Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 15) (1877 12 03)
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| j | eran Ss le Number. The Sea-Cat; mah R, THE WITCH OF DARIEN. A STORY OF THE SPANISH MAIN, BY FREDERICK WHITTAKER, AUTHOR OF “THE RED RAJAH,” ‘‘ DOUBLE- | DEATH,” ‘‘ THE ROCK RIDER,” ETC. CHAPTER L THE GALLEON. A TERRIBLE cyclone was raging over the Ca- | ribbean Sea, sweeping over the palm-fringed islands, tearing up trees by the roots, hurling | the thatched huts of the natives to the | BEADLE AND ADAMS, ww Copyrighted in 1877, by BEADLE AND ADAMS. No. 988 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. like card-houses, and scattering their remnants in the air like scraps of papes- ae at.sea caught in that fearful hurricane had their masts torn out of them, snapped like pepe, and were dashed and buffe about y the angry waves, till their seams gaped with open wounds, lfed them. Black clouds shut out the light of the sun as with a pall of velvet, and revolved slowly in a huge circle, a hundred miles or more in diame- ter, around a central point, where a funnel-like ning let in a view of the calm sky above, blue, eternal, and unchangeable, in solemn con- trast to the fearful tornado raging below. Under the ech Be pl i! go BE 2 of cloud howled the tempest of wind, driving in an ex- actly opposite direction, with such force that it cut off tops of the waves, and reduced the PUBLISHERS, and the devouring sea over- | | whelmed and in F Pw AS \ S 5 Cents. sea to a flattened mass of white foam, flying through the air in a thick mist. Not a drop of rain fell at the outskirts of this circle. Only the fierce cyclone howled over the waters like a ravenous beast hungry for prey. But all around the silent funnel in the center a sheet of water was falling from the black cleuds, while the glare of lightning and the roll of thunder never ceased. Far outside, on the outskirts of the storm, where the wind was less violent, and the waves rolled mountains high, where the ragged scud-clouds at the edge of the cyclone went flying through the air like scared sea-birds, a small vessel, made of the trunk of a single tree, slim and elegant in shape, was climbing the slopes of the billows, only to plunge madly into the trough of the sea at the oppouae side, under a single, close-reefed lateen f ’ / fa ] ; » i f f VG! ih / MW fh’ | ; } fj fj ; ‘ 4 ft if } il}
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2 Many a mile away from her, but gg drifting nearer, was a tall and stately ship, wi lofty forecastle and poop, covered with carv- ing and gilding, an image of the Madonna at the prow, and twenty guns of a side, Her culiar build and rig, the enormous size of her ards, with close-reefed sails below, announced er to be a Spanish galleon of the largest size while the course she was steerin; proclaimed her to be homeward bound, in all probability with treasures for Spain, for it was in the yee of grace 1664, and the Spaniards ruled all Peru and Mexico. The galleon, which bore the name NuEsTRA SENORA DEL ASUNCION on her stern, did not seem to have suffered much in the hurricane, chiefly because she had avoided its full force by keeping on the outskirts, owing to the skill of a passenger on board, and not to any seamanship of the commander, That commander, a white-haired cavalier of very distinguished appearance, was none other than Don Alonzo del Campo y Espinosa, late Governor of Cartagena de las Indias, now going home with his daughter, Dona Inez, to Spain. The old Governo: paced the poop, watching the breaking storm, for every minute drove it further and further away, and the galleon, as she got further and further from the center, be- gan to spread her wings once more, and travel on her homeward voyage. To the north-east, on the larboard bow, two needle-like peaks rose out of the sea, the well- known Pitons of St. Lucia, and toward these the galleon was steering her course. Don Alonzo looked worn and anxious, for the storm had tried the vessel severely, and they were not out of danger yet. The demons of the storm might have been cheated of their prey, but other demons remain- ed no less ed the Spaniards, and es cially by those wadsitity in treasure-ships—the buccaneers. The time was the royal time for the sea rovers, whose audacity in those days approached the sublime, and whc were Paying back to the Spaniards, at the hands of English and French alike, the robberies and cruelties by which they had become masters of New Spain and Peru. As Don Alonzo watched the seas for a sail, now and then saying a word to his daughter, the ladder from the waist, — and lean, but with immensely 8 nine face, were hair, contrary to the , was cut so. ; short, and his was thin and long, waxed in the military mode, but unrelieyed by achin tuft. Despite the decidedly un-Spande style of his countenance, he was dressed in the’ Spanish style, with richly embossed armor, and old-broidered velvets and satins, and he ke 6 la with such a pure accent an old Ca might have brotherhood with him ‘* And so you think there is no further danger of our meeting with those accursed devils of buccan Don Enrique?” said the Governor, as he to and fro on the poop, scanning the horizon at ee Tnez pe sea ene el above on img stern ery, wor quietly at an embroider- ed alter-clote. She raised her soft eyes to the kom orbs of Don Enrique, and shuddered as she “Oh! Holy Virgin, protect us! I hope so, Se- mos. nor Mo Don Morganos had been furtively watching the beautiful devotee, and started stgnely as she spoke. His dark face flushed a little as he said: : ‘‘No pirate, be he ever so bloody, would dare to harm you, senorita.” “ T would rather trust to our good pieces of eighteen for protection than the beauty of an angel,” said the old Governor, a little sarcastic- ally. ‘These rovers, the scum of ‘every land, are none too good to rob a church; and sacrile- gious persons such as that, would show no mercy even to an Don Enrique smiled faintly as he answered; ** You are onthe buccaneers, Don Alonzo. Your Lae 0g remembers that they were once what their name implies, men who lived by the chase, and dried thei: bouwcan for sale to passing ships. But the Spanish galleons, Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. and captains with roving commissions, robbed them of all their goods, and turned them out to starve. Who -can blame them for revenging themselves?” Don Alonzo flushed angrily to the roots of his white hair. ‘Who says they had any right here, senor? Did not his Holinoas the Pope give all this con- tinent and the cit'cumjacent islands in perpetual ergy to his Most Catholic men ag of pain? and what right had these dogs of hun- ters, English, French, or what you will, to tres- | pass on our preserves? One would think you | were one of them, Senor Morganos, loyal gentleman of Biscay, ag oe plead for them.” Morganos only smiled in answer. He al- lowed the hot-headed old soldier to cool down before he said: “*T only stated the other side of the case, se- nor. The buccaneers, at least the English por- tion of them, are heretics, and care not for his Holiness. I do not justify them. If any such as bra were to come in my way, ’tis but a short shrift I would give them.” ‘“No shorter than I,” returned inosa, an- grily. ‘‘I would they would try conclusions with me now, in open sea, with a good ship un- der my feet. But that is not their e. ey always select some coward to plunder.” Don Enrique turned away and looked over the quarter of the galleon over the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea. A little white speck was just aon visible there, as whe uite un- noticed from the ship. He turned back to the old Spaniard, with his peculiar sardonic smile. ‘Perhaps not,” he said. ‘‘ Yonder’s a sail in chase of us, and from the lift of her topsails I should judge her to be one of the buccaneers.” Don Alonzo started and gazed eagerly astern. The strange sail was coming from the north- west, the direction of Jamaica, and pas a course that promised to cut them off before they reached St. Lucia. i And even at that distance it became plain that the stranger was a fast sailer, able to overhaul the galleon. instead of a you CHAPTER IL. THE ROVERS. ‘Ts a buccaneer, beyond a doubt,” said the old Spaniard, half to lf, when he had watched the distant vessel for some time in si- lence. ‘‘She is but a small vessel, Don ique. We need not fear her.” Don Enrique cast a glance over the decks of the galleon, where the Spanish sailors were clustered in knots about the vessel, playing cards or busying themselves at little tasks, un- conscious of their appproaching foes, ere he an- swered: ‘‘Perhaps not. These pirates fight well, how- ever. ing yonder vessel should be one of cruisers?” The old Governor’s face underwent a change. Lollonois was the most universally dreaded all the pirates of the Caribbean, from the_piti- less warfare which he waged against. the Span- iards, and the desperate ferocity of his assaults. But as Don Alonzo surveyed his gallant and well-ordered ship, his courage rose into indigna- tion at the momentary tremor. “Let it be Lollonois himself, with all his crew of demons: he shall not escape me, if he once ey ma al he said. “Ho! at a: masthead, there ere are your eyes, Tel oF wine the ship on the larboard quar- The man who was stationed in the little bat- tlemented hutch at the masth known as the “ Crow’s Nest,” looked over the at his com- mander, in some trepidation. “The sun was in my eyes, senor, as T looked ahead,” he answered; *‘ but i see her now, "Tis * Ta ayaa desk eatore D pe Pp yond a doubt,” mu ion. Enrique to himself, in English. “ ’Twould be a strange thing were she to—no, she shall not.” He Sarited away to the larboard quarter, and looked earnestly at the stranger, while Don Alonzo’s powerful voice echoed from the summit of the le, cr’ ‘* All hands on deck! A pirate is comi down upon us! Mariners to the ropes, and sol- diers to the ! By the blessing of Heaven we will sink the accursed wretches in the bottom of the sea!” At the sound of the commander’s voice, the sailors started up from their various occupa- tions, with vast noise and clamor, and a number of men came pouring up the hatches from be- low. There were mariners, in their red caps and shorts kilts, to work the vessel, and a crowd of soldiers to do the fighting, as was the usual | light touch on hisarm. He s custom in those days. The bright helmets and cuirasses of these latter gave the vessel a formid- able appearance, as they clustered around the guns in the waist, and manned the lofty fore- castle with its battery of light guns. Don Enrique Morganos seemed to be entirely unconscious of what was going on, as he looked at the white sails of the fast approaching stran- er. He was buried in some somber reverie, om which he was suddenly awakened bya tarted, and looked round to meet the pleasing dark eyes of Dona Inez. . The girl exhibited none of the ordinary tremors of her sex at the approach of battle. She rather seemed some softly sorrowing angel, who grieved at the perils of others. ’ ‘Senor Morganos,” she said in a low tone, ‘‘is yonder vessel a pirate?’ “T think so, I am sure of it,” responded Mor- ganos, gravely. é “Can we not escape without slaughter?” she asked, suddenly. “‘T fear not, senorita.” “Think, senor. You told us once that you had been a captive to these buccaneers, and knew all their secret ways. Can you not devise some means of escape for us?” “Tf I do,” said the other, looking her full in ~ ‘‘what good will it bring me, senor- ita “Tf the blessing of a daughter for helping her father be of good, I will bless and love you for it, senor,” said Inez, warmly, * Will you love me for it?” he asked, abruptly. She blushed deeply, as she answered: ‘* As much as a Christian maiden may, that hopes to be the spouse of our Lord. Remember, I am vowed to the church, senor.” ‘Your father my? not so, Dona Inez.” ‘*My father will consent in good time, Don Enrique. But you do not answer my question. Can you not think of a way to escape the sin of slaying yonder wicked men in their sins?” “T can, if you will promise to love me for it. Not without,” he said, obstinately, and his keen eyes ee strangely. “Then do it,” said Inez, a, see sol and she shrunk away, red as fire, when she saw the triumphant glitter in the eyes of the strange Biscayan, whose manner had puzzled her ia So all the voyage from Chagres. Don Enrique ha come aboard there, with letters from the Vice- roy of Mexico, and had prayed a passage to the island of St. Lucia, where the Asuncion was to touch on her voyage to Cadiz. He had become a great favorite of Don Alonzo, on account of his evident experience in warfare; and his pres- ence on board seemed to have acted as a charm Sopcast the buccaneers, for they had seen none ill that day, when almost out of their range. **T will do it,” he said now, in a low tone, to Inez, with a look of t meaning. ‘‘ But, mark my words, senorita, J witl have my re- ward. He turned away as he spoke, with a careless glance at the strange vessel, now plainly in sight, and descended the ladder that led to the waist, whence he entered the cabin below the aftercastle. The strange vessel was, to the Asun- cion, a mere pigmy in point of size, and not even fully d , as they could see. She was one of t Mae mate craft, originally in- vented Lt a Indians of the islands, larger than a canoe, but made in the same way, out of the of a ie tree, one of the giants of the tropics, These aes canoes were ed men. It wasa with prow like a e and two huge sails, that was co i along close hauled to the wind three feet to one of the galleon’s, and aiming intercept her on her voyage to st. Lucia. It may be said, why should the fear so contemptible an adve ? The reason was that under ad such dispa: of force had the buccaneers acquired their name of terror, and the instances of large yeeiocns being taken by just such periaguas, by the force of ferocious bravery at close quarters, were fre- uent and well remembered. rave as was on Alonzo, he did not covet the task of fight- ing even this one pirate, seeing the demora- lizing fear that was already creeping over his coo at the approach of the much dreaded /ili- ustieros, t-- ~ + -= ens
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—— a ‘would esca The Sea-Cat. 3 The eon stood steadily on toward St. Lucia, the two conical Pitons being now plain- ly visible, even to the ravines furrowing their sides. The captain of the Asuncion was deter- mined to run in between these two mountains. and fight, if necessary, in the deep land-lock bay that lies between them, in sight of the town and forts, and in reach of help from land if pos- sible. That a vessel of forty guns should be're- ‘ duced to such a humiliating course will show to what an extent was the terror spread by the buccaneers. That the incident is by no means an exaggeration, contemporary history will vouch. The Asuncion, with forty guns and two hundred and fifty men, crowded all sail to es- cape from a i probably holding sixty men at the most. But it soon became doubtful whether she her pigmy antagonist, without hting in the open sea. he Pitons were ay Hy Seago and plainer into sight; and the deep bay, with the houses of Santa Lucia at its further extremity, was al- most ahead, when the white foam, cast from the bow of the periagua, was plainly audible in their ears, and the next moment the plucky little craft shot across their forefoot, and falling off from the wind, came sweeping past with a rush like that of an angry tiger, s g so close to the galleon’s weather side that a grappling- iron, caught in the fore-rigging, was not three feet from the side of the buccaneer periagua. A crowd of powerful bearded men, in glittering armor, and loaded with weapons, rose up as the irons were thrown, with a hoarse shout of tri- umph, brandishing their swords. It must not be supposed that the crew of the leon were idle. Several ineffec shots ad been fired at the pirate from the lee guns; but naval gunnery was then in its infancy, and the sea was too rough to make good practice at the best. The great guns were almost harmless. In another moment it is probable that the buccaneers would have boarded the Spaniard, when a sudden interruption occurred. Don Enrique Morganos rushed out of the cabin, sprung on a in the waist, and shouted to the pirates in a‘ ge tongue. * CHAPTER III. THE SEA-CAT. he spoke, the crew of the Asuncion never knew. rising. ing-irons to the paniards at 7p was cast loose, one of the § pany denly and rar ee noce they had met, and the periagua, spreading her huge lateen sails wing- and-wing, went dashing away with the speed of a racer. Don Alonzo had hardly time to utter an ex- clamation of wonder, when the long, tapering lateen yard of the buccaneers passed over the weather quarter of the eon, and was gone, Then he saw Don Enrique leap down from the and enter the cabin as y as if nothing oideae, “ re de Dios !” exclaimed the old soldier: ‘““what manner of man is this? How did he do it? He must bea wizard!” He turned to his daughter, Inez, who had maintained ms seat = ee with ap ow tranquilli uring imminent danger had ast Maan’ away from them, and asked her: “Inez, who is this man? “You were speaking to him awhile ago, and you seem to know some- t . Who is he?” “T can not tell, my father,” she answered. ‘‘ He told me that he had once been a captive to these pnee ou knew certain secrets of the but how he driven away yonder vessel, know not. Ask him, for he comes.” And, indeed, at the same moment, the dark, saturnine face of the mysterious Morgancs ap- red over the of the waist er, and Dok Enrique ente: the aftercastle as quietly as a saloon. “Don Enrique, we owe you our lives,” said the ene warmly. “ But an me, memo, what words of yours were power enough to turn away the assaults of these sea demons? What did you say?” Morganos looked astern, where the buccaneer permers was fast vanishing from view. Then e looked ahead to the towering rocks of the Grand Piton, not now a quarter of a mile off, ere he said: to the squadron of the Admi Mansvelt. was once @ a to him, and learned certain things. t they are, I may not tell; but you may thank the riagua without a cannon, and | Holy Virgin I was on board to-day, to make use of those secrets to save you. ough, senor. Are Sine going to tack, or will you run ashore here?” ‘* We will enter the harbor, if it please you,” said Espinosa. “T promised you a passage thither,’ | He forbore to question a guest further, with | the high-bred courtesy of the Spanish gentile- | man, though burning with curiosity. “Put me pace on bap rock,” said Mor- os, pointing to a spit of low rocks that pro- | Sected on the Goad Piton on the side fat | from the bay. ‘‘ There is water enough for a | fleet, and you need not even turn from your course at the The , oe eee looked sin whim of his passenger, for the island of St. Lucia was almost uninhabited at the time, and the further side of the mountain in- volved a journey of at least ten miles for one bbs desired to make his way overland to the city. ‘“* Are you really in earnest, senor?” he asked, doubtingly. “Fully,” said Morganos, coolly, ‘I man of strange tastes and I love solitude.” The old soldier made no answer, and si to the helmsman to luff closer to the wind, as the stately galleon moved steadily on over deep am a blue water, which was rapidly growing calmer, under the shadow of a nearly dicular pre- cipice, two thousand feet in hight. The sullen wash of the waves against this precipice echoed dismally in the ears of the mariners, and the wind, cast back and reflected by the wall of rock, became fitful and baffling as the galleont coasted along its base. Presently the mountain gave a turn, and dis- closed the point of rocks before them, the wa- ter still continuing as deep as ever, to all seem- ing. Morganos stood with folded arms, appar- ently buried in a gloomy reverie, as the - cion slowly forged nearer the point. Don Alonzo looked at him with ill-disguised surprise and some suspicion, for since the mysterious visit of the pirates, strange thoughts had risen in his mind concerning the other. Presently he said: ar ai “‘T will go down into the waist, Don Enrique. and order out the boat for yourself and your belongings. We dare not go any closer with the ship. The other hardly seemed to hear him, though he bowed slightly, and Espinosa descended the ladder, muttering: “T like not thi stranger. He knows too much of the pirates to be an honest Spaniard. I am right glad to be rid of him.” Morganos waited till he was alone with Inez, when he abruptly asked: ‘T Shiok Edo,” said Ineg, steadily, raising b “Tt 0,” said Inez, ily, raisi er dark eyes to his. . “You are right,” he answered, without a word of excuse. “I am what vou think, a buc- caneer; more, yonder is one of my ships, and I meant to have plundered this vessel, when I came aboard. Your eyes have saved the gal- leon. Do you understand?’ Inez trembled slightly, and turned pale. Her fine feminine tact something of the kind, but the plain avowal frightened her. . ““Oh, senor, can you not it?” she faintly. ‘‘ You cannot be all , or you w not have s us.” ‘‘Hush!” he said, somewhat con tuously. “IT do not believe in your saints and idols, and your Spanish robbers deserve all they get from us, But you, Inez, are an , and right or wrong, I cannot harm you. ereafter, when ou hear Spaniards cursing the pirate, remem- r that he ou because he loy ou.” Inez hinted aeons at the ue 5 and looked over the stern of the galleon to hide her confusion. Though loth to confess it to her- self, the bold Biscayan had won upon her, dur- ing the voy: in the Asuncion, more than she thought le. The very contrast of their characters had tended to deepen the impression made on the timid convent-bred girl. She hung her head over the stern, looking in- to the clear sea, and pain conscious of the flush that dyed her very neck as the disgui buccaneer proceeded in a low, impassioned tone: ‘Inez del Campo, I am a man who never yet spared one of your nation; and who has sworn vengeance on them for the injuries they have done me and my countrymen. Lill I knew you, I believed them all alike, cowards and tyrants, robbers of helpless Indians, to flee before brave men. But you have changed all that with your angel face and ways. Here before God I swear, if you will be mine, I will leave the sea and be- come, what I have hated, a Spaniard in truth. You love me already, Say you will wed me, and all the riches of the Indies shall be poured at your feet forever. Inez, speak. I will not force you; but if you refuse to save your countrymen, on your head be the evils that follow; for I swear that I will never more show mercy to a Span- iar The girl made no answer; indeed, she was hardly conscious of his words in the tumult of her emotions. But as she sat there, gazing down into the clear, dark waters, unusually transparent as they were, a strange sight slow- ly began to dawn on her senses, which, for the time, completely distracted her attention from the other’s words. Deep down in those trans- rent waters she became conscious of the eful light of a pair of eyes, green and glaring like those of a cat, but of enormous size: eyes as large as a common plate or dish, and set about two feet a . Nothing else was visible in the dark waters but those fearful eyes, and yet there was a nameless hungry horror in their aspect, which froze the blood in spite of the vagueness of the peril. Involun y she rose Moe a shudder, and exclaimed, as she clung to “Oh, Morganos, Mo os, if you love me, save me from that f monster.” The Biscayan started at the words, and ad- vanced ily to the side of the ship. No — had he er tegen than he, too, shud- red, in spite of is courage. The baleful green eyes were close to the sur- face, and the form of the monster to which they belonged was plainly visible. And what a form! dee, § a rounded, shapeless body, like that of a toad, but twice as large as a common h head, with long, snaky arms twining and wri ing about under the water, as long as the galleon herself, and inexpressibly loathsome in appear- ance! Only one look did the Biscayan give, and then he sprung to the mizzen- , where a sheaf of weapons hung, and seized a ponderous board- ing-ax, shouting, in stentorian tones: “CUIDADO EL GATO DEL MAR!” (Ware the sea-cat !) That name produced a fearful commotion in the vessel. Shouts of warning and yells of ter- ror arose on all sides, while the crew rushed to the masts for axes. It needed no explanation to tell them of the fearful enemy that was about to assail them. They had heard of it before, in the su; itious yarns of brother-sailors, and one or two of the crew had seen the monster before. Many, par- alae. with fear, sunk on their knees, and pray- to the Madonna to save them, too cow to make an effort to save themselves. And Dona Inez, half dead with terror herself, when she saw the effect produced even on the daring Morganos, stood in the midst of the after- castle, close to the taffrail, gazing down, as if fancingied, on the horrible nightmare called the sea-cat. Except for the green, fiery eyes there was no likeness to a cat. A spider as | as an ele- hant, with exaggerated snaky limbs, was more Tike the monster; but the green, h eyes were still fixed on the girl’s, their object since first she leaned over the side, and attracted its She could see the whole of the’ attention. — loathsome terror Plainty, and yet was unable to move back. The shouts of sailors and soldiers sounded in her ears like a gash she slowly moved toward the taffrail, a as a ship’s cable, , entwined the papless girl in its fearful coilx Seyen more of the and the confusion became fearful, while the sea-cat raised its body half out of the water by the force of those arms, rev a broad mouth in its belly ed with the incarnation of Gevihigh, though blind, vo- Gs Dona Inez uttered a faint shriek in those horrible coils, the Biscayan heaved up the sd oe and fiercely attacked the terrible monster, IV. A TERRIBLE CONTEST. ALREADY the form of r Inez was almost to the taffrail by irresistible strongtit of the monster, when the Biscayan assaulted it with the keen and ponderous ax. Morganos
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Beadle’s HalfDime Library. was aman of vast strength, and tie first blow of the ax crashed throug the hard scales and cartilages that formed the arms of the sea-cat, nearly dividing the horrible weapon. Had the blow come with less force and skill, it would have been useless, for the arms of the creature were by no means tho soft, slimy things they seemed. Every one of our readers, probably, has seen, in the cages of canary birds, the oval masses of hard, whits bone or cartilage, that form the joints of that smaller species of the same ani- mal, common on our southern coasts, under the name of the cuttle-fish or devil-fish. Such will iw to the size of a small keg, with arms rom six to nine feet in length, and from these come the joints in use in But in the tropics, where nature luxuriates in giants, vege- table and animal, the monster, under the name of the ‘‘sea-cat,” has been. known to attain the full dimensions recorded in our story, and inci- dents such as we now relate have occurred in very truth. But for: merciful provision of na- ture they would be m_‘ecommon; hut the Ruler of allhas curtailed ... destructive powers of the monster ly denying to it the power of loco- motion. Savefor the means f rising an‘ sink- ing in the water, the sea-cat .. compellod to re- ly on currents of the sea to tro~sport it in search of food; and thus its vcracious maw is ever unsatisfied, and the avicity with which it seizes on a prey is always the terrible longing of semi-starvation. ‘S Now it had risen to the surface from the bo tom of the sea, where iv hac. bec: ying in wait for prey like a cat, attracted bt :c ap ce of the galleon, which it too’: fcr a living crea- ture, and especially by the sight of Dona Inez looking over the taffrail. At the first blow of the ax, the a3, Tereset at the end of the arm which encircle”. girl, thrashed madly and blindly about, while hun- dreds of little mout!.; opened in ‘16 under sur- face of the deadly coils aid began to tear and suck at the poor victim’s flesh. The Biscayan, foarless f the flying weapon that thrashed about the quarter-deck, .eaved up the ax again, with a muttered curse of des- peration, and dealt a second blow at the same The blow was effectual, for it divided the writhing, snake-like arm, and a flood of dark, horrible blood spouted trom the wound over the white deck. e coils around the Spanish maiden relaxed and fell nerveless from her, when Morganos snatched her away to the other side of the deck, and laid her senseless by one of the guns, out of sight of the glaring eyes of the terrible sea-cat. And he was only just in time to do it; for the rest of the huge arm, where it was not cut off, kept feeling and giding sont as if nothing had happened, reachi er and further atevery w the. Meanwhile, in the waist of the ship, When Mor- looked down from the lofty aftercastle, fhe sight caused even his iron nerves to shudder Oar willis iia ight in ber alto- ose in num were twining, t and about on the decks among the crew. Two of them, each with a shrieking, ling victim en- coiled, rose up in the air as he looked, and were recurved over the side toward those terrible ied only to return, empty, for more victims. ny dose portion of the crew were hacking at the scaly arms with axes, and had already suc- ceeded in severing two, but the result appear- ed not to inconvenience the sea-cat to any ex- tent. Like all animals of the low o the on, the sea-cat seems to insensible pe anys unharmed unless attacked at the ‘of the system. And the center of that mass of writhing hide- ousness was slowly but surely lifting itself up the side of the eon, by the strength of its saighty arms, 80 that the glaring eyes might be e blindly nization of see the prey those mighty arms were now seeking for. Then it was that the dauntiless buccaneer sud- denly leaped from the aftercastle, ax in hand, and flung himself into the melee below, fearless or the monster. Two fierce blows, and one of the arms was divided close to the bulwark, while Morganos close to the stump, streamin Flack ood as it was, knowing that there was the only place of comparative safety. The deck was strewn with weapons, dropped of victims; five men had y overboard to a fearful doom; the rest, perayen with terror at the apparent uselessness of their on efforts, had sunk their knees to pray for mercy, when the loud shout of the Biscayan roused them anew. ‘‘For shame, cowards! If ye must die, die fighting! Bosrding-pikes here! The sea-cat will be aboard in a minute! Stab him in the eyes, when you see them!” As he spoke, one of the long arms wrapped itself round the mainmast, and grew rigid as a column of iron, while it became evident that the terrible body was rising up from the sea. ‘Pikes! a yelled the Biscayan, and at the word, the men gathered fresh courage, and ran to him with weapons. He dropped the ax, and seized a long pike, just as the black, round- ed mass of the creature’s head rose over the bulwarks. The remaining arms, four in num- ber, were all attached to various parts of the ship, and straining violently to raise the body, so that a moment’s ite from death was af- forded the cowardly Spaniards. They clus- tered behind the bold Biscayan like sheep be- hind their leader, holding their pikes with ‘then, ith a sadden el h en, with a sudden slippery surge, the great black pulpy mass of the monster’s y flop over the rail, with huge glaring eyes stan far out of its head, a gaping maw below, an came down with a heavy squelch on the deck! In the same instant, all of the mighty arms detached their hold, like lightning, and darted writhing among the crew. For now the sea-cat could see its prey. But if its means of offense were thus intensi- fied, its defense was at the same time weak- ened. The one vulnerable point, the eye, was within reach; and deep into that eye the buc- caneer nh a = Brey while itty ard weapons, plun, w e energy of despair into the same vulnerable place, and into the soft pu-py belly of the fearful monster, trans- fixed ic in a moment to the blood-stained deck of the galleon. The sea-cat quivered all over; and its mighty arms, no longer sentient, coiling weapons, obe- dient to the will, shook and t ed blindly about, till they slowly stiffened in death. Even in death, their wild blows struck down several sailors and soldiers, and swelled the ghastly roll of slaughter. But it was only the pet rata, Sgt of the creature. In a few min- utes it had ceased to quiver, and lay still and stiff, the black blood welling over the deck in streams, while the triumphant Biscayan turned cooll thee and acc Don nzo as if nothing h happened, saying: ‘‘Senor Espinosa, now we will hoist out the boat, if you please, The sea-cat never hunts in couples.’ CHAPTER V. THE BUCCANEERS’ RENDEZVOUS. Five years have rolled their round away, and the szene changes to the edge of the tropic for- ests of Darien. The perpendicular stems of enormous trees towered aloft on every side, with a maze of tangled lianas stretching from bush to bush overhead, and well-nigh shutting out the intense glare of the tropic sun, so that all beneath was a delicious bower of cool ver- dure. The ground had been cleared of all the t vegetation below by the hand of man, and the flowers were blooming fifty feet over- head, every vine loaded with its own separate species, while the wild jasmine, tuberose, and night-blooming cereus covered the trunks of many an old tree. At the edge of this forest, in a partial clear- ing, which opened on a m savanna to the north, a group of men were gathered around the form of a woman, who a to hold sway over them, from the deference which they paid to her. The men were Indians, armed with bows, ar- rows, and ee the woman was to all seem- ing of white blood, although completely In- dianized in costume and surroundings. Her form had all the delicate symmetry peculiar to the Caucasian race, when untrammeled and undeformed by fashion, and her large liquid brown eyes and curling hair, as well as the pale tint of her skin, sufficiently marked the superi- ority of her race over that of the coarse-haired copper-hued Indians around her. er dress, what there was of it, was of the | most costly materials, a crown or diadem of gold, set with rough emeralds of great size, and a short skirt reaching to the knees, made of strings of gold beads in the form of a long heavy fringe, which, by its weight, always ad- ques itself to the movements of the wearer. e rest of her body and limbs, graceful and rounded as those of a Greek statue, were unin- cumbered with clothing, and girl, seemed as proper and decent as if robed in a nun’s habit. The diadem on her head was crowned with white plumes, and she bore in her hand a slender spear made of solid gold, which seemed to be her ensign of royalty. The Indian Queen looked across the open savanna, on the further side of which lay the open sea, and watched, with an eager gaze, the sails of a vessel that was standing toward the shore. The presence of several other vessels, lying at anchor in the mouth of a river to the right, an- nounced the presence of white men, in proba- bly familiar intercourse with the Indians of oe the king of hes, Ch : e king of the strangers approaches, Chepo I know his ship. °Tis aot a all the rest,” said the queen, to a grizzled old Indian. “ Run back; hasten to rouse the tribe to receive and welcome him.” The old Indian bowed his face to the earth, and then turned away and hastened into the depths of the forest, when the queen continued: ‘And you, Natato, go and prepare the in the air, with a feast such as the strange king loves; and I, Lola, Queen of Darien, will go among the strangers to meet him.” “Great queen, said one of the Indians, re- lly, ‘‘’tis not safe for you to goamong the white devils alone. Remember how fierce and rude they are, and how they have treated the maidens who have ventured among them.” Queen Lola smilcd disdainfully. “Did I not say the white king was coming and am I not a child of the sun as he is? Let them harm me if they dare, and the king will punish them.” “But we can not be certain that yonder ves- sel holc; their king,” persisted Natato. ‘‘ These strangers seem to be at war with the other white devils, who have robbed us of our coun- try, but they are devils themselves.” ‘Fool,” said Lola, in a tone of vexation, ‘‘am not I the daughter of the sun, and Queen of Darien, and have I not asked the when the stranger should come that should deliver us from the power of the Spaniards? "Twas the aye that promised us a deliverer: and yonder e comes as they promised. Follow me, and fear naught; the good gods themselves protect Lola, daughter of the sun and the sea.” As she spoke she moved forward with stately r the submissive Indians followed her in silence, but full of apprehensions, to a spot on the sea-shore, where the savanna grass came down nearly to high-water mark, whence the sound of boisterous merriment proceeded. There, scattered in groups around a huge fire, at which a a. Ae roasting whole, sat, lay, or a number of ed men, rough and fierce in expression, but all dressed with a sin- gular mixture of magnificence and neglect. AJ) wore armor or buff coats, in either case richly worked in gold and silver. Some were crowned with ga pened beavers, others with morions of steel in the fashion of a previous century, or caps of leather, iron-bound, such as were intro- duced by Cromwell. Velvets, satin, and laces abounded in their dress, with boots of red or yellow morocco; but most of these were defiled with , and with sleeping on the ground while eae were tattered, boots in holes, and feathers battered, some more, some less. But the weapons of the party—and all were armed with sword, pistol, musketoon, or hal- berd—were in splendid condition, of the most porns character in ornament, and ready for mmediate use. ’ Such as they were, these jolly ruffians were drinking from'a cask of wine that stood on the sand, with the head knocked out, and all were alternately eying the roasting pig and the ap- proaching vessel while conversing. “The admiral will be right oe when he hears of our success,” said a black-browed ruf- fian, in broken French-English, “for ‘tis not every day that such a fort is taken by assault; and the Spanish dogs fought well, we must ad- t. “Ay, ay, Lenoir; but that was only because they had no hole to creep to,” responded a flaxen-headed giant, whose accent bespoke him as English. ‘‘Had the castle had a wood in the rear, they would have fled long ere they did. Well, well, after all, there was not much plun- der got, and the men fell like rotten sheep in taking it. Porto Bello was something like a sack. Wine and women and gold in plenty. But here was naught but a heap of ashes, and plenty of wounds to get for one’s share,” | ships, and in a moment more it was taken up yet, from the | by the rest in turn, as they thundered out a sa- force of purity and chastity in the face of the | lute to their approaching comrade; and the in- Boom! went a gun from one of the anchored: | —
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a —— = The Sea-Cat. coming ship sent forth gun for gun in an- swer. ‘Up, lads, and carry the admiral up the hill to the castle,” cried Leroir. ‘‘Give him a reg- ular buccaneer welcome, and we’ll have a jolly carouse to-night!” At the word all the buccaneers scrambled to their feet, and hastened down to the harbor, where the strange vessel was just dropping her anchor, and across whose waters a large canoe, decorated with costly hangings for an awning, was paddling to shore, urged by a dozen buc- eaneers. In the high het pb 9 8 aro stood a glittering figure, in cuirass and helmet of steel, with black and scarlet dress, covered with gold, and shaded by a long white cloak. “The admiral! The admiral! Long live Mor- gan, the King of the Buccaneers,” roared the crowd, as the canoe approached the shore, and as the buccaneer landed, he was sur- rounded by a crowd of his enthusiastic follow- ers, who caught him on their shoulders in tri- umph, and carried him up a hillock that sloped down to the river’s mouth, on whose summit could be discerned the still smoking ruins of the once formidable castle of Chagres, For at Chagres it was, then only a castle with its garrison, that the greatest and most famous expedition of the buccaneers was now assem- bled; and it was the chief of all the freebooters of the Spanish Main, who well deserved the title of ‘King of the Buccaneers,” Morgan himself, who now approached the rendezvous of his com- rades, preparatory to his great expedition against Panama. The buccaneers already ar- rived had stormed Chagres the day before, and Morgan, who had been collecting succor for his friends at Jamaica and elsewhere, was but just come to join them. f Up he bo and amid het ree eee him, shouting and singing, Z er and telling of the incidents of the fight; while the chief, silent and somewhat saturnine as usual, quietly listened to all the stories, without changing a muscle of his countenance. At last he opened his own lips a moment, only to say: “Hold your prate. This was naught but the inning. The riches will come when Panama shall be taken. To-night bemerry. To-morrow we start on our journey. Set me down.” Their noisy enthusiasm subsided in a moment under his quiet and somewhat contemptuous manner. The wily chief well knew the secret of keeping his men at a distance and in awe. At a sign he was placed on his feet, and waved them away. Then he was about to give some orders, when he suddenly started, became pale, and fixed his eyes on an object without the group, ejaculating: ‘Dona Inez! No, it cannot be! Who in God's name are you on : And the buccaneers became suddenly aware that Queen Lola had come nigh to them, unseen, and stood looking at Morgan. CHAPTER VI. THE GOVERNOR’S SON-IN-LAW. In a lofty and magnificently-fitted apartment in tho on ~s Panama Don Alonzo S25 Com osa, ing to a very gorgeo - apperdiad military gen y whces ron was about as handsome as could be found, while his regular face, adorned with magnificent mustache and beard, would have been pleasing for its beauty, but for the air of conceit and in- tolerable arrogance affected by so many hand- some men, especially Spaniards. Don Alonzo looked a little older than when we saw him first, but his eye was still bright, and ' his step firm. < Tell me, captain, what you have discovered about the pirates and their intentions,” said the Governor. ‘Have you ordered out the scouts I told F ier and have they reported?” — _ “They have come in this morning, not an hour ago,” said the captain, in a tone of im- rtance. ‘Luis Mendoza has not been a sol- ier for naught, Near excellency. The whole of the track from here to C is full of our friendly Indians, who will trot backward and forward with news as the foreign devils ad- vance. As yet they have done nothing, except to attack our fort at Ch which, as your excellency well knows, is capable of defying all their forces.” “T know nothing out of my own sight, Don Luis,” said the Governor, gravely. ‘One would have thought Porto Bello impregnable, save to artillery and regular assaults, and yet the pi- rates took it, with only four hundred men, against a garrison of five hundred.”* ~ * Historical fact. ‘“*T was not there, your excellency,” said Don Luis Mendoza, with an air of imeffable impor- tance. “ And your excellency was not there either,” he added, as if to detract from his own arrogance. ‘Had we been—who knows, Don Alonzo—we might have captured the devil Mor- gan and all his fellow devils.” “Killed them, perhaps never taken them, Luis,” said Espinosa. ‘ You have never seen these pirates, or you would not talk so. I have been in a ship of forty guns when a canoe, with some fifty of these desperate men attacked us; and. by heavens, Luis, I fear they would have taken us but for an accident. I never yet saw men so totally devoid of fear. I am no coward myself, but I freely confess, they caused me to tremble when I saw the effect of their presence on the crew of my galleon. They became like dying men for fear; and think of it, Luis, Inez was on deck when they tried to board us.” ““Would I had been there, too!” said Don Luis. ‘I would have scattered the dogs of heretics! But what saved your excellency?” “A passenger, whom I have since discovered to be none other than the redoubted Morgan himself, tho he was then in disguise.” “* Por Dios!” was Mendoza’s only remark. ** Ay, Luis. He ordered off the pirates; and we were saved, only to fall into a age from which, too, he saved us by his ski and daring. We were attacked by the monstrous cuttlefish they call the sea-cat, and he it was who cut in sunder the monster’s arms, and final- ly slew it. He went ashore at St. Lucia as mys- teriously as he came aboard, and we never saw im again.” “* And how did your excellency find out that it was the pirate? ‘Inez told long afterward. She had found him out by his name, which he had hard- ly disguised. It was not so well known then as since Don Luis started, and a frown contracted his handsome face. “And she never told me all this,” he mut- tered. His cogitations, of whatever nature, were in- terrupted by the entrance of Dona Inez herself, modest and beautiful as ever, but no longer wearing the semi-conventual of yore. Inez del Campo, in obedience to her father’s will, and without a feeling of love, had married Don Luis Mendoza, captain of her father’s ds, and heir to a dukedom, a year before. he had been taught filial obedience as her first duty, and had none of our modern romantic thoughts about love. Obedient, gentle and good, she had yet lived almost apart from her usband since their marriage, he, on his part, acquiescing in an arrangement that left him free to pursue his gallantries elsewhere. But, indifferent as was Don Luis, he would have been no Spaniard had he not been jealous as fire. The mere notion of his wife having a secret from him angered him. It was ina tone of aay Sapa with a flashing eye, that he ad- er now. ‘So, madam, your ladyship did not see fit to tell me that you secrets with the pirates.” Dona Inez looked at him, amazedly. ** What secrets? What do you mean, senor?” “T mean—” he began, but Don Alonzo inter- od Bic akps, ye. cageh whass pein’ aponk Pp, stop; you forget whom you to. and in whose sonottont™ he Lay gravely. **Don Luis Mendoza, this lady is a Governor's daughter, and, as such, merits to be addressed as befits her station.” “She is my wife, your excellency—” began Mendoza, angrily. ‘“* And I am your superior officer, senor,” said Espinosa, sternly; ‘‘and this lady is my daugh- ter and heiress. Do you understand? When you in my presence, remember the tone of voice.” Don Luis looked sullen, but made no answer.- Inez,in’ a gentle tone of voice, addressed him, herself: “Nay, Luis, be not angry with me without cause. [ would have told you all long ago had you but asked me. But, indeed, the remem- brance of that terrible day, wherein I under- went such peri why ee elma oo that I have striven to forget it. Think of it, Luis! I was encircled by the slimy grasp of that odious monster, and in another moment should have been snatched overboard, when he saved me. Could I betray him to inevitable death when he had saved my life? He confessed to me who he was, and threw himself on my mercy—” * And you red him,” said Mendoza, sar- castically. ‘‘I suppose he was a handsome cavalier?” . “Far from it,” interrupted her father. ‘“ He 5 was a short, square man, with no beauty of face or person to recommend him; nothing but his wonderful strength and courage. Come, Luis, be reasonable. ou have no cause for jealousy, Lassure you. I have lost. one child already in the bowels of the sea, Let me see the other happy with the husband I have chosen for her. Remember, that your future fortunes will de- pend on your behavior to her. The duke, your ather, is not rich, and J have not made my will yet.” He spoke the last words with great meaning, and left the room as hesaid them. Don Luis remained biting his lip, something like a suiky schoolboy. me t did the Governor mean by losing a child?’ he asked, presently, in a ep ig tone. ‘I thought. you were his only child, but it seems I know nothing of the secrets of your family.” “Tam his only child now, alas that it should be so,” said Dona Inez, sadly. ‘‘ But did you not ever hear that my mother was drowned when I was only three years old, and that my only sister was lost with her?” ‘“No,” said Mendoza, in a tone of curiosity, ‘how was it?” “She was coming over to join my father, who was then Governor of C I was left behind, in the convent of Madrid, to be edu- cated there, but my mother took with her the little Pepita, a babe at the breast. The ship de- parted beara iz, and was never heard of again; and it is only known that pieces of the wreck were found in the sea, on the coasts of Yucatan. My father still keeps poor Pepita’s birthday as a day of mourning. Were she alive she would be eighteen, this year.” Don Luis said nothing aloud, but as he turned away to the window he muttered: “‘So much the better. There are less to share inosa’s savings.” Poor Pepita,” said Inez, sadly; ‘* God knows how willingly I would give up claim to my father’s fo: e, were it. only possible that my sister were alive. But alas, she and our mother rest in peace at the bottom of the deep ocean. But tell me, Luis, what is if makes my father and you so grave to-day? There is some mys- terious danger in the air and no one will tell me what it is.” ‘*It is your gallant friends, the robbers,” said Mendoza, in a sarcastic tone, ‘‘ who are comin to redeem their promise of taking Panama, i they can. The pirates have attacked the castle at Chagres, and our brave soldiers have beaten them back in disgrace. My messengers brought in the news this morning.’ He had hardly finished the news, when a loud murmur was heard in the streets below, which rose into cries of terror and rage, as the tumult came nearer and nearer to the Governor's Don Luis changed color, and went to the win- dow. Below, he saw a confused crowd running rapidly toward the palace, crowding around the figure of a horseman, with bloody armor and bandaged head, who was riding slowly forward, evidently engaged in telling some story to the crowd as he went, ‘‘More news, Gre Heaven it be not bad!” ejaculated Inez. ‘‘Ohb, Luis, see the poor man! 6 is wounded!” Don Luis hastily.left. the room and rushed down to the court, which he found full of the Governor’s Guards, in their gorgeous uniforms, while Don Alonzo. himself, with grave, anxious was standing on the palace steps, awaiting the horseman’s approach. ‘¢ ‘Tis the lieutenant of the castle at Chagres,” said the Governor to Mendoza, in alow tone. “You told me they had beaten off the pirates.” ‘“‘So help me the saints, my runners told me so this morning,” said Mendoza, in a fright- ened voice. , “Let us hear what he has to say,” said Don Alonzo, sternly. _‘‘I have trusted you. too long, Luis. Now J take command.” Ina penn — the horseman had camped the court, owly swung himself from hi horse, as with a paintal effort. “ ne Gaspar?’ asked Don Alonzo, kindly. ‘‘Thou’rt wounded. Is the castle—? he slew hun , but thousands took their places. At last they set fire to the penaes with flam- ing arrows, and the thatch of the barracks caught the blaze. Then, while we were extin- ishing the flames, the buccaneers shot us dowr, and ial a general assault, After that, l only
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6 Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. know that I was cut down, lay for dead for | from the gaze of our tyrants, for fear poey hours, and woke in the night, to find the place deserted and a mass of ruins, while the pirates were carousing in triumph on the beach low. I crept away, and got into the woods, where Queen Lola’s indians helped me away, and fee me a horse from a plantation on the road. The a have taken Cha and by this time, oubtless, are on the march ama.” “ And the Indians, can they be de think you?” asked the Governor, kindly. they treat you well?” : . ; “They seemed to be hesitating which side to join,” answered . Were it not fortheir ueen, they would have attacked the pirates in rear when 7 assaulted us; but they told me that Queen Lola was well affected toward the strangers.” nded on “Have you ever seen this queen of theirs?” asked Don Alonzo. ‘No, senor. She keeps herself secluded in some mysterious bower, which the Indians told me was up in the air, among the birds. say that she is unfriendly us, and no one knows what manner of woman she is. One of them told me that she was the da sun and the sea, and that they found her on the sea-shore at sunrise. But she hates us, and fa- vors the pirates. So much is certain.” Don Alonzo compressed his lips. al Then she “ be Ba tty ws or slain. a is ma Ss vice ve over these Pittene Salle oche Hints? He drew the ca‘ of the guards aside, and gave him some orders, in a low tone of voice, On that same evening, Don Luis Mendoza, splendidly armed and mounted, and attended by a squad of splendid cavaliers, left the city of Panama, at dusk, and took the to Chagres. Thatiosi Me rate d signals ech met, and mysterious the forest for miles around. And on that same evening it that Mor- the buccaneer first met, face to face, Queen la of Darien, and marveled at her likeness to Inez del Campo. = CHAPTER VII. A BOWER IN THE AIR. Tue full moon, with a ly silver radiance, only known in the torrid zone, making every thing as light as day, shone down on the forest of Darien, three or four 53 after the landing of the buccaneer chief. the depths of the forest, by the banks of a deep, narrow stream, glittered imiumerable fires, and around cluster- ed the fierce-loo , picturesque group of buc- caneers, ready for their march against Panama in the morning. All around them the shadows of the forest up by _ Loma no eget ig ep pee 6 MO) 0 tropics. ae among the tree-tops, on a vast platform, woven toge for a while to do I That performed y, aiding the — = tegedeaa ed of the great wer were In the of -like scene —s on heaps of flowers, was the beantitul Queen te) Darien; and at her feet sat Morgan, M the bucca- neer, listening to her dulcet tones, while slender Indian maidens flitted here and there around them, but not a man was to be seen. Lola was to the chief in the broken Spanish ect that the Indians of Darien commonly used, and seemed to be finishing some story. “That is all I remember, senor, but they tell me I was dressed in the clothes that the cruel Spaniards put on infants, when they found me ore, and my people have hidden me on the sea They | | ither, to take Pan- | | could not love her, Boi | strange, absent tone. ce i , ' he ground his teeth as if angry an should claim me as one of them. Do you t I look like one of them, senor?” ‘*Had it not been for your likeness to a lady I once met,” said Morgan, gravely, ‘‘ I should’ not have been here, beautiful queen.” ‘‘And this lady, who was she? Did you love her?” asked Lola, simply. ‘She was the daughter of a Spaniard, and I said the buccaneer, in a ‘““These Spaniards have on me and my country- men in the past, that I were less than man to forgive them. But for all that, Dona Inez was so pure and good that she made me do what I never did before or since.” “And what was that?’ “Spare a Spaniard,” said moteen, shortly, and ashamed of the ee mpm re ‘tenas ta 4 not spare them now,” sai angri and her eyes flashed. « They ave deattowed and oppressed my —— long enough, making them their burdens, build their cities, and work as slaves for them ever since they committed such wron | came into our country. Oh, that I could sla hter of the | chil them all for what they have done to my dren! Morgan laughed carelessly. *“You are fierce, little one. What could your ms or pa do against the Spaniards, clothed ‘*We could die slaying them,” she answered, fiercely. ‘‘ But, alas, my people have no cour- age. ey fear and serve the Spaniards; and were it not for me, they would now be giving them news of your march, of guarding your outposts as they are.’ ‘You did wisely to join us, beautiful queen,” said the buccaneer. “ We are the only people that can save you from the Spaniards, and as ou help us, so shall you be rewarded when we ve taken A Lola was about to reply when a | ver- ing note came faintly > their ears from tas far distance, and she started pean up. ‘News from my people,” she said, eagerly. ‘The enemy are hovering round our posts.” Morgan rose on his elbow to listen. The call was repeated twice, and he too started up, when Lola motioned him down. “The white chief shall lie still, and his Indian guard him,” she said. ‘ Not one of ; shall be harmed, while Lola mn. ‘Nay, but there is danger without,” urged M “and my men are armed to encounter it. You must not risk your own person.” For all answer the Indian him imperiously to lie down, and then, turnin away, she sprung to the side of the bower, an disappeared with all the agility of one used to living among the tree-tops, while at the same moment every one of the attendants also van- ished, and the buccaneer chief was left alone in the aeriel bower, sixty feet from the ground. ueen motioned CHAPTER VIII. THE OUTPOSTS. Far away in the forests a long line of Indians, in a sort of open skirmishing order, lay on the Panama. Track in the trees, stood a of in eiitering armor, surroun oN he dense knot of fadians, with spears and The whole party, white and dark, were rest- ing tly opposite the line of Re as if awi some expected event. A little in ad- Valier, on whose the moonbeams “ Dios!’ muttered the splendid cavalier to himself, with a slight shiver: his excellency far off, now.” ‘ Again the long, quavering call echoed through the forest, and this time it was answered close by, from the top of a neighboring tree. The cavalier started. ‘“What the deuce!” he muttered, ‘‘who can that be?” The instant that call sounded, ending with a ara intonation, every Indian fell flat on his ‘ace to the earth, including those with the of horsemen. Then there was a slight rustle in the branches overhead, and a slender, active fig- ure came flying through the air with a circular swing, at the end of a long, slim and stood “s oe oo feet in front of the vos — Don u en who sat ing at it in as- toutdhnaealt sare It was the fi of a girl, slim and fairy-like. with skin as lignt as his own, and a face o marvelous beauty; the face of Lola, Queen of Darien. But when she ke, as she did a mo- ment after, in broken h, Mendoza was even more rised, for the voice was that of his own wife, Dona Inez. ‘* What wishes the senor, at the posts of Queen Lola?’ asked she, proudly. Mendoza looked at her earnestly a minute, ere he answered: **Who are you, senora, in God’s name?” “T am Queen Lola daughter of the sun and the sea,” said the girl, proudly; ‘‘and once more I say—what would you?” **T come from the Governor of Panama,” said Mendoza, as soon as he had recovered from his rise; ‘and I come to demand of Queen Lola that she place scouts on the track of the foreign devils that have landed, and keep away all pro- visions from them. The king of Spain pont « Spe Lola, and these wretches will - be conquered. If you join with us to destroy them you shall be rewarded; but if you cling to them, you will but share their fate.’ “And what reward shall be given to me and my Lorian if I do as you wish?’ asked Lola. cally. “The greatest reward in the gift of the Gov- ernor,” said Mendoza, ‘‘and a thousand spears to arm fae warriors.” ‘* And suppose I fer to trust to the stran- gers, who promise to make us free from taxes and labors, such as you give us—what then?’ she demanded scornfully. ‘* Then your kingdom will be taken from you your tribes hunted down with bloodhounds, an yourself burned to death in the city of Pana- ma,” said the Spaniard, ~~ “Fool! Knowest thou that the white sons of the sea are here, before whom your warriors faint and cry like women? They will avenge 4 me if you touch a hair of my head. What ho! Rouse ye all, and seize me this meddler, my faithful children!” In a moment e Indian was on his fee and the don was my center = a ow te of threat- ening spears. men who come with him, pe the voice of their queen seemed inclined to be hostile, and for a mom Mendoza was in danger. He extricated himself from it by an ap’ to the long-standing fears of his auditors, whom he well knew in the character of fai and sub- ip ee f earken of Darien,” h : “ve know who is your king, and haw the Gow’ ernor of Panama is his viceroy. In the name of Don Felipe, king of Spain and all the Indies, I ronounce Queen Lola to be no | ueen, t pees the son of Dando, is fa her This Natato was an Indian whom he knew to have been ill-treated by the riotous buccaneers some time before, and to be desirous of revenge. A large rk bee the Darien Indians portenns of atato, who was one of their most ous warriors and hunters. ne Sintedo was the buccaneer ayn The words he wu preduced an immediate and marked effect. The Indians, for over a hundred gory had been so much accustomed Bey ee otber a hea ent they: felt. like re- when Lola influenced them to fe Ee tee The of kings by the viceroy was not unknown to , ce the Indians hesitated, and ao acon pS who always been a malcontent. inal adored. on the queen, whom he endoza improved the ie crying: aren xg name of Kin - ip of Boa I mmand you, Ki atato, to seize t - lious girl and deliver per to aye 7 hat rebel “* Men of Darien, you hear the ord seize her!” cried Natato. 71s But he was not destined to do it that time.
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With an active bound, Lola sprung back, glowing with indignant courage, and cried, in clear, ringing tones: ‘¢ All who wish for liberty strike down Natato and the Spaniards. J am your queen, sent by the sun-god out of the sea.” Her words were not without effect, and again the Indians on both sides wavered in their alle- giance, for they had a superstitious reverence for The Sea-Cat. 7 | him, which he soon recognized as Don Luis and | cial object of his care, for he himself held the the child found on the beach at sunrise long ago, | whom they imagined to be a goddess. But Natato, who was an old man, and re- membered tke circumstances of the supposed divine appearance, was also determined to keep his newly acquired royalty, if fighting for it would help him. ; “She is no goddess!” he cried. ‘‘’Twas but a babe of the white people drifted ashore on a float from the wreck of a poe ship. Long | live the king of Spain, and down with the white witch that has deceived us all for so long!” = he spoke he bounded on Lola and seized her delicate form in his powerful . The girl was quite unarmed, and as she felt the gripe of Natato, and saw the Spanish horsemen, at a signal from Mendoza, urge their horses forward in a crowd round her, her courage gave way for an instant, and she shrieked aloud. : She was but a girl, and not of that stolid In- dian race after at onal educated as such, and the instinct of natural terror overcame the ac- quired hardihood of the Indian queen. — Natato laughed savagely and raised his spear. “She has fooled us long enough. Let us be men, and obey a warrior.” : But Mendoza stayed his arm, saying: “Call off your warriors from these God-forsaken wretches. This girl is none of She is a <a maiden, and must be ou. deed by Spanish laws. Give her to me, and ju her fast.” : In a trice the obsequious Natato and his ser- vile followers had pounced on the unfortunate queen, who was bound hand and footand taken in front of Mendoza’s saddle. Then, turning his horse on the way to Panama, the cavalier rode toward the west, followed by the newly-appoint- ed king, who had seized and appropriated the gold diadem from poor Lola’s brow, and was obeyed by the Indians as cheerfully as though it al- ways been there. ‘* So,” said Mendoza to himself, as he rode off, “that is a job well done, and more than I ex- ted. Now the Indians will be for us, firmer han ever, and "twill puzzle these buccaneers to t food or news on the way to Panama. And if I do not much mistake me, this maiden will prove to be the daughter of his excellency, whom all thought to be drowned.” CHAPTER IX. THE WITCH OF DARIEN, Two days after, Don Alonzo was returning from the plains without Panama, whither he had repaired to review all the forces available for the defense of the city against the threaten- ed invasion of the buccaneers. These were sufficiently formidable, being nearly three times as numerous as any that Mo could hope to raise, four hundred of them being Spanish cav- alry, of the centaur type that has descended to our day in the of Mexico. The old Governor’s spirits were much better than usual, for his men seemed to be animated with the best courage; and all were splendidly uipped. The sound of martial music was pleasant and inspiring, as the troops defiled away into the town, and the ernor rode Seat toward the dense forests on the east, to see if any news awaited him there, from his In- dian allies. : All day long, runners had been co in from the east, where a chain of scouts had established, who reported, almost every hour, the movements of the buccaneers, thirty miles away. ; He heard that they were a on their way through the forest, without any guides, almost devoid of food, and in great extremities Every plantation on their way was deserted, and the Indians were shooting arrows into their camps at night, and harassing them as closely as they . He heard also that Don Luis Mendoza had succeeded in kidnapping the Queen of Darien, whom he was bringing 4 captive with him. The last runner announced him as only a short distance off, and Don Alonzo was going to agro hed the forest, the sun ® approac e forest, 1 was sloping Pt to the horizon behind him; and the level beams, darting through the forest, re- vealed a party of horsemen coming toward his cavalcade. The captain of the guards was looking his best, and made a gallant a ce on his handsome black charger at the head of his men. By his side rode a muffled-up figure, with a fea- thered head-dress, that seemed to be the espe- | bridle of the mule on which it was mounted. Don Alonzo galloped up and was respectfully saluted by Mendoza, who, in a pompous tone, announced to him: ‘““Dona Lola, your excellency, once Queen of Darien, captive to my sword,” At the same moment he twitched aside one of the muffling folds that enveloped the face of his companion, and disclosed the withered fea- tures of an old Indian hag, with gray hair. ‘* She is their mrcnpeters and queen, your ex- cellency,” he said. ‘‘I made one Natato assume the office of king, and the savages wisely sub- mitted to the decrees of the king of Spain.” “You have done well and redeemed your fame,” said inosa, heartily. ‘‘ Does she talk our ge, this prophetess of theirs?” ‘* Not a word,” said Don Luis, hastily. ‘‘ Your excellency is aware that I have learned the barbarous tongue of these sav: Whatever ry you are pleased to ask, I will put them to her.” ‘¢ Ask her, then, what made her join with the enemies of Spain,” said the Governor; ‘and if she does not deserve death for rebellion.” Don Luis spoke to the old woman in a strange language, and she opened her withered lips in a short answer. ‘She says she is ready to die,” said Don Luis. ‘‘’Twould be well to kill her, your ex- cellency, for she has much power among these oe ‘Take her to the city, and keep her under in my »’ said Don Alonzo. ‘‘ We will not stain our hands with unnecessary blood, when we may be assaulted at any moment. How far off are the pirates, and what is their condition, Luis?” “They are starving to death, like the wild dogs of the forest,” said the captain, contemptu- ously. ‘‘They are gnawing at hides of leather and digging for roots, so that they will be as weak as rats, when they come here. We shall have little trouble, save to bury them.” ‘What is their number?’ asked Don Alonzo, without necdinng the gasconade. ‘*Scearce twelve hundred, without artillery; half armed with pikes and halberds, and the rest with short musketoons, swords and pistols.” “Twelve hundred. I think we can give an account of them,” said the Governor, thought- fully. ‘‘ Luis, you shall take command of the cavalry, and make the first attack. Now go and rest.” As he spoke, they turned, and rode toward the city. Little was said on the way, for the Gov- ernor was thoughtful and anxious; and Don Luis, after the first burst of egotism, seemed to be equally disinclined to speak. They rode silently across the fields and entered the streets of Panama, where the people welcomed them with glee, having heard of the capture of the Indian queen; and they with open-mouth- ed curiosity at the m ron Seue that rode = e Mendoza, as if it had nm some strange wi per chamber, next to his signed to her to enter, and placed a sentry over the door. Then he left the chamber, sa, soldier saluted, and as his commander left the room, muttered: | “Ay, ay; all the witches of Darien cannot be- witch Blas Ortiz, *Twould be a ood service, ne | Sate to slay her, as an offering to holy Don Luis proceeded along the corridor to where his wife’s apartments were situated, and ebsopily enbered, Dona Inez, who was seated at tapestry work with her maids, started up to welcome him with quiet modesty, and affecting a pleasure she did not feel, but offering her Sek to his kiss in dutiful fashion. a kissed her coldly, and then abruptly said: “Send your maidsaway. I’ve something to tell you.” With a gesture she dismissed the attendants, and he continued: “You have been a cold wife to me, Inez, but I will admit, a good one. Tell me, if I com- mitted a secret to you, would you keep it?” “T should do my duty, my lord, and obey you in all lawful commands,” said Inez, quietly. ‘‘I have been taught so, by the good sisters.” “And if there were a strife between your fa- ther and myself, which would you go with?” he demanded, keenly. ‘*Nay, now, God forbid!” said Inez, with a shudder ; “how is that a possible thing?” | Popes I ordered you to do something, and your father forbade it—would you obey him or me? “Nay, my lord, my father would not counter- mand your orders,” she said; ‘‘but if it were possible, I owe my first duty to you.” “And would you obey me even to death?” he asked, with deep meaning. “Ay, cheerfully, my lord,” said Inez, with a gentle sigh. ‘‘I would meet death itself, any- ing but dishonor, to save you from harm.” ‘“Do you say that from love or duty?” he asked, again. “From. duty, my lord,” she replied, frankly. ‘*You know ve never deceived you about love, but I have tried to do my duty toward yy you. Don Luis stood looking at her silently for a minute, then turned away and paced the room two or three times. When he came back, he said: “Swear before God and all the saints that — will never reveal what I am about to say i lire you leave.” ‘* My lord, if you have any secrets, you may be sure of ce! silence without swearing to it.” “Ay, but this is something even your father must not know,” said Mendoza, in a low tone, and looking approhepeyely around. ‘Then pray keep it in your own breast,” said Dona Inez, gravely. ‘If it is not for him to en Rah f oie TP he = t, fiercel . ‘00. gir e sna out, fiercely ; ‘Otis nothing wrong. But, if. you will not i. Aad husband’s secrets, let it go. There is news hat is no secret. Morgan and his pirates will | be in Sots cf Panama to-night unless they are all dead men. How like you that?” Dona Inez turned pale and trembled. “Oh, heavens!” she murmu “what will become of us if they take the place?” ‘‘Easy enough told, my lady. The fate will not be pleasant. But the place is not taken yet. If it is, I have a galleon loaded and ready in the ers to which we shall fly, and where we shall safe; for the pirates have left their boats at Chagres. But why do I say this? No doubt you will be well treated if n Enrique Mor- ganos has not forgotten you.” He said the last words with deep meaning, and looked keenly at his wife. Evidently the man was brooding over something he had heard. What it was y never og ained to each t sound of other, for at that moment the di m rolled toward them on the evening air, and oza started, ex : Ha, St. Jago! The pirates were closer on our heels than I thought. I must away to my duties. You would not listen to what I had to say. You may besorry for it, my lady. Fare- well, and, whatever happens, continue to be the same excessively virtuous piece of ice, or you i ed e le e apartment wi ie appearance of great irritation, and left Inez wondering at the meaning of his words. captive’s room tl and a low, sweet wien aldose natn) A mcd Spanish: ’ “Senor soldado : presented the point of his partizan at the door, and sternly growled: “Go back, old witch. I know your tricks, The warned me,” Some one shrunk back in the dar’ and the same sweet voice said, in a frightened tone: “No, no, I will not try to escape, indeed; but oh, senor, listen a monient, I am not what I seem, indeed.” Something in the voice was so sweet and plaintive, that, involuntarily, the rough soldier aT Sie hs ‘ice of irl, and the f e e voice of a an e f an old witch. Why is this?” = ‘Indeed, senor, you have not seen my face,”
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urged the sweet voice. ‘I wore a cunningly contrived mask, which the cruel captain forced me to assume, threatening me with worse than death if I refused. And, oh, senor, he told me that I am to be burned as a witch to-morrow.” “‘Tt’s true,” said Ortiz, assentingly, ‘‘and, if the priests say true, twill serve ye right.” ‘But, oh, senor, indeed I am no witch,” plead- ed the voice in the dark. “I am but a poor irl, [ know not whom, and I only wish to speak the Governor of Panama alone.” “Tt can’t’ be done,” said Ortiz, decidedly. Then he added, dubiously: “‘ At least not that I see now, and yet—I’m sorry for you.” “See, senor,” said the voice, eagerly; “I have ld with me yet. I will give you gold worth a oubloon if you will do me an errand to the Governor.” “T cannot,” said Ortiz, decidedly. He paused, and again added, softly: “Till I'm off guard at “¢ And you will do it then?’ said the voice, in a tone of joy. ‘‘’Tis but a little thing, only to give him this. Put out your hand.” Ortiz put out his hand, and met the soft, lump fingers of a girl. She slipped into his band something, that his pious senses recog- nized at once, even in the dark, as a cross. “Give that to him,” she whispered. ‘‘ What it is I know not, but the old priest of the sun-god gave it to me, and told me, if I were in any peril, send it to the chief of the § an *twould save me. Will you do me this errand? You shall be well rewarded.” “T'll do what I can when I’m off guard,” said Ortiz, “for you talk like a Christian, and I should like to see your face.” Before the other could answer came the rapid steps of Mendoza; and, a moment later, he stalked into the room with a lantern, only to find Ortiz pacing stolidly up and down before oor. the closed “Look close to the prisoner, Ortiz,” he said, holding up the and he opened the door, and, lantern, peered in. Ortiz, over his shoulder, beheld a wrinkled, withered old hag in the middle of the room, half-raised on her elbow from where she lay on the floor. Mendoza seemed satisfied and turned away. s Mow: for the outposts,” he muttered. ‘‘ To- morrow will tell the tale.” -The boom of a heavy gun cut off the end of the sentence. - CHAPTER X. THE BUCCANEER CAMP, THE short twilight of the tropic was over, and the full moon was some five degrees or so above the horizon, when the worn and rat looking head of a straggling column of men emerged from the forests around Panama, and debouched on the oe ground. Before them was a range of low hills, that promised to in- tercept the view of the city when they should go a little further, but over these they could see the lights of Panama, and before them was a large troop of horse, the moonbeams glit- tering on cuirass and helmet. The weary and haggard men on foot were the buccaneers, who, for five days, had been strug- gling through the forest, nearly starved, reduced to the extremity of feeding on scraps of hides and leather. Not one of them had tasted food for the last twenty-four hours, and yet every man broke out in a rapturous cheer as the lights of Panama eth re Yh goal of thei the ere was the of their course = of their sufferings, before them; and the bellow- ing of oxen in the vales announced that food was near. But the food was defended by their enemies. The glittering troop of horse was across the rear of a large herd of erg ta cries of drivers in the distance told t were driving the oxen, as fast as might be, toward ihhen, with th wild, desperate f f } en, Wi e wi ra 0 starving men, the head ef the Se ier ein broke loose from all restraint, and rushed out over the plain, the men running like deer, after the flying cattle, fearless of their guardians. | The bright flashes of muskets and the rapid crackle of reports followed in succession as the wild rovers dashed forward; and the nt- looking troop of horse scattered and fled in con- iis several saddles being emptied in the first volley. Then there was a yell of hungry triumph as the buccaneers dashed into the midst of the cat- tle, stabbing and shooting till three score car- cas es strewed the ground. Little cared they for the contemptible efforts of their enemies, and, as the rest of their com- rades came running out of the woods in con- fused crowds, the valley was turned into a great butcher’s shop, where the cooks were at work close to their meat in ten minutes from the first sight of the Spaniards.* And then it was that a single horseman on a black steed came riding through the bivouac | among the fires, and everywhere he went was followed by enthusiastic cheers, while the late- ly riotous groups resolved themselves into a | regular order with marvelous quickness, and | the camp assumed the appearance of a discip- lined army. It was the buccaneer king, whose entrance produced such an effect. iron features _Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. sr go back, and tell your master what I have said,’ He waved him disdainfully off with the pistol, but Don Luis, who had been using his eyes to the best advantage, had by this time © the discovery that the chief was alone and unsup- ported. With the treachery of his race, he tried to avail himself of the advantage. Asif convulsed with rage, he suddenly exclaimed: “Say you so, vile pirate? Then you shall die with her. Seize him, men, and kill him if he resists!” In an instant there was a rush of horsemen _ toward the chief, and his pistol exploded with a were set in an expression of firm resolve, an | anxious frown was on his brow, as he gave a few brief orders. Then a chain of sentries were thrown out on the plain, with a silence and celerity that told of iron discipline, and the resting buccaneers enjoyed their first meal in quiet pia! jest- ing and si g around their fires over the ex- pected conflict of the morrow. Morgan himself rode through the chain of sentries, and, passing through a gap in the en- circling hills, sat on his horse, looking at the dis- tant lights of Panama. The buccaneer chief was gloomy and anxious. Since the strange disa ce of Queen Lola, and the withdrawal of his Indian allies, every sort of vexatious impediment had been thrown in his way. Accustomed as he had been to de- spise the Spaniards, he realized that an able and acute mind was now controlling their move- —— and, bold as he was, he was not free from ear. “But, by all the powers of Heaven,” he mut- tered, fiercely s his hand at the distant city, “if I find ye have harmed one hair of that innocent girl’s head, not one stone will I leave on another of your priest-ridden city.” As he sat there, brooding, the t rumble of horses’ hoofs at a gallop announced to him that an enemy was approaching. It could be nothing else where he was. The buccaneer glanced round behind him, to where the line of sentries were left on guard. They were almost invisible in the darkness, for all were crouching to the earth in the hunter fashion of their original pursuit. Then he drew from holster a long horse- owe and, cocking it, awaited the approach of jhe enemy. In a few minutes the dark forms of a small ty of horsemen were seen approaching, and organ rode out into the moonlight to show himself. halted at the sight, and then asingle cavalier approached him, bearing a small white flag, and demanded, co y: ‘* Senor, where shall I find Don Enrique Mor- os? I am Don Luis Mendoza, the Gover- nor’s son-in-law, and captain of his it ; to foo Morgan scanned the other from ere he answered: ‘‘T am Morgan, admiral of the forces of the king of England, and a of Queen Lola, of Da- rien. What would you?” CHAPTER XI. THE WITCH’S FATE. Don Lvs saluted the other politely: “T come, senor, to demand, in the name of Don Alonzo del ay 4 y Espinosa, Governor of Panama, what is the meaning of this bold invasion of the territories of the king of Spain?’ ‘The meaning will be found in my commis sion,” said Morgan. ‘‘If you require more ex- planation you will get it to-morrow. You have rey away Queen Lola, of Darien. ere is she “In prison, for the witch she is,” said Men- doza, haughtily. ‘*In three days she will be burned alive as a witch.” vity ‘4 Morgan’s impassive gra never altered. The line of his mouth closed tighter, and his brows met slightly, as he said: “T thank you, sir, for your frankness. Now, listen to my words, and remember every one, for Morgan keeps his promises. If you harm one hair of her head, I will not leave a man alive in Panama. You, yourself, captured her, Men- doza. My spies have told me that. Well, then I hold you responsible for her. Harm her, an ou shall cry out for death in vain, amid such rtures as my men only can invent. You may flee to the uttermost parts of the earth, and even there I will follow you. You cannot escape me. * Fact. : a The principal incidents of these pages are histor- loud report. The foremost soldier threw up his arms with a yell, and fell from his saddle. But the rest still spurred on, and in a moment in- closed the buccaneer, while Don Luis, shout- ing, “Surrender!” struck at him with his sword. It met the blade of Morgan, who had not even backed his horse to escape. The buccaneer chief sat like a rock, his long sword playing from side to side like a flash and parrying the desperate blows of the Spaniards with apparent ease. When he struck back, every blow came like the kick of a horse, with a rapidity and strength that was amazing. Don Luis, meeting one of them, lost his guard, and fell over half-stunned by a stroke that clove his steel cap like paper. Another slash cut open a trooper’s face, and a third killed a horse. Then there was a rush- ing and shouting close by, and a number of buccaneers came running up, opening fire as they came. The arrival of succor disheartened the Span- iards, already demoralized by the stubborn re- sistance of the strong buccaneer, With one accord they fled, headed by Don Luis, who shouted, as he went: “Dogs! We shall see to-morrow.”* And the buccaneer chief coolly wiped his pte never stirring from his place, and ob- servi ‘We must extend our posts, men. These fel- lows will try to surprise us if we do not keep a good watch. See yonder. I thought they only came to feel us.” As he spoke he pointed to the town. The bright flash of a piece of artillery illu- minated the night, followed by a dull, heavy re- port. Then they heard the loud hum of a shot, and the missile itself plunged into the hill-side several hundred yards off. The buccaneers burst into a universal laugh of scorn at the ineffectual shot, and one of them remarked to his chief, in the independent fash- ion of their organization: “By my faith, admiral, ’twill be easy work on a town, if they shoot no better by tear Fear not for that,” said Mor, vely. “We shall have all the fight we anh dodice- row ere we get to Panama. Keep good watch.” He turned round and walked his horse slowly back to the bivouac, buried in a brown study. He was thinking of the morrow. And all night long th> Spaniards continued their ineffectual cannonade, while the bucca- neers slept soundly beside their fires, unmind- ful of the danger, and only wishing for the com- ing of that da ay which was to bring them victory or + Den Luis Mendoza stood on the shore of the bay of Pan watching the trips backward and forward of a laden boat. Every time it came to shore, a pile of articles of furniture, boxes and bags was lessened by a boat-load. Several other boats were plying backward and forward, and they all had the same destination, and bore similar loads from different parts of the sea-shore. Their destination was a huge and stz.tely gal- leon, as large as a frigate, with thirty gri holes at a side, commanding the town. In spite of threefold forces and all the aid of artillery, the 8 were already in dread of the next day, and were conveying away all their valuables on board the calleces, oo, i to flee at a moment’s notice. Don Luis was gloomily meditating on the chances of the next day, the dull pain in his head where the stunning blow of Morgan had Penal helping to tinge his anticipations with saster ‘‘ By the sword of Santiago,” he muttered, to himself, “who would have thought a pretend * Historical words. + Historical.
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The Sea-Cat. dersized man like him such a giant in strength. He thrust us over like children. But he one weakness. He loves this Lola, and I can buy him with her, if so be fortune turns against us on the morrow. ’Tis well Don Alonzo knows not who she is, so far. I shall take care he does not, till it suits my purpose.” ike trample of hoofs near him, and a soldier © up. ‘The senor commandante wishes to see you, capitano,” he said. . ‘I will be with him, immediately. Hurry with that boat there. All of this must be in the ship an hour before dawn. Now, soldier.” ‘And the captain turned away and proceeded to the Governor’s palace, in some doubt as to the cause of the summons, f He found Don Alonzo pacing up and down his room in deep thought, and was surprised at the ting he received, so absent was it. ‘* Your excellency was pleased to send for me. I am here.” “Ay, Don Luis. I sent you forth to observe the motions of the enemy, and had not time till now totake your report. Have you been around the troops to-night?” ** Ay, your excellency.” “* Are they ready to move in the morning?” ‘‘They sleep on their arms in line of battle covering the city.” ‘* And the pirates, where are they?” ** Encamped within long {= your excel- lency. The cannonade will prevent their ad- vancing before daylight.” a Did. ou see their leader?” “ di ” And Don Luis detailed the conversation that had ensued with Morgan. Don Alonzo frowned thoughtfully, and walk- ed up and down for several minutes without an- swering. Then he said: “This old witch must be an influential per- sonage, for the chief pirate to be so anxious about her. Who is she, Luis?’ ‘*She seems to be a sorceress, your excellen- cy. pe long as bre pice cos the ot ns, I was in great peril, but by seizing her with force all her arts availed not. Were it not best to burn her alive, so that her arts may not cast a shadow over our people?” ian old Governor crossed himself supersti- ously. ‘** Perhaps you are right, Luis. Since she has entered the palace I feel a kind of gloomy fore- b overcome me as to to-morrow’s battle. The soldiers are full of spirit, but I know how long *twill last, if they meet with any disaster. Tis the enchantments of this witch, no doubt, that depress me. She must die, and yet—” “‘ And yet the goodness of your excellency’s heart can not bear to witness the deed. Is it not so?” “Frankly, yes.” “ Leave it to me, your excellency. I will see to it that ere morning not a charm shall be left to dismay our brave soldiers.” The Governor apxe a sigh of relief. “Do so, Luis. can face the weapons of the English devils, and feel satisfied of victory, but Father Pedro has just left’ me, and he has been telling me of Pass Sega to the church.” Don. L Father Pedro was an old tool of his, and he knew who had sent him to bias the mind of Espinosa. As he turned away the Governor observed: ‘“‘Be ready at dawn. I have resolved what to do. I shall attack the ee instead of waiting to receive their assault. You will lead the charge of COVESES: and I shall follow it up with pikes and musketeers, as speedily as ible. I have directed the Indian allies to ive a herd of fierce bulls on the enemy, and with pe, blessing of God, we shall destroy them utterly. “ Ay, your excellenc sisted by the magic Hf ? but not if they are as- of the witch of Da- rien, ‘True, true. Therefore, Luis, take her from the city. Slay her as you will, but let me not 1 ‘‘ Fire and water are death to witches,” said Mendoza, sententiously; “therefore we will drown her first, and burn the body after.” The Governor shudd waved him away. The old soldier had not the callous cruelty of the young one. “Don’t talk of it,” he muttered, irritably. “Do your duty, and no more.” Don Luis bowed, and left the room. When he was in the corridor he laughed to himself. ; ‘| didn’t think Father Pedro would frighten him so. Now Lam safe, in any event.” He summoned a guard from the guard-room, Sea Tntiaaaieeion os and hastened to the apartment where the mys- | ag 9 witch of Darien was confined. — ise e found Bias Or.iz as stolid and wide-awake Seine Uabia Gpout waROE eee c : Then the ease bball ng out, apes (cart in her rags, her withe ‘ace stony and impas- sive in the torcblight. Without a ore rel re- monstrance she e erse cen sway, in Don Luis’s charge, and escorted to the dent theceede sealgiraae pails hoc asap bias eclining any assi ce, pulle r away him- self out Tate the bay. ’ He was gone an hour. een he 7 a back, the boat was empty of a imself. CHAPTER XIL Wrrs the early dawn of morning, all the city 1TH the early dawn of morning, ci of Panama was astir. Companies of infantry, some armed with pike, cuirass and morion, others with heavy matchlock-musket and rest, debouched out of the principal avenues of the city, and marched forth on the plain, at the heels of a heavy column of cavalry. nm Alonzo sat on his horse, surveying the epee forces, close:-to a long line of cannon, planted to defend the approaches to the town. aa Meteors with pri = steady ge of well-equip men, as they range em- selves in fee boat while the horsemen drew off to the right, and formed line of battle on the flank of the infantry. As yet there was no a. a movement from the buccaneers. The of their fires eculd be seen rising on the other side of the interven- fe ~ they were cooking breakfast, but the solitary figure of a sentinel on the crest of the ridge, observing the Spaniards, was the only sign of life a: t otherwise. Presently Don Luis Mendoza left his post at the head of the cav , and galloped up to Es- pinosa, gallant and dsome, saluting as he came, and in ering: ‘Is it your excellency’s pleasure we advance? The pirates may ond ig he rapid dash, and my cavalry are Ay m Alonzo waved his d. “ Forward, in God’s name,” he said. Then there was a sounding of trumpets and beating of drums. With one accord the artillery opened fire at the crest of the hills, and the infantry, in two lines, ge steadily and slowly on. Each line was composed of eight ranks of men, musketeers in the center, and pikemen shelterin the flanks, while six of horsemen p forward at a trot toward the hills that sheltered the buccaneers. Espinosa’s cheek flushed with excitement as he saw the movement, and the ardor of his outh seemed to return tohim. Only the reflec- ion that on his own life depended the issue of the day, restrained him from ing forward to head the assault. But he knew that his officers were all alike un pata gh and that the artillery especially requ is presence, To the management of that he devoted him- self at once, and directed a far more efficacious fire than that of the night, dropping the missiles over the crest of the with great accuracy. The infantry did not go far. Almost as soon as they were put in motion, a bugle sounded in the buccaneer camp, and a line of skirmishers came dashing over the crest of the ridge at a run. Then the head of asmall, compact column emerged from a gap, at a slow trot, and the re ess buccaneers bore down on the Spanish center. The size of the body was ludicrously dispro- portioned to the numbers of Spani but the strangers seemed to be perfec y confident, for a advanced with a shrill yell. ot a pikeman was in that sg fd strangers. In the eyes of a soldier of that day it was vir- tually defenseless. So thought Don Luis, as he beheld it. He waved his sword, the trumpets sounded the charge, and down went the horsemen on the buc- caneer column, with a loud shout of triumph. The skirmishers ran back to the hill, and cluster- ed in knots at the sight, but the little band in the center spread into a line fronting the cuirassiers, halted in their tracks, and quietly awaited the onset of the S They had not long to wait. Co = of victory from the absence - ikes, and spurring their horses to despera’ speed, Don Luis and the cuirassiers thundered own. Like a range of statues stood the bucca- neers, till less than seventy yards intervened. Then down went the front rank on one knee and up went the bright muskets. Silent and 9 —_— grim as statues, something in their attitude awed the Spaniards. The headlong speed of the charge insensibly diminished, as first one, and then an- other began to pull at his horse, till the gallop e a canter. : Don Luis shrunk back into the ranks, which became disordered, and finally slackened into a trot, within twenty yards of the muskets. Then, and not till then, a long, rolling volley came from the kneeling rank of the buccaneers, and asecond followed from the stooping rank above them. Scores of saddles were emptied at each volley, horses plunged and kicked, and the cuirassiers 6 in a moment a helpless, surg- ing mass of confusion. ¥ third volley, still more withering, in an- other second completed tho rout, and then the three advanced ranks of the buccaneers fell on their faces, while the fourth, fifth and sixth ranks opened their fire. Se They shot into a crowd of fugitives. _ Thoroughly Soe galt ae = the ish cav: broke an ope © rear eri con keuiea, just as the reserve of the en- emy, in serried ranks of pikes, came out of the gap on the field, und the skirmishers spread out once more, and dashed ahead at a run, shouting fiercely. Then arose a great confusion on the Spanish side, as officers galloped about on the front of the infantry, excitedly begging them to stand Saree See te 9 cattle began to be Out of a ee a hollow issued a ow herd of fierce bulls, driven by crowds In- dians, and came rushing over the field at full Instead of charging the buccaneers, as ey were expected to do, the obstinate brutes roshedl in between the contending fo right in front of the discomfited cavalry. Maddened with rage and terror, as the latter desperately spurred through, some broke to one side and ran over some Spanish infantry, others ran at the buccaneers, only to be shot down and stabbed by the veteran hunters, while the greater part swept over the artillery, bellowing loudly, and dashed into Panama. With loud yells the whole of the buccaneers ran fo shooting as they went. The rem- nant of the Spanish infantry began to fire in re- turn, and in a few minutes a warm en ment was in ot in that of the field. Don Alonzo had watched the various disasters with coolness and pars hatag 8 When cavalry and bulls alike fled without doing any Kp he looked worried, but as the steady lines of the Spanish foot moved forward and delivered their volleys, his countenance cleared. He gall to and fro among the guns, directing their and beheld with Joy that the enemy’s advance was checked. So fierce and deadly was the ar- tillery fire, that the buccaneers at began to turn and run, amid the smoke, and a cessation of the musketry‘announced that they were in full retreat. The old Governor galloped forward to the lines of infantry, to encourage them to ch and found them much shaken. They had 1} heavily, and worse than that, they were scared. With the quick decision of a soldier, he with- drew them behind the shelter of the guns, and for several minutes a pause of silent expectation took place. The buccaneers could be seen in the distance, clustered in knots, while a single mounted man —their leader—was 0) ard and for- ward with wild as if exhorting them to a fresh effort. It was while Don Alonzo was watching them and his own men, that a pikeman, who was straggling — _him to the town, wounded, stopped beside his commander, and A nese f saluting, extended his hand, holding a gold cross. Don Alonzo looked at him surprisedly. “ What is the matter, soldier? What’s this?” “So please your Ce ae ed was on last night over the witch of en, and the old hag gave me this, which I promised to deliver y- : Alonzo took it with superstitious hesita- tion. **A cross! In possession of an Indian witch! May it not be a new sorcery? Nay, I have heard will avert witchcraft.” Then he looked carefully at the cross, a tiny thing set with jewels: and as he looked, his countenance changed and became deadly = “ What—what is this?” he cried, in low, hoarse erg “What—where got she this? Who i e? Blas Ortiz looked astonished. “The old witch your excellency saw. Cap- tain Mendoza put her in—” ae eee ee een |
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{ | i \ i f een | : _ heard the rapid clatter of hoofs. A deep groan burst from Don Alonzo as he ke. at God of Heaven, I sent her to death, and she knows about my child! And I only know it now.’ Crack, crack, crack! : The enemy’s skirmishers pocnes again, and came rushing on with a yell whose ferocity told of the desperation of the buccaneers. Just in the crisis of a fierce battle, when victory trem- bled in the balance, and the commander of the Spaniards needed all his wits, came this tiny cross a messenger from a dead woman, whom he himseif had sent to her doom in ignorance. And this cross he recognized in a moment as one he had hung round the neck of his child, Pepita, eighteen years before, when she was a baby inarms. She must then have survived the wreck, or this cross must have been taken from her dead body, washed ashore. Which was it? Oh, for one moment to ask the question, to question Don Luis, to do some- thing! But stern, pitiless war, that slays all alike, was sweeping down on them, in a ferocious band of desperate ruffians, led by the scourge of all Spaniards, Morgan himself. Already the fire was warming up, and the artillery opening grape on the advancing pi- rates, The Spaniards were wavering, and need- ed sport and the only one able to give it was the Governor, torn with conflicting emotions. He looked round for Mendoza. The captain of the guards was gone, and with him every one of the gay cavaliers who had galloped on so proudly in the NS. ‘‘God help us, for [ can only do my duty,” said Espinosa, despairingly, and he galloped u to the infantry, just as the buccaneers char; recklessly in with swords and pistols, yelling like demons. . CHAPTER XIIt. THE SACK. .. Dona Inez sat in her chamber listening to the reports of the cannon, and wondering how the battle was going. The streets below her were deserted, for the women and children were all hiding in the houses, and the able-bodied men were in the field. Since she had seen her father and husband go out in the morning she ad no means of in- sollaetehs save to listen to the noise of the bat- tle. And that grew louder and louder every min- ute, the reports of the guns more and more inces- sant, while the rolling rattle of the musketry in- creased momentarily. Itwas the very first con- test at which the girl had ever been a near auditor, and she was utterly unused to the sounds of war. And yet she reasoned from the sounds of bat- tle as correctly as a veteran. After all it does not take long to acquire that art. First she heard nothing but a distant rum- ble of cannon. Then it came nearer, and the cackle of muske was audible. Then both joined together quite ei and a faint occa- sional distant yell was eard. Next she looked down ye the window, and er a ion ss at the doors, peering down stree on several of them made excited , and Then came single moun soldier down the street, full speed, and went past like a whirlwind. Soon after was a furious burst of cannonading out- side, with the sound of a gradually increasing ell, which came nearer and nearer, Then ol was more clatter of hoofs, and Don Luis Mend with a party of cavalry dragging a cannon, past and was gone. bled violently, and gi Ey Bg the window, leaned far out to look. _ ace arias man beings was pouring down the streets m the fields outside, and a white pall of smoke hid the battle-field, The cannon re were grow- ing less and less, and the sound of the ye came nearer and nearer. threw on her vail, and ran down the stairs of the pal- ace to the entrance. focal the women screaming, the men talk- ing ing toward the port. A number of soldiers without arms, many wounded, all pale with terror and evidently demoralized, hurried along in the crowd. . And the cannonade had quite ceased. Then Inez knew, as well as the great captain could have told her, that the day had gone mint her countrymen. , t was she to do, whither to fly? The ir- Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. regular and fitful fire still maintained by the small-arms announced that her father must be still resisting, after the loss of his with the remainder of his infantry; but the increasing crowd of fugitives who came running along, some with arms, some without, gave plain token that the combatants could not be far off. Already the street was deserted by the citizens ; the servants had fled to the port, and she was left alone by the palace gate, when the renewed reports of cannon were followed by the crash, | crash of a round shot ricochetting along on the rough pavement and tearing a wide breach in an opposite house. Again the novice understood what had hap- ned as well as the veteran. Danger sharpened er senses. The buccaneers had taken the Spanish guns, and were turning them against their owners! The fight was virtually over from that mo- ment. As the guns opened their fire on the town, and the shot crashed through the houses, the street became full of fugitives, fleeing in the wildest disorder. Inez, standing with as hands in the potoway, saw officer and soldier alike fleeing like cowards, and was recogni by many, who cried: “His excellency’s daughter! Fly, senora, the pirates are coming in niillions! e must flee to the woods or sea! Come with us, senora! The foreign devils will eat you alive!” But Inez only answered: ‘My father—where is my father?” And no one could tell her, so that she shrunk back into the palace, and allowed the cowards Ss. nd they were not long in ing, for all were at a run, and almost all had thrown away their weapons, and huddled together into a Sogetee’ Se" Shad beter, anda ths parebiel together » an e e streets were equally fall of men in fail Mieke. And still Inez would not stir, for the being she loved best ‘in all the world, her noble, white- haired father, was not among the fugitives; and her only pet now was to find him. Of her husband she thought nothing. She had seen him fleeing in erg! unmindful of her, at the very first touch of r, and a sense of in- describable contempt was growing up in her heart toward him. At last the street was ee ig A few distant, dropping shots were still audible as Inez wra ped mantle and vail around her, and calmly emerged into the street, ben her steps to- ward the very lines of the superstitiously dread- ed pirates, without a tremor. Her whole mind seemed absorbed in the task of finding her fa- ther, and she forgot all other dangers. In front of her, a hundred yards off, a knot of men, spread out as skirmishers, came cau- tiously ae through’ the streets with poised muskets. Every now and then one of them stop- ped and fired down the street, past the advan- cin, irl, at the distant crowd of fugitives; and still nez seemed insensible to peril. As she came near the men stared at her, but not one spoke a word, as the slight feminine figure, draped in black, glided past them in si- ence, A cannon boomed in the distance, and the shot hummed over her head, and still she kept fearlessly on, passing with a rapid step t uiet empty streets, till the dead bodies of sol- iers, here and there, told her she had reached the battle-field. Then she was sensible, as if in a dream, of a crowd of men halted by some cannon, talking oo cng cont, and eet oo =a mysterious buccaneers, of whom she heard such terrible atrocities. Then, for the first time, she trembled and sto The full peril of her position flashed on her, but she retained her calmness. The men were all afoot save one, in bright uniform of black, scarlet and Fold, witha b t gleam- plate. was their leader, she breast- thought, and to him she advanced with digni acowtie back her vail: %y The wild buccaneers, rude and reckless as they were generally, shrunk back on all sides in dead silence, and left. a free for the iets daughter to the presence of their chief. Then Inez spoke in a clear and distinct voice: ‘Senor, Iam Dona Inez de Mendoza, daugh- ter of the Governor of Panama, and I have come in search of my father. Tell me he is not hurt, but only a er se for the Virgin’s sake” Then, for the first time, she looked up in the leader s face, and met the eyes of Don Enrique Morganos. fs Morgan’s face so changed that Inez has forgotten it?” said the buccaneer chief, in a low tone. ‘ Your father was wounded ere I could save ybim, but the surgeon is attending him now. As he spoke, he dismounted, and resigned his horse to an attendant. ‘*Forward, and pass the orders to occupy the town,” he said to those around him. ‘ Keep the men from drinking, for I have news that the Spaniards have poisoned the wine in the town. Search everywhere for the Indian queen, but do no violence to the women. I shall occupy the | Governor's palace. Bring the wounded Spanish | officer thither.” Then he turned to Inez, and offered his arm with a grave courtesy, that recognized nothing of the time, Gis retaeed it ao a Pe aor ex, gm , Senor, where is my father? t m him first.” f oi He shook his head. “*Don Alonzo will be brought to the palace, and | youcan see himthere. But I made a solemn oath, only yesterday, to your husband, madam that, if he harmed Queen’Lola of Darien, I would slay every one in Panama, and burn the town. Has she been harmed?” ‘“* T know not of whom you speak, senor,” she said, wonderingly. » much the worse,” said Morgan, frown- oe ‘Foul play has been dealt to her, and woe betide the dealers, when I find them.” Again he offered his arm, and Inez, trembling with vague fear, accompanied him within the precincts of the doomed city. CHAPTER XIV. PEPITA. Don Luis Menpoza stood on the aftercastle of the stately Paerte San Salvador, and watch- ed, with trembling limbs and ashy face, the hur- ried efforts of the crew to make sail and escape from the sack of Panama. Selfish and coward- ly, as soon as he saw that the fortune of the day was going against his Marrs « Kore! captain of the had given up the contest, without an ef- ort to restore it, and fled from the wavering field at the Sy hteen when a single vigorous scant might ve decided it in favor of the paniards. Half-crazed with terror, he had forgotten his wife and everything but his own safety, gallo ed to the shore, taken boat, and fled to the gal- leon his caution had provided. She was onl half-manned with sailors, and the few demoral- ized soldiers who had fled with him, but she was heavily armed and a good sailer, and load- ed with all the wealth of the Panama churches. As he beheld the sails go slowly up, while the vessel swung short over her anchor, the captain’s mind was greatly relieved, for he been in a frenzy of anxiety for fear the enemy should overtake him and spoil his little game. The bay was full of boats putting off to the various vessels, and several approached the gal- leon, while their inmates implored to be en aboard. To all he returned the same answer: “There is no room. This is the Governor’s ship.” The noise of fighting in the town had died away, to be replaced by the shouts and yells of the buccaneers roving through the streets, in- tent on plunder. Every minute he expected to hear the hum of a shot from one of the captured batteries firing at the galleon, but still the were silent; and at the anchor left the bot- tom, the big foresail bellied out, and the Salva- dor slowly forged ahead out of the bay among a crowd of boats, standing seaward. Even as she left the ae ag a number of wild-looking figures rushed out on the beach, and seizing a canoe, started in slow pursuit. But there were only two paddles in the canoe, and the buccaneers were already half drunk. ee oe women m overtaken in a few minutes, bag Don Luis smiled triumphantly as he saw the boat stop, and the white foam’ bubbled round the row of the Salvador. y there, senores,” he muttered. “Ye have your reward, but I have mine too. always well to have two to your bow.” Now he the a le with an air of great relief, for the Salvador was fast sailing out of gun-shot, and already the open sea was free before them. The Pear! Islands lay on the | rboard bow, and the trade-wind inflated every _sail of the gaileon as she sped away from dan- | ger. | “What if there are but fifty men on board,” muttered Don Luis. ‘‘ There are no buccaneers | on these seas yet, and fifty are enough to man
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The Sea-Cat. 11 this ship, if not to fight her. Our s will frighten every one else, and no one can dispute my title to these treasures now.” He remained on deck till the steeples of Pana- ma were gray in the distance, and the fears of his men had quieted down. There was no sign of pursuit; and if there had been, he feared it ! not. Not a vessel in the harbor could catch the | Salvador, and she was the only armed ship short of Callao. Toward Callao he determined to take his way, to announce the death of the Gov- ernor, the taking of Panama, and the fearful ferocity of those pirates, who, from twelve hun- fifty thousand. Also he was determined to make a full report of his own heroism in defend- ing the town, and carrying off its treasures un- touched. The church property he would give up. He was a good Catholic. But as for Don onzo’s plate, and certain bags of doubloons, r Don Alonzo was dead, and the gold was is in right of his wife. What if his wife were dead, too? Ah, then he had another card to lay. f has as he thought of it, he smiled and rubbed his hands, and turned round to descend the lad- der intc the cabin below. The vessel was already in order, and Don Luis was recognized ashercommander. He stationed a sentry at the cabin door, saying: - “ Let no one in, on any pretext, till IT call.” Then he entered the cabin, and locked the door. : The cabin of the galleon was magnificently furnished, and far more lofty and commodious than that of a modern vessel of the same size. It was hung with tapestry, and decorated with carving and gilding of the most ornate charac- ter, while the breeches of four richly-ornament- ed stern-chaser cannon gave a warlike aspect to the apartment. . ; In the midst ag ae the wily captain att the guards stopped, an up a ring in the floor, raised a trap-door, and disclosed a flight of stairs, leading the lowest recesses of the vessel “Come forth,” he said, in a quick, command- ing voice; and then retired and took his seat on the couch close by. There was a slow, faltering step on the ladder, and then the dark, withered features of the Witch of Darien rose above the trap. The old woman slowly ascended to the cabin, and stood trembling before the captain. Don Luis, who had been trembling with cra- ven fear an hour before, was now as cool as ssible. Indeed, the manner of the t aniard might have been fairly descri as hectoring, as he curtly ordered her to shut down the trap. The witch silently obeyed, and stood before him. **So, my lovely damsel, your teeth are drawn,” he said, sneeringly. “I have outwit- ted and beaten your piratical friend, and you are on the seas, in my power, while he is on the land, searching for you in Panama. think you? Do you believe he will save you et?’ "ln wiow es voice, a si contrast to her withered face, the Witch of Darien answered him: : “T know he will, senor. He promised to love Lola forever.” ; “< He’s welcome to you, when I let him have you,” said the Spaniard, with a sneer. “You are of more im pteace Salt eee my pretty damsel, Do you know why I made you assume the disguise you wear?” “T can guess now,” said the witch, ; “¥ have learned much since I have been in the power of the white men.” “‘Whai have you learned? “T have learned the reason you me to death,” said she, steadily. The so on told me last i al what did he tell you?” asked Mendoza, “‘ He saw this face, and told me whose it was s ” As she spoke, the disfiguring rags and hideous mask dropped from her f and Lola, the captive queen of Darien, s revealed. But no longer in the savage dress of the Indian princess was Lola —— : of that, she wore the robes of a Spanish lady of rank, and thus arrayed, her likeness to Inez was start- ling. “Ay, Don Luis,” she said, proudly, while the 4 capeadn: 4 sat gazing at her, bewildered; am . . “you thought that the poor Indian maid you had threatened with nameless tortures, if she re- vealed herself, your will. was completely cowed to obey ow, senor, that for years past dred had already spread in Spanish reports to | S { | cabin, and laid her dare not put | the Gove have known who I am, and only the love of my old wild, free life has kept me from claimin, my kindred, and joining my people. The ol dost who found me alive on my mother’s reast, sixteen years ago, and buried her on the sea-shore, told me alla womanhood. I know who I am—Pepita del Campo; and ere this, my father has received the cross with my name inscribed on it, that was hidden in my hair when you stole me like a traitor. Now, senor, stop me if you dare. My sister’s clothes were left here, but where is my sister? I willgo find her.” And she swept proudly to the door of the mee on the lock. Mendoza, for the first time, seemed to remem- ber himself. He had plenty of courage when fighting women, and he sprung forward like a tiger on her. Pepita—as we must call her hence- forth—shrieked, and tried to turn the key, but the brute was too quick and decided. “Scream away,” he said, savagel , as he dragged her away from the door, ‘“ They’ll not mind you. So you’ve been masquerading in my wile clothes, and pretend to be her sister. Very well. He forced her down on the sofa with a heavy | fall, and continued: ‘* Now, mark my words, my lady: out of this cabin you do not £ till you sign the papers I require of you; and if you try to aioe to the crew—hearken.” And he leaned forward and whispered in her ear. Pepita turned deathly pale and trembled in every limb. In a large a ssliesia f th a and sumptuous apartment o e Governor’s palace at Panama, lay Don Alonzo del Campo es Espinosa, wounded unto death, with two bullets in his body and a saber-cut on his head. The last might have been cured, and neither of the former was mortal, but the three together had caused such a loss of blood that the Governor was dying. By the side of the couch knelt Inez, in tears, and Morgan stood a little distance off, with loomy face and folded sternly surveying the form of Blas Ortiz, the wounded pikeman, who stood before him, ready to drop with weak- ness. Weak as was Don Alonzo also, he was “yen ing to the soldier, and the buccaneer chief was liste ning to the conversation, occasionally put- ting ina peer’ im question. . peek d ck, Ortiz,” said the Governor, faintly. ‘“‘I have not long to live. You say a got the cross from the old Indian woman rought in as prisoner by Mendoza?” “1 did, senor.” ‘*How came she to do it?’ interjected Mor- gan. “‘T was placed on guard over her, senor. Don Luis gave me strict orders not to converse with her. He told me she was a rous witch who could assume any face she pleased. But when she gave me the cross, I knew it must be a mistake, for crosses are death to witches. Don Luis looked in, and left a lamp in the outer room. When he was gone, the witch looked out, and strange to a ee her old and wrinkl- ed face was gone. I not seen her before, I could have sworn ’twas his excellency’s daughter, Dona Inez herself. But it must have been en- chantment, for when the relief came in, the opened the door to see if *twas all right, and swear to your excellency, the same old woman was there, and we all saw her distinctly. Then, before the new sentry was on, came Don Luis, _ took her away, and that was the last we saw of her. “Have you heard anything since?” demanded e rnor. “‘My comrade, Pepe Diaz, who was killed this mo » was one of the eg that followed Don senor. He says that the captain took her out in a boat to the great Spree hess came back without her. Whether he slew her, or a her on board the galleon, we cannot tell. He came Ia the etl And eon escaped, thanks to my drunken ruffians,” muttered the buccaneer. Then to Espinosa: ‘The story is plain, senor, and you are not to blame. This wretch, Mendoza, es Geese as ben ‘ - arien as an old woman, and her own father did not recognize her, e is at sea with him, whether as Lola of Darien or Pepita del Campo. He is a deep plotter, this Mendoza, and has fool- ed us all. oe betide him, when I catch him. Make your will, senor. I am your enemy, but you can trust me for all that. Give Pepita’s ut it when I grew to | interests into my hands, and I swear to you I | will protect her when I find her, and avenge her on this Mendoza, if I come too late for any ete else. Refuse, and I perform my oath; and then, woe to Panama.” pee. lay silent for some moments, then said: “ And Inez—what of her?’ “Dona Inez is my enemy’s wife,” said Mor- gan, coldly. ‘‘She is Lola’s sister also. If your excellency wishes her restored to her hus- nd, I will do it, but only when I have punish- ed him as he deserves.” The Governor shuddered slightly. The buc- caneer’s words were very quiet and decorous, but there was a certain swelling of the two side muscles of the square, lean jaw of the chief, and a dilating of the white of the eye, that told of a tempest of passion surging within, only restrain- | ed by the iron will of the man. | He trembled as he thought of his daughter— _ the only one that he had known till now—ex- to the pitiless vengeance of the Welsh | buecaneer, who was renowned for the cruelties | he had committed when unable to accomplish | his will otherwise. “What do you wish me to do, senor?” he asked, faintly. ‘‘Be merciful, for I have not | long to live.” “Call a notary and make your will,” said | Morgan, pres “Leave half of your goods to your daughter Pepita, and eu me her guardian. J will take care the will be obeyed.” The Governor considered a while. “T will do it. Send for the notary. I will trust you, senor, for you have proved a more generous toe than I thought.” Morgan nodded adruptly. “* Ay, ay, you shall see, and he shall feel.” Then he left the room, and went down the palace steps to the street. | All along the streets of Panama groups of fierce buccaneers were strolling, and others were searching the houses and bringing forth valuables to a great pile in the middle of the public Std An order and decency prevailed in the whole expedition, which spoke of an iron discipline. Private plunder was not allowed by the buceca- neers, who were by no means the lawless pi- rates we have been accustomed to consider them. On the con , Morgan acted under a commission from the English king, Charles IL., and issued commissions to his captains, as admi- ral of the British forces. The plunder of Pana- ma was all brought together, and carefully di- vided in shares, according to a regular scale, wherein wounds as well as rank were consid- ered, and the man who lost a limb was paid for it with five hundred doubloons. Drunkenness there was little or none now, for the leader’sruse of su, ing poison in the wine had effectually stop the prevailing vice on the second day. But the first had been wasted, and Mor: had learned, when too late, of the escape of the galleon and what she contained in treasure, besides the discovery that Pepita was probably on board, if not. dead, As he w along, gloomily broodin over the news, and ae ve in the future, he forgot all about Don Alonzo and Inez, the girl whom he had once been captivated by. Ab- sence cured him of part of that love, her marriage of the rest; but there was an angry devil ging BH the buccaneer’s heart as he thought of la, whom he loved now, in the power of Inez’s husband, and of Inez in his own power. - “ Let him look to himself,” he muttered. he has Pepita, I have Inez; shall pay for the other’s wrongs. He through the word here, an order there, till he beach. He found it encircled with the c remnants of burned houses, In th of the assault the day before, the by the ruthless hand of the sumed more than half of : As he stood gloomily watching the smoking srt att hike teak Gos Governor warner s eel an ernor was dying, an i him. Slowly he retraced his the palace. Alonzo was indeed dying. He was so gone as to be unable to and he faint- ly indicated by signs a wish for the buccaneer to read a parchment that lay on the couch. ! Reluctantly Morgan took the instrument and read it. It was Don Alonzo’s will, bequeathing all his possessions equally to his two children, con- stituting his conquering enemy guardian of both, and charging him to find and rescue his daugh- ter Pepita, and to marry her, if he would. ‘‘And, forasmuch as my daughter Inez is oe ite and the one sister
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q 12 Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. wedded to a bad man,” continued the will, “who will surely ill-treat her, if he gets a chance, I straitly commit her to the care of Don Enrique Morganos aforesaid, charging him on the honor of a soldier, to protect her from all harm, and to rd her as his sister. And if he fail to do so, then may the curse of a dead man rest on him and his forever, and may he never know peace in this world or the next.” Morgan read the will steadily through. Its close was interrupted by a struggle from the wounded man. : The chief looked him in the face gravely, bowed his head, and said: . ““T accept the trust.” Don Alonzo smiled faintly, and fell back, dead Three days after, a column of loaded mules, whose packs were all of gold, silver and jewels, threaded its way through the forests of Darien, surrounded by the triumphant and satiated free- ao 1 d silent, rode in th or oomy and silen e in the van, and Tres” ‘del Can followed, a close prisoner. To Chagres the column took its way, where the plunder of the expedition was divided, and whence Morgan took ship for parts unknown. For some unexplained reason he sent back Dona Inez to Panama, with a number of liber- ated S but before he went he had a long and secret discussion with her, from which he came forth gloomier than before. Then he left, alone, and the of all the buccaneer exploits was over, hat became of_ the chief no one knew. hereto CHAPTER XVI. NEW PANAMA. A YEAR has since the burning of Pana- ma, and the city has partly risen from its ashes, but on another site, surrounded by fortifications. In all that year not a sound has been heard of the lost Pepita del Campo, nor of the galleon San Salvador. Whatever the intentions of its commander, that vessel never reached Peru, but had disa) from human sight as complete- ly as if she had never existed. In those days it was not hard to lose one’s self in the Pacific. Outside of the regular track from the Philippines to Panama, the whole ocean was regarded as a solitude, into which no one dared to penetrate till a hundred years later. Morgets the buccaneer, had also disap from his usual haunts, no one knew whither. Peace being concluded between England and Spain, the more powerful expeditions were now out of the question, as they required a cover of ity in order to be fitted out with safety. fust one year toa day from the time of the sack of Panama, a strange vessel, long and low, with lateen sails, was seen in the ofting off the Pear! Islands, and the alarm spread through the city that the pirates were comin in, for the rig of the periagua was reco as one iar to the pirates. Then the watchman on the new tower beheld the fleet of pearl-boats, that had been attending the fishery at the islands, hastily slip their an- chors and come sailing toward the harbor, fol- lowed by the strange vessel. ' And as they came in, a certain small island on the way, a singular phenomenon took place before the watchman’s sight. Without any assignable cause, three of the foremost vessels suddenly disa in the depths of the sea in a cloud of white spray! he rest of the pear]-boats scatte in all di- rections like a flock of frightened water-fowl and the strange vessel hauled her wind an stood off again to sea. The watchman had hardly got over his aston- ishment, when he caught sight of the sails of a ship in the distance, behind the little island of obano and distin ed the white smoke that she was firing her guns at the stranger, while the dull booming reports echoed over the water to the city. Tt was not long before the whole ee of Panama was out in the streets to wi the fight, which soon came into plain view. e —s ship steered out from behind the island, and the _peria was seen to steer di- rectly toward her, w every now and then the flash of a from her sides was followed by a report that told of much lighter metal. won contest wes Hod f unequal, and yet ship, a full-rigg: gate, was runni pedo! aden the periagua toward the city, ron d dently anxious to escape. How long this might have lasted there is no saying, when the smaller vessel suddenly hauled her wind once more, a little short of the place where the three boats had so mysteriously dis- ter; and then the stranger was away like a flash; and the frigate, hoisting Spanish colors stood in, and came to anchor under the guns of the forts. Much puzzled, the watchman descended to make his report. : At the same time, in a new house in another part of the city, Dona Inez Mendoza, from the summit of the azotea or flat roof, beheld all this scene, and trembled as she looked. Some presentiment told her that that vessel held her abana returned to claim her and her father’s property by the operation of the law. Where he had been, and what he had been doing all this time she knew not, Whether the strange and audacious vessel that pursued him was the bark that held the only man that could save her, or not, she was ignorant. She only knew that Morgan had promised her, a year before, that he would not rest till he had Sound her sister ab geo if alive. That she her- self was not still with him was owing to her own fears as to her strength of mind. en it was too late, Inez, wife of Mendoza, had made the fatal discovery that she loved Morgan. True, his own love had gone to another, but the poor — dreaded the dangers of the old passion reviving. At her own request, he had sent her back to there to wait the arrival of Don Luis, who, they knew, was be die sure to come back to the scene of Don Alonzo’s property. ‘*When he comes back,” Morgan had said Pm T shall be there, when he and you least expect t. ‘* And now Luis has come, and he is power- less,” murmured she, as she looked at the stately Spanish frigate me anchor, and the di- minutive periagua gliding along in the distance. As she spoke, a boat dro from the side of the vessel, and moved toward the city, propelled by twelve oars. It was received at the quay by a detachment of the guard, for Panama was much better ni tected now than when it was taken by the buc- caneers, and the fortifications were heavily armed and fully manned. The commander of the boat landed, and then the houses shut in further view from Dona Inez. But she had seén enough already. She knew well enough who was coming, and descending to the great saloon, she calmly awaited the ar- rua of the person she knew was sure to come at last. And she had not long to wait. Within half an hour there was a thundering knock at the door below, and soon after the tramp of an armed heel coming along the paved hall. Then the door opened, and Don Luis Mendoza, as handsome as ever, in magnificently worked ar- mor, and covered with orders and decorations, entered the room. The Spaniard advanced to his wife with an appearance of great affection, exclaiming: ‘ Querida Inez, how have I wearied for you this year of toil and danger!’ Dona Inez waved him off as he came near, and checked him with a short inquiry: ** Tuis, where is my sister ?” Don Luis actually changed color at this ques- tion. For a moment he stammered and hesi- tated. Then he put on a face of innocence, asking: What do you mean?” “T mean, where is my sister Pepita, who was a captive in your ship, when you fled and left me to the mercy of the buccaneers?” Don Luis laughed uneasily. **'You are crazy. What should I know about your sister? She is dead, long ago.” ** How long ago ?” Again the direct question staggered him, but Me Cay years igo, T owe, Yon sid wen ears ago, [ suppose. You said so.” “Then tere have you been, all this year?’ She knew that he lied, but dissembled in her Don Luis swelled with importance. “‘T have been to Spain, senora, and have cruised nst those buccaneers who slew ‘your father. I have avenged him fully and recover- ed great treasures; and, moreover, my father is dead, and I am now the duke of Mendoza. His majesty’s own hand has made me a knight of the Golden Fleece, and I have come to reclaim the duchess, my wife, from her solitude, and to assume the vice-royalty of New Spain, whither I am now bound, by way of Acapulco.” Inez looked steadily at the man she was com- parr to call husband, and a feellng of the edpest distress possessed her. Something told | t last she said, somewhat bitterly: “Your grace has tarried very long. God, and not you, protected me from the dangers of the assault when you fled.” ‘*Retreated, not fled, Inez. What could I do against such numbers? But I have avenged it on the buccaneers, and they are after me with a vast fleet. No doubt you were surprised at the way I sailed into harbor, chased by a single periagua. Alas, child, there are twenty more concealed behind yonder islands, and had I stood out to fight them, I should infallibly have lost my ship. But the blessed virgin inter- posed, and saved me, by sending that fearful monster, the sea-cat—” Inez shuddered violently. “The sea-cat? What, is there one in our bay? Good heavens, Luis, what shall we do? Oh, I shall never forget those fearful eyes and writhing arms. What shall we do?’ ‘Steer clear of the place he lies,” said Don Luis, coolly. “He swallowed the crews of three pearl-boats, and I saw him rise to receive the pirates. But they sheered off in time. As long as he stays there, the pirates dare not en- ter by that passage. Toes Inez shuddered in, and murmured: “Tt is a fatality. © cannot save me or Pepita.” I shall sail for a to-morrow, God willing,” said Don Luis, ly. “IT expect my _ uchess to a in spite of her cool reception; and, meantime, I have business with the commandante here. So, for the pre- sent, farewell.” And he was gone, and Inez alone. CHAPTER XVIL. THE MIDNIGHT PROWLER. Nicut closed over the new city of Panama, a atau of darkness, with the moon above, while a , crawling, malarious mist shut out the view of the stars overhead. In the thick darkness that enveloped every- thing the sickly gleam of lanterns shone out here and there, at the edge of the bay, marking the line of the just completed ram The sea-wall was finished, but on the land-side there were many long stretches as yet quite open to anenemy. The Spaniards knew that their best defense as yet was in the fact that they had lit- tle left to ok under, and the long stretch of walls = ager very few houses above the rank of u In a nook of the bay, opposite the side of the old city, a line of cances was slowly and silent- ] paddling to the shore, all loaded with men. e ruins of old Panama were already nearly hidden by the luxuriant vegetation of the tro- pics, and the few walls and towers that remain- ed were covered with creepers. Not a livin being tenanted them save the monkeys and birds of the forest, and, as the canoes reached the shore and disembarked their crews, not a sound was heard. Quietly and cautiously, like a troop of ghosts, the strangers climbed up the steep and rocky beach here, and disappeared among the ruins. Half an hour later they might have been found clustered together, to the number of some fifty men, in the ruined basement of the old watch- tower of San Jerome. In the midst was the form of a man, evident- ly in authority, who was giving them some di- rections in a low voice: ‘You will remain here,” he said, “ till I come back, which will be before to-morrow night. You will keep yourself hidden from the view of any ing Spaniard, unless he should be fool enough to come so close as to find out where you are. Jn that case, seize him and oe him till Icome back. If I am not here by midnight to-morrow, I shall be dead. In that case, go back to the vessel, and never spare a Spaniard’s life so long as you are on the seas.” A stern hum of assent followed the last words, and the chief gathered his cloak around him and left the rufa, The men left behind stretch- ed themselves silently on the ground pared to ass the night in sleep. Meanwhile the leader threaded the ruins of the once populous streets with the air of a man who knew his way well, and quitted the pre- cincts of the old city, ee rotont on a mass of black rocks, which once formed the northern boun . Over these he clambered with some difficulty, and saw before him a stretch of fair white beach, the only barrier between him and the walls of New Panama. With a free and careless step he advanced to and pre- the city, hidden by the dense white fog and only 4
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+ guided on his way by the sound of the softly lap- ping surf at his left hand. ; Every ten minutes or so he would stop and lis- ten eens 2 : No sound but the wash of the waves was heard for some time. At last he caught sight of the sickly yellow leam of lamps some way ahead, and recognized the line of the sea-wall. Assoon as hesaw that, he turned to the right, left the shore, and struck off into the fields and woods. At regular intervals the drowsy cry of “ Sen- tinella alerta” from the city announced the po-_ sition of the line of guards. The stranger skirted them at ar tful dis- tance, till he arrived opposite the largest and longest of the gaps in the fortifications, which he could see from the different position of the lights, down on the ground. e unknown seemed to be perfectly familiar with the way, for he turned in here, and ad- vanced boldly toward the line of sentries. Steady as was his approach, however, it was entirely noiseless. He seemed to be shod with velvet, so quietly did he move. When he was close to the line of lights, he directed his course midway between them and halted once more to listen. The steps of several sentries were audible, pacing to and fro, but they themselves were in- visible. Then the r sunk down on the earth and looked toward the dim lights in the fog. For about six inches from the earth the atmosphere was comparatively clear, and the legs of the pacing became visible. By looking up- ward, , the ite hn Lom a ot le ae against the faint t of the ve and their tions were definable. Two of them were coming toward him. Silently the stranger awaited their coming till the two sentries met. One of them wled out a ee f remark to the other about the fog, and the other replied: ‘Never mind; the relief will soon be round. The fog will keep off the buccaneers.” “Ay,” growled the first, ‘‘if they’re here. But that’s not likely, with four regiments of ikes and muskets, and a first-class frigate in e bay. ss -night, and a better temper, Pepe,” said tho ing and both sentries iersed thelr backs and away. When they were down their beats, the stranger rose as silently as he had come, and rion, alked through the picket line, hidden by e fog. In another moment he was safe within the city ts. He advanced now with much more caution, for the streets were full of the materials of build- ings in progress, and he seemed to be ignorant of the localities. He passed silently on amid piles of stones and timber, without meeting a human being or seeing a light for some time. It was near mii ht, and moreover he was ina part of the city as yet uninhabited! At last the glimmer of lights in a line ahead announced that he was co to a more u- lous locality, and shortly after heran up another m meeting him in the fog, with a clash of armor that told that both were sol- ers. “ Madre de dios, camarado, can’t you see where you're epoing exclaimed the second man, angrily. ‘ You’re too careless to be a gentile- man, i ou hear?” The unknown answered the insulting tone of re soldier with 4 ee considering the ueling ies of the age. wi pan y crave your pardon, cavalier, I am not yet used to your Panama fogs, and I was looking for some one to tell me the way to the Calle Nuevo.” The soldier seemed ed at once. He thought he had cowed down the other, and in a tone of more courtesy, he said: “Yonder is oy “e Nuevo. — ha large house you come to belongsto Don Luis Men- doza, whb came in this afternoon from the old . He’salucky dog. They say he brings he has stolen from coun back a million pesos, that those Godless buccaneers.” The stranger gave a short laugh. ‘Ha! he says that, does he? Buenos noches, senor. And he turned abruptly away. The soldier, who seemed to be an Officer of some kind from his , did not seem to let him go so easily. He had cowed him down once, as he thought, and he was resolved to do it He touched him on the shoul- der y, and arrested his course, saying roughly: The Sea-Cat. “Hola, senor, you have not told me your name, yet. I am Don Ramon Gutierrez, first swordsman of Panama. Who the devil are you The unknown turned ane round. He was standing close to the latter, and spoke in a pecu- sa mild and pleasant tone. “Do you really wish to know my name, senor? I would not advise you to Ask it, for you will not live long after you have heard it.” Don Ramon laughed scornfully and folded his arms. «Tell me, and I'll take the risk,” he said. The stranger whispered something in his ear, and almost at the same instant executed a sud- den wrestling trick which overthrew the Span- iard like a child. Standing close to him, he leaned forward, casting one heel behind that of the Spaniard, and in the same instant pushed him with both hands on his shoulders. Don Ramon’s heels flew up, and the unknown, con- tinuing the impulse with tremendous strength, brough the other to the pavement with a crash, the back of his head strikin ing the stones with such violence that he lay senseless. “Much good may the name do DP eM mutter- ed the stranger, in English. ‘If your skull’s whole in the morning, *twill be because my arm has lost its pith.” He deliberately lifted up the head of the fallen man and gave it one crack against the stones. Then he turned away, and advanced toward the Calle Nuevo with fearless steps. CHAPTER XVIII. A VISITOR. Dona Inez Menpoza was kneeling at her to Heaven tg release oratory, praying ferventl her from her bondage restore her sister to her, when she heard a light tap at her casement. In t alarm she started to her feet, for she was all alone in that of the house, which was built, like most Spanish-American houses, on a single story, rambling in all directions. An external veranda surrounded the building and on this the intruder, whoever he was, must be standing. At once she th t of her husband, and the thought filled her aversion. She knew he ‘* Enrique, thy brother,” was the low reply. “Let me in, but put out the light first. I have much to say and ask.” With a nervous start anes Persians toe ree of Morgan, and in a moment she extinguish- ed the light and flown to the window, only pro- tected as it was by slight blinds. Without a word the other en the room, and stood listening to some sound in the street below. After a long pause he turned round and whis- “Tt is well. He has . I thought ’twas my sag § And now, Inez, you have seen him to-day. Ihave kept my word, and am here,” “But, oh, Senor gon think of the dan- ger were you found here. There are st 9 ht city—” nae all, Inez. But Mend he said aught about your him over the wide world, from Pacific, and have not come up with him till now. Said he aught of Pepita?” ‘Not a word, save this.” And she detailed the morning’s conversation ies Don Luis in full. ee e buccaneer listened she finished, and then he said: ** Pepita is dead, and he has killed her. If not he would not have come back for you.” “But what makes you think so se I have traced every step of that villain’s course since he fled from before me, a year ago. His vessel never went to Peru, but sailed away down the coast. And when I pro- cured a vessel in Jamaica, and sailed in chase, he had disappeared. But I soon heard of him, Inez, and what, think you, was he doing? The cowardly dog had taken a leaf out of my book, and turned buccaneer. Ay, girl, but not as we do, against the enemies of our country, but on his own friends and countrymen, the h . or they took owed him to come alongside. There was no danger where he went, At last one of my fleet met him, grown fat and insolent, and fought him, Well, Inez, twas but a periagua with th men a , and he took her. He gathered feur hundred 13 men on his frigate at last, and the capture was just what he wanted. He sunk the periagua, took her men to Spain, and thus accounted for his plunder as captured from my buccaneers. I heard of it in iz, whither I went in dis- guise, and by my faith, the fellow cheated the whole court, and was made a heroof. Has he told you?—ay, he has—of his being appointed viceroy of New Spain. "Tis true. But he will never get there alive, if he has harmed a hair of Pepita s head.” “But what can we do?’ demanded Inez, timidly. ‘‘ He has a large ship, and you have nothing but—” “But brave men to take her. True. But you shall see it done, Inez. All I pag prone eg is this. He »* that he leaves for capulco to- morrow. He will want to take you with him. Delay going till night. Make any pretense you like not to be ready. But do not set foot on the Srigate till after dark.” “I will try it,” said Inez, hesitatingly. “Tf you wish to see your sister again, go it,” said Morgan, impressively. ‘‘I know what he has come here for, and I will let him do it, Your father’s will shall be kept to the letter, and oe to him if he has defeated it by Pepita’s eath. “But he could not have the heart to kill an innocent girl,” said Inez, earnestly. ‘I can not believe it. He must be keeping her hidden away somewhere, in the hopes that we do not know of her existence, to claim her share as e. Morgan looked grim, as he answered: “Tt may beso. *Twere better for him he had never been born else.” Then there was a short silence, first broken by the buccaneer. “*Do you think he will come here to-night?” Inez was glad for the darkness to cover her blushes, as she answered: “No, no; in God’s name, I hope not.” ‘Tf he comes, remember, he is your sister's murderer,” said the buccaneer, solemnly. ‘‘ For me, I must away. In your hands to-morrow will rest justice to the wicked. Donot go aboard till sunset. Farewell.” He hastily pressed her hand, and then turned and vanis through the window, while Inez returned to her prayers with redoubled fervor. The cog freebooter d down the ve- randa with the same no tread with which he had entered the town, a fact easily explain- ed. His heavy boots were muffled with strips of thick blanket, which made his tread as soft as that of a tiger. Morgan was heavily armed under his saefiliege cloak, and, being accustomed y th your Biscayan were ee would have let you go had you been civ He had hardly uttered the words when an- other loomed up in the fog, and the noise ~ ing, swaggering stride became audi- Instantly the buccaneer stepped to one side, and freeing his sword arm from the incumber- ing cloak, brought the hilt of the weapon to the front, and awaited the stranger. quick omens realized to igs the new-comer, Shoseh only seen once before, by moonlight, in spite the white mist. t, The approaching cavalier was Don Luis Men- doza, swaggering along in the direction of the Calle Nuevo. The buccaneer ground out a fearful blas- phemy between his teeth as he noted the form os the other, and suddenly drawing, said, harsh- “ee Sim Don Luis ntly. () e peck remarkable alacrity, ona er out, trem : Sines are you? What do you want with me ‘Your sword,” said the buccaneer, fiercely. “ Draw it, or take it off, dog. Quick!” Don Luis drew in a moment. . He was a good pee we a quite a Fay : but he was dread ightened at su apparition y frig challenging him so sav- of this unknown man, ly. ENS ‘sooner was his sword out than the bucca- neer pressed forward on him with a straight,
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14 strong lunge, so close to his body that the Span- iard had to leap back, with a shout of terror. Not a single feint or trick did Morgan use, but followed him up so close with his fierce, straight thrusts, in grim silence, that Mendoza backed, backed, and again still further, till he finally turned and ran away like a flash, yelling for help. Mervin’ sword followed him for several steps, prodding him to still greater efforts, and then the reckless freebooter plunged down a | side street, heedless of the clamor that was thering every moment from other parts of the town, at the sound of Mendoza’s unearthly yells. ‘He marched boldly on till he came to the | deserted portion of the town, when he threaded his way among the half-finished houses, till he emerged close to the picket-line. He found it on the alert, the sentries moving rn up and down. With a pistol in each hand and a sword be- tween his teeth, he cha boldly down upon them, heedless of bullets in the dark, shot down a sentry within two feet, and dashed through the line out into the dense fog, throwing back a derisive laugh as he went. Before he was yards from the walls, he heard the clatter of horses in full pursuit. CHAPTER, XIX. A BARGAIN. At noon of the next day, Don Luis Mendoza, bravely dressed and covered with orders, swag- gered down the principal street of New Panama, swelling with satisfied vanity. No one who saw him could have recognized the trembling coward who, the night before, had fled down the Calle Nuevo through the fog, screaming for help against a single antagonist, e, he had that antagonist as a crowd of men at the guard-house, which he had alarmed, and a patrol of cavalry had scour- ed the town and its environs in a vain search, till they stumbled into a swamp and lost them- selves. No trace had been found of the buccaneer; and when the insensible body of Don Ramon Gutierrez was discovered, the poor man was quite delirious, with a fractured skull, and un- able to tell the name of his assailant. Don Luis himself had no suspicion of the real character of his enemy. For a whole year he had enjoyed immunity from peril, and had filled his kets by a series of cowardly piracies, The only enemy he had met had been the one small periagua which he had sunk, and its crew had told him that Morgan had retired from buc- caneering. The vessel that chased him into Panama he had taken for some rover of small means, and no one knew better than himself the lie he had told about a mythical pirate fleet among the islands. Rank cowardice had alone impelled his = to Panama. ¥ e reason of his coming was to become ap- nt that morning; for before he had gone enty steps the new Governor’s ace, wherein he had lod: the night before, he was accosted by an old man, w hysiognomy ly usurious, ose and a mce were unmistaka who sddréesed him with: pa ‘* Perhaps not, friend Abram,” said Mendoza, loftily. “‘I have a_better one already, thousand Pesos for the lands and two for the ” “Oh, holy father Jacob, senor, you must be jesting with your friend Abram. I know well the value of lands in this city, and no one can afford to do that without ps money. Consider, senor, that pro is unsettled, and that we are un rotected with walls. No one can do better with the nobility than friend Abram, who has had dealin ith princes of the blood. Ah, my lord duke, be reasonable. Consider that my offer is not from an unreliable man. I will count out the gold in your pre- sence, take all the risks of title, and only ask you to sign the deed in my favor.” So the other man,” said Don Luis, roll- ing a ci tte. “‘Come, Abram, sixty thou- | sand pede, and the house and lands are yours. What do you say?” “‘Tmpossible, my lord,” said the other, firmly. “ But if my lord will step into my humble little dwelling here, and talk over the matter, there is no saying that we might not come to an agree-— ment. And the , indicated with a wave of his hand, a splendid new building about half | a block distant, one of the finest in Panama, and the home of the richest man there. | anxious to come back.” Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. Friend Abram was money-lender, slave-deal- er, horse and cattle-buyer and seller, merchant in cotton, sugar, and indigo, and withal the | keenest investor in real estate in Panama. Don Luis had come to Panama for the express pur- pose of eye et away his wife, and at once convertin the landed property of his late father-in-law into cash, so as to add to the wealth on board his galleon, and be able to en- ter his.new government as became a hidalgo. He well knew that Abram was the only man in Panama of money and boldness to buy in those perilous times, and his boast of another purchaser did not deceive the astute capitalist. Abram offered him about one-tenth the value of the property, but Abram knew Mendoza’s hurry to be off, and suspected that all was not right with him. Consequently he traded on his ears and was determined to make a good rgain, Don Luis followed him, willingly enough, to the house indicated, and was ushered by the old Jew into a magnificent saloon. It must not be supposed that Abram had wasted his poepey in building this house. Far from it. He bought it—for a song. In Panama, as in other p there were plenty of spendthrifts, and one of these, a youth whose father had perished under tortures rather than disclose his buried wealth to the buccaneers. had spent the whole of it to boast that he had ruh up a palace in ten months and collapsed into friend Abram’s hands after a month’s riot- ous living. “Now, my lord duke,” said the old money- lender, rubbing his hands, as the other sunk on a gorgeous couch, ‘‘we can settle the affair here and at once satisfactorily. I will come half- way to meet you. Forty thousand in gold our ship tonight, and counted to you on the lands are mine. Is that a bargain?” “Not a bit of it. Sixty thousand or I keep the title. There are bankers in New S <n who ve no will gladl e me a hundred, but time % et Aa with the business.” ‘* Ah, my lord, do not be so hard. Remember that Iam a poor man, and this peopersy will be all outlays and no returns for a A “That is your business, friend Abram. The property is mine in right of my wife, Dona Inez, te if : sell it, it’s only to avoid trouble in the ns “Trouble in the future,” said Abram, keenly. ‘‘ Ah? then there are other heirs, I su ? Don Luis colored slightly at his inistake: no means. I meant no such wane It “ B would trouble me to pay the taxes. t is “Then of course my lord will be glad to be rid of : the trouble, and take the forty thousand ne Sixty or nothing.” And so the En oh aay went with wearisome monotony for nearly two hours, at the end of which both ies came to a compromise on fifty thousan ypean, and Old Abram chuckled to himself to t that he had outwitted the Spaniard, and acquired several leagues of hill and dale, and a handsome house for one-eighth of their value at the time. To Don Luis, on the other hand, the whole transaction was clear gain. He had reason to know that his title was defective, and had re- solved to cheat the money-lender at his own game. As he rose to depart, he observed: ‘* Farewell, friend Abram. I am going now to announce my departure to the duchess, and hurry everything on board. You can take session after we are gone, and come on at sunset. Bring the money with you, and we will settle the business in my cabin. God be with you, senor,” : And he lifted his hat with ceremonious cour- tesy and saluted the Jew money-lender. * Y con usted,” (and with you) said friend Abram, with a low inclination. SEE ee ee ee Then as the handsome and Mare: Don left the room, the old man chuckled to himself, and muttered: “ Ay, oy we will settle it, and with half the | money. I have a goodly stock of sweated dou- | bloons that will reduce the price wonderfully, and moreover, once -a , you will no d a board, y ill not And the old miser ascended to his strong- | room, and inspected several bags which bore a _ certain secret mark on them. “They will do to pay him,” he muttered. | ‘“T never could pass them here, but these Span- | ish nobles know nothing of money, 4nd clip- pings and filings pay well, for there’s no risk | about them.’ Friend Abram was certainly an industrious man, as the condition of the coins in those bags would have shown to an expert. Every coin had been subjected to the file more or less, some had little chips off the edges, others had holes bored in them. All had lost a part of their substance under the industrious hands of the old miser, who could plan at the same moment swallowing an. estate of half a million, and sweating a doubloon of adollar’s worth of gold, so as not to show the abstraction. The abor of the leisure moments of twenty years was in those bags, and the a Sot a real- ize on it was his at last. The dust of the filings had long ago been melted down and coined, and now the el pe to pay out the sweated money without fear of its coming back was his, iend Abram grinned and chuckled as he left the room, and ordered his black slave to get ready to attend him in the evening to the frigate of Don Luis Mendoza, CHAPTER XX. MIST ON THE WATERS. AGAIN the warm darkness of the tropic night fell over the city of Panama; and the heavy, white mist, redolent of malaria, arose swamp and forest, and rolled likea curtain over city and bay, _. e sea-fog, which at certain seasons of the ear is as thick =i) ye equator as ge per tou d, precipitate occasional gusts o wind | tae ed distant Cordilleras, was thicker even than that on the land, and made the city perfectly invisible. At some little distance from the shore, how- ever, there was a bright illumination, which pierced the mist for some fifty feet, and revealed a long row of lights below, with four lanterns of different colors at some hight above. A_person very close by could have made out the light below to be shown at the open ports of a two-decked ship, and the colored lanterns above were clearly the masthead and bowsprit lights of the samo ship. This ship was none other than the frigate Trinidada, in which Don Luis had arrived, and which was now awaiting his embarkation, with the crew in gala dress, eating, drinking and singing. curious and very unpleasing crew was that of the Trinidada, and far worse than the fiercest of the buccaneers in appearance. The race produces about as repulsive a t of ras- cal, when it runs that way, as any on the face of the globe. So long the prey of the English and French rovers, who were hardy and desperate fellows, courting an open fight, and scorning treachery or surprise except with very inferior numbers, the Spanish courage had sunk to a mere shadow of that which led Cortes to Mexico. Cowardly and treacherous at their best, these ds of Don Luis’s crew had been engaged in decoying their own countrymen alongside for a whole year, only to murder them in cold blood when.they. got there. Such a course of life had tended to enhance the cruel bull-fight element of Spanish character, without increasing its courage, and Don Luis and his crew, at first timid, hesitating snappers-up of small craft, had become as hangdog a set o: ruffians as could be found, the scum of all the captured vessels, the good men having walked the plank. , To these ruffians, all bravely dressed in the spoils of murder, and knowing that Te. was loaded with treasure, the hey be poegoe' Tigh ly away, as they waited for the leader who had been so successful with them. At last the plash of oars was heard, and pre sently a great barge ed alongside; and Don Luis, more gorgeous than ever in steel and gold, ascended the side, handing up a beautiful lady in mourning. “By St. Hubert, patron of hunters and thieves,” said one | to: his mate, ‘‘ the captety has a fine wife. But, who is her face so e “Tl swear [ve seen something like it on board,” replied the other, “but where, I can’t say. And further conversation was interrupted by | the arrival of the senora’s luggage in a pile of boxes in another boat. rar iin A after, the dip of oars announced a third, which contained the shriveled figure of friend Abram, with his black slave Matias, who gp Otitiod under the weight of two heavy bags of oubloons. The sailors were about to order him od away, when Don Luis ordered him to be ad- mitted on board, and escorted him imto_ the oe with ceremonious politeness, followed by tias. { 6
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~~ Then the door closed, and the sailors were left to wonder. “By all the saints,” said one, “‘but that the voyage is nigh over and the plunder has to be divided yet, I would go into that cabin for all Don Luis. But he knew what he was about when he put us under the guns of the fort. We can’t do anything till we get on the high seas, and then—we’ll see who has the, treasures.” From whence it became apparent that disci- pline on board the frigate had not quite attain- ed the completeness of that of the buccaneers, who never grumbled. Far out in the oman at the same time, on the gat. beach, tangled with mangrov that marked the site of old Panama. ® line of canoes was bein, which they had Morgan himself, wrapped in his dark cloak, watched the embarkation of his men, four or five in each little canoe, and only fifty all told. He had conceived some vague designs of sur- prising the city with that small force, but had abandoned it when he learned of Don Luis Men- doza’s intention to set sail that night. He could not have played into my hands dragged out of the thickets in n hid. tion. find him ready to sail.” Then he advanced to the last canoe, which had been kept waiting for him, took his i the stern, and lay back, while the canoes pad- dled out into the mist in a long line, head and stern close together. Sie fi ipeeas atten bid evetsr Gag to ing in s or the mi id eve i ut the bow of the next canoe. ee But the keen senses of the buccaneers found a guide through the darkness, when every thing else failed; and the sound of the lapping waves on the beach kept them true to their direction. Silent as ghosts glided the canoes, that con- taining Morgan being ahead of the line, the al- most noiseless dip of the dle urging them slowly along through the thick darkness. Every now and then they had to bear toward the shore, for the undertow was carrying them out of sound of the surf. At last pest began to hear the noise of voices on shore, and the cry of ‘ Sentinella alerta!” from the distant right announced that they were coming to the walls of New Panama once more... Then Morgan sat up in the stern-sheets for the first time, and uttered a low —. His own canoe remained stationary, and the others glided up alongside on either hand, their bows inward so as to form a star aro the central canoe. ‘‘ Now, men,” said the leader, in a low tone, ‘TI will tell you what lies before you, and you shall say if you will dare to follow Morgan.’ “We'll do that to: Hades’ mouth, admiral,” whispered a voice, in another canoe. ‘* That’s my brave Coxon,” said Morgan, ‘TI selected fp men, from, all my old comrades because I had watched — in many a fight. I would rather command fifty devils like you than a thousand Spaniards. Now listen: this is our last of you has a bag of pieces of eight nigh your own weight already, on board the periagua. I am going to take you to-night where you can get twice as much more, if you don’t like to go home and live in on t, you must find another captain. Will you come and take the prize?” cruise, ot Ay, ay, we will.” A deep murmur rolled over the water, and Morgan continued: © treasure lies in a sixty-gun frigate, with four hundred Spaniards aboard. How like ye that? Will ye still?” “* Ay, ay.’ The murmur was more emphatic than ever. ‘Then listen, A thousand pieces to the first man on board, a thousand for any limb lost, ten thousand for your widows if you're killed. Are you all on the price?” « S0op) bald the lead ‘ Stop,” sai e leader, firmly. ‘ M share must be a half of all, and every woman Sound aboard. Will you agree to that?” re was a silence of several minutes, till ‘* To each man I ‘tee of eight,” said A amse9 Thon vee: Is it ~ ; : ; Coxon spoke, . ort whispered discussion, when “Tt is, admiral, all but the women. The men say Sm can have two, but no more.” wo be it, then. agree,” said the leader. The Sea-Cat. ‘““Now swear the buccaneer’s oath, and for- ward.” In a low voice, but very distinctly and in unison, the buccaneers repeated their oath of fidelity to their own wild laws: ** By fire and flood, by blade and blood, By hopes of life, by fear of God, Through deadly strife, we swear to keep The laws we swore on deck of ship. To the chief, till death obey, Toa comrade, help alway, To the Spaniard, naught but death, While we draw a living breath; And we swear, we swear, on a Spanish deck The foot once set shall never give back, Till victory gives the prize, Or the last among us dies.” “ Forward, then!” _The canoes glided through the fog in grim silence. CHAPTER: XXI. DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND. THE cabin of the Trini was gorgeous be- yond any thing known in our days. Originally a treasure-ship, since she been captured by the treacherous Spaniard, the wealth of every prize had been added to her splendors, till the cabin blazed with gold. Every visible bulkhead was covered with carving, and costly velvets and tapestry covered the seats and couches, In the center of this cabin, before a splendid table inlaid with mosaic, the prize from a Geno- ese carrack, sat Don Luis Mendoza, while friend aaa was unfolding a huge parchment before m. Patient Matias, with a stolid look of apathy little on his black face, stood over four white bags in another part of the ¢abin, and by the door was a dark-faced with long blac hair, whose dress was surprisingly rich and fan- tastic even for those days of brave apparel. Dona Inez was not to be seen. e was in a state-room near by, and anxiously awaiting— she knew not what. ‘* What is that paper you have there, Abram?” asked Don Luis. ‘*The deed which your lordship promised to ign for me. Indeed, my lord, you have taken van of the poor old man, and.driven a terribly in with me; but the Jew is honest. What he said he will keep to; and I have ys cy the sum for your lordship’s use, in good gold.” ‘**T am glad to hear it,” said Mendoza, rubbi ile BODE ode ue se He deed, Abram. ve one re , The Jew Hs c smile, “ Strange that both of us should have thought of the same thing. But I should prefer your lordship to sign my deed. It was drawn by the best no in Panama, and contains all the pro- visions usual in such eases.” “T prefer to sign my own,” said Don Luis, quietly. ‘‘ My own notary drew it. Look atit. He threw a folded pape across the table to the Jew, and procee to roll a cigarette, watching the other furtively. Old Abram took the Paper, and began to tremble with excitement. He knew well that the bargain was not over yet, and began to feel & vague sense of uneasiness. After all, Don Luis on shore in Abram’s palace, and Don Luis in the cabin of his own frigate, were two differ- bag Nea re e hidalgo wore an ression of furtively insolent aie ge that frightened the Jew. He looked at the deed submitted by the other, and found that it was a transfer of all his rights and interests in his wife’s property ; but the wife herself was not associated in it. “‘Ican not accept this deed, senor,” he said, firmly. ‘Dona Inez herself must sign, as in my own. deed.” M ya t gh trouble Dona Inez om i de- tain, scornfully. ‘*Do you think that a Castikan lady is meant to chaffer with a cheating old Jew peddler? You buy the property now at a tenth of its value, and what more can you ask? [sell you my rights. My wife can take care of her own.” “Then I suppose I must see the lady,” said the Jew, resignedly. “It is a cruel sacrifice to re- quire of me, senor,” “Who requires it? Not I. Take your deed, and give me my money.” “T shall leave your lordship ” said Abram, rising. “TI know my money, but I do not know my title. Matias, take the bags to the boat, I go ney all oe ‘Stop a moment,” and the hidalgo rose stepped between a and the door. “ ce keep your bar and pay the money, or you Turboard £0 feed the tharks. Is that plain, bram?’ | : 15 The old Jew for one moment straightened, quivering with rage, for he wasnocoward. The next minute a thought seemed to strike him, and he calmed down. “T will take the deed,” he said. ‘‘Is it signed?” on Luis became pleasant at once. “ Ay, ay, I wouldn’t cheat you, old man, but oe should have stipulated for my wife’s signa- ure ashore. What you get, you get. The rest is hers. Take the deed.” : Abram secured the deed in his pocket, and beckoned to Matias to lay the bags on the table. ‘* Will your lordship please to count the gold?” he said. “Let the slave do it,” said Mendoza, careless- ly. ‘You wouldn’t dare to bring a short weight here.” The old Jew’s eyes glittered strangely. **T suppose your lordship will not sail till to- morrow. The mist is so thick to-night that no man can penetrate it.” “Of course not,” said Mendoza. “Count the gold, Matias,” said Abram, and he turned away toward the door, saying to him- self: ‘‘ And to-morrow T’ll have the information laid that will prevent soar ever sailing hence.” For Abram had not been idle all bes Senge had found out from the men of Trini ,» who were drinking ashore, certain facts im the his- tory of that vessel, which he had resolved to use for revenge, Matias, in his dull, monotonous fashion, be- gan telling out the pieces on the table—‘‘ uno, duo, tre, quatro, cinque, seis, sette, otto, nove dieiz, and such is the influence of chinking go on human senses, that insensibly Don Luis found himself watching the slow operation with inter- est, and checking the count. Old Abram meanwhile had been attracted by the glittering figure of the beautiful page, whom he now noticed for the first time. The lad was very dark, and his costume was composed entirely of cloth of gold, while every button pte dou mi 1h 4 Sg of brilliants. But the s eyes of the old Jew were especial- ly riveted on hia face, and as he looked, le trem- bled violently. J He said nothing, but a leaden paleness spread oyer his features, for he realized that he had been duped at last. Before him stood the livin image of Dona Inez, the dead Governor’s daughter, and the keen-witted Jew, who knew the secret history of every Panama family, re- alized that this must be the missing heiress about whom he had heard such rumors from the sol- diery. Blas Ortiz had spread the tale of the false Witch of Darien, and Abram had heard it, half-believing it. ere, before his eyes was the truth, While he was revolving in his mind fresh schemes to 0 t this new combination and save his darling money, he heard a slight clink at one of the stern windows of the eon. It was so light that Don Luis did not notice it, ab- sorbed as he was in watching the counting of the gold. The disguised heard it, too, and for the first time started and looked ly toward the stern. Abram’s eyes followed his, and beheld a strange sight. : The stern-ports of the frigate were large and lofty, and four richly-ch guns occupied the afte of the cabin. By each of these guns an armed man, who must have climbed in from the outside; and a fifth man, short and spare in flesh, with very broad shoulders and a square dark face, was in the act of stepping out i between the : ~ e man was armor and magnificent- ly dressed. His belt was full of pistols, and he wore & long. sword which he seemed to disdain to draw. How such a party had effected its en- trance so quietly was a mystery to Abram, but none to the cat-footed buccaneers. se fcr As Sheen cangtit i - — them, the disguised page uttered a elight: The white chia} . Weare saved !” In the same t Dona Inez darted from a state-room to Morgan’s side; Don Luis turned with a great start, and became white as a sheet; the flew to Mo and em his knees, pa nig and the leader uttered the stern OF Sil it all d he d ” ence and secure the door. In a moment four buccaneers had crossed the cabin and stood by the doors, silent and grim, while a number of ‘others into the cabin through the stern windows, and filled reodl ail am not a word being uttered by a till organ said: “‘ Now by the great God who hears us I swear that if Pe is unharmed, I will leave the seas forever. m Luis Mendoza, you are met at
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= last, and you.and I will settle this matter like men, Surrender your ship, for I will have no more bloodshed, if I can help it.” And Don Luis, = as ashes, stammered out: “T surrender. Spare my life and I will join your band, king of the sea-rovers.” Morgan’s lip curled with disdain. “T would not keep you for a powder-monkey. Men, fire the signal to clear the ship.” CHAPTER XXII. CUTTING THE CABLE. At the words of the buccaneer chief the doors that led to the deck were thrown wide open disclosing the crew of the Trinidada, gather in knots, most of them half drunk. One of the buccaneers fired a pistol into the crowd, and in a moment a scene of the wildest confusion arose. Buceaneers poured in through the open ports, and the cracking of pistols was followed by the ing yell of the desperate rovers. e were all selected from the bravest of Morgan’s old comrades. The chief bimself rushed out of the cabin at the head of his own body, and dealt such fearful blows with his razor-like cut- lass, that the cowardly ruffians fled before him in terror. ; The buccaneers were down below, throwing hand-grenades, and driving the men between decks up to the air; and others were above, cut- oo down as they made their appearance. en first one and then another began to drop to shore, and within out of the ports, and swim ten minutes every Spani but Don L and the dead and wounded, had vacated the E dada, and was seeking safety in the water. And then was exhibited the iron discipline of the buccaneers, the t secret of their success. Some flew to the rigging, ascended the yards and cast loose the , while others manned sheets and braces in desperate haste. Morgan rung to the summit of the after castle, and iene See his orders over the ship. Then came a flash through the fog toward the shore, and the boom of a was followed by the humming of a round shot overhead. Morgan laughed seatily ae muttered: ‘Fire from every gun. all guess-work.” As if to answer his words, a great po toma was heard from the shore, and a succession 0 flashes along the sea-wall announced that the garrison was alarmed, and determined to sink the Sas eager if } nt iggy rides During the ime every gun nm trained on or about the frigate, which lay full under their broadside, and spite of the fog, the missiles came op alee near. The only which saved the Trini was the circumstance of her having swung out of line with the tide, so as to keep her out of the direct fire. ota While the cannonade continued increasing in fierceness, the reckless buccaneers laughed and joked as they manned the ropes, and before long one of them came to report that the ship was ready to start all but tripping the anchor. Then Morgan held up his hand, and felt a faint breeze, about enough to fill the sails. -“ Gut the cable,” he said, briefly. “I take the helm myself to-night.” The next moment the heavy blows of an ax were heard, and ae cannonade from the shore w louder than before. er sudden there was a sound of parting be ee and the te, hitherto straining at her anchor, ded smootaly away with an easy motion that told that she was free, and yielding to her helm swept round seaward through the mist, guided the brilliant flashes of the guns on shore as e stood out to sea. ; - It was a rous experiment in such a chan- nel, and amid such a fog, but the latter was rapidly clearing away owing to the tremulous motion given to the air by the hot cannonade. First it thinned, then it began to lift, and finally it swept entirely away as a brisk breeze from the north came rushing down from the mount- ains, curling the bay into little waves, and re- vealing the Trinidada bending over to the breeze with all sail set. Every i nt increased the distance, and in half an hour the Trinidada was out. of nshot. The buccaneer chief, relin- quished the helm, and went down into the cabin. The sisters were seated together on a couch, exchanging the confidences of twenty years separation, and Don Luis was moodily watching re guances by the grim-looking buccaneer ith his pistol. Friend Abram and Matias were waiting pa- tiently near by, both of them hopeful of release- Into this group Morgan broke with the words. | * Don Luis Mendoza, popes to die.” Instantly the haughty cavalier sunk on his knees, ashy pale with fear, and to falter out prayers for life. Morgan cut him short. Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. “Dog, you have cost me too long a chase; but I'll give you one chance for your life. ill fight me here and now?” at have I done?” cried Mendoza in ““T swear that Pepita is as pure as when— “*Dog, I know it,” said the buccaneer, with cutting scorn. “Think you I would offer you the rights of a gentleman else? You kept her to cheat yonder Jew, so that when he had paid ber for your right, you could produce her at tié moment and claim the half of the property in hers. But, senor, you know not oe: ate Don Alonzo del ——— y Espinosa made a wi and under that will Jam Pepita’s guardian I heard your bargain with yonder Jew, and he is the man that s right Pepita and give her back her fortune.” Friend Abram started, alarmed at a certain meaning in the buccaneer’s tone cones ners “Holy father Jacob, senior bucaniero, ow can I do it? Iam but a ve r man.” “*T will settle with you afterward,” said Mor- gan, icily. ‘‘ You escaped my men last year. I will see that you disgorge now. Don Luis, will ou come on deck? You have insulted and ill- reated my promised wife, Dona Pepita del are y Espinosa. I offer you the death of a gentleman. Will you come?” But Don Luis made no answer, only trembling. Then the freebooter ste up to him, and struck him, with a backhanded blow, across the face, starting the blood. Don Luis started up, drew his sword, and rushed out on deck. Morgan was about to follow, when Dona Inez flung herself on her knees before him, ** Morganos, do not you slay him, Remember, “ . I am his wife.” “Ay, but Pepita is mine. Girl, you are too late. You should have thought of that before you married him.” _“*Morganos, one word. ‘You loved me once. For that love, him.” “For that love I will do this, Inez. I will drive him overboard. If he can swim, good. If not, God have mat: on him.” And he rushed out on deck into the night. Pepita stopped her sister from following. ‘Not to save him, sister. My honor was safe only —— his fears, and I were less than a dog could I forgive what he has made me suffer. nd the i page threw back her black hair, and at the cabin door, somber and pitiless, to see her wrongs avenged. Morgan and Mendoza, both stripped to the waist, amid a of buccaneers, who thered round with stern impartiality to see e singular duel. CHAPTER XXIII. THE END OF ALL. Derrp down in the bosom of the waters, on the track the Trinidada was steering, lay a reef of rocks twenty feet from the ace, a marine mountain, with a rugged, head. + hho far out over this Teak, like @ gigantic spider, lay the ghastly hideous form of the sea- cat, for the few men it had swallowed were but a whet to its monstrous appetite. In size it waseven huger than the well-remem- bered creature that attacked the Asuncion off St. Lucia years before. Its mighty arms were some fifty feet in length, and as thick at the base as the body of a man, tapering away to whiplike extremities. * So the sea-cat waited for its prey, patient and ever watchful. Anon the lately quiescent mass began to exhibit of life, as if instinct warned it of the coming of the ship. The great green eyes were turned, with a hungry glare, tow: the land, and the body swelled out to three times its former dimensions, while the arms loosened their hold on the rock, and the whole creature rose up in the water to- ward the surface. Presently the splashing of waves against the bows of a ship e audible, and the great oe Trinidada bore down on the monster with all sail set. : On her decks in the waist were Morgan and Mendoza, and as they neared the sea-cat they approached each other with drawn swords. Were food to the than it agony. } | | | | The instant the swords clashed every one drew aside, leaving an open passage to the ports. Then Morgan, without a word, set his teeth, and har hg like a steam-engine at Don Luis, when, all of a sudden, a long white snake seemed to dart in at the open port, and caught the unhappy man about the middle. “ The sea-cat! The sea-cat !” In a twinkling the buccaneers had sprung for axes, and attacked the monster as a second arm writhed in over the bulwarks. In a moment the massive arm over the bul- warks was divided, and the sole remaining one was that wrapped around Don Luis. Then the poor wretch alum, frantically to a gun-carriage, shrieking wildly for help, while the loatasome coils clung tighter and tighter, until, with a mr iy yell, he loosed his hold and was snatched hrough the port into the darksome sea without, to the ravenous maw of the sea-cat. The men rushed to the side as the vessel swe on, and saw a writhing arm uplifted amid the white wake of the frigate, holding a yelling struggling human figure. en the arm curved inward to thesea, and all was still, as the sea-cat suhk to the bottom with its victim. It needs but little to tell what followed. y a fair price for the in- heritance of the children of Espinosa and Matias was the messenger for the bags of gold that were the purchase-money of half Panama. As for the money-lender himself, he had heard too much of buccaneer tortures to stand out for terms. He received a good deed from inosa’s heirs, and paid a fair price for the time in his life, getting off safe with his skin. Then the Trinidada sailed away, and morgen, the buccaneer, disappeared from the scene o' his victories, and troubled the aes ae ee no more. He reached England in safety, married Pepita, was knighted by the king, and acquired a splendid estate in Wales, his native country. ez remained a widow only two years, and married an English baronet, Sir Miles Wal- sham. Her posterity exists to the present day. The union of Pepita and Morgan was blessed with but one child, a daughter, who married her first cousin, John Walsham, and enriched that famil y with her vast wealth. And the hand that traces these lines: belongs to one whose family, at the present day, are not ashamed to trace back part of their lineage to the king of tho buccaneers; for they come in a direct line from Morgan and Pepita, the Indian — the disguised Witch of Darien, saved m her last enemy by the terrible sEA-CaT. THE END. hi-gotten wealth to BEADLE’S Half-Dime Library. * Live” stories, eve thors, in the ponuias.® competitors and has an immense circulation. NOW READY, AND IN PRESS. 4 The Wild Capt. Mayne Reid and Capt. 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