Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 110, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 September 1904 — The Sea Scourge [ARTICLE]

The Sea Scourge

! CHAPTER X—(Coatinucd.) The moon was up bright and full, and flu- lovers walked out into the garden. 'Tin re was some dew upon the grass, bur itiey noticed it not. They had walked about the place once, talking only that •wret. soft’ language which is nonsense ! *o all save those wdio talk it, when Paul ivns sure he heard footsteps near him. !jle stopped and listened. "Mary,” he said, “we are surely dogged." Paul conversed as before, but 'll* watched narrowly for some demou.-tru-Sion. At leugth he reached a point where >* thick clump of rose hushes grew at an angle in the wall, and when lie reached this he was sure someone was near him. He passed on, but kept an eye directed jbeh ind him. In a moment more he heard something In the path, and on turning quickly about he saw a dark figure just gliding ncross the path from the rose bushes. He saw in an instant that it was Hagar. With one bound he readied 'ier aide, and, seizing her by the throat, be forced her to the ground. With his handkerchief he bound her ankles firmly together, and then, taking off her long cotton apron, he folded it up. and with It he bound her wrists down to her knees. Having thus deprived her of all ifower of locomotion, lie said to her in a tone which she knew too well meant all that it said: “Xovr, if you make the least noise •with your mouth, even so much as would awakc-n a sparrow that had perched open your black nose, I’ll finish the work by putting a gag between your jaws. I (think you know me.” Kroni that time rani and Mary walkjed in the garden undisturbed, and beitore they separated for the night they Via id much which they would not have lathers hear. Before he retired to the knelling Paul went and set Hagar free. “You’ll suffer for dis,” she said, as •she rose to her feet and shook herself. “You’ll suffer more still if you do ndt ’keep out of my way. I have known people to die before now- by forging themselves into dangerous places.” CHAPTER XI. Paul arose very early in the morning, and he was not long in discovering that ,«ld Hagar was watching him very narrowly; but he appeared to take no notice of it, only looking out that she did laot come near enough to annoy him; iaud when she found that the youth’s eyes •were upon her, she seemed anxious to (avoid him. After breakfast our hero walked out lln to the garden with Mary," and having t«eeured a spot where no one could watch and overhear them without being seen fby them, they devoted a few moments to fanning for the future. The hour drew nigh at which our hero was to take his departure, for lie iiad promised to be on board by 10 o'clock. So he spoke to Mary all the hope lie jeould, and having promised to Come jagain very soon, he kissed her, and then Ibastened away to his boat. The passage •down the river was quickly made, and •when Paul stepped over the brig's side, •the captain was in the gangway to receive him. “You are punctual,” said Mart, with a •necr upon his face, which the youth did mot fait to notice. “I generally mean to be so,” replied ,she youth. “When I give my word 1 keep it.” Paul passed on to the quarter-deck and descended to the cabin, and his first (movement was to seek the bunk of the jeld gunner, whom be found in n very weak and painful condition. The old •man was glad to see the young surgeon, •and hoped that lie would not be left in the captain's hands again. Paul administered to his patient such medicine as he thought necessary, and then passed through the cock-pit to the •liortli deck. He had not noticed Buffo ‘Burnington upon the spar deck, and he supposed, of course, lie should find him liere. and he did. The strange man started up as soon as he saw Paul, and lurried toward him. He grasped the youtig man’s hand as he came up, and plating gazed hurriedly about him, as (though fearful that shine one might overtbeai him, he said, in quick, low tones: "What has the captain heard about jne?” “Why do you ask?” returned Paul, wishing first to know what had transpired. “I’ll tell you. Last night Laroon went *n shore, pretending that lie only meant .To take a stroll among the woods. lie ; was gone till quite late. His first ques•tior. on coming over the side was, ‘ls Burnington aboard?’ The boatswain •Told him I was. ‘Then keep him aboard,' said the captain. I heard iliis aijself. This morning when I went on .deck Laroon was there, and lie has watched me as a cat would watch a rat ever siuee. lie must have heard something.”

“So he has,’’ answered Paul/' "Ho has iron! all that you said to me on the evening we conversed together here." And the , youth went on and told all that had transpired. giving a full account «*f what llagnr must have overheard, and +( her having afterwards seen Lnronn. "Then you are sure he knows all this?” •aid Buffo, in a tone which betrayed pome distress. “Well, it will not benefit Mr* any, especially since I know what fit* happened, and shall now know how Ito take him.” “But,” naked Paul, “what connection h* there between you and myself? There niust he some.' There must lx* something Us start sneh a in an aft'Marl Laroon into jswrh fear.” " ah,” tittered Buffo. “There he ffc now, just coming down into the cabin, ifor I hear his voice. Can you get it Ucfter to Xngnsaki for me?” “Vro, easily. But ” "Never mind now. When I hand you la letter, do you see that it is sent there |at aace, and that not another person sees fit but you and I. Trust to mo yet tawhile and I may help you.” s the following day Burnington slipB letter into Paul’s hand, directing i a whisper to conceal it and .tend aa soon a* possible. When Paul Vpartunity h$ examined the misIt waa an ordinary letter closely , and directed to “Pedro MnnriKagaaaki.” On the vary ne»t day Paul waa on the dfcara with a part* sent to hunt up some

horses that had escaped fionrthe castle. Three of the animals had been found, and Paul mounted one of tliPin, telling lbc-jiien lie was going to try Jiis mettle. IL struck into a path which he remefiibciod well, and at the end of some seven miles lie came to a little cove occupied by poor fishermen. lie toon-found some of them, and learned that one of their small luggers would sail on the morrow with a load Of dried fish, and that nnother would sail in just a week from thal lime. Paul easily found the man who was to sail on the morrow, and to him he gave the letter. The man promised to deliver it faithfully, and the youth offered him a dollar for the trouble. The ojd mail refused at first, but the money was tempting and lie took it with many thanks. CHAPTER XII. It was not until long into the evening thn,t Paul remembered about the information lie had received respecting the lugger which was to sail in one week. “Surely, - ’ he muttered to himself, “lie said ‘in one week—„in—one week from tomorrow,' if the weather was good.” And thus musing the youth commenced to walk the deck again. Ills' mind was now busy with a mighty idea. Why could lie not get Mary away from the castle as well by that time as any other? This was a proposition that dwelt in bis mind until be had resolved to set to work toward that end. On the next morning lie told the captain he should go up to the castle some time during the day. Laroon may have wished that Paul should remain on board, but lie had been too long in the habit of allowing the youth to have his own way to stop him now. And there might have been one more reason why lie did not care to enforce his wishes at present. He knew that Paul would have the sympathy of every man on beard the brig; and though his authority was absolute, yet lie knew too well (hat bis youthful protege possessed the most real governing principle. Si. after dinner Paul went up the river ard took a boat’s crew of his own sell ction. lie found Mary well, and of course, joyful to sec him. At the cud of an hour they were seated in the very room where they had been watched by Ilagnr, but now they loft their door open, and sat where they could see anyone who should ascend the stairs. It was not five minutes after they were seated before Paul sa iv a black mass of wool appear above the balustrade, and in a moment Hagar's shriveled face followed it; but she saw the young man’s keen eye fixed upon her. and she dodged quickly hack. “Mary,” he commenced, “you must excuse me for the question I am about to put to you, but l wish to know how much money you could raise in an emergency. I want money enough ,tp get to America.”

“How,” cried she, in a tone of quick eagerness. “Can we get away?” “I have an opening—a dim chance. I think we may succeed. But we must have the money, Mary. I have some —-perhaps a thousand dollars—which I have received from poor, generous fellows whom I have helped.” “i thought you had many thousands.” “So I should have were I to take my share. But hold, I will take my share of the last lt-ussiun prize, and if I do I shall have some two thousand more; hut perhaps I cannot get it without exciting the captain's suspicion, for that has not been distributed yet.” “Let it go, Paul, let it go,” said Mary, with a sparkling eye and waking smile. “I have enough, and more than enough, though not iu ready money.” The youth gazed upon his companion's face with a puzzled, inquisitive look, and as the smile about the maiden’s lips grew broader and warmer, his* anxiety increased. Mary noticed it. “You would like to know what T mean,” she said. “Listen and I will tell you. Among the slaves here is a young girl who has ever manifested a great affection for me, and who will run away to her own people when I go away. Some three years ago ehe brought to me a small piece of crystal-like substance, and asked me if it was not a diamond. I examined it. and told her it was. She had wiped it clean and rubbed it with dry pmnmice, and upon comparing it with some gems in my possession, I knew it art once to be of great value, and told her it would buy her freedom many times over. She told mq she should not want her freedom so long as she could have me for her mistress, and after some hesitation she asked me if I did not hope at some time to be free from the place. 1 told her 1 did, and thereupon slit* informed me that she thought there were many more diamonds where she found this;. It was at some distance from here, where the small stream which runs under our walls eddied about a deep cavern in the side of the cliff. She found, accidentally, an entrance to that cave, and upon a bed of sand which had washed up from the bed of the mountain stream she found the gem. Her supposition proved correct, and she has brought me nearly two hundred diamonds —some large, some small. She has kept halt the same number for herself at my command, for to my request she would not listen. But yet I have been fori ed to accept the richest ones.” Maxy at once left the room, and when she returned she had a smuN box in her hand, which she handed to her lover. Paul opened it and his hands trembled as he lifted one after another of the jewels which he knew were worth thousands of dollars each. “But I have not told you all.” she said, with a smile brighter than any she had yet shown. “My poor slave has lo*.ed you long and truly, for you were ever kYlul to her when you and she and I—-when we were all younger than we are now.” “Is it of whom you speak?” “Yes.” “How could I help being kind to one so faithful?” •“And she was faithful because you were kind. Let tne tell you, Paul, that these Muyscas are not of a nature to be faithful to one who is unkind, and for that reason would poor Otehewa kill our master for me any moment. She is a shrewd person and In case of need I should place much dependence upon her. But to the rest of my atory. She * '

I made me taki one-half, of these gems 'in trust for you. Tims has the faithful creature made us equal sharers with herself, she keeps only one-third of all she found.” “Now.” said Paul, “(his part of money is settled, and the next r- the means of getting away from this place. In one week from to-morrow, if it is fair, a small lugger will sail from the little fishing cove. If wo can be on the ground at the time, our ohject may be accomplished—ah! there is that woolly head again, "r Paul darted towards the head of the stairs like a bolt and poor Hagar tumbled from the point she had gained to the bottom, rolling like a piece of wood. "1 hope she bus tint injured herself,'' lie said, when lie returned to his coin-' par.ion. “I only intended to frighten her. But I was going to say: 1 will lie here on (lie evening before that day. The smallest of tnv boat's crew is not much larget than you. and surely no taller. I will bring an extra suit of his clothes and you shall put them on. Then Billy —liis name is Billy Mason —shall watch his opportunity anil creep to tile boat and hide beneath the thwarts. After this I shall call my crow off. and when yon come boldly with them, as one of the four, the deception will not he noticed, for it will be dark, you know, and no one will think of our ruse. If that woman has not crept up the stairs, after alii” suddenly broke in Paul, in a low whisper. He had just at that moment caught sight of her gliding along from the head of the stairs to an opposite angle of the corridor. “Ilark! site is creeping this way—sh! There, she lias stopped. Now, bo careful, anil we will put her on the wrong scent.” Paul knew that Ilagar was where she could hear every word he should speak in an ordinary tone; and, in a voice perfectly clear nnil distinct, and little louder than usual, but at the same time very earnest, he said: "Now, we must be very careful, Mary, how we net. I have put that old Hagar out. of the way. at any rate, so there is no more fear of her overhearing us.” A very low chuckle was here heard, and both Paul and Mary smiled. “In one month from this time I shall be able to escape,” resumed the.youth, in the same distinct key. “By that tiina. I can get all my prize money, and then we will make some plans for our moving off. I liave had some further talk with Buffo Burnington, anil lie says lie thinks Marl Larobn is my father, after all; and he advises me to he a pirate! He says it is a free and noble life.” "I am sorry for that,” chimed in Mary, distinctly. “But then wo shall not need his assistance. But cannot we escape before the end of a whole month?” “No,” returned Paul, “for I cannot get my money before that time; and then, again, about that time Marl Laroon will begin to think about sailing, and we may have a better chance. I will see you in one week, and then we may make out our plans more fully. Remember, in one week I will try to have something more definite to tell yon.” When Paul started to return to the brig be felt sure that his servitude was soon to have an end. His heart was . light and buoyant, and bis hopes were all sunny and bright. He forgot how many clouds arise suddenly upon the clear sky. and how many cups are broken on their passage to the lips. (To be continued.)