Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 482 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

4 ** Certainly.” ‘* What did you make it out, senora?” ““A sable field, a human skull, snow-white, and encircling it in red letters the words: ‘<TH WORLD IS MINE,’” ‘Yes, senora; but do you remember if Cap- tain Belmont had a flag?” ‘‘ A Mexican flag of course, though he dis- playea no colors while we were upon his schoon- ** Will you look at that seal, my lady, on the letter he has written you?” Witha slight start Victorine obeyed and a cry escaped her as she beheld it. ‘Holy Mother save me! it is the same as the flag!” **The same, senora.” ‘*Do you mean, Cespedes, that this man, Cap- tain Belmont, was the pirate who landed here and sacked our house, killing those two faithful old slaves?” ‘* Without doubt, senora,”’ ** Can it be so?” ‘* He passed days bere, senora, as an honored guest, and thus learned how easy if was to rob your home, and what was the most valuable to take, ‘‘] remember seeing him roaming from room to room and then asking as to the value of the paintings.” ‘*Then you believe Captain Belmont to be a irate?” ‘‘Ts not there a sea rover who is known as Belmont the Buccaneer, senora?” ‘* Ha! I have heard of such a sea outlaw, Ces pedes,” ‘* Cannot this mar be he?” ‘* Assuredly, only he treated us so well, and seemed so much of a gentleman, while he claimed that his vessel was a Mexican cruiser,” ‘*True, but many a | gaa apace senora, has turned outa pirate, and this man certainly is one, and I[ fear we have cause to dread him.’ ‘*So fear I, good Cespedes; but, for the pres- ent, [ will keep this from my husband, **T will retain this letter to show him; but I will not worry him just now, and yet, as Cap- tain Belmont here signs himself as ‘A Free- lance of the Sea,’ 1 wish you, Senor Cespedes, to be on your guard for any strange sail that may appear, for the schooner may return here again.” ‘*It may, senora, and I will be on the watch for it,” and Cespedes, having told Victorine that she could trust him not to betray the secret they held between them, went back toward his quarters, In the mean time Victorine had a little strug- — herself as to what was right for her to do. She had not told her husband of Belmont’s confession of love, nor even her father, and yet just vipdd she had not she could not herself under- stand. She had kept it a secret, hoping. that Bel- mont, if he did return, would find her married and gone and thus let the matter drop. She had not told Belmont of her engagement, as she felt there was no need of doing so, until he told his love for her, and then she had nota chance to make it known and so had allowed him to depart with the avowed determination to return some day and claim her for his wife. Now she had a letter from him making dire threats, and she know that he had not only re- turned, but was in fact no other than the buc- caneer whose fame as a cruel sea rover had spread from sea to sea, Still, not wishing to alarm her husband, or to excite his jealous nature, she kept the matter secret. Soon after her return to the mansion Senor Rodriguez arrived at home, and he stated that he would have to go to Havana the next day upon important business. _ And it was with a sad heart, and a forebod- ing. of evil that Victorine saw him depart. he evening after the departure of her hus- band for Havana was a beautiful one, luring Victorine to a stroll in the grounds by moon- light, for Liza was with little Norma; in fact the pretty negress considered the infant her es- pecial property and seldom left it. Approaching a clump of orange trees, in which was a rustic seat from whence a view of the ocean could be seen, Victorine sat down and be- came lost in the beauty of the scene. _ Suddenly a shadow fell upon her and her hesrt stood still almost, as she beheld the tall form of Belmont standing before her. CHAPTER VI, THE THREAT. To save her life, had a movement depended upon it, Victorine could not move. There was no large vessel in the little harbor, for the moonlight revealed its waters distinctly, broken only by the plentetion yacht, lugger and fishing smack, with several skiffs drawn out upon the sunny sands. The man had therefore come by some other way than into the harbor in his schooner. True, he could have landed down the coast, a league or two away, and walked up to Buena Ocean Tramps. Vista Plantation, and he must have been on the water to have seen Victorine go to the orange arbor alone. Did any one know of his being there? How thoroughly in his power she was, Such were the thoughts which flashed through the brain of the beautiful woman as she beheld Captain Belmont before her, and she was un- able to move or speak with dread, And he too seemed in no hurry to speak, for, folding his arms he stood in silence before her, At Jast the man spoke. ‘* Ts this my welcome, Senora Rodriguez, after nearly two years since last we met?’ His voice seemed to break the ckarm, or spell, under which Victorine was, and she regained her presence of mind at once. ‘* T know not, senor, whether to welcome one to whom I owe so much of gratitude, as a Mexi- | can Officer, or as a pirate,” she said, rising and facing him. ‘Ab! you confound me with Belmont the Buccaneer?” ‘* Are you not that sea rover?” ‘* Suppose I say nay?” ‘‘T shall be heartily glad to feel that I do not | owe my life to a pirate.” ** Suppose I say yea.” ‘‘ Then Heaven have merey upon you, senor.” | “Do you remember our last meeting, se- nora?” ‘*Can I forget it, senor?” “ Do you remember that I told youl loved - we I do.” ‘** Do you recall my promise to come after you and make you my wife?” ‘‘Senor Captain, I can never forget that scene, for you told me that you loved me, in a passionate, earnest way, at the same time urg- ing me not to speak to my father just then of what you said, and, without awaiting a word from me you told me that you would come to make me your wife. ‘‘T was more than full of gratitude to you for my life, and I admired you, believing you an honorable, noble man, while I could not but feel flattered at your love; but ere reply could be made my father joined us, and you sailed soon after, or you should have known that I already loved another, and was to marry him in a very short: while, ‘* But, ts did not know this, and you return- ed after I had become the wife of another and was far away. ‘‘T came back, with my husband and child, and I received your letter; nay, more, I learned thatit was you who bad come here and wrecked my home, killed my faithful old servants, and I read your threat in the words written to me, so that, from your actions, your words, the flag left by the midnight raiders, and the seal upon your missive to me, I can only believe that in you I see a pirate, none other in fact, senor, than Belmont the Buccaneer.” Victorine had spoken with deep earnestness, which showed that she was very much moved. The man had listened to her in silence, and when she had ceased speaking he said: ‘*¢ Senora, in my letter I told you that I could love but one woman, That is true, and you are that woman. ‘*T was born a gentleman, as far as my fami- ly went, but it seems there was a natural devil within me to drive me to the bad, With good impulses I yet commit crime, and it was because I went to the bad and had to go to prison, that I took to the sea and became a rover, ‘T tried to live an honorable life, so enlisted in the service of Mexico, and pluck made me commander of a cruiser. ‘* But the Satan within me kept my best na- ture down, and I turned my craft into a pirate just one month before I found you afloat in that open boat at sea. ‘*T made renewed good resolves, and had you become my wife I would have kept them. ‘But [ came here to find you the wife of an- other, and my every good resolve was broken. “My Government. did not know that I had turned pirate, so I smodthed over my acts with my crew, and after leaving here, went back to honest service again. ‘‘But when I discovered that you had mar- ried another, I again hoisted my sable flag and began a life of sea-outlawry which I believe you ill do me the justice’to say has made the name of Belmont the Buccaneer quite famous and much dreaded. ‘‘ Now I have come back here to see you, to get a Sreponee to my letter.” ‘¢ You shall soon have it, Senor Pirate.” ** Hold! do not say aught that you will regret, until you have heard me.” ‘* What more have you to say, senor?” ‘*T would say that I love you far more than ever, and if you will pledge your word to be- come my wifeupon the death of your husband, ~ at gofrom you to-night and lead an honest e ‘Go, sir, for you are insulting!” ‘* Ts it an insult to offer an honest love?” ‘* Such love as you offer is not honorable, but an insult, Go, sir!” ** And you refuse?” **T certainly do!” | a — ———— ‘*Remember, I will raise no hand to destro your husband, only I ask, should he die, wi you, after a yrear of mourning, become my wife?” ** Never!” ‘‘T will lead am honest life from this day, if you will so promise.” ‘Never! Go from me!” “You command this?” Pk OO. ‘‘T am not one to be cast off with impunity.” ‘“‘Tdo not fear you,’ was the bold reply, and yet the quivering lips an@ trembling form belied er brave words. ' ‘‘T have made a vow that you shall be mine some day.” ‘** Begone, pirate, or I will call for aid.” He gazed a moment upon her, then said, in @ low, vicious tone: ‘‘T have warned you, so upon your head be what comes,” So saying he walked away alony the ridge path, and after watching him until he disap- peared from sight in the moonlight, Victorine turned and fled toward the mansion like a frightened deer. CHAPTER VII. THE INSULT. THERE was no American vessel-of-war in the harbor of Havana at the time of the scene which I am now about to describe, but a lieutenant of the United States Navy was passing a few weeks’ leave there, ' He wasa handsome fellow, and having met several well-known citizens of the town, was in- troduced at the Assembly Rooms of the officers of the Spanish Navy and Army, ap He dressed in full uniform, was very winning in manner, and became a favorite at once, while reputed to be very rich, and certainly staked large sums at the gaming-table, and at times lost heavily. ‘‘Have you met that handsome American senor, Rodriguez?” asked a Spanish major one night of Rafael Rodriguez, as the two stood to- gether in the Assembly Rooms at Havana. ‘‘ No, and I am anxious to, for 1 am always most friendly to the Americans, my brother having been a native of that country, you re- member,” said Rafael Rodriguez in response. He was a fine-looking young man, quite youth- ful, for he was scarcely over twenty-three, yet had won fame while in the navy of Spain, and for the hand of the beautiful heiress, Victorine Rudolph, he had had many rivals. But to be cut out by such a splendid fellow as: was Rodriguez, his disappointed rivals had said. was no disgrace. So he had won Victorine, and resigning from ye navy had settled down to the life of a plan- r He spoke English almost without an accent, and was therefore glad to be presented to the United States lieutenant, who was known as Senor Belden Montrose, The two senors met with a pleasant grasp of the hands when Pad seen to each other by Ma- jor Mendez, and, as gambling at cards was @& most fashionable amusement in those days, as now, it was not long before there wasa game in progress at a table in a little reception-room. The four at the table consisted of Major Men- dez and Senor Rodriguez, whe were playing as artners, and the American lieutenant, Belden ontrose, who had as his partner also an Amer- ican, who had accompanied him to the Assem- bly Rooms. He introduced his friend as Senor Conrad, the captain of an American merchant vessel then in port, and the major and Rafael Rodriguez voted them both splendid comrades. A few of the club members dropped in to see the game, when the attendant servant whisper- ed outside that the stakes were growing very large, and, as the figures went up into the thou- sands of pesos on a bet, Major Mendez said that he must withdraw. The American, Captain Conrad, also with- drew, and the game was left to be played out by Senor Rodriguez the rich Cuban planter, and Lieutenant Belden Montrose, A large crowd had now deepest interest was felt in game by all, as the stakes had gone up as high as five thousand pesos. The American officer had been a steady loser, but pluckily kept up his bets, though Senor Rodriguez had several times offered to end the game where it was. - ‘‘ No, I never back down, senor, in the face of a foe,” was the stern remark, and many were surprised at it. ‘Do you look upon me, senor, as & foe? “T certainly hope not,” the Cuban had re- sponded with a pleasant smile. 8 ‘e Quick and cutting came the response: ‘T Jook upon any man as a foe, senor, who is a cheat at cards, and I am only playing to catch you in the act.” A cry of indignation went around the table at this, and a stinging blow in the face was dealt by Rafael Rodriguez upon his insulter, while he said earnestly: © ‘“‘Senors, you know me, and I appeal to you — gatheaate and the e m <S icomic ,00 ; ° 4 a se | —— ' l " *