Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 482 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

‘to come, became so great that she decided to American naval officers coming into port, re- garding Lieutenant Belden Montrose, and was told there was no such officers in their navy Other inquiries were made, and the resalt was that ‘‘ Lieutenant Belden Montrose” could not be found. Then it became known that the American merchant craft, under command of one Captain Carlos Conrad, had left port the night before the duel. It was remembered that the alleged lieutenant and merchant captain had not come together to the field, but in different boats and in different directions. Another suspicious circumstance was that the ‘‘ lieutenant” ‘had not been seen after the duel, and a visit to his rooms showed that he had left there. But another discovery was made also, and that was he had left in his room a paper upon which was written the date of every merchant craft that was expected to sail, or to arrive in port within the next two months, with some data as to about where they could be met at sea on certain dates, This was a suspicious circumstance, and it was rendered more suspicious by the fact that a roll of flags had also been left in the rooms of the absent man. These flags were new, having evidently just been made, and were several in number, But the strangest part was that the flags were of a very suspicious kind for an honest man to be in possession ef. Toeir field was black, andin the center was a white sicull, while, encircling the skull in red letters were the words: ‘The World is Mine!” All these things were reported to Victorine, and she at once said to Major Mendez: ** Describe the man, senor.” * Tall, broad-shouldered, and sinewy in form, with a face that was almost as brown as aSpan- iard’s, fine features, a pleasant smile, and the eye of au eagle, for it fairly seemed to be liquid fire as he foucht your husband, though otherwise he was perfectly calm.” “Did you observe whether he wore a seal ring?” ** He did, on the little finger of his left hand. **T noticed it after.” ** Describe it, please.” ‘¢ A black stone, with white center and circle of red about it, set in a frame of massive gold— Caramba ! it was the same as the flags found in a close inspection of it.” ‘‘T know the man, Major Mendez,” said Vic- torine, calmly. ‘¢'You know him, Senora Rodriguez?” ce Yes.” ‘* Who is he?” ‘*He is not an American officer, nor is his name Belden Montrose.” ‘‘ You surprise me, senora.” ‘*T will surprise you still more when I tell you that he is none other than Belmont, the Bucca- neer.” Major Mendez was on his feet in an instant, while he said through his shut teeth: ‘*T believe you are right, Senor Rodriguez.” ‘‘T know that I am, senor.” ** And this is the man whom we made a guest of our club and entertained right royally? ‘¢ Why we must keep this a secret, or we will be laughed at, and so keeping it some day he may come back, and then we will have him in our clutches,” ‘*7 fear not, for he is a bold, cunning man, Major Mendez,” was the reply of Victorine. And soit was, afew weeks after this conver- gation she took her husband back with her to Buena Vista Plantation, well knowing how cru- elly had Belmont the Buccaneer tried to carry out his threat, * And will he come avain?” she asked herself over and over again, and the dread that he would do so grew and grew daily upon her, until her alarm became so great that she urged her husband, who had now regained his healti and strength, to move to Havana and make it their home, CHAPTER XII. A DREAD REALIZED. THE wound received by Senor Rodriguez be- eame perfectly healed in time, The charge of fraud against him, at the card- table, he saw was believed by a few and he was stung to the quick by if. And because the man calling himself Belden Montrose, and claiming to be a lieutenant in the American Navy, was not known publicly to have been proven to be an impostor, and to be suspected of being none other than a free rover chief, Rafael Rodriguez, who had several enemies, Was compelled to live under suspicion of a few. At last the dread of Victorine, of greater evil tell her husband all, for she saw that he was adverse to moving to Havana, and could not understand her reason for wishing to do so, So Victorine one afternoon, while the two were seated upon the piazza overlooking the sea, his room, now | recall it; but he never allowed began to bow! merrily along. But the schooner changed her course, caught vite) 4 Ocean Tramps. | fold her husband of Frank Belmont's ayowal of leve to her, of his saying that he would come to marry her, and afterward of the visit he had made when he had given to Cespedes the letter for her. This letter she showed to him, and also made known that he had surprised her by a visit there one night, only a short while before the | duel, ana that he had gone from thereto Havana te meet him in deadly combat. What Major Mendez had discovered she also made known, and in truth made a complete confession, and then added: “Now, my dear Rafael, you know why I wish to qenr4 the plantation here and go to Havana te live, “There we will be safe, and we can dwell in security until this bold buccaneer has met his fate. “Here we may expect a visit from him at any time, and what the result of his coming will be I leave for you to picture, ‘‘Now, Rafael, shall we go to Havana to live, at least until we know we are free from this man’s persecution?” ‘*Gladly,” was the response of Rafael Rod- riguez, who had listened in deepest astonish- ment to all that his wife bad told him. He felt hurt that she had not before told him sae dy yet he could not blame her, and he said: ‘*Tt is best, under the circumstances, Victo- rine, that we go to Havana, so make your ur- rangements accordingly. ‘* T can secure a good home there, and I will ask it as a personal favor of all Spanish naval officers to keep a bright lookout for this bucca- neer. ‘If they fail to capture him within a given time, I will fit out a vessel at my own expense and arm it, to hunt him down, for we cannot peat driven away from our home by the vil- ain, ‘* And when shall we go, Rafael?” asked Vic- torine, delighted at the thought of going beyond danger of a visit from Belmont, the Buccaneer. ** We can get off within ten days, I think, and the yacht and lugger will carry all that we wish to take with us. . *‘Suppose you go by volante to the city, to look up a home for ns.” ** No, I will not leave you, Rafael.” ‘Then I will send to our agent there to secure us a place at once,” was the reply, and orders were at once given to the servants to begin to pack up to go to the city, Within ten days all was in readiness, and the plantation lugger was loaded with troops which were to be taken to the new home, and the man- sion was shut up and left to the care of Ces- pedes. The house servants went on board the lugger, and the Cuban, his wife, child and half a dozen others boarded the yacht, a pretty craft of ten tons burden, used as a means of transport to and from the city. lt was sunset when the two vessels sailed, and in spite of her lubberly appearance the lugger held her own with the pleasure craft, for she was a swift sailer. A. thorough sailor himself, Rafael Rodeiguez took command and headed well out to sea, the lugger close in his wake. The wind, at first fresh soon died out, and when but four leagues on their way the two vessels were becalmed and lay rocking lazily upon the sea, Toward midnight the moon arose, and with its coming a wind sprung up. But with the wind coming over the waters was a large schooner under a press of canvas, Rafael Rodriguez did not like the rakisb look of the craft, and his glass soon showed her to be armed, Along she came, right down before the wind, while the lugger and yacht had not yet felt its influence. The young Cuban grew anxious, for he knew that resistance was useless, should the stranger prove to be a foe, and to escape from so fleet a craft was inipossible he was well aware. Atlast the wind filled the sails of the two lit- tle vessels, and they bent to its influence and the breeze abeam and came in hot chase. The moon revealed her to be a very rakish looking craft, and she certainly sailed with twice the speed of the two smaller vessels, To reach the shore was impossible, for there was no harborage there, even could the yacht and Ingger get there ahead of the schooner. Quickly she came on, gaining steadily, but though within range not firing to bring the vessels to, This circumstance caused Rafael Rodriguez to dread her the more, for, had she been an honest cruiser she would at once have fired to bring the two little vessels to, Nearer and nearer she came, until at last the Cuban felt that the schooner would overhaul them within half an hour at the furthest, His wife was below, unmindful of danger: but he determined to awake her and prepare her for what might come; so be went into the cabin and said: ey ST . | ; | ¢ : 4 , ” J / 2 as sei Aine eiteaoh tails Sie. Nib a. AGO) —_—_—_— LLL LD ——— . **Victorine, dress yourself and come on deck, for there is a vessel in chase.” He spoke calmly, but her heart sunk within her and within ten minutes she stood by her hus- band’s side. He pointed tothe schooner and handed her the glass, while he said: “1 hope it is a Spanish cruiser.” One long look through the glass and Victorine let it fall to the deck, while she said in a voice that was hoarse with emotion: ** Rafael, that is the schooner of Belmont the Buccaneer; so we are lost!” | Her worst dread was realized, for the schooner was the pirate craft of the man who had given her so much reason to believe that he would keep the threats he had made, CHAPTER XIV. IN A PIRATE'S POWER. STEADILY and swiftly the pirate schooner came on, and standing upon the deck, clinging to her busband’s arm, was Victorine, her eyes riveted upon the vessel which held so much of dread to her. She bad called Liza the negress upon deck, and the two had said that the schooner was the craft of Belmont the Buccaneer, Liza held, clasped in her arms, the little child, Norma, and, as the Cuban planter gazed upon his beautiful wife and tiny daughter bis heart al- most sunk in despair. Nearer and nearer drew the schooner, and, as though realizing that the big game was in the yacht, he ran close to windward of the lugger, allowed his sharp bows to almost touch her quarter, and a score of visible forms sprung up- on her decks, And by her swept the schooner, having blank- eted the lugger for a moment and leaving her dancing in her wake as she hold on after the yacht. As she drew nearer to the yacht, Rafael Rod- riguez hailed: ** Ho, the schooner, ahoy !” “Ay, ay, senor!” was the response, ‘“* W hat schooner is that, and why do you give chase?” “It is for me to ask questions, senor, you to answer,” ‘* Lay to, or Pll run you down,” was the stern response, here was no help for it, and Rafael brought the yacht to, the Ingger following the example of the pleasure-boat, Luffing sharp, the schooner glided slowly iuhead until she was up to the stern of the yacht, and in an instant an officer and a score of men with cutlasses and pistols in hand, leaped upon the decks of the little vessel. . ‘It is Belmont!” said Victorine, in a voice that quivered with the emotion which almost overpowered her. It was Frank Belmont, looking very hand- some in his uniform, and with a smile upon his handsome face—a. face more godlike than satan- ic in its expression, As he approached the spot where the Cuban, his wife and Liza stood, with the crew of the rg and the other servants huddled in terror ehind them, Rafael Rodriguez released himself from the grasp of Victorine, and with uplifted sword stepped forward, for he had armed him- self thoroughly. . Instantly Belmont started back. He had not heard that Rafael Rodriguez was not dead, and was for a moment unnerved at seeing him, ‘‘Caramba! Are you man or ghost?” said the buccaneer, gruffly. ‘‘Tam a man, Senor Buccaneer, and if you are also one and not a coward, you will allow me to settle with my sword between us who is victor here,” responded the brave Cuban. strange expression crossed his face, He had believed that the Cuban was dead, become his wife. He had seen the yacht and lugger, and posing it to be some rich planter moving city, gave chase, expecting a rich baul., his clutches, He feared to push matters, for he knew the spirit of Rafael Rodriguez and also of Victorine, and did not doubt but that they would take their hat he said: ‘“T greet you, Senora Rodriguez. unexpected honor, I assure you.” ‘* And what is your intention, Senor Belmont, regarding my husband and myself?” asked Vic- torine with forced calmness, ‘‘Tama pirate, as you now know, lady, and my prizes belong to my crew, so I cannot afford to set you free as I would wish, but must hold you for ransom.” “And will you ransom us?” eagerly asked Rafael Rodriguez, ** Yes, senor, but my price will be a large one, for you have, besides your wife and you a lovely child, I see, with fully a score of slaves on The bueccaneer stood on his guard, while a — and he was on his way to the Buena Vista Plantation to demand that Victorine should now _ tothe Now be saw that the game he sought was in : own lives before bis face, if it came to the worst; _ so he determined to temporize, and raising his This isan — ef Li! ‘a - — t yi i % * : = Sa ate | wy aa ¢ . 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