Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 393 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

_ + . 7 * »« i . i ” > \ . , - The Convict Captain. 11 a CS Catching the brig at a disadvantage once, the schooner ‘having the better wind, she would have dashed under her stern and thus run to sea, getting a good start before the cruiser could go about and follow, but for the young helmsman, who, realizing the cunning success of the pirate, thwarted it by shouting: ‘‘ Hard! hard down your helm! or we are on that reef!” His cry was heard on board the brig, and to the surprise of her helmsman saw the schooner swing off and have to go about right under the guns of the brig. ‘‘ My boy did that, sir, for there is no reef there,” cried Skipper Harvey in admiration. ‘* Fire!” yelled the brig’s captain, and her broadside crippled the schooner so that her bow- sprit was cut away and before she could recover from the shock the brig boarded and the battle was won. ‘** This is your gallant boy, eee Harvey,” oon the brig’s captain, when the fight was end- ed. ‘* Yes, sir; Henry, this is Captain Holt of the brig of war Star.” The boy doffed his hat, while Captain Holt said calmly: ‘*My lad, l owe the capture of the schooner wholly to your pluck and skill, and not only shall you get your share of the prize money, the share of an officer, but you have won a mid- shipman’s berth in the navy and I will see that you get it.” And Captain Holt kept his word, for six months after Henry Harvey was appointed a midshipman in the navy, and his prize money of several thousand dollars placed his parents in easy circumstances, for the farm was improved, the homestead fitted up, and Skipper Harvey had no longer to risk a life upon the sea to make both ends meet, but could spend his days at his fireside in comfort. And Henry Harvey it was, who, years after, asa lieutenant commanding a schooner-of-war captured Caspar the Corsair, and sought to save Captain Duluth from life imprisonment. nd he it was who saved @ueen Delorme from capture by the lugger’s crew. CHAPTER XV. JEALOUSY. From the day of his rescue of Queen Delorme Lieutenant Henry Harvey was an acknowledged friend at Cloudland Castle, M3 he count loved his money, his ease, his ele- gant home, and all; but he idolized his beautiful daughter, and the young officer received a warim greeting after his boarding the yacht with Queen. To pursue the lugger was useless, for she was miles away, and already fading in the dim dis- tance, and the yacht was not provisioned for a cruise and had only five men on board, with whom the count had hastily started, while Hen- ry Harvey had seen, fully a dozen on board the kidnapping craft. The young officer told how only two days be- fore he had come home on a leave of a couple of montbs, after an absence of three years, and had taken his light skiff and rifle for a hunt amon the islands, when he had suddenly discover Queen’s danger, and hastened to her rescue. The count and Queen both had heard the story of the capture of the pirate schooner in Island Pond Harbor through the courage of Henry Harvey, and in fact many stories were told along the coast of his deeds as a boy and daring as a naval officer, and they knew him well by reputation. oth knew him also as the son of parents who were honest people, coming of a good family, but poor farmers withal. But Count Leon Delorme was compelled to admit to himself, as he gazed upon the hand- some face, full of daring and refinement, and the tall, superb form and dignified carriage, that no one he had ever seen was his superior in appearance. pon returning to Cloudland Castle, Henry Harvey was persuaded to remain to tea, and in fact urged to remain all night; but he said he must return home by bedtime, as his parents ’ would be anxious regarding him. ‘‘T will send you home, if you persist in going, in my carriage,” said the count, as they ascend- ed the steps leading to the cliff. ‘‘ No, indeed, thank you, sir; there is a good breeze, and I can run home in an hour or two.’ ‘‘ But these are dangerous waters to sail over by night—yes, and by day.” ‘* You forget, Count Delorme, that I was born on this coast, and know them as I do the deck of my ship.” pon reaching the mansion a gentleman ad- vanced to meet them, and the count gave him a warm greeting, after which he said: ‘** Come, Queen, here is Lieutenant Bainbridge, whom I forgot to tell you would be here to- night; and, Lieutenant Harvey, pe:mit me to present Lieutenant Bainbridge, also of the navy. ‘* Ah, Harvey, dol find you in these ” rene: the stranger coldly, and somewhat haugh- y: i ey him, and would have been dismissed the service ' ‘Yes, lieutenant; I live not far from here, I | ceived his promotion as such, and it was to thought you knew.” make it known to Queen, as an extra induce- ‘*T had forgotten the fact; but Count Delorme, | ment, that he had hastened to visit her, and I heard that you had put hastily to sea, and | written the count of his coming—had not been your butler told me Miss Delorme was in some | happy in the thought that Henry Harvey had danger.” been the rescuer of the maiden instead of him- ‘** Yes, and would have been kidnapped but for | self. the courage of Lieutenant Harvey, who boldly He had also seen that Queen regarded the drove off cai center killing one.” ; young officer with feelings of friendship and ad- Preble Bainbridge frowned at the words of the | miration, and that the count seemed rather to count, and Queen observed it, for she said: like him too. ‘* Are you sorry I was rescued, Lieutenant It certainly was not to be wondered at that Bainbridge?” | they did, after what he had done, but then jeal- ‘* Ah, Miss Queen, Iam only sorry that I was | ousy is a species of short madness, and Preble not here to save you.” Bainbridge was inclined to see everything ‘It is better as it is, for I am safe, and you | through green goggles just then. might have failed in rescuing me,” was the He had, upon a former visit to Cloudland Cas. wicked reply of the maiden, and she hastened | tle, when his vessel was anchored near, talked to away to prepare for supper. Queen of love, and met with a decided rebuff; Preble Bainbridge was a very winning man; | but he was not one to give up a cause he had un- but rich, good-looking, and coming from a good | dertaken, and he therefore determined to lay old family, he had been spoilt, for he was the pet | siege again, and consequently he again visited of society wherever his vessel went. the maiden, feeling that he would be justified by He was haughty in his bearing, proud and | his promotion to a captaincy, and the sanction overbearing to his inferiors; while on shipboard | of Count Delorme, who had hinted as much. he was a martinet and cordially disliked by his Consequently, he put in an appearance hope- crew and even officers, as well as greatly | fully, going overland in his own coach and four, feared, for he had a fiery temper, and was aman | and, to his dismay, found a rival in the field. to dread in anger, in fact even in his pleasant Finding that he could do nothing by slurring humor, at Henry Harvey to Queen, Captain Bainbridge He had shot a brother officer in a duel of his | at once determined to have a serious talk with making, had killed a seaman in a pet, had struck | her, and the next morning found her as she stood a midshipman with his hand when angered by | in the Cliff Overlook, as the arbor was called, gazing out upon the sea. ‘*My dear Miss Queen, I fear I was hateful last night toward my good friend Harvey, but I was tired with my long journey over execrable roads, and so provoked that I had not been the fortunate one to save you from those pirates, : nd this is my apology for my unmannerly con- uct,’ but for the great wealth and influence of his family, and the valuable duty his father had rendered the government in time of need. Meeting Queen, he had loved her, it being the first real preference he had shown for any one maiden, and he had been furious when refused by her; but for once he had controlled his tem- per. Seeing Henry Harvey there and during the supper he rather moped, while the young officer made himself most entertain- ing, until the count was charmed with him. Soon after supper Henry Harvey arose to de- part, and declining to drive home, went by his boat, the count, Bainbridge and Queen escorting him to the cliff arbor, and watching his white sail as it skimmed along over the waters. ‘*'You have known Harvey before then?” said the count, . ‘Yes, sir, we have met before,” was the cold reply. ‘*He isa very striking-looking man, and cer- tainly a most entertaining gentleman, and a dashing, daring officer.” Preble Bainbridge did not seem to like the count’s praise of his brother officer, and so said: ‘* He is always trying to do some act for no- toriety, but then he comes of a low family, I believe.” ‘** Yes, [ have heard that his father and yours were cousins, Lieutenant Bainbridge,” remark- ed Queen calmly. The officer flinched, and said hastily: ‘*I believe they do claim some relationship with us, but Harvey has never referred to it himself to me, and in fact I know little of him, as we have seldom met.” ‘*'You surprise me, lieutenant, for there is an old woman’s tale told on the coast that once you ran up here in your yacht from Boston, with a pleasure party on board, were caught in a storm and driven upon a reef, and Lieutenant Harvey, then a midshipman, home on leave, failing to get a crew to face for she felt like it, but checking her inten words, she said: ‘‘T am glad you make such a manly acknowl- edgment that you were wrong, Captain Bain- bridge, and it is forgotten that you were other- wise than generous.” ‘1 thank you, Miss Queen; but I had no a to speak against Harvey, for he did save my life and the lives of my guests and crew, and risked his own life over and over again to do so. he was jealous, him in the service.” | Here the pride and self-opinion of the man broke out again, but it was neatly quenched by Queen’s reply: ‘*T think he depends wholly upon himself to believe, next to you in rank, and has been far less time in the service, while his family being of humble origin, he has noinfluence, no ‘ Power behind the Throne,’ as it were, to aid him.” Queen said what she did in the most innocent manner pos:ible; but ae Bainbridge flush- on and was very sorry that he had spoken as he ad. ‘* Well, Miss Queen, I am sure that I wish him tion.” > ‘* And what may that be?” ‘Winning your love.” ‘*T donot carry my heart on my sleeve, Cap- tain Bainbridge, to be taken by any one I meet, and T oniy but yesterday met Lieutenant Har- vey.” x True, and I have known you a year, but from the first meeting I have loved you, and I so long to have the sweet assurance from your lips that I am loved in return.” “ I told you once before, sir, that I did not love you.’ “True, but you did not mean that I could no teach you to do so, and your father is willing that I should be your suitor.” ‘*] wish to please _— father in all things, Cap- tain Bainbridge; but I do not love you, nor do I feel that I ever can.” ** Still you will not utterly cast me cff, but give me some hope for the future?” ' ‘* Captain Bainbridge, I have determined, and my father is willing, that I shall not marry un- the tempest, went out alone in his life-skiff, and after making four different trips, at deadly peril, rescued you and the sixteen others who were on board, the yacht going to pieces as he took the crew of four men off on his last trip, and which the coast-men, brave men that they were, still refus to make, and begged him not to, as he was utterly worn out. ‘‘Did this occur, Lieutenant Bainbridge, or is it but old woman’s gossip?” ‘“Oh yes, it is true; but then Harvey knew these waters well, and my father offered him a handsome reward,” ‘* Did he accept it, sir?” ‘*T believe not,” was the evasive answer. ** How ple will gossip, for I heard that he | til I am twenty years of age. y told your father that his gray hairs alone pre-| ‘I am now just nineteen, and what ma vented him from resenting his offer as a direct happen during the coming year, no one can tell. insult.” ** Now let us drop this subject, please.” Ps ‘**You seem to admire Lieutenant Harvey, Miss Delorme,” sneered Bainbridge. ‘I do immensely,” was the frank response, and as the count who had been apart talki with the sailing-master of his yacht, now join them, they walked back to the mansion, the young officer in no enviable frame of mind at all that had occurred, to judge from his mutter- ed words: ‘That fellow will be a dangerous rival if I allow him to cross my path; but it must not, shall not be !” CHAPTER XVI. A MYSTERY. AFTER the rescue of Queen Delorme by Lieu- tenant Harvey, matters went on as serenely at Cloudland Castle, as was their wont. Captain Preble Bainbridge—for he had re- ‘You are certainly not in love now?” “Tam not.” . ‘* Nor pledged to any one?” ‘* Ask my father, please, on that subject,” was the evasive response, and Queen led the way to- ward the mansion, where Preble Bainbridge soon after cornered the count in the library. ‘* My dear count, I have hada talk with Miss Delorme, as you said I might, and she tells mé she does not now love me, will not marry until she is twenty, is anxious to obey your wishes, does not know what may happen during the en- suing year, and, in answer to my qpestion as to her peing NOW pledged to any one, bids me ask you. ‘‘ Well, Bainbridge, there is a little proviso, but so slight a one I did not consider it neces- to speak to you upon the subject.” Will you do so now?” Gomicbooks Queen was about to make a hateful pt coae re | ‘* He is a noble fellow, and I regard him most highly, and shall ever do what I can to advance, advance his promotion, and in fact, he is now, 1 — well, in all things, if I may make one excep- © . + ’ »? 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