Beadle's Dime Library No. 364 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

* You!” and there was great surprise in the “way the one word was uttered. “Yes, I know these waters well,” was the modest response of Madge. ‘*You are but a girl.” * Still Tam a pilot and am called the Girl Pilot of the Kennebec.” “T will trust you, miss, so please come on board.” In a moment more Madge stood upon the quarter-deck of the cutter, The three officers gallantly saluted her, as did several others, young middies standing in the waist, and Mayo Maynard saw before him a face that was beautiful in the extreme, yet wearing a certain look of recklessness seldom seen on feminine features, He beheld a form perfect in its outline, finely knit, and saw that her every movement was one of natural grace, and not studied. ‘ She was dressed in a jaunty suit, a tarpaulin, with fluttering ribbon-onds sheltered her head, held in haughty, self-conscious poise, and her tiny feet were incased in well-fitting boots. there was thatin the appearance of Madge to command respect, and admiration as well, and Mayo Maynard said politely: “Tam glad to welcome you, miss, on board the United States schooner Scorpion. ‘‘My name is Mayo Maynard, and I am in need of a pilot to run meinto a harbor as near Brandon Hall as possible.” Madge bowed and slightly changed color at the mention of Brandon Hall, She had heard, just before leaving the village ihe evening before, why Noel Brandon had re- turned home, and she wondered if the cutter’s eppearance on the coast had aught to do with his return, **T can run you to a safe harbor, sir, a league from Brandon Hall, and perhaps some farmer can drive you thither by the roadway, for the coast near the place is very dangerous and you ‘vould not dare lay at anchor there, as storms are frequent here.” ‘That will suffice, miss, so I will ask you to pilot us to the harbor you speak of as soon as possible, for I have a most disagreeable duty to perform, and I wish if well over with; but you have not told me your name?” **My namo is Madgo Vernon,” was the ver reply and the young girl stepped to the wheel. The cutter was at once gotten under way, the skiff was towed astern, and the Scorpion _ held landward under the skillful guidance of ' Madge Vernon. ** Are you acquainted at Brandon tlall, miss?” asked Mayo Maynard as he stood near the girl, admiring her skillful handling of the schooner. **T know the Brandons, and they know me; but they are rich aristocrats and [ am but a poor girl, the daughter of an humble coast skip- per,” and there was bitterness in the tone and words, : ‘Could you tell me if Lieutenant Noel Bran- don has returned home?” “Yes, he arrived yesterday by the Boston and Kennebec packet.” ‘* Ah! Tam glad to know this, for we can re- turn at onco to Boston; but may Task if you know why Lieutenant Brandon returned home?” ‘* It was gossiped about that he had killed his captain in a duel.” ‘Would that were all, for the honor of our service; but it was not his captain, but a lieu- tenant, a superior officer, ee he had severe provocation, I have heard, and I only wish he had done no worse than resent the insult of a senior, ‘* Has he done worse?” asked Madge, in a low tone. ‘* Yes, and it is his last act that brings us here after him. ‘“‘He was dismissed the service for the killing of his superior in a duel, but hav ng hard feel- ings toward his captain, who urged his disgrace, he killed him, too.” ‘** How fearful that he should have done so,” ‘Madge said, with a shucder. ‘* He has cut short his career by the act, and, 1 do not mind telling you, miss, as it is now known, that he assassinated his captain at the hotel where he was stopping in New York, going to his room in the dead of night, killing him and, it is supposed, robbing him of a large sum of money which the captain was known to have in his possession.” Aap ‘‘ This is terrible news, sir; but it is not like Noel Brandon as I know him.” ‘*No; but he is guilty, for his belt of arms was found in the captain’s room, and also his cloak, while he was registered at the inn, and was known to have taken the stage at midnight from New York to Boston.” ‘ ‘* And you have come here to arrest him for murder?” asked Madge, quietly. ‘** Yes, miss, and he will swing for his crime as ‘surely as his name is Brandon. “Tt is a most unpleasant duty for me, as I sailed with Brandon once and liked him greaily, while I have met his father; but I must do ay duty, and when you run us to an anchor I will ‘have to go to Brandon Hall and obey orders.” ‘It must be an unpleasant duty, sir; but I expect you will have to wait until the morning # + a ee SSS The Sea Fugitive. to go to the Hall, for it will be late when we ar- rive at an anchorage, and by the road you bave to travel you woud not reach there until mid- night.” ‘*Tt is not sunset for half an hour, miss, and I should think we might reach the harbor, which you pointed out awhile since.” ‘“*Theso waters are most dangerous, sir, and the channels we have to follow make the dis- tance long.” ** You know best, my fair pilot, and I suppose Brandon will not escape, as he doubtless does not believe he is suspected, so we will have to bide our time until to-morrow.” Madge made no reply, and held on her course; but so many turns did she make, that the crew remarked among themselves that the channel was the most tortuous one they had ever seen, Night came on while they were yet a league from the harbor, and then Madge ordered sail shortened, and the cutter crept slowly on her course. At last the harbor was reached, but it was ten o'clock, and before a landing could be made, and three miles traversed to Brandon Hall, it would be after midnight, and Mayo Maynard said he would wait until the morning to carry out his unpleasant duty. In an embarrassed way he asked Madge the amount of her pilot fee, and she said coldly: ‘* When I have run you out to sea to-morrow, I will tell you my price.” ‘“Ah! then you will let me offer you the hos- pitality of my vessel for the night?” ‘* Thank you, no, for my home is not far dis- tant, and there are those who would be anxious regarding me,” and with a slight bow she walk- ed to the side, entered her skiff, and went flying over the moonlit waters in the direction of her home, which was distant a league from where the cutter lay at anchor. Having run in under the shadow of the land, she suddenly changed her course and headed back up the coast, seemingly anxious to keep out of the range of curious eyes upon the cutter’s decks. A sail of half an hour brought her to a small cove, and there she ran her skiff ashore. A fisher hut stood not far distant, and a light burned in the window; ‘but she avoided the lit- tle domicile, and at a rapid walk plunged into the depths of a heavy pine forest, seemingly holding no fear of the gloomy surroundings. Soon she came to a small clearing, and in it was a small graveyard, a score or more of white head-boards looking ghastly in the shad- ows of night. But without a tremor of fear Madge walked by the desolate resting-place of the dead, and continuing her rapid walk, after a couple of miles had been passed over, she came out upon a scene of civilization, for a large, well-cultivat- ed farm was before her gaze. Upon a hill in the distance the white walls of a large mansion glimmered in the moonlight, and lights were visible in the windows. Approaching the house, Madge ascended the steps of the piazza, when suddenly a form ad- vanced toward her, It was a young girl, who had been seated alone upon the piazza, and with surprise had observed the ne oe approach of Madge, wonder- ing what brought her at that late hour to Bran- don Hall. CHAPTER VI. THE TWO MAIDENS. THE home that Madcap Madge had visited late at night was Brandon Hall, the residence of the aristocratic, proud family whose name the place bore. It was a large, rambling, luxurious-looking abode, furnished with every juxury that could be purchased in those primitive days, and sur- rounded by thousands of acres that brouglit ina liberal revenue t>) the owner. At Brandon Hail dwelt Doctor David Brandon and his wife and daughter Joyce, the latter a beautiful girl of eighteen, while his son, the reckless young sailor whom the reader has al- ready met, and the pride of his parents and sister, was an officer in the United States navy. The one who advanced to meet Madge, as she ascended the steps, was Joyce Brandon, and lured by the beauty of the nightshe had remain- ed oi the piazza alone, her parents having re- tired some time before. She recognized by the moonlight the daring girl who had won the sobriquet of Madcap Madge, and wondered at her visit to Brandon Hall, 5 og at that late hour. She knew Madge well Ly sight, had admired her beautiful face and superb form, but stood a little in awe of her wayward and daring life. She therefore advanced toward her somewhat coldly and bowed, while she said: ‘*- You are Miss Vernon, I believe?” ** Yes, Miss Brandon, and I am fortunate in finding you alone, for I came to see you.” ** To see me?” asked Joyce, in rise. ‘Yes, and I have little time to accomplish what I will, so will make known the errand that brings a poor skipper’s daughter to Brandon ae and Iadre syoke with some bitterness of one. 5 ‘*T am ready to know your errand, Miss Ver- non, so pray be seated.” ** There are no curious ears near?” ** None; say what you would?” ** Are you expecting your brother home?” ‘**Not for a year, perhaps longer,” was the cold reply, for Joyce remembered that her brother Noel had always held a soft spot in his heart for Madge. ‘‘Then you are unaware that he has re- turned?” ‘* My brother here?” and Joyce seemed excited at the tidings. **'Yes, but pray be calm, for I have that to tell you that will give pain.” ‘* Heaven have mercy! has aught befallen my brother? ‘* Speak! is he dead?” ‘Oh no, Miss Brandon; but I will tell you all,” and Madge told of her race up the river with the packet schooner, her meeting with Noel Brandon, what he had told her, what she had heard in the way of gossip, and then of the discovery she had made, the ambush and return of Noel to the village inn. ‘* Ah! but this is fearful, Miss Vernon, for m father is so proud of his good name, that, thou h he loves my brother with all his heart, I fear he vill utterly cast him off; but you say that he is not dangerously wounded?” ‘*No, he is painfully hurt, but not seriously, so Cass Kenedy the constable told me; but I have not told ba the worst, Miss Brandon, and, after what you tell me of your father, L fear that what is done to save Lieutenan’ Bran- don we must do.” “How do you mean?” asked Joyce in a pained way. **T mean that this afternoon.an armed vessel, the United States cutter Scorpion, fired for a pilot off the coast, and I went out to run the vessel into harbor,” ** You are a most daring girl, Miss Vernon.” ** No, for there was no danger in what I did: but it is not of myself that I would speak, but of your brother. ‘** I discovered that the commander, Lieuten- ant Mayo Maynard—” ** An old shipmate of my brother.” ** Yes, but at present under orders to arrest him, and bear him to Boston.” “But you said that he had been dismissed f rom the navy for the killing of his superior offi- cer. ‘True, but there is another charge, and a worse one against him.” ‘* Heaven have mercy! but tell me all I beg you. ‘‘It seems that his captain also persecuted him on board i as well as the senior lieuten- ant, whom your brother killed in the duel, and his commander was instrumental] in having him dismissed in disgrace. ‘* When in port the captain stopped at a hotel, and he was found dead in his room, evi- dently murdered, and robbed of a large sum of money he was known to have had in his posses- sion. ** Your brother was known to be in the city, at the hotel, and, though I cannot believe that he was guilty of a murder, and a robbery, still his belt of arms and cloak were found in the captain’s room, and there was blood upon them, and evidence of a severe struggle.” ‘** My poor, poor, brother!” groaned Joyce, her head bowed in commingled grief and despair. ‘Now, Miss Brandon, Lieutenant Maynard has come here to arrest your brother and bear him back to Boston or New York, and he will be speedily tried and hanged for this murder, whether he is guilty or not. ‘*To prevent his arrest, I kept the cutter run- ning up and down the channels, and urged the lieutenant to await until morning to come to Brandon Hall. § Then I took my skiff and came here to see you. ‘** But what is to be done, my noble girl?” ** Save him!” ‘Tf he is guilty of a crime so base, he shculd meet his fate, be it what it may,” haughtiiy said Joyce. ‘* But the disgrace falls upon your proud head too, young lady, and I do not believe he is guilty, for wild though he may be, killing his superior officer as he did ina duel, he is yet no cowardly murderer and thief.” ( ‘*God bless you for those words,” murmured oyce. ‘In the heat of the moment he will be tried and hung up to the yard-arm, while free, he will be able to prove his innocence, and so I have come to you to save him.” ‘‘But 1 am powerless to do aught.” . Your father would not give him protec- tion? —— ** Never!” ** And your mother?” ‘ ‘* She would not have the courage to do so.” ** And you?” *‘T would give my life to save him; but I know not what to do.” ‘There is no place here in which he could hide?” ee No ” tern Shen I must save him.” Eomicboo Cc S (E(0)