Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 393 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

6 -can, and instan ‘aie \ 4 » Sax “ea ve dy - 4 a - . © x i . “4 oe « The Convict Captain. ida t x sion of nature in the past, split in twain, from top to foundation. The chasm thus left was some tkirty feet wide, the water was very deep, and the rocks ‘rose on either side to the hight of the schooner’s cross-trees, so that with the topmasts housed there was no danger of the craft being discovered ere, The chasm was about two hundred feet long and ended, at the further end, in a mass of piled- up rocks. In this chasm-like anchorage Congo had sought the schooner without any mishap, and hastening forward he dropped anchor to check ther impetus. Then he took up a smaller anchor and let it down over the stern, so that the vessel would ride at perfect ease. His next move was to go aloft and house the topmasts, and by the time he had all snug it was nearly dawn. But Congo was not one to calmly trust to luck, not to be disturbed, and so he determined to go ashore and see if the island was inhabited. he storm had away, the moon shone brightly, and getting into the small boat belong- ing to the schooner, and which had hung at the stern davits, he lowered it into the water and slowly sculled out of the chasm. _ He was armed with knife and pistol, and land- ed at a sandy beach not far away from the en- trance to the chasm basin. | He seemed to know the island as well as he had the waters surrounding it, and passed on into the interior. Suddenly he halted, for an object caught his eve. “It was a tall white form, and it barred his th. F Congo was utterly fearless. He dealt in the supernatural art, so he was not easily alarmed by trickery. But this that stood before him was certainly a spirit, it seemed. The moonlight fell full upon it, and thus was no hallucination. So Congo moved a few steps nearer, and the white arms waved him back. He had been in the shadow; but now he ad- vanced into the moonlight. To frighten off whoever might harm him, should he meet any one on the island, Congo had taken the precaution to rig out in his cos- tume a la diable. ‘He seized the strings that worked his wings, as he stepped forward, and with his horned head, black form and huge wings, he was a hor- rible sight indeed. It seemed a case of ghost against devil, with the chances certainly in favor of the latter, if appearances went for anything. The white-robed form now saw the black, demon-like form in all its hideousness, and a wild shriek broke from the lips of the former. It was a cry of alarm, of hate, of fury com- mingled. But Congo stood his ground. Not so the white-ro form, bowever, for, with a second yell, he sprung toward the Afri- ii the two became engaged in a d rate struggle. ‘Gre and aver on the ground they rolled, then rising to their feet they struggled on. Neither spoke, and only the noise of the com- bat and their hard breathing could be heard. It was a battle of giants, and for a long time it lasted. But at length the two rose together, clasped in each other’s arms, and they then fell heavily. The white-robed form was beneath, and neither arose. For a long time they lay motionless, and then ‘Congo moved. He raised his head and glanced about him. ‘ Then he looked down into the face beneath his own A long time he gazed, then passed his black hand over the beard, then pushed the snowy hair back from the forehead, and muttering po words in his native tongue he arose to his eet. He swayed to and fro as though w but leaned against a tree until he had a his strength. Then he glanced again at the prostrate form - at his feet, and strode off into the interior of the island. Coming upon the lowly cot of the Mad Her- mit, he looked about him. He saw the grave of the madman’s wife, and then strode on his way through the island. He visited the graves of those who had been left there to die of the plague. Then he made his way back toward the coast. He stopped at the form of the man he had fought with, and which still lay motionless where it had fallen. He bent over it, gave a cry, and raising it in his strong arms, hastened with it to tht cot. He laid it upon the rude bed, and then hastily left the hut and wended his way back to the shore, sprung into his boat, and pulled for the yacht in the basin. As he sprung on board, dawn was breaking, the light of the moon was paled under the com- ing sunrise, and the African quickly entered the eA iS OOO Se OS CS OO ee cabin, for he looked worn and haggard in the increasing light, his hands, arms and face were blood-stained, his diabolical costume sadly dis- arranged, and his wings limp and broken. From that day was it, that rumors began to fly along the coast that the ghost of the island had suddenly changed into a black demon. Some fishermen, passing into the bay about twilight, beheld the tall, black form, with its great sable wings standing upon a rock gazing calmly upon them. With a force they had never used before, in haste or 1n storm, they sent their boat, heavy with nets and a good haul, along over the waters, They were frightened ’most out of their wits, and they made the large boat fly along. Landing, they hastened to their cots in thé ravines, and that night the rumor sped from cabin to cabin of the Black Demon of the Isle, and one and all seemed to dread the diabolical- looking being far more than be bee the white- robed specter that had before n seen upon the Haunted Island. CHAPTER XXXYV. AN UNLOOKED-FOR VISITOR. THE schooner discovered by Count Delorme and Queen from Overlook Arbor, was certainly not the Iron Don, for that vessel had just passed from sight down the coast. It was not the Blue Blazes, for the stranger was not so trim a craft by any means as was the vessel of Henry Harvey. It must therefore be some American cruiser, But no, such was not the case, as Queen dis- covered the fact that the American flag was floating at the fore, while strange colors to her were at the peak. Instantiy the count seized his glass and bent it upon the ensign of the stranger ‘*That is not an American, Queen; no, she carries, as you say, the Stars and Stripes at the fore, and I cannot make out her own colors—ah! I see them now, as she changes her course—it is a Cartagenian eruiser. ‘* A Cartagenian, father?” ‘*' Yes, one of the States that is fighting for in- dependence from Spain, and has sent many able privateers out over the seas,” ‘* But why does she come here?” ‘*T cannot tell you.” ‘* She runs the channel perfectly.” Pr ng the man at her helm knows these waters well. ‘** And yet she is a fugitive.” ‘** True, but many Americans, it is said, are in the Cartagenian service.” ‘* And one from this neighborhood may have gone there and now be returning home.” es Yes.” ‘it is fortunate that the Iron Don is away, or there would be a battle, as they would foes.” ‘* Yes, and they are well matched, in size and guns, and it seems in crews, as well as I can judge. ‘*T only wish the Iron Don was here.” ** Why, father! would you wish to see a battle between them?” ‘** Indeed I would, my child. **T would glory in it,” and the young girl did not understand the look that flashed over her father’s face. ‘* Well, father, I see they have re to an- chor and are sending a boat ashore, so I will go to the mansion, as I do not care to meet stran- gers,” and Queen turned away, whil@ her father said to himself: ‘*T would give much to have that accursed Caspar return now under his Spanish flag, and have that Cartagenian fight him and kill the wretch, ‘* Ah! how glibly he plays the part of Captain Conrado of the Spanish Navy! ‘** But I dared not say a word against him; but I told Harvey I had something to tell him, and I will give him a point that will make him tear that Iron Don to pieces and swing her pirate captain up to the yard-arm. ee ‘But yonder meth deer g captain is certainly coming here,” and Count Delorme watched a boat land, saw a tall form spring ashore, ascend the cliff s, and, in a gorgeous uniform, sud- denly appéar before him. ** Captain ‘Duluth !” The words were forced by surprise from the lips of the count. ‘Count Leon Delorme, Iam glad to see that your old sailing-master, Leon Duluth, is not for- gotten,” said Duluth, with a pleasant smile, ex- ding his hand. The count grasped it mechanically, while he replied: ‘“T have not forgotten you, Captain Duluth but I did not expect to find you in uniform an under the Cartagenian flag, while, in fact, I thought you were dead.” ‘Why should I die, Count Delorme, with the prospects ahead of me that I have?” asked the sailor in his quiet way. ‘You have good prospects then?” ‘** Ab yes! though I have suffered much since last we met.” ‘*T believed you had been lost at sea, for I wrote to the shipping-merchants in England, . rr o-oo - or >. _— Sr - h 2:00 O””Y_O$PE?”Y_O0Y”_OY_=_R—_10X = 0” On ee ee eee ees ee ee eee es se CU CUCU LC h Rn eee eee 23 from whom I chartered the barque to come to America in, and they could give me no informa- tion regarding you.” ‘“‘It is not strange, either, for they did not know me. ‘What they gave me, the barque and the right to bring you here, I paid for, and most liberally. ‘*T would have returned them the barque, only, after our agreement—” ‘*‘Our agreement?” asked the count in sur- prise. ‘* Yes, such were my words.” **T do not understand.” ‘* Have you forgotten all?” ‘* All what, sir?” ‘‘That I was to become the suitor for your daughter’s hand when I could match her for- tune with my own?” ‘*T remember I said so.” ‘Then such was the agreement.” “Well, sir, I listen.” “Tt was to bring you here that I brought the charter from the shipping-merchants, and paid them the value of the barque. ‘““T had seen your daughter and loved her, though I knew not who she was, and she was a mere child. \ ‘“‘T had sprung forward one day and saved her from being trampled upon by a runaway team—” ‘‘Ha! that was you who did that gallant act?” ‘*Yes, Count Delorme, and I was nearly killed myself; but I had had hard knocks in my time, so pulled through all right, while she was saved. ‘“‘L saw her again, when she waited in the carriage for you, at the shipping-merchants’, and so I determined to be your sailing-mas- ter. / ‘““} recognized you, for we had met before.” — ** And where?” ‘* Tt matters not.” ‘*1 told you once that your face was familiar but I cannot recall where we have met.” ‘‘Tt matters not, Don— Ah! I beg pardon, I mean Count Delorme. ‘*'You know why I came here, as master of the gr ‘You know that I again saved your daugh- ter’s life. ‘** ‘You know that I love her, that I told her so, young as she then was, and under our agree- ment | went to match her fortune by winning one of my own. “My barque was captured by a pirate, Cap- tain Caspar.” ‘* Ha! that man?” ‘You know him then?” \ ‘“*He was hanged some years ago!” ‘*So it was believed; but he is not dead.” ** You know this?” ‘* Yes, as I know that he is now sailing under his Spanish flag, calling his schooner the Iron Don, and himself Captain Conrado, while he — too has sued for your daughter’s hand,” ‘*Great God!” **Don’t feign surprise with me, Count De- lorme, for you know all about Conrado.” “1 know about him?” **'Yes, you know him to be a pirate, and not a Spanish officer; you know that he was not hanged, you know that you held out to him the same bait that you did to me, to match your daughter’s fortune with two million dollars, and you would give your consent. **] know this from one of his men whom he treated cruelly, and who deserted him. ‘** He came up to speak with his captain and he heard all, and so retired unseen by you or the captain. ‘*He hailed me from an island dnd I sent a ° boat to take him on board, for he had oyerboard at night from the pirate’s vessel, for he knew Caspar meant to kill him when he knew what he had heard. ‘*He told me all, and I know you pledged pil ; oe 2 a f r¢ > ; an : a, an . © - * (As * ® “ %, * é —_ _, # Je . ey yourself to him, as you did to me, tosave your- self, because you feared him, as you do me, we hold a secret of yours it would not do have known, for—” ** Hold! do not iene aeied 1, scuttled the b ca my vessel, scuttled the u and fo me to serve as his lieutenant. alasth “He was crippled in vessel and crew, and we were taken by a cruiser, commanded by dashing young naval officer by the name of vey. ‘“‘T would not give my name, and Caspar told that [ was really a pirate. ' ‘*Somehow they half-way believed me that I was not, and sentencing him to the gallows, they sent me to prison for life. “There I lay in my cell for three years before I could escape; but at last I did so, and those I ain proved treacherous, and I was set adrift in the sea. “ Nearly starved, I was picked up by Captain of it,” cried the count. as to f ll you, as I intended, that | ~ ; be if * oy er sf) é + = r ‘ é « = at ~ * a ee ts Caspar, who had again become commander of a a fine schooner. ‘“‘He made me his first lieutenant and I ac- cepted, hoping to win my fortune: ‘But I went off on a mission, and, through one he set to watch me, I found out how treach- erous he was. | cs <€om JOO (E (E (0) ™= 5 “