Beadle's Dime Library No. 364 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

£ ~ one 8 eee I must enter the room, so pray knock and tell the lady so,” was the reply. The landlord did so, and in response came a firm: ‘* Come in!” ** Ah! Miss Brandon!” cried Lieutenant May- nard, in surprise, as he beheld Joyce standing at the window, arrayed in her riding-habit. ** Yes, Lieutenant Maynard, I arrived here before you,” was the calm reply. ** And you warned your brother, then, so that he could escape? ** But I cannot blame you.” **NoI did nothing of the kind, though I did come here to serve him if need be; he made his escape last night, as Captain Buntline informs me, ‘* He cannot be far away, Miss Brandon, and it is my duty to or and find him.” ‘** Do your duty then, be assured that I, believing my brother imno- cent of the fearful crime charged upon him, shall save him if I can, froma trial that can only end in his conviction and an ignominious | death.” “*You would but do your duty, Miss Brandon, and I honor you for it; but I must do mine, as well, bitter as it is to me, and you will therefore pardon me for making thorough search of your room.” ‘* Certainly, sir,” was the cold response, and | with a flush of shame, Mayo Maynard gave the wrder to his men to search the room, The closets were thrown open and every chink and cranny examined, but the fugitive was not | found, and with a bow of apology to Joyce, the | officer left to search elsewhere. | He had left the room but a short while when | there came a light tap upon the coor, and in re- | sponse to an invitation to do so, in walked | Madea » Madge. She bowed to Joyce, who at once came for- ward and grasped her hand. ‘* You wished to see me, Miss Brandon?” “Yes, for I feared my brother might be found, so I came here tosee if I could warn him.” * He will not be found, Miss Brandon, for he well knows the consequences.” ** Where is he?’ **That I must decline to tell you.” “You surely do not think that I—” ‘**T think nothing, I only know that his hid- | ing place is secure and it is my secret.” “ Althouzh inclined to resent your words, I | vot feel the more assured by them that my Lyrother is securely hidden.” ‘You may be assured of that, and return home in peace of mind as regards his safety.” *T shall not return leaves her anchorage.” ‘* She will doubtless sail when her commander discovers his search is fruitless.” ‘And you will pilot her out to sea?” “ce Yes.” Your services are valuable asa pilot, Miss Vernon, and more so as a protector to my brother, so permit me to pay in part the pe- cuniary indebtedness he is under to you, for words cannot show my pratitude.” Madge wheeled with flashing eyes upon Joyce Brandon, who knew not the sting of her words, and spoken with a desire to give pecuniary aid to one who was poor. ** Miss Brandon, should you know Madge Ver- her friendship gold will never buy. **T serve your brother from friendship alone.” ‘‘Tt isa strange friendship that causes you to do as you have—I would call it love,” said J oyce. ‘You are mistaken, for no word or look of Jove ever passed between your brother and I. ‘‘He saved my life, and I returned the favor by saving his, and still gratitude causes me to act in this case; but it is not love.” “Tt is well for your sake that it is not,” said Joyce kindly. ut Madge took the words differently, and said hotly. “You need not fear, Miss Brandon, that I would love beneath me, for a fugitive mur- derer could not win my heart.” Joyce winced under the shot, but answered: ‘Do not be angry with me, for 1 spoke in kindness, knowing that my brother had won hearts to cast them aside, and that his love for you would not be that he would feel for one whom he felt he would wish to make his wife.” **Miss Brandon, you are well born, aristo- cratic, beautiful and very rich—l am called beautiful, I am poor, and noone here knows aught of my antecedents, while my father is hinted at as a smuggler, and even said t> have been a former pirate. ‘* Your brother is a fugitive under a fearful ban, and yet I look upon myself as your equal, for I know that I am an honest girl, and no one can say more. Lieutenant Maynard, but | non better than you do, you will find out that The Sea Fugitive. of their children taat they were superior to others in life. She saw that she had hurt Madge, and step- ping forward she said frankly: ‘** Forgive me, for J meant not to wound you, and let us be friends.” As she spoke she kissed Madge on the fore- head; and into the eyes of the ‘Kennebec maid came tears, as she grasped the hand of the aris- tocratic beauty, and said: | | ** We will be friends, Miss Brandon, and I will save your brother from the shameful death that threatens him, that he may prove that he is not the assassin and robber he is accused of being.” Without another word she turned and left the room, and soon after went on aboard the schooner and threw herself down to rest in a cabin state- room that had been placed at her disposal for she was very weary. She was just dropping off to sleep when the sharp hail of the officer of the deck startled her | with: ‘** Boat ahoy !” ‘** Ahoy the cutter!” came the response. Springing up Madge approached the stern port and okea out. A boat lay not far off, and it held a single oc- cupant, ** That voice was familiar, and I have seen his face before; but when end where?” said Madge, as she gazed upon the occupant of the boat, who called out: ‘** T would like to see the captain, sir.” ** Lieutenant Maynard is ashore, with four fifths of the crew looking up a murderer,” answered the officer of the deck, who was a middy. Could I come on board and await his return, sir? ** You could find him quicker on shore.” **T have important news for him, sir, and I do not wish to be seen on shore.” ‘* Ah! then come aboard, my man, and make yourself comfortable forward until the com- mander returns— Ah! here he comes now,” and Madge saw a boat in the distance, coming toward the cutter, and in it recognized Mayo Maynard. ‘**T must know who that man is, and what his important news is. **T hope that middy will not tell Lievtenant Maynard, [ am in my state-room,” and Madcap Madge hastened into her state-room and closed the door behind her. CHAPTER X. A PLOT OVERHEARD. MapcapP MapGE had not been very long in her state-room, when she heard the boat come alongside that bore the young commander of the 1ome until the cutter | cutter, Ste heard also the middy tell him that a man was forward who wished to see, him, ‘** Send him to the cabin,” was the answor, and then Mayo Maynard added: “We will sail as soon as the crew come aboard, and our voyage has becn a fruitless one.” As still as death did Madge lay in her bunk, awaiting to hear what would be said by the man whom she felt she had before met, though when and where, she could not tell. She did not wish to be an ecavesdropper, but somehow she felt that it would be to her advan- tage to listen, and she hardly breathed as the stranger entered the cabin. : ‘Well, my man, you desire to see me?” said Mayo Maynard, as the man entered, ** Yes, sir, for I have news for you.” ‘*Tndeed! What about?’ ‘*-You are in search of Lieutenant Noel Bran- don, who is a fugitive from justice, I believe? ** Do you know aught of him?” : ‘*T know where he can be found, sir.” “ Then at once tell me, and—” , ‘*T am a poor man, captain, and the secret 1s worth something to me.” : “ ‘* Ah! you wish gold for your information?” ** Yes, sir.” ** How much?” ‘‘How much is the leftenant worth to you, sir?” ‘To me, nothing; but the Government would doubtless pay a reward for his capture.” ‘* You came here to take him, sir?” ae as Td ** And will have to return without him unless I tell you where he is in hiding?” se es,” ‘‘Then it ought to be worth a few hundreds to you, sir.” ‘*T'll give you a couple of hundred if you will show me where he is.” “Tt’s a bargain, captain; but you better wait until dark, and then I'll pilot a boat to his hid- ing place.” * ‘Why not now?” “* Well, sir, his sister is in the village, waiting to see your vessel sail, and if you went by day- light the villagers might resist your taking him, “T like you, Ido not wish to quarrel with | for he’s very popular, and you don’t wish any you, so do not again hint that I am one to be- | trouble with them.” come the toy of any man, for I am just as | proud of my fair name as you are of yours.” Joyce Brandon a noble nature though it had been a trifle warped by her proud parents, who had tried to school into the hearts ** No, so I'll wait.” ‘*When the crew comes on board, sir, you might set sail and run down the river, return- ing after dark, and then I will take a boat to capture Leftenant Noel,” ‘* Very well, I will do as you deem best in the matter, my man; but who are you?” ‘* A poor river sailor, sir, who has rcuths at home to feed.” “Do you not wish service abeard + hip?” ‘*No. sir, for I can not Jeave hcme, as Iam the only protector, and I can pick up en honest living in these waters.” ‘** How did you find cut where Mr. Brardon is in hiding?” ‘*T was on the river fishing last night, sir, and saw the one who went tothe inn and warned him, and then she came out with him and took him to the hiding-place.” ‘* Ha! it was his sister then?” ‘* No, sir, it was not.” ‘* Who else could have aided him?” ‘* When your cutter came up the river to-day I saw a girl at ler whee,” “Ah! Madge, the Kennebec Maid they call her,” ‘Yes, sir.” ‘*No man ever hancled a craft better than she does,” said Maynard with enthusiastic admir- ation. : ‘**Oh yes, she knows it all, for she’s had prac- tice on dark and stormy nights, I guess, as they say her father is a smuggler.” ‘*T can not believe that the girl would do a wrong act, and it is but idle gossip.” ‘* May be, sir! butshe’s a woman, andit’s hard to find out about them; but she’s the one that warned the leftenant of his danger.” ** Tmpossible!” ‘* No, captain, my eyes do not deceive me.” ‘*‘ But she piloted my vessel into a harbor last night, and then ran her up to this anchorage to- day.” ‘Was she on board all night*” ‘* No, she went to her home, which was not far from her last night’s anchorage.” ‘‘ She came up here and warned the leftenant of his danger, sir.” “Can it be possible?’ and Mayo Maynard seemed utterly amazed. ‘** How did he know you were after him, sir?” ‘True, he did know that, and escaped,” ‘* She warned him, for she doubtless knew why you had come.” ‘¢-Yos, for I told her.” ‘* She did it, and then went back and acted as your pilot up here. ‘* Where is she now, sir?” **On shore.” ‘*Is she to run you out to sea again?” ** Yes, she so promised,” ‘* Well, sir, when she comes off, say nothing about the work on hand for to-night, and, as I do not wish her to see me, I'll go forward and go below until night.” ‘* Very well, and I'll go with you to-night and have my crew ready. ‘Tf you find my man for me, I will pay you. Now go forward and keep out of sight, for I shall return ashore to get the men on board as soon as possible.” The man left the cabin, and Madge gave a sigh of relief, which was repeated with gusto as she heard Lieutenant Maynard go on deck and then row away. She went into the cabin, watched him land, and then coolly went on deck. The young midcy doffed his cap, and seemed inclined for a chat, but she said to him: **T am going ashore, sir, but will be back in ample time to run the cutter to sea.” The middy bowed, but was disappointed, bav- ing evidently been smitten by the beauty of the young girl. Going over the side into her skiff, which Mayo Maynard had not observed, she rowed 1apidly shoreward, Landing, she walked swiftly along the village street until she came to an humble cottage, standing off to itself, and near the shore, About it were indications that its owner was half-sailor and half-landsman, for boats were on the shore, and wagons and horses in the yard. It was the home of Saunders, the cartman, A freckled-face boy was playing on the shore, and approaching him, Madge asked: “Ts Silly Sam here, my little lad?” ‘Yes, miss, he’s lyin’ down in the house, for he gots ooted Jast night.” ‘Ask him if he will come out here for a mo- ment.” , ‘‘ He'll come, for he likes you a heap,” ‘S Who am I?” asked the maiden with a smile. ‘‘ Madcap Madge o’ ther Ken’bec, and I likes ou to, for you is awful pretty.” you 0, y : Madge blushed, and handing tke lad a piece of silver, said: ; ‘‘ Here is something to remember me by; but now ask Sam to come here, and do not let any one els> know about it.” ‘‘Ye;, miss, I will,” and the boy bounded away, while the maiden walked to the shelter of a small clump of trees with the air of one who wished to avoid being seen. A moment after, the tall form of Silly Sam emerged from the co , and discerning her, he came rapidly forward, though not with his usually free, firm step, while a handkerchief bound about bis head showed that he stil] <uf- fered with the bullet-wound that he had received the night before. sone m 00 (E(0) S) (S (E