The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, March 14, 1906, Image 6
3
BUCCANEER
By CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY,
Author of *'The Southerners/* "For Love
of Country/* "The Grip of Honor/* ?tc.
COPYRIGHT. 1?03. BY G. W. DILLINGHAM COMPANY
astern fight was being waged in the
WQgare, whittier all the combatants
teil congregated, the buccaneers driv
?zu&ere, the Spaniards following. The
disciplined valor and determination of
4E?e Spanish, however, were slowly
the buccaneers to give ground.
Spanish soldiers that ever lived
nave defeated the old time buc-.]
cancers, but these were different, and
^fhe"r best men had been killed with
3Geach and L'Ollonois. The opportune
Arrival"'of Morgan and De Lussan, how?
ever, put . heart in their men. Under
H?be direction of these two redoubtable
champions they began to make stouter
resistance.
- TEfce battle might have gone in their
*tiror if, in the very nick of time, the
Ifieeroy himself and the remainder of
?:rJte troops had not come up. They
had not thought it necessary to come
on foot since the surprise had been
sf?ected, and the viceroy rightly divin?
ed they would have more advantage if
jxaounted. Choosing the very freshest
therefore, he had put fifty of
best soldiers upon them and had
led them up on a gallop, bidding the
-??aers follow on with speed. The
fighting had gradually concentrated
?before, the church and in the eastern
tort, where Bra Tri li ano had' his head
-^Barters. The arrival of the horsemen
-decided the day. Morgan and De Lus?
san, fighting desperately in the front
?Eks with splendid courage, were
.overridden. De Lussan was wounded,
JSefi "anti was Irampleti to deathly
Spanish horsemen, and Morgan
taken prisoner, alive and unharm
When he saw that all was lost
he had thrown himself upon the ene
xny^s?eking a death in the fight which.
the viceroy's orders, was denied
form. Many of the other buccaneers
j ?Iso were captured alive-indeed, the
. viceroy desired a^ many of them saved
? possible. He could punish a living
man in a way to* make him feel some
Using of the%>rt?Te he bad inflicted,
wad for this reason those who sur
-rendered had been spared for the
present
indeed, after the capture of Morgan
^the remaining" buccaneers threw down
their arms and begged for mercy.
:Tbey fright as well have appealed to a
slone wall for that as to their Span?
ish captors. A short shrift and a heavy
punishment were promised them in
the morning. Meanwhile, after a
brief struggle, the east fort was taken
by assault, and Braziliano was wound?
ed and captured, with most of his men.
town was in the possession of the
inish at last It was all over in a
Quarter of an hour. .
Instantly the streets were filled with
at mob of men, women and children,
^whose lives had been spared, bewil
?ered by the sudden release from their
imminent peril and giving praise to
God and the viceroy and his men. As
soon as he could make himself heard
fa the confusion De Lara inquired for
Alvarado.
*tWhere is he?" he cried. "And De
aWbarr
**My lord,*" answered one of the par?
ity, "**we were directed to take the west
Sort, and those two cavaliers were in
lead, but the pressure of the pirates
so great that we were stopped and
?save not seen them since. They were
ahead of us."
~De Cordova," cried the old man to
one of his colonels, 4take charge of the
"town. Keep the women and children
inhabitants together where they
for the present Let your soldiery
patrol the streets and search every
house from top to bottom. Let no one
4BT these ruffianly scoundrels escape.
"Eake them alive We'll deal with them
Ja the morning. Fetch Morgan to the
.*??est fort after us. Come, gentlemen,
we shall find our comrades there, and
pray God the ?ladies are still unharm
?ar j
A noble old soldier was De Lara. He
had not sought his daughter until he
Jtad performed his full duty in taking
'the town.
The anteroom of the fort they found
Sa a state of wild confusion. The dead
hodies of the sentry and the others the
*wo cavaliers had cut down on the
-stairs were ruthlessly thrust aside, and
.fix- party of gentlemen, with the vice
?hoBCm?o drove borne the stroke
in the lead, poured into the guard?
room. There, on his back, was stretch?
ed the hideous body of the half breed
-where he had fallen. There, farther
away, the unfortunate De Tobar lay,
gasping for breath, yet makins no out?
cry. He was leaning on his arni and
staring across the room, with anguish
In his face not due to the wound he
had received, but a sight which broke
his heart.
"Alas, De Tobar!" cried the viceroy.
**Wfcere is Mercedes?"
He followed the glance of the dying
man. There at the other side of thc
room lay a prostrate body, and over it
h?nt a moaning, sobbing figure. It -was
i Mercedes.
''Senorita," cried one of the officers,
! "Don Felipe here is dying! He would
j speak with you."
! Mercedes suffered herself to be led
j to where De Tobar lay upon the floor.
! One of his comrades had taken his
I head on his knee. The very seconds of
I his life were numbered. Lovely in her
grief, Mercedes knelt at his side, a
great pity in her heart. The viceroy
stepped close to him.
. "I thank you, too," she said. "Poor
Don Felipe! He and you saved me,
but at the expense of your lires.
Would' God you could have been
spared!" ~
"Nay," gasped the dying man. "Thou
lovest him. I watched thee.. I heard
j thee call upon his name. Thou wert
: not for me, and so 'I die willingly. He
is ?i noble gentleman. Would he might
1 have won thee!"
j The man trembled with the violent
I effort it cost him to speak. . He gasped
faintly and strove to smile. By an im?
pulse for which- she was ever after
grateful she bent her head, slipped her
arm around his neck, lifted him up and
kissed Mm. In spite of his death agony
at that caress he smiled up at her.
"Now," he murmured, "I die happy
content You kissed-rae-Mercedes"
"He is dead," said the officer.
"God rest his soul, a gallant gentle?
man,** said the viceroy, taking off his
bat, and his example was followed by
every one in the room,
"And Captain Alvarado?'* said Mer
! cedes, rising to her feet and turning to
the other figure,
j "Senorita,'* answered another of the
i officers, "he lives. See-he moves!"
A little shudder crept through th?
figure of the prostrate captain, who
had only been knocked senseless by the
! fierce blow and was otherwise unhurt
'"His eyes are open^ Water, quick!"
.With skilled' fingers .begot by. long
practice the cavalier cut the lacings of
Alvarado's doublet and gave him wa?
fter, then a little wine. As thte young
captain returned to consciousness once
more the officers crowded around him,
the viceroy in the center, Mercedes on
her knees again.
"Mercedes," whispered the young
captain-"alive, unharmed?"
"Yes," answered Mercedes brokenly,
"thanks to God and thee."
"And De Tobar," generously asserted
Alvarado. "Where is he?" "
"Dead." ;
"Oh, brave De T^obar! And the
city?"
"Is ours.**
"And Morgan?**
"Here in my hands,*' said the vice?
roy sternly.
, "Thank God, thank God! . And now,
your excellency, my promise. I thought
as I was stricken down there would be
no need for you to"
"Thou hast earned life, Alvarado, not
death, and thou shalt have it"
"Senors," said Alvarado, whose faint?
ness was passing from him, "I broke
my plighted word to the viceroy and
Don Felipe de Tobar. I love this lady
and was false to my charge. Don Al?
varo promised me death for punish?
ment, and I crave it. I care not for
life without"
"And did he tell thee why he broke
his word?" asked Mercedes, taking his
hands in her own and looking up at her
father. "It was my fault I made
him. In despair I strove to throw my?
self over the cliff on yonder mountain,
and he caught me in his arms. With
me in his arms, which of you, my
lords," she said, throwing back her
head with superb pride, "would not
have done the same? Don Felipe de
Tobar is dead. He was a gallant gen?
tleman, but I loved him not. My fa?
ther, you will not part us now?"
"No," said the old man, "I will not
try. I care not now what his birth or
lineage, he hath shown himself a man
of noblest soul. You heard the wish
of De Tobar. It shall be so. This is
.the betrothal of my daughter, gentle?
men. Art satisfied, captain? She is
noble enough, she hath lineage and
race enough, for both of you. My in?
terest with our royal master will se?
cure you that patent of nobility you
will adorn, for bravely have you won
it."
CHAPTER XXII.
HE blow that struck Alvarado
down had stunned him rather
than anything else, and he
would not have been put out of
the combat so easily had it not been
that he was exhausted by the hard?
ships of those two terrible days
through which he had just passed. He
faced tlie viceroy, his hand in that of
Mercedes, with a flush of pleasure und
pride upon his face.
It was the consciousness of havinf
won permission to marry the woman
whom he adored and who loved him
with a passion that would fain over?
match his own, were that possible, that
so quickly restored him to strength.
With the realization of what he had
gained there came to him such an ac?
cess of vigor as amazed those who a
few moments before had thought him
dead or dying.
"But for these poor people who have
so suffered, this, my lord," he ex?
claimed with eager gratitude and hap?
piness, "h. J th been a happy day for
me. Last night, sir, on the beach yon?
der, I found a mother. A good sister,
she, of holy church, who, rather than
carn- the ladders which ira ve access
to "lue town. killed herself wita" ber
own hand. She died not, praise God.
bi fore she had received absolution
from a brave priest, although the holy
father paid for his office with his life,
for Morgan killed him. Tonight I find,
by the blessing of God, the favor of
your excellency and the kindness of
the Indy's heart, a wife."
"Long life to Donna de Lara and
Captain Alvarado!" cried old Agra
monte. lifting up his hand. "The hand?
somest, the noblest, the bravest pair
in New Spain! May they be the hap?
piest! Give me leave, sir," added the
veteran captain, turning to the vice?
roy. "You have done we'll. Say I not
true, gentlemen? And as for the young
captain, as he is fit to stand wit%tke
best, it is meet that he should win the
heart of the loveliest. His mother he
has found. None may know his fa
I ther"
"Let me be heard," growled a deep
i voice in broken Spanish as a one eyed
! old sailor thrust himself through tie
1 crowd.
I "Hornigold!" screamed the bound
? buccaneer captain, who had been a
j silent spectator of events from the
1 background. "I missed you. Have
you"
The boatswain, mindful of his safety
-for in the hurry and confusion of the
attack any Spaniard would have cut
him down before he could explain-had
followed feard upon the heels of Alva?
rado and De Tobar when they entered
j the fort and had concealed himself in
j one of tlie inner rooms until he saw a
j convenient opportunity for disclosing
himself. He had been a witness to all
that had happened in the hall, and he
realized that the time had now come
to strike the first of the blows he bad
prepared against his old captain.
As soon as he appeared from behind
the hangings where he had remained in
hiding it was evident to every one that
he was a buccaneer. Swords were out1
in an instant
"What's this?" cried the viceroy In
great surprise. "Another pirate rree
and unbound? Seize him!"
Three or four of the men made a rush
toward the old buccaneer, but with
wonderful agility he avoided them and
sprang to the side of Alvarado.
"Back, senors!" he cried coolly and
composedly, facing their uplifted
points. .
"My lord," said Alvarado, "bid these
gentlemen withdraw their weapons.
This man is under my protection."
"Who is he?"
"He I told you of, sir, who set me
free, prdvided 'Donna Mercedes with a
wecr/on, opened the gate for us-one
Benjamin Hornigo?d." \
"Thou traitor!" yelled that fierce,
high voice on the outskirts of thc
crowd.
There was a sudden commotion. A
bound man burst through the surprised
cavaliers and threw himself, all fetter?
ed though he was, upon the sailor. He
was without weapon or use of hand,
yet he bit him savagely OD the cheek.
The old buccaneer was an awful fig?
ure as he poured out a horrible torrent
of curses and imprecations upon the
traitor, grinding his teeth beneath his
foam flecked lips, and even the iron
He bit him savagely on the check
I hearted sailor, striving to stanch the
i>lood, involuntarily shrank back ap?
palled before him.
"Senor," he cried, appealing to Al?
varado, ""J was to have "protection!"
"You shall have it," answered the
young soldier, himself shrinking away
from the traitor, al though by his trea?
son he had so greatly benefited. "My
lord, had it not been for thfs^man I'd
sK?Tbe a pris?ner,~"tneTady Mercedes
like those wretched women weeping in
the streets. I promised him, in your
name, protection, immunity from pun?
ishment and liberty to depart with as
much of the treasure of the Porto Bello
plate galleon, which was wrecked on
the sands a few days ago, of which I
told you, as he could carry."
"Aiid you did not exceed your author?
ity, Captain Alvarado. We contemn
treason in whatsoever guise it doth ap?
pear, aud we hate and loathe a traitor,
but thy word is passed. It will be held
inviolate as our own. You are free,
knave. I will appoint soldiers to guard
you, for should my men see you, not
knowing this, they would cut you
down, and when occasion serves you
may take passage in the first ship that
touches here and go where you will.
Nay, we will be generous, although we
like yoti, not. We are much indebted
to you. We have profited by what we
do despise. We would reward you.
Ask of me something that I may meas?
ure my obligation for a daughter's hon
j or saved if you can realize or feel what
I that may be."
"My lord, hear me," said the boat?
swain quickly. "There be reasons and
reasons for betrayals, and I have one.
This man was my captain. I periled
my life a dozen times to save his. 1
followed him blindly upon a hundred
terrible ventures. I lived but for his
service. My soul-when I had a soul
was at his command. I loved him.
He could ask of me anything that I
could have given him and he would not
have been refused.
"Sirs, there came to me a young
brother of mine, not such as I. a rude,
unlettered sailor, but a gentleman,
and college bred. There are quarter?
ing-^ on my family scutcheon, sirs,
back in merry England, had 1 the wi'
or care to trace it. Ile was a reckless
youth, chafing under the restraints of
that hard religion io which we had
been born. Tho fr,.,- bf,, of a brother
of the coast attracted him. Ho became,
like me. a buccaneer. 1 strove to dis?
suade him, but withoui avail. Ile was
?io ' L';:v? . Llie handsomest tue m
gail:;n' of us all. Ho came into
old heart i TKO a son. Wc are not
brute, gentlemen. I have waded
blood and plunder like the rest, but
every hear: there is some spot tl
beats for things better. I~ divided :
love between him and my captain. T
man"-he pointed to his old mas
with his blunted finger, drawing h
self up until he looked taller than
was. his one eye flashing with an
and hatred as with a stern, rude (
quence he recited his wrongs the gr
indictment of a falso friend-"this u
betrayed us at Panama. With w]
he had robbed his comrades of
bought immunity, even knightho
from the king of England. Ho v
made vice governor of Jamaica, a
his hand fell heavily upon those w
had blindly followed him in the i
days, men who had served him a
trustei him. as I-men whose valora
courage had made him what he was.
"He took the lad I loved and
cause nis proud spirit would not brc
to his heavy hand and he answered h
like the oold, free sailor he was
hanged him like a dog, sirs! I
stooped for his life. I, who cared i
for myself, offered to stand in 1
place upon the gallows platfor
though .1 have no more tas?te for 1
rope than any of you, if only*lie mi;
go free, fie laughed at me! He inoi
ed me! I urged my ancient service. ;
j drove me from him willi curses a
threats "like a whipped ?og. I rroi
have struck him down then but t?
I wanted to save him for a reven
that might measure my hate, slow a
. long and terrible-not mere sudd
death; that would not suffice-sou
thing more.
"Treachery? My lord, his was t
first. I played his own game and ha
overcome it with the same. D'ye blai
me now? Take your treasure! I wa
none of it I want only him and my ;
venge! Liberty's dear to all of us. ]
give mine up. You may take my li
with the rest, but first give me tl
man. Let me deal w/ith him. I will i
venge jrou all, and when I haye finis
iel w ith Lim I will yield myself "to yoi
He was a hideous figure of old ha
and rancor, of unslaked passion,
monstrous possibilities of cruel tortui
Even Morgan himself, intrepid as I
was, shrank from the awful menace
the mordant words.
"My lord," shouted the unfortuna
captain, "give him no heed. He lies
his throat; he lies a thousand time
'Twas a mutinous dog, that brother
his, that I hanged. I am your prison*
Yon are a soldier. I look for speec
punishment-certain death, it. may be
but let it not be from his hand."
4Thin!:, senors," urged the boatswai
"You would hang him, perhaps. It
the worst that you could do. Is th;
punishment meet for him? He has d
spoiled women, bereft children, tortu
ed men, in the streets of La Guayr
A more fitting punishment should awa
him. Think of Panama, of Maracaib
of Porto Bello. Recall what he di
there. Is hanging enough? Give hi]
to me. Let me have my way. Yo
have your daughter, safe, unharme;
within the shelter of her lovers arm
The town is yours. You have won tl
fight. 'Twas I that did it. Without m
your wives, your children, your sui
jects, would have been slaughtered i
Caracas, and this dog Would have bee
free to go further afield for prey, ll
coveted your daughter-would fai
make her his slave in some desert ii
land. Give him to me!''4
"Old man," said the viceroy, "I tak
back my words. You have excuse fa
your betrayal, but your request I ear
not grant I have promised him to A
varado. Nay, urge me no further. M;
word is passed."
"Thank you, thank you!" cried Moi
gan, breathing again.
"Silence, you dog!" said the viceroy
with a look of contempt on his fact
"But take heart, man," he added a
he saw the look of rage and disappoim
ment sweep over the face of the oh
sailor; "he will not escape lightly
Would God he had blood enough in hi
boay^to pay\dftfp -?y drop -for-ail h
hath shed. His death shall be slow
lingering, terrible. You have said it
and you shall see it, too, if you-will
He shall have time to repent and t(
think upon the past. You may glui
yourself with his suffering and feec
fat your revenge. 'Twill be a meet
a fitting punishment so far as our pooi
minds can compass. We have alreadj
planned it Take him away and hole
I him safe. Tomorrow he shall be pun?
ished. Alvarado, art ready for duty?'
"Heady, your excellency," answered
the young man, "and for this duty."
44Take him, then. I give him into
your hands. Y'ou know what is to be
done; see you do it well."
"Aye, my lord. Into the strong
room with him, men!" ordered the
young Spaniard, stepping unsteadily
forward., * _
As he did so the crucifix he wore,
which the disorder in his dress ex?
posed to view, flashed into the light
once more. Morgan's eye? listened
upon it for the first time.
"By heaven, sir!" he shouted. "Where
got ye that cross?"
"From his mother, noble captain,"
interrupted Hornigold. coming closer.
He had another card to play. He had
waited for this moment, and he threw
back his head with a long, bitter
laugh. There was such sinister, such
vicious mockery and meaning in his
voice, with not the faintest note of
merriment to relieve it, that his listen?
ers looked aghast upon him.
"His motlier?" cried Morgan. "Then
this is"
"The boy I took into Cuchillo when
we were at Panama," said Hornigold
in triumph.
"And my son!" cried the old bucca
! neer, with inn lignant joy.
! A great cry of repudiation and horror
j burst from the lips of Alvarado. The
: others stared with astonishment and
j incredulity written on their faces. Mer
' ced.--, moved closer to her lover and
! strove to take his hand.
~"My lo?vLs an G gentlemen, hear me,"
continued the buccaneer, the words
rushing from his lips in his excitement,
?Where got ye that cross?"
for in the new relationship he so
?promptly and boldly ailirmed he
thought he saw a way of escape from
his imminent peril. "There lived in
Maracaibo a Spanish woman. Maria
Zerega, who loved me. By her there
was a child-mine-a boy. I took them
with me to Panama. The pestilent
raged there after the sack. She fell
; ill and as she lay dying besought me to
save the boy. I sent Homigold to her
with instructions to do her will, and
he carried the baby to the village of
\ Cuchillo with that cross upon his breast
I and left him. We lost sight of him.
! There the next day you found him.
j He has English blood in his veins. Ii .
; is my son, sirs, a noble youth," sneered
j the old man. "Now you have given me
j to him. 'Tis not meet that the father
should suffer at the hands of the son.
You shall set me free," added the man,
turning to Alvarado.
"Rather than that"- cried Homigold,
viciously springing forward, knife in
hand.
He was greatly surprised at the
i bold yet cunning appeal of his former
captain.
"Back, man!" interposed the viceroy.
"And were you a thousand times his
father, were you my brother, my own
father, you should nevertheless die, as
lt hath been appointed."
"Can this be true?" groaned Alvara?
do, turning savagely to Homigold.
"I believe it to be."
"Why not kill me last night, then?"
"I wanted you for this minute. 'Tis
a small part of my revenge-to see
him die and by his son's hand-a
worthy father, noble son"
"Silencer' ' shouted De Lara. "Art
thou without bowels of compassion,
man? Alvarado, I pity thee, but this
makes the promise of the hour void.
Nay, my daughter," as Mercedes came
forward to entreat him, "I'd rather
slay thee with my own hand than wed
thee to the son of such as yon!"
"My lord, 'tis just" answered Alva
! rado. His anguish was pitiful to be?
hold. "I am as innocent of my parent?
age as any child, yet the suffering must
be mine. The sins of the fathers are
visited on the children. I did deem it
yesterday a coward's act to cut the
thread of my life, but now-I cannot
survive-I cannot live-and know that
in my veins runs the blood of such a
monster. My lord, you have been good
to me. Gentlemen, .you have honored
me. Mercedes, you have loved me-O
God! You. infamous man. you have
fathered me! May the curse of God,
that God whom you mock, rest upon
you! My mother loved this man once,
it seems. Well, nobly did she expiate.
I go to join her. Pray for me. Stay not
my hand. Farewell!"
He raised his poinard.
"Let no one stop him!" cried the old
viceroy as Alvarado darted the weapon
straight at his own heart. "This were
the best end."
Mercedes had stood dazed during this
conversation, but with-a shriek of hor?
ror as she saw the flash of the blade
she threw herself upon her lover and
strove to wrench the dagg. from him.
"Alvarado," she cried, "whatever
thou art, thou hast my heart! Nay, slay
me first, if thou wilt!"
cHAPTEg-sxffir " --
YE, strike, Alvarado," cried the
""viceroy, filled with shame and
surprise at the sight of his
daughter's extraordinary bold?
ness, "for, though I love her, I'd rather
see her dead than married to the son
of such as he. Drive home your weap?
on!" he cried in bitter scorn. "Why
stay your hand? Only blood can wash
out the shame she hath put upon me
before you all this day. Thou hast a
dagger. Use it, I say!"
"Do you hear my father's words, Al?
varado?" cried Mercedes, sinking on
her knees and stretching up her hands
to Jahn. "'Tis a sharp weapon. One
touch will end it all, and you can fol?
low."
"God help me!" cried the unhappy
young captain, throwing aside the
poniard and clasping his hands to his
eyes. "I cannot! Hath no one here a
point for me? If I have deserved well
of you or the state, sir, bia them strike
home."
"Live, young sir," interrupted Mor?
gan. "There are other women in the
world. Come with me and"
"If you are my father, you have but
little time in this world," interrupted
the Spaniard, turning to Morgan and
gnashing his teeth at him. "I doubt
not but you were cruel to my motlier.
I hate you! 1 loathe you! I despise
you for all your crimes, and most of
all for bringing me into the world. I
swear to you, had I the power, I'd not
add another moment to your life. The
world were better rid of you."
"You have been well trained by your
Spanish nurses," cried Morgan reso?
lutely, although with sneering mockery
and hate in his voice, "and well you
seem to know the duty owed by son to
! sire."
"You have done nothing for me." re?
turned the young soldier. "You aban?
doned me. Such as you are, you were
my father. You cast mc away to
shift for myself. Had it not been for
these friends here"
"Nay," said Morgan, "I thought you
dead. That cursed one eyed trai*)r
there told me so. else I'd have sought
von ont-."
Physicians pronounce drunken
ness a disease of tho nervous sys?
tem. No *'wiil power" can heal
the stomach membranes which
have been burned anc seared by
alcohol.
Cures Whiskey and Seer Habit
ORRTIvE re mr. ves the craving "Tor?iocor
by acting direc''ly on the effected nerves,
restoring thc storr.ach and directive organsj
to ?orrual condition, improving the ap
..etite a:id rvs;.> rinsr the "heal th. No san?
itarium treatment or publicity.
To cs re without patient's JcroTrlec^e, buy
Or? h*I NIC No. !: fer voil*.!irarv sre?tacen?,
; DREINE Nc. 2. Price fi ?er box.
Cit re Effected or f.Ioney Refunded
A registered gcararice ir. each box. Book
C.. "!>i'-akenaess"' sealed snailed irt-.'oa
r?<<ue>t All correspondence confidest?al.
OS?INK --ailed (sealed; ou receipt of price
bv thc 0RRIN2 CO., Inc., Washington, I>.
C-.orsoW bv 37
DeLorme?s Pharmacy, Sumter. S C.
"Glad am I that you did not, for I
have passed my life where no child of
yours could hope to be-among honor?
able men, winning their respect, which
I now forfeit because of thee."
"Alvarado/' said tho viceroy, "this
much will I do for thee. He shall be
shot like a soldier instead of undergo?
ing the punishment we had designed
for him. This much for his father?
hood."
"My lord, I ask it not," answered the
young man.
"Sir." exclaimed Morgan, a gleam of
relief passing across his features, for
he knew, of course, that death was his
only expectation, and he had greatly
teared that his taking off would be ac?
companied by horrible tortures, "you,
at least are a father, and I thank
you."
"Yes, I am a father, and a most un?
happy one." groaned De Lara, turning
toward Alvarado. "Perhaps ft is well
you did not accomplish your purpose
of self destruction after all, my poor
friend. As I -said before,- Spain hath
need of you. You may go back to the
old country beyond the great sea. All
here will keep your secret; my favor
will be of service to you even there.
You can make a new career with a new
nsjne.'JL _ ?
(To Be Continued.) j
A Lively Tussel }
* With that old enemy of the race,
constipation, often ends in appendi?
citis. To avoid all serious trouble
with stomach, liver and bowels, take
Dr. King's New Life Pills. They per?
fectly regulate these organs, without
pain or discomfort 25c at all drug?
gists.
_L_
Tile Rich Men and the Law: A Xar
rative.
And after jhiany years the Auditor
put his head close to that of the
treasurer and their lips were seen to
move. Then the Auditor got busy and
before many days a scroll bearing
names strange to the column of the
Treasurer's book marked "income tax"
was prepared and scanned by the au?
thorities. Now it so happened that
these things came to pass after the
twentieth day of the second month,
which is a day full of sorrow to many
taxpayers, though it brings smiles to
those who gathered gold through the
delinquencies of men. A certain de?
scendant of Dives hearing these things
hailed one who also had much gold
and silver and lands and other things
representing money. And quickly a
number of these men in like circum?
stances were * gathered together and
they asked one another why they
should be forced to pay tribute to the
State who jh^?tec"fed~Tn?ir pefrSfffiS*Sl-?
their property. And straightway they
began devising means by which they
might evade this tribute. Many, were
lawyers and not a few had been law?
makers and while they all agreed that
the statute was writ large and plain,
without loophole for even wily men
learnecUin the law, they must devise
some way by which they might keep
their gold.. So one of these men
crossed the highway and summoned to
this meeting of rich men the poor man
who was the Auditor, and said, O, Au?
ditor, we beseech thee help us to keep
our gold! lhere is enough without it.
Pee how many tithes you gather from
the thousands of pc- ;- ff our tribe: it
has proved enough in years past, why
make us pay? And tne Auditor said.
It is the law. But we are ignorant of
the law. said these, among whom were
many lav. vers and lav makers, and be?
cause of ibis ignorance we beseech
you fo<civf us and !< t n.* Veep our
vrold. Wt rromise tuat another year
will find us prepared; for while we
shall then have knowledge of this un?
just law. we shall see to it that our in?
comes are no larger than those of our
brethren whom this law does not ?f?
fest. And straightway the Auditor
promised that he Would consult one
high in authority and do what he
coould to have this most unjust law
abrogated, for he felt deep compas?
sion for those who love the State and
all her institutions and who call them?
selves patriots and who sit in high
places in the temple of worship, but
who love gold above all things else.
Carolina Spartan.
* Indigestion is much of a habit.
Don't get the habit. Take a little Ko
dol Dyspepsia Cure after eating and
you. will quit belching, bulling, palpi?
tating ami Trow nine-. Ko,lol digests
what you eat and makes the stomach
sweet Sold by all druggists.