Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 114, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1904 — The Sea Scourge [ARTICLE]

The Sea Scourge

CHAPTER XlV.— (Continued.) “Hal” uttered Paul, starting. ’‘Then Be knew of my flight at that time? (Buffo Burnington has betrayed me!” “Why—did you trust that man with jour secret?" "Yes. I thought he was my friend.” “Then you were most woefully deceived. He was in the cabin all the evenling, and once, when I slipped in upon them, he was showing the captain a fetter. It was written with a pencil." . "That was mine!" gasped Paul. “Oh, tool— dolt—that I have been!” Again the youth wished he had never ■written that letter; but now the wish came with different feelings from those Be experienced before. But it was now too late indeed! When they reached the clearing where tire horses had been kept, the day was just breaking, and it was soon evident that the captain was going to the brig, for he turned into, the path which led , that way. Just as the sun made its appearance over the high headland of the ♦ape, the party stopped upon the beach •pposite to where the brig lay, and Latoon made a signal for a boat. Just then, too, the other boat made its just coming in sight around a curve in tlie river, and both parties reached the Brig about the same time. The four wen who had come from their night’s ■watch by the river bank were not a SBttle surprised at seeing their young Minster thus brought back to the brig. They reported themselves to the first lieutenant, however, who had charge of the deck, and he bade them remain by the mast unrii the captain could see Mhem. Laroon at that moment came up, «nd turning to the coxswain of the boat Be asked him where he Had been all Might. “Been waiting for Mr. Paul, sir,” replied the old salt “Very well, that will do.” > So the boatmen went forward, while the captain turned in the opposite dii»ection, leading Mary, who still wore her Bailor's suit, by the hand. The maiden's Bundle of clothing had been brought ■long, and she was conducted to a stateroom, and there bidden to resume her •wn garb.

CHAPTER XV. Paul walked moodily up and down the quarter deck, and no one came there to trouble him. Once he had seen Buffo liurnington since he had returned, but it was only for a moment. That individual had come up the fore hatch, but upon seeing Paul on deck he went immediately back. That alone would have been anough to convince the young man that (Burnington was the betraver. Of course >e felt the most utter contempt and indignation toward the dark-looking man, fait yet he could not see through the ■whole of it. The yotng man was walking thus when the steward came and told him that the captain would see him fa the cabin. Paul at once obeyed the summons, and when he entered the cabin he found Mary there, habited in her own garb, •nd looking very pale. She sat away fa one corner, but when Paul came in •he quickly arose and went to meet him.” “Stop,” said tlie pirate captain. “You ■lay be seated together, if you wish.” Accordingly Paul sat down upon the ■oftly cushioned scat which extended all around the cabin. He looked into Xaroon’s face, and he found an expression there which was beyond his power (to translate. But Mary left him not long far study. “Paul,” he said, speaking very calmly •nd candidly, but yet revealing something in his black eyes which gave the Ee to his manner, “I have sent for you to let you into a secret ■which I meant ever to have kept from you. You may think that I have never loved you —that il have never cared for you more than •ny other man or boy who may have h&een under me. Now, why hare you 'wished to flee from me?” “Because I loathe the life I am here 'forced to lead. I allude to the dark, condemning crime that surrounds me on /•very hand, and the atmosphere of which il am forced to breathe.” “Ah, you fear the gallows?” “No, sir. I fear God and my own •oul." “Well, perhaps you do. But now tell me why you would have taken Mary ■with you?” “For the self-same reason on her part.” “What did you mean to do with your charge after you had got clear?" “I meant to place her in a position where she could have been contented and Sappy.” “And Mary had consented to become iyour wife?” “I had consented, sir," replied Mary, (frankly. “Then I shall never believe in the instincts of nature more,” uttered the capItain, looking first upon the youth and •then upon the maiden. “Paul,” he added, his toue to one of deep import, “1 have tried to deceive you. You are r»ot iny child!” At any other time the young man (would have received this announcement (with joy; but now a terrible fenr struck jfa his heart, and his brow grew cold (with a freezing moisture. “You are no child of mine, and no relative save by adoption,” continued Latoon. “Your father died when you were only three years old—or rather nearer to four. Your real name is—Delany!” “Delony!” gasped Paul. “Ay,” returned the pirate, while a grim smile played upon his dark features. “You bear the same name as does Mary— so if you should ever marry her, there would be no change of names. Clurious, isn’t it?” ’ “Go on,” gasped Paul, paying no at(tention to this last fling. “It*« all told in a very few words," tlie B irate captain resumed. "Mary is your •ter.” , “It cannot be!" cried the stricken [youth, clasping his hands. j “I never spoke more truly in my life,” E“rd Laroon. “Rhe is your own sisYou Lad but one father and one though the father died some he before Mary was born. I felt be for my Interest, when I first you, to claim you for a son. I I you would be more obedient; and Waving once told you that, I did not •booee to give myself the lie without

some strong cause for it—and that cause has now most -surely come. But you don't seem very happy at having found a sister. How is it with you, Mary? Are you not glad you have found a brother?” The maiden gazed up into her interlocutor's face, but she did not speak. Her face had now turned to an ashy pallor, and her hands were moving about her throat and bosom as though there were a sense of oppression there. Paul thought he heard a gurgling in her throat, and on the next instant her eyes began to glare wildly at himself. He threw his arms about her, and as he did so she sank upon his bosom like a corpse. He quickly laid her back upon the seat, and rushed for his medicine chest and obtained a battle of liquid ammonia. By this time the captain was on hand, and he entered into the work of resuscitation with a will. Cold water was brought, and her brow and temples bathed, while her hands were chafed, and ever and anon Paul held the ammonia to her nose. The maiden possessed a strong and perfect organization, and ere long she revived, but she was too weak to converse. For a w’hile her pulse beat very slowly and irregularly; but ere long its velocity increased, and finally it beat with extreme feverish rapidity. “She must be removed- to the castle immediately,” Paul said, "for I fear a fever will set in upon this, and this is no place for her to be sick in.” “Do you really think there is danger of fever?” asked the captain, now speaking earnestly, and without any of that strangeness which had marked his words thus far. “She will have one most surely, if she remains here," returned the youth, “and she may have one at any rate; but the sooner she is removed, the better —for should she be taken down, it would be too late.” Mary showed by her looks how grateful she felt for this interference in her behalf; but she did not speak—she could not then, have spoken above a hoarse, painful whisper had she tried. Laroon at once hastened on deck to have a boat called away, and while he was gone, Paul clasped Mary to his bosom. “Dearest,” he whispered, "we may yet be ” He stopped suddenly as though something had struck him, and the pain marks came to his face, for at that moment he remembered that she was only a sister. In a few moments the captain returned, and made Paul help him get the maiden ready for going. This was quickly done, and then Laroon took her in his arms as he would have done a child, and carried her on deck. "Shall I not accompany you?” asked our hero. -“No,” was the simple answer. As the captain thus spoke he proceeded up the gangway, where most of the crew were gathered. “Back, back! every one of you!” cried Laroon. All obeyed this order save Buffo Burnington. He crowded nearer up, and as the captain came to the gangway ladder, he said: “Let me take her, captain, while you go down in the boat, and then I will hand her to you.” Marl had not before thought of the difficulty he should find in descending to the boat with his load, and he quickly gave her into the man’s arms. Buffo seized her, and with a quick, excited movement, he brushed her hair back from bar face and jirow, and then, for one moment, he gazed into her face with all the power of outward and inner vision. “Mary,” he uttered in a low, -thrilling tone, “Mary,” he repeated, seemingly forgetful of those who stood around, “look at me!” -The maiden looked up to those horrid features, but she did not shrink, nor did she tremble, but she seemed rather to be fascinated by the devouring gaze that was fixed upon her. “All ready,” cried Marl. In an instant Burnington ascended the ladder, and when he had gained the top of the bulwarks, he adroitly held his burden with his left arm, and seizing the man rope with his other hand, he descended and deposited the girl safely in the captain’s arms. He waited to see the boat off, and then he returned to the deck.

CHAPTER XVI. Paul had seen all this strange work on Burnington’s part, and he was sorely puzzled. He gazed into those features, and he thought they seemed all kindness and love. And his gaze was returned. For a while the youth was really mysified. Perhaps, he thought, there must be some mistake after all. Perhaps Burnington did not betray him. He took a few turns up and down the deck, and finally he resolved to call the strange man to the cabin and question him. As soon as he had come to this determination he went to the gangway, where the man yet stood, and touched him upon the shoulder. “What is it?” asked Buffo. “Come to the cabin, will you?” Paul led the way aft, and the lame man followed. Many of the crew noticed the movement, and many were the nods and sidelong shakes of the head’ it caused, for all the crew had by this time come to know that there was some mysterious connection between Paul and the one-eyed pirate. The young surgeon was alone with the man who had occupied so much of his most earnest thought, but the latter evinced no uneasiness or fear. He took a seat opposite the youth, and then prepared to wait for some one to commence the business. “Burnington,” said Paul, as soon as he could sufficiently compose himself to speak calmly, “I have called you here to nsk you some serious questions, and I hope you will answer me truly. You are, of course, aware that I attempted last night to make my escape from this place and these people? And you must be aware, too, that Marl Laroon overtook me?” ■ “Certainly." “And is It not reasonable to suppose that some one in whom I reposed confidence betrayed me?” “I should think so.” “Excuse me for the question, but I must ask it Did rou betray me?”

BaraiHgton did not answer this question at once. He gazed into his interlocutor’s face, and then bent his eyes to the floor. “Your silence almost amounts to an affirmative answer to me,” said Paul, with a spice of bitterness in his manner. “Very well,” returned Burnington, returning Paul’s gaze calmly and steadily. “I was thinking, not what answer I should make, but whether any explanation would be of use. I can simply say £hat I did betray you. I showed the captain the letter you gave me; aqd but for me you might have been in Nagasaki.” “Why did you do this?” the young man asked, -Striving to keep back his anger. “Because I felt it to be my duty,” calmly returned the other. "We all have our ideas of duty, Paul, and perhaps if I were to explain this point you would be no more satisfied than you are now.” "That is enough, sir,” uttered the youth, rising from his seat. “I thank you for your candor, for I shall know now whom to trust. I have nothing more to say.” Without a word Burnington arose and moved toward the ladder. His step was very slow and heavy, and, in addition to his lameness, he seemed to have an impediment of motion that proceeded from within. Paul could see his face, and he could see that there was a sad, unhappy look upon it. In an instant the whole current of his feelings changed. “Stop—-stop one moment,” he uttered. “Tell me why you did this thing.” ."Because I meant that you should not leave the brig,” answered Buffo, stopping at. the foot of the ladder and turning toward his questioner. As he thus spoke, he turned again and moved up the steps. As soon as Burnington was gone Paul began to pace up and down the cabin floor, and at tlie end of half an hour he had fully made up his mind that Buffo Burnington was more ready’ to serve the interests of.-the pirate captain than any one elseA It was now dinner time, and Paul was aroused from his reverie by the entrance of the steward, who had come to set the table. After dinner the second lieutenant took the deck, while the first lieutenant, took twelve men and started off to hunt up more of the horses. With this party Buffo Burnington went, and as we shall have occasion to note something that befell them on their route, we will go with them. Mr. Langley, the lieutenant, knew’ all the crook-s and turns of the woods where the horses wandered, and as it was now approaching the season when horses were in demand, Laroon wished to get up all that were fit to break, and dispose of them; for, as we remarked before, the pirate ipade much money by the raising of stock on his estate, and the merchants of the neighboring cities knew-him only as the owner of the Silver River estate. Langley’s party were furnished with bridles and lassoes, and when they reached the shore they took their way to the enclosure where the tame horse# were kept. Their first movement was to call the horses together, which was done by a peculiar whistle, and while they were thus engaged, they noticed a man approaching them from the woods. He was a well-dressed, gentlemanly looking person, in the prime of life; and possessing a frame of great muscular power. He came up to where the party stood, and after running his eyes over the men. he selected the lieutenant for the superior. “Can you tell me,” he asked of Mr. Langley,, "if Captain Laroon is about here?” “I think he is at his dwelling,” returned the lieutenant, eying the stranger sharply. "He has a vessel somewhere about here, I believe?” "He may have; he owns several.” As Langley made this reply, the stranger took off his hat and took therefrom a handkerchief, and after wiping his face with it, he returned it to the place from when he took it, and replaced his hat upon his head. On the next instant there came a crashing sound from the circumjacent wood, and upon looking in the direction from whence the sound came, Langley saw a party of some twenty horsemen dashing towards him. » “What means this, sir?” he uttered, turning to the stranger. "Oh, those are friends of mine,” war the cool reply. (To be continued.'