Beadle's Dime Library No. 388: The Giant Buccaneer — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

oo The woman obeyed, and as Bono passed his companion, he said in a whisper: s ” “Watch her, Tim. ‘Plague her,” muttered Tim. Having made his announcement, and the money-lender expressing a willingness to see her, Bono ushered the old woman into the room. ‘‘ Well, my good woman, how can I serve you?” said the money-lender, eying her closely. Without reply she took aseat, adjusted her spectacles and turned them upon the Don, who began to feel a trifle uneasy under her PAZ, As he met her face in full he saw that it was tattooed allover, and there was that about her wild appearance that filled him with a certain awe, for he remembered that his late to remove the spell of the Death Craft, was fearfully tattooed. ‘‘Well, lady,” he said, with extreme polite- ness, ‘‘how can Don Rudolpho serve you?” ; ‘‘By answering certain questions that I ask,’’ was the response, ‘* With pleasure.” ‘‘ You lately had a visitor?” ae ‘‘One who is known as the Giant Bucca- neer?” ‘‘ Well, there was a large man, a giant in eee The Giant Buccaneer. others for him?” ‘sl am” here?” (“Sem liver it to you as he took prizes?” “<< yes.” Island?” on Death Island.” ‘* Ah! well, you will hear of one there.” ‘‘T suppese so, as you say so, Mother Witch.” “Are you afraid of the Giant Buccaneer?” ‘* He is a desperate man.” essere eee i ASAT al + et ry - ‘You are to find the one and ship the ‘Said he nothing of the Witch of Death V—_—_—_———_o— wo wu Perdido did not doubt it, for he knew the man. But he had become calm now, and said, ‘*He had riches with him when he came | quietly: ‘* You will not kill me, for there are those waiting me without, who will soon come for ‘‘ And promises to send you booty, and de- | me if I do not return. ‘* 1 knew what it was to face you, Don Ru- dolpho, so came prepared to be avenged did you harm me.” This took the money-lender slightly aback; ‘* Nothing; nor did I ever bear at a Witch | but he said: ‘Well, tell me what all this means?” and he laid the pistol on the table beside him. ‘** All what?” ‘* Your appearing here upon the heels of this Giant Buccaneer.” ‘‘Tt means that I am second in command ‘Yes; but poison will kill the largest | on his schooner.” visitor had said that the Witch he had sought | human beings, as you know, Don.” The Don shuddered. ‘*You know it, for you remember how ou once made a boy open a package that iad poison-powder in it, intended for you, and he died in this very chair that I sit in, ‘** You carried his body off to the river one night and threw it in.”’ Don Rudolpho was livid, for he found now that a secret he believed known only to him- self was beld by another. AT “Yes. | ‘‘ And this trumpery about the Witch?” “Oh, there is such a being, and she has wonderful powers.” ‘* You believe this?” ‘Yes, for | have seen her.” ‘* Where is she?” **On Death Island.” ‘Ah! and how came you to turn pirate?” ‘‘T was wrecked in the Vulture on the you have turned pirate then?” But he made no response, and still sat | Witch's Island, very nearly lost my life, but eying the Witch in that strange, staring way | I was spared by the Witch and the giant, with which he had regarded her for the pust form I may say, who called upon me; but I | few minutes. do not know what his calling is.” men’s very souls. “ You know that the man was the Giant Buccaneer,” The Don shuddered, and felt sorry that he had admitted the old hag to an audience. But he replied: ‘*T do now remember that he said men call- ed him the Giant Buccaneer.” ‘* You knew it before, Don Rudolpho; but I warn you not to attempt to deceive me.” ‘‘[ do not wish to, lady.” ‘* Bah! don’t lady me, and don’t lie to me, ¥ for I toid you that the power has been given me to read men’s souls, ‘* Do you know who I am?” ‘*No, lady—I mean senora.” Island?” who was her slave, and a pirate schooner coming in, that had met the Death Craft and ‘‘| wish you to have the Giant Buccaneer | was doomed, she made the giant its captain . as . . ? ‘* Bah! you cannot deceive me, for I read | come here, and you are to poison him, ‘* What he brings in riches about him are yours, for the work; but his vessel and crew need not interest you, for I will look after them.” ‘* Doubtless you will, Perdido | ** Move one inch and Iwill kill you !” cried the money-lender, and he leveled a pistol full in the face of the pretended Witch, in whom and I was appointed second luff. ‘* A strange proceeding all round.” ‘* Yes, I think it was,” ‘* And the officers of the pirate schooner?” ‘“They were put to death.” ‘*Did not the crew object?” ‘No, for the power of the old Witch held them in sway.” *““And you wish to get rid of the Giant his keen eyes had detected at last none other | Captain?” than his former confidential clerk, Perdido. CHAPTER XXXII. DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND. To say that the one who had pretended to “Yes.” * Why?’ ‘IT sent him to you, as he wished an agent here, and then I came myself to get your aid in getting rid of him.” ‘Yet he seems a wonderful man, and the ! be the Witch of Death Island was taken | very one to command a vessel.”’ ‘‘ Hast thou ever heard of the Witch’s | aback by the sudden act of the money-lender, would be to put it mildly, for the start and Again the Don shuddered, for he was most | tremor showed that the accusation had struck superstitious. ‘‘- Yes, I have heard of the Witch’s Island.” “And of the Witch?” ‘‘Oh, yes, often, and men speak most highly of her wonderful powers.”’ home. ‘*He may be; but I do not intend to play second luff to any man.”’ * Why do you not kill him, then?” ‘The crew might suspect me; but if you The Don was a close reader of human | get rid of him, it will be all right, and leave nature. He had studied faces and forms, yes, and hands even, while the many disguises he had ‘‘Liar! men have had no reason to know | been forced to wear himself made him suspi- of her powers. cious that every one he met he did not know ‘*But in me you see Zulah, the Witch of | otherwise was under a disguise. Witch’s Island,” Don Rudolpho was now white with fear, and he had to hold his teeth hard together to keep them from chattering, while the woman went on: me in command of the Skeleton Flag.” **T see; but then?” ‘‘T shall sail the seas, and the booty I get you must dispose of for me.” ‘*T will do my best; but I had rather kill you, for I have not forgiven you for the trick From the first he had believed his visitor | you ae me, nor for the fright you gave to be a woman. Then he had noticed the hands, They were not tattooed, as the pirate cap- tain had intimated, and he observed a pecu- me at witch.” ‘* Well, seek your revenge, if you wish; but the story of that boy’s death, and all rst, When I really believed you a “Tf I touched you with my wand I could | liar scar on one which he thought he had | your other crimes will come out against put a spell on you, that you could never get | seen before. clear of, excepting by my will. swer as I wish.” ; ‘«T will answer all. you, if I am harmed, for I came here pre- It was in the shape. of a horse-shoe, and | pared.” ‘¢But I have no desire to do so if you an- | blue in the curve. The other hand he looked at and beheld a ring on the little finger which he at once re- ‘*See to it that you do, for I know your | cognized. secrets, as I can show you if you doubt. The pretended Witch had seemed to for- ‘You love the wife of the Sea Ghoul, you | get the bent back, and straightened up sought to kidnap her for yourself, you treat- ed one who loved you well, and served you several times. Next he analyzed the voice, and suddenly « oy any one but you know my deeds?” ce “5 ipl ** You are sure?” ‘Certain; only if I do not return within an hour, there are those who will know where to look for me; and more, they have all my charges against you written down and sealed; but the seal will be brokenif I do faithfully, with such unkindness that he was | he made the bold accusation, confident that | not return within the stated time.” forced to fly from you—I refer to Perdido, your late confidential clerk, who went down | that moment that Perdido was at the bottom | anxiously fearing t tc the bottom of the sea one night of storm, | of the sea, for the Smuggler Queen had so | passed. while flying from your cruelty, ‘Oh! [ know you well, Don Rudolpho, the money-lender.” The Don started at the name of Perdido, and then his thoughts became busy, while he continued to gaze upon the self-confessed Witch with almost a fixed stare, ‘IT acknowledge your power, la—I mean Mother Witch—and I am _ready to serve you as you command,” he said, in a low tone, he was not wrong, though he believed up to led him to believe. The moment he uttered the name Perdido, he saw that he was not wrong, and his visi- The Don io rlanced at his watch, at the time might have Then he said: ‘* Well, as you hold the whip hand on me, so do l over you, and thus we are forced to tor put aside all doubt by saying, quickly | have a truce between us.” and meekly: ‘Don’t kill me!” ‘Why should I not kill you, Perdido, when you treated me as you did? ‘You carried off with you what things of ‘* Yes, it’s a case of diamond cut diamond, I admit,” answered Perdido. ‘* Well, I will aid you.” ‘And get rid of the Giant Buccaneer?” ‘‘ Yes, in some way; but | must think up value you could; you attempted to rob and | a plan.” = Se = a ee ee Se mss es ag : 2 ——— Ss — se" eS ee oe ee = — en -- a ee — a A A A | —— —— “All right, Don, see that you do,” and | kill the Smuggler Queen, and I have found ‘*Do so, and I will see you again. then the woman continued: the hole a0 made in the closet that adjoins ‘Now, good-night, Don Rudolpho, and ‘What know you of the Giant Bucca- | this room, where you kept your ear to hear | be careful not to dream of the Witch of neer?” what was passing here. Death Island, or you will have the night- ‘Only what he told me.” ‘Yes, I know you now, and as soon as | mare.” ‘* He wants a new vessel?” you account to me for your coming here, and ‘ a > 4 : » ~~ eet oer Se eee oe et - wm ee ee eee ey nr ae ) ‘*Ourse you!” muttered the Don, as he let 6s Yes. this wild freak, | shall kill you.” his visitor out, ard then shut himself in his «« And a larger crew?” There was no doubting but that the money- | room to think over all the strange things <¢ Yes,” lender meant what he said. = as — that had passed that night. 1 CAR =~ ee D et ee ee — = Gomicboo c SS