Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 482 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

e ¢ 7 » A * es * f } st J ep vip! ’ » Je “, fiw rr . ht i , ’ -~ i ~ . «ef Ocean Tramps. 293 i Ee ee eee ee { ‘‘T startled you, senor, for you believed me dead. “ But lam no ghost.” Carlos Conrad drew a deep breath. He was gaining his nerve quickly. He saw that the man, in some way, had **T have not, for my entire wealth is not ; over a hundred and fifty thousand, if that.” ‘* Well, for your sake I am sorry it is not more; but we must have what I demand, or you are to be arrested as Carlos Conrado, the lieutenant of Belmont the Buccaneer, escuped death, and next time there must be | and convict whom one of our men saw in no mistake. But his nerves were too much unstrung yet for him to carry out his impulse and again spring upon the man. So he waited a moment, controlled his awe and said, in a voice that it was hard to keep from quivering: ‘So [ did not kill you after all, cox- swain?” ‘‘No; and if you have any intention of trying it again, don’t be a fool and make the attempt, for Lam not alone.” Carlos Conrad glanced uneasily about him. He felt that he was entrapped. But he kept up his coolness, and said: . ‘* You are wise not to be; but tell me, pray, how you escaped before?” ‘*T was not such a fool as to come alone then. ‘¢ A comrade, one who was also a shipmate of yours, senor, came with me. “ He was waiting for me over yonder by the river, and I told him if I did not return in half an hour to look me up. ‘‘He did so, saw you leaving this spot alone, and yet had seen me enter the inclos- ure. ‘‘ He saw that the grave looked very high, suspected that you had killed me and buried me in it. ‘‘So he set to work and dug down to e, ‘‘Had he not been quick at his work, I would have died. ‘* But he saw that I lived, found no wound upor me, only a bruise on my temple here, and the imprint of fingers upon my throat, and so he carried me at a run over to the river. ‘‘There he revived rae, and I told him what had happened. ‘* We came back, threw the dirt in loosely to make the mound look high, as before, and then took our boat back to the city. ‘‘T was unnerved and suffering, for you deal no light blow, senor, and have no gen- tle grip. ‘Then the experience of having been bur- ied alive was not pleasant. ‘**So it made me ill, and I lay for weeks in afever. . ‘‘ But I rallied, and I owe my life to my mate, ‘‘Then we plotted together, and we let others into our secret, of getting a vessel, arming her and sailing once more under the black flag. ‘«So, senor, I shall need the thirty thou- sand I demanded of you, with as much more for my mate, you know, and that is little enough.”’ Carlos Conrad did not move or utter a word during the time that the pirate cox- swain was speaking. » He felt that the man held him in his power, for he was sure that he spoke the truth when he said that he was not alone. He knew that he would be betrayed, ruined, and yet how he could save himself he did not know. He must yield to the demands of the men, who had become his masters, possessing nis secret as they did. For some time he was lost in thought, Then he said calmly: ‘* How many know this secret?” ‘“‘My mate and myself, and four others.” ‘Where are they?” ‘‘My mate stands yonder, behind that large magnolia tree, and the four others are in a boat on the river, awaiting our return, with orders to come here to seek us if we delay half an hour.” “You demand thirty thousand dollars?” **No, sixty thousand, for my mate and - myself, to be used as a nest egg, in case things go wrong at sea. “Then we want forty thousand for a fine vessel, arms and equipments, with advance pay for cighty men.” **TDevils! a hundred thousand?” ‘« Yes, senor.” ‘* You will ruin me!” ** You have as much more?” ) | | ur . prison under life-sentence, while he was serving a few years there. ‘““We will all swear to you, and prove that we were honest sailors, captured by you when a pirate. ‘*'What do you say, senor?” For once the bold man was cowed. He felt that he was at the mercy of a man who meant all that he said. The prison loomed up before him again, the yard-arm was like a phantom before him. Then he knew that disgrace would fall upon those he loved, his mother, sister and Andrew Esmond. He would be hated by Lulu Vance and all who then respected him. “JT will tell you what Iwill do, cox- swain,” he said in a quivering voice. ‘* Well, senor?” **T will, to pay you that sum, have to sell my plantation and slaves, and it will leave me but a small sum, which 1 will take with me to some foreign land and endeavor to live there an honest life. ‘‘Here | cannot remain, and I shall expect your pledge that if | sacrifice myself for you, that not a breath of the secret you hold shall ever be made known here, or elsewhere. ‘*T have sinned in my life, I have been all that is wicked; but I do not wish shame to fall upon the graves of those I love through my acts, ‘*T ask you therefore, man, if man you are, if | give you this gold you demand, that you vow solemnly, by your own mother’s memory, never to betray me.” The man was impressed by the words and manner of Carlos Conrad and replied: ‘1 do so now, Senor Conrad, and I shall keep my vow. ‘‘Give us the gold we demand, and from that moment I, and my mates, forget you.” ‘‘Very well, meet me, to-morrow at noon, in the city at the hotel where you saw me be- fore.” ‘* Senor is this an excuse to get away?” ‘‘ Have you not sense enough to know that I cannot sell my plantation and slaves with- out some preparation? **T must find a purchaser and—” ‘‘T understand, senor, so I will meet you there as you desire.” ‘It may take a longer time to arrange it, but I will give you the money within the week, and then go your way, as I shall go mine, ‘* Now be off.”’ The man bowed and walked away in the gathering gloom of night, and Carlos Con- rad, with the iron entering deep into his soul returned to his house. CHAPTER XLV. TEMPTED, Lutu VANCE was certainly a very lovable irl. She was beautiful, refined, and possessed a lovely character. Though much her senior, for she was not nineteen, Carlos Conrad had won her heart. He was a natural musician and possessed a superb voice, and she being musical he had at first made an impression though what was a bond of sympathy between them. Then his splendid form and handsome face were most attractive to her, while he had a manner that was very fascinating. He talked well, never of himself, though he had seen much of the world, and being the brother of the late Mrs. Andrew Esmond, proved that he came of good family. It had been hinted that he had left his home when a boy, and ran off to sea, and this had been a touch of romance which Lulu Vance liked. He had shown her in many ways that he admired her, and so she had given her heart leave to love with no thought of the future. The devotion of Carlos Conrad to his brother-in-law, a confirmed invalid, had also been a strong card in his behalf. And so it was that Lulu Vance went on dreaming, hoping and building aly castles. . s? =) + 3. ae Ne | Mee Since the death of Andrew Esmond Carlos had gone nowhere to visitf except to the ele- gant home of Planter Vance. This seemed encouraging to Lulu. One evening she was seated upon the piazza, enjoying the rising moon. It was the same evening on which Carlos Conrad had met at the grave of Andrew Es- mond what he had at first deemed to be the ghost of the pirate sailor. In trutb it was but an hour after his part- int with that individual. He had gone to his home, looked over some papers, and then mounting his horse, had ridden over to the Vance Villa. Lulu saw him coming, and she met him as he ascended the broad steps to the piazza, His manner was subdued, and she felt that his visit was to her. This was the more her opinion when he asked for her father. Had he come to ask her hand? So she thought, and she knew what her father’s answer would be, while her heart told her what would be her reply. The planter, a courtly gentleman with white hair, led his guest into the Die! He too had the same thought as his daugh- ter. ‘‘Mr. Vance, I have called upon you to ask a great favor.” “ Well, Mr. Conrad, anything that I can grant, gladly will I do so,” was the reply. ‘‘T have had news, sir, that demands that I at once leave my home. ‘*T do not care to sell the plantation, for it holds the ashes of those I love, nor would I wish to part with the faithful slaves entirely. “Still I have to go, as business calls me elsewhere, and I may be kept away for an in- definite period.” “ This is a great regret to me, Mr. Conrad, and wili be to all your friends,” said the planter. ‘* And to me, sir, for I had hoped to live here the remainder of my years. ‘‘But what I ask of you, sir, is that you purchase my slaves at a mere nominal figure and have the credit of buying also the plan- tation and home. ‘‘T have eighty-nine slaves, young and old, and I will dispose of them to you for forty thousand dollars, on condition that some day I can buy them back with interest added to the purchasing sum. ‘‘The plantation, 1 wish to place in your name also, without your paying for it, for I have perfect confidence in you, sir. ‘Thus you can keep the slaves upon it, work the place and retain all profits, ‘‘But I wish it to be thought that I sold out entirely and leave this part of the country, — though it is my intention to return at some future day.” ‘*T have pony out certain pluns | have in view, excepting a sum of forty thousand dollars, and that I desire you to let me have upon the terms that I have suggested. ‘« Will you do this for me, Mr. Vance?” It was plain that the planter was taken by surprise. e was too courtly a gentleman to ask his visitor for his reasons; but he was a man of © large wealth, and could easily spare the sum asked fcr, especially under the circum: — stances. The Conrad Plantation joined his own, and he knew that it was a valuable property, while the slaves were worth double the sum asked for them. So he told Carlos Conrad frankly that he would grant his request, and a servant was — dispatched to the village for their respective attorneys. In good time they arrived, and they too — were surprised at the sudden act of Carlos | Conrad, But he gave no yeuson, other than that he had business of an important nature to call him away, and he was compelled to go. So the papers were drawn up, conveyin to Mr. Vance the plantation an a draft upon a New Orleans. bank given for the sum asked for. Then Carlos Conrad bade farewell to the planter, and took the hand of Lulu in his own, while he said: Lom going away, Lulu, but I do not know for how long. “Do not forget me, I beg of you.” She stood like one in a dream, as he walked ‘, ‘ Se . <S f Cc "cCOMIcboo in New Orleans to carry | slaves, and pe ke A ; Se _—. * x3 a = * . rr ‘ a?