man. ‘‘ You must go there in boats, and be there just after dark.” ‘* Yes, senor.” ‘‘ The river avenue runs by the point, you remember, and I wish you to place your men to watch for a carriage.” : “From which direction will it come, senor?” ‘*From the town. “It will contain four persons within, and perhaps one besides the driver on the box.” ** Yes, six.” “True, and none of them must live.” ‘‘ Not one, senor, if you say so.” ‘1 do say so. ‘‘ You must knife or shoot the horses, fire on those on the box, and kill those inside the vehicle. ‘‘Then, when you have done your work, make haste to your boats, and row for the schooner.” ‘ The Sea Fox?” ‘‘ Yes, and your father will have her ready to put to sea.” ‘* And then, senor?” ‘‘T will be on the schconer, but hidden in | a state-room, for I do not wish my presence neg 3 and there will be one other.” “yea.” j ‘‘A woman, and she, too, may be state-room. ‘If not, and she asks you what has become EOmMmIicbooks in the - A ET (Elo) * ~~ f « . bh ae