Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 482 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

» wee \ Ocean Tramps. As he reached the broad stepsa man came | ‘ Here is the letter, and it is sealed. toward him, | ‘* And buy you a souvenir with this to remem- He was a man of middle age, wearing a , ber me by,” and Captain Belmont thrust into white suifi and Panama hat, and he saluted | the hand of Cespedes a silk purse filled with politely as he approached the sailor. gold. ‘*‘fam Captain Belmont, senor, of the Mexi- **Oh, senor.” ean service, and I have come to visit Senor **Do not mention it, Cespedes. Ru lolph, whom I once had the honor of serving ** Good-by,” and the sailor was gone, and Ces- some six months ago,” said Belmont. es watched the schooner sail out to sea, ‘** Ah, Senor Captain, the one you seek is no | appy in. the thought that he was considerably louger alive.” | richer by its coming. ‘** Dead! the Senor Rudolph dead?” cried Bel- Then he glanced at the letter given him, and mont excitedly. ‘Alas! senor, he died two months ago, hav- | ing been thrown from: his horse and killed,” ** Caramba ! and his beautiful daughter?” ~ Is now the Senora Rodriguez, Senor Cap- tain. Captain Frawk Belmont turned livid, and his lips quivered. so that his words came trembling- ly from his lips. “The Senorita Victorine is married, you sav?” ‘** Yes, senor, she was married a month fol- lowing your bringing her home, for she had one to the States, you remember, with her father, to prepare her wardrobe for her mar- he started as he saw the design upon the seal. It was a human skull, and around it were the words: ‘The World is Mine!” CHAPTER IV. THE VOW. THE Senor Cespedes was a valuable man upon a plantation, for he did not need the eye of the master upon him to cause bim to do his duty. He was a good manager, kind to the several hundred slaves that belonged to the estate, and he kept the property up at its best. His own quarters, over on the hillside half a mile from the mansion, were comfortable, and yy riage.” ; as he was a bachelor, he lived in comparative ‘*And she is married?’ mecaanically said | quiet. Belmont. Ove morning, some two months after the ** Yes, senor.” ‘** And one month after I brought her home?” ** Yes, Senor Captain,” ‘You are sure of this?” **Oh, senor, [ am the owner of the plantation, and drank the senor and senora’s health at the wedding.” ‘** And her husband?” *‘Is the Senor Lieutenant Rafael Rodriguez, an officer of the Spanish Navy, though a Cuban-American, for his mother was an Ameri- ean lady, senor.” ‘** And he is in the Spanish Navy?” ‘Yes, senor, though he is now absent in Spain with his bride, and will resign his heu- : tenancy and return here to the plantation to sive, Ah!” ** Yes, senor.” visit of Belmont, the Senor Cespedes, as was his wont on the Sabbath Day, strolled down to the mansion to see that all was well there. In one of the outhouses near the large man- sion, dwelt an old negro and his wife, whose only duty it was to keep the place well aired and clean. Senor Cespedes was startled by suddenly be- holding the old negro lying dead upon his own threshold, while within the door was his wife, and she too was lifeJesss. There was a cutlass cut on the head of the old negro, a sword-thrust through the heart of the negress, The overseer started back with a cry of hor- ror, and then ran toward the mansion, The rear door was locked, and he went around to the front. There he beheld a door open, and upon it was GS SS eine mene f “ About when do you expect them here?” stuck, with four daggers, a black flag, in the d **Tt will not be for a long while, Senor Cap- | center of which was a grinning white skull, and tain, as they will visit other lands ere they re- | about it the words: "n. éé 1? 4 _\ "And the Senor Rodriguez and his beautiful SRE NCORLD. Ih MER ml o wife will make their home here?” Senor Cespedes was aghast with dismay and ¥ “* Yes, Senor Captain; but I forget the hos- | horror, in ! pitality due you, and crave your pardon, | He had a letter at his home, and upon the seal D ** Let me ask you to become the guest of Senor | was the same sign and motto. m Rodriguez and his bride, though absent, for I One glance into the mansion showed that it know how well thought of you are by them.” had been sacked from one end to the other. er: ‘““No, thank you, [—” and as if suddenly All of its costly bric-a-brac, Smee n and ere changing his mind, Belmont continued; silver had been taken, and thousands of dollars’ “TY am really sick of sea-fare, so will accept | worth of things had been stolen in one night. are, our kind offer for a few days to rest in, as I In the harbor, only the little boats belongin de.” ve seen hard service of late—that is, if it is | to the place had been taken, for the robber lied ther | not asking too much for you to open the man- | gone. the . sion.” Who had been tbe despoiler, Cespedes was as- ufter ; ‘* No, senor, the house is ever ready to dis- | sured. 1 set pense hospitality, so remain as long as you deem And yet he determined to keep the secret to it your pleasure.” himself until the Senor Rodriguez and his wife come The overseer then had the mansion thrown | should return. . ained open, called up the house servants and Captain But he ran to the plantation bell and rung it _ Belmont was made an honored guest, ag furiously to sound the alarm, and the slaves and raitor ; ss master and fair young mistress were a oF t somes from adjoining plantations quickly yord,” | sent. gathered. ‘0 the Cespedes, the oversesr, had often heard the The dead bodies of the old negro and negress r were Senor Rudolph and Victorine speak of the Mex- | showed that the ruthless invaders had not stop- Juan, ican coramander, and tell how much they owed | ped at cruelest crime, for they had slain them nd bis © to him in deepest gratitude, and he had also | without mercy. gotten a glimpse of the schooner going out to 1t was decided, of course, that a pirate crew | away sea, when last there, with the two forms strug- | had landed upon the coast and raided the man- s came gling at the rope end, so he felt a great awe of | sion, and the adjoining planters at once organ- the cruiser’s commander, but asked him, as he | ized a band for protection, and a close watch by and he stood near, while Belmont smoked a cigarrito: | day and night was to be kept, for there were me his — “Senor, it was thought that Pe punished | other houses equally as valuable in furnishings with death, the two men who bad plotted the | that might readily be visited by the sea ro death of Senor Rudolph, his daughter, and the | bers. made, Liza, when they were in the open boat?” | But who that robber chief was, only Cespedes Hh , they intended to kill the senor and | felt that be knew and he kept silent, while no a those with him, and so I strung them up,” was | one suspected for an instant the Mexican officer, er again the cool reply. who had saved Senor Rudolph ard his daughter of Senor “ We all saw it, senor, and it showed you to | from death, and afterward had been the guest an coast. _ bea true friend. BAG. at the deserted home for a few days. ittle ves- ‘‘Yes, I am a true friend, and unforgiving | Slowly the months passed away to the anx- upon the foe,” and Belmont laughed: but it was a laugh | ious overseer, and at last, after over a year’s t eagerly that Overseer Cespedes did not like. | absence, there ran into the harbor a vessel-o?- dings wi For days did Captain Belmont remain at the | war, flying the Spanish flag. _ Cuban home, spending his time in cach lay 8 riding | ‘And on board of it was Lieutenant Rodriguez, the place oF hunting, but refusing the request of Cespedes | his beautiful wife and a baby girl, the little one lieutenant, a allow the neighboring planters to call upon | having been born upon the sea. manhood, Bi | With his arrival at bome the services of Lieu- .e that was Enis | nena te alone, and Cespedes thought | tenant Rodriguez as a Spanish officer ended, as ce y & very stern, moody man, | and he turned over to the junior lieutenant the desert- though ever polite to him, — command of his vessel, and became a Cuban eing ne st he decided to again put to sea, and he | planter, giving up the sea, as he had hoped, for- ay up in lled to Cespedes and said: , ever. | rae for h You have been a most hospitable host to Cespedes met the happy couple, and told them venty-two. ™e, Senor, and I wish to ask a favor of you.” the story of the pirates’ raid by night. ont frowned. |, “eS, senor.” ; : They felt deeply for the faithful old servants walking t0- have written a letter bere which I wish | who had been killed, and regretted the loss of AY Ion to take over to your own quarters and to | their property stolen, but they were rich and wnusual ace in the hands of the Senora Victorine her- | could replace that, and, happy in their love and re had been a" _ | their little baby girl, they were determined to pon bis Ido not care to have her husband see it, | allow no gloom to fall bs their lives.’ jesertion cogh she can show it to him if so she wishes.” The remembrance that her loved father, upon t shall be as you desire, Senor Captain.” ' the hillside in the little family burying-ground, ~ ae ht - —— EEE og A 3 was also a sorrow to Victorine; but she was happy with her loving husband, and seemed once more like a girl as she sped about the grounds of her old home. She had started when Cespedes had told them of the visit of Captain Belmont, and how he bad entertained him for several days, and Senor Rodriguez had said: ‘God bless him! I wish he had remained longer, for he shall always hold a warm place in ap, Mscicrr Victorine, after all he did for you.” ictorine made no reply. for she had kept from her husband the fact that Captain Bel- mont had told her he loved her, and had said that he meant to come and claim her as his bride. Why she had beld this from him as a secret she did not know herself, and yet she had not told him. Some days after her arrival at home, Victo- rine took a walk alone to the little arbor on the hill, from whence a grand view of the coast, the sea and plantation grounds and mansion could e seen. Her husband had ridden to the town, some miles away, and the baby, little Norma, was asleep, so that she was left to herself, Cespedes was on the watch for just such an opportunity, and so seeing her going toward the overlook arbor, he hastened after the letter intrusted to his care by Belmont, and soon joined her there, ‘* Ah! Senor Cespedes, T am enjoying the fine view once more, and it seems like old times to be here: but let me thank you for your very great care of the place the fifteen months we were ab- sent.” ‘** And yet, senora, the place was robbed while you were away?” “That was not your fault, good senor; but tell me, how appeared Captain Belmoat when bere?” ‘** Morose, senora, and stern.” ‘**Said he aught of me?” ‘* He left this letter for me, senora, to place in your hands alone.” Victorine started, paled, and then her face flushed. But she broke the letter open, without glan- cing at the seal, and Cespedes walked apast several paces to let her read it. What she read caused her to flush with anger and then pale with dread, It was as follows: ‘*“Smnora VICTORINE:— “Tam seated in the room overlooking the spot where I told you I loved you. “Lam the guest of your house, rendered dear to me by association with you, and I wonder how strange it was that the ideal of womanhood I have idolized since my boyhood I should have picked up at sea. “T loved you the moment my eyes met yours, and more, my dear Victorine, with one who possess- es my nature it is to love but once in a lifetime. “T have given you that one love of my life, and to my dying day | can love no other. a told you that I would come here for you to be my wife. ‘ Y You did not tell me that you were then engaged to another, and so I deemed that you loved me as I did you. ‘But, even bad you so told me it would have made no difference to me as you were the one that was intended for me alone, “You have seen fit to become the bride of another, but I will forgive that if you will fly with me far away to other lands, seg | gon refuse, then I vow that my vengeance shall fall upon the man you love, and when he is dead you shall become my wife. **T make no idle vow, so be warned and obey my bidding. . ‘*Some night we shall meet face to face, and then I shall ask you what bas been your decision, so be ready. ** FRANK BELMONT, . ““A Freelance of the Sea.” Twice did Victorine read this letter and then ape called to Cegpedes, while from her lips came the words: ‘* He makes no idle vow.” CHAPTER V. KEEPING A SECRET. ‘‘CresprpeEs, did the Senor Captain hint to you what was in this letter?” ‘* No, my dear senora, but I can guess that its contents pain you, as your face reveals that much, and the after deeds of the Senor Captain showed what he was,” ‘* His after deeds, Cespedes?” ‘* Yes, senora,” ** Has he been here again?” ‘* ‘Yes, senora.” ** Ah! when?” i You are alarmed, senora, soI pray you be calm. ‘*T am alarmed, for Captain Belmont made a threat in this letter.” : .,\' He has already executed it, Senora Victo- rine. ‘“‘Tam in the dark, good Cespedes, at what you mean.” ‘*Do you remember the flag, senora, that I found upon the door of the mansion after the visit of the pirates?” Bi I have itas a souvenir of their cruel “You can describe it, senora?” way rat