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1 ? Sir Henr' BUCCi v. .? By CYRUS TOV Author of "The Soi of Country," "The I | COPYRIGHT. 1903. BY G. V ult the gaprlson hnd been called to arms. The firing had been too heavy to be accounted for by any ordinary clr. cumstanees, and officers and soldiers had been at u loss to understand It. However, to take precautions were wise, and every preparation was made as if agalust an Immediate attack. The drums were beaten, the ramparts were inanued, the guns were primed, and such of the townspeople as were not too timid to bear arms were assembled under their militia officers. The watchers on the west wall of the fort were soon aware of the approach of the buccaneers. Indeed, lliey made no concealment whatever about their motions. Who they were and what they were the garrison had not discovered and could* not Imagine. A ? prompt and well alined volley, however, as soon ns the buccaneers came within range apprised them that they were dealing wiih euemies, and determined enemies at that. Under cover of the confusion caused by this unexpected discharge Morgan deployed his men. "Lads," he said, "we'll board yon fort with a rush and a cheer. The ladders will be placed on the walls, and under cover of a heavy lire from our musketry we'll go over them. Uso only the cutlass when you gain the parapet and ply like men. Remember what's on the other side!" rmy. "Aye, but who'll plant the ladders?" j*' asked one. ^ "The priests and the abbess," snltr Morgan grimly. "I saved them for that." A roar of laughter and cheers broke rrom tlic ruffianly gang as tliey appreciated the neatness of the old buccaneer's scheme. "'Tls an old trick," he continued;! "we did the same thing thirty years since nt Porto Bello. Eh, llornigold? "Now seise lilin uud hind liiui again! And you, dogs," Morgan added, turning to the men who had allowed the prisoner to slip before, "if he escape you again you shall ho hanged to the nearest tree!" "IJadst not hotter hind the woman, too';" queried the Frenchman gently, still holding her fast hi his fierce grasp. "Aye. the wench as well. Oh. I'll break yov.r vp'vlt, my pretty one." answered Morgan savagely, flipping the young women's cheek. "Wilt pay mo blows for kis.es? Seuttlo me, you % plrll crawl nt my feet before I've finished with you!'' "Why not kill tills cnhallero out of hand, captain?" asked llornigold, savage from a slight wound, as he limped up to Morgan. "No. I have uso for him. Are the rest silent?" ? "They will tell no tales," laughed I/OHouois grimly. "Did none escape back up the road?" "None, Sir Henry," answered the other. "My men closed In after them and drove them forward. They are all gone." "That's well. Now for La Guayra. What force Is there. Senor Cajjltan?" Alvarado remained obstinately silent. He did not speak even when Morgan ruthlessly cut him across the cheek with his dagger. lie did not utter a sound, ulthough Mercedes groaned In At anguish at the sight of his torture. "You'd best kill him. captain," said L'Ollonois. "No, I have need for him, \ say," answered Morgan, giving over the at Thou devil 1' tempt to make liiin speak. "Is any one here who has been at La Guayra re cently?" he asked of the others. "I was there last year on a trading ship of France," answered Sawkius. "What garrison then?" "About 250." "Was It well fortified?" "As of old, sir, by the forts on cither side and a rampart along the sea wall." "Were tlic forts in good repair?" "Well kept, indeed, but most of the guns bore seaward." "Have you tbe ladders ready?" cried Morgan to Hrnzillnno, who bad been charged to convey the rude scaling ladders by which they hoped to get over the walls. J "All ready, captain," answered that worthy. / " Let us go forward, then. We'll halt Just out of musket shot and concert our further plans. We have the governor In our hands, lads. The rest will bo easy. There Is plenty of plunder In La ' Guayra, and when we have made It our own wo'll over the mountains and into Caracas. Hornlgold, you are lame from a wound. Look to the prisoners." The rising moon flooding the white strand made the scene as light as day. They kept good watch on the walls of La Guayra, for the sound of the shots In the night air bad been heard by some keen eared sentry, and as a re i Morgan, \NEER /NSEND BRADY, itherners," "For Love Grip of Honor," Etc. f. DILLINGHAM COMPANY i mow k liuti leg ot yours?" "Stiir and sore." "Hide here then with the musketeers. Teach, you shall take the walls under the cliff yonder. L'Ollouois, lead your men straight at the fort. Do Lussan. let the curtain between lie your point. I shall he with the first to get over. Now, charge your pieces all. and Ilornigohl, after we have started slow nud careful Arc do you keep the Spaniards down until you hear us cheer. After that hold your lire." "But I should like to be in the llrst rank myself, master," growled the old boatswain. - "Ila, ha!" laughed Morgan. "That's a right spirit, lad, but that cut leg holds you back, for with h you have to thank this gentleman." bowing toward Alvarado with a hideous countenance. "You cau be of service here. Watch (he musketeers. We would have no tiring into our backs. Now bring up the priests. And, Ilornigold, watch Heuorlta do Lara. See bat she does not escape. On your life, man, I'd rather hold her safe," he muttered under his breath, "than take the whole city of Caracas." With shouts of fiendish glee the buccaneers drove the hapless abbess and priests, who had been dragged along in the rear, to the front. The Spaniards were tiring at them now, but with no effect so far." The distance was great and the moonlight made aim uncertain, and every time a head showed Itself over the battlement It became a target for the lire of the musketeers, who, by Ilornigold's orders, ran forward under the black shadow east by the high cliff, where they could not ho seen, aucl from this point of concealment, taking deliberate aim, made havoc among tho defenders. "Now, good fathers," begun Morgan, , "you have doubtless boon nni-lmia know why yon were not put to dontb. | I saved you uot because I loved you, but because I needed you. I bad a purpose In view. That purpose Is now apparent." "What would you do with us, sonor?" asked Sister Maria Christina, tho abbess. A little service, my slater. Bring up the ladders, men. S<*\ tliero are seven all told. That will be four apiece to four ladders, with one priest over for good measure and to take the place of any that may bo struck down." "And what are we to do with them, seuor?" asked tho leader of the priests, Fra Autonlo do las Casus, drawing nearer to tho captain. "You are to carry them to yonder wall and place them against It." "You do not mean," burst out Alvarndo painfully, for he could scarcely speak from his wouuded clieek, "to make this holy woman and these good priests bear the brunt of that tire from the fort?" "Do I value the lives of women and priests, accursed Spaniard, more than our own?" questioned tho captain, and tho congenial sentiment was received by a yell of approval from tho men. "JJut If you are tender hearted I'll give the defenders a chance. Will you ad- : vise them to yield and thus spare these priests?" "I cannot do that," answered Alvarado sadly. " 'Tls their duty to defend the town. There are twenty hero; there nro hundreds there." "D'ye hear that, mates?" cried Morgan. "Up with tho ladders!" "But what If we refuse?" cried one of tho priests, "You shall be given over to the men," answered Morgan ferociously, "whereas if you do us I order you may go free?those who are left alive after the storm. Do ye hear, men? We'll let them go after they have served us," continued the chief, turning to his men. "Swear that you will let them gol There are others In La Guayra." "We swear, we swear!" shouted one after nuotlier, lifting their hands aud brandishing their weapons. "You hear!" cried^lorgan. "Pick up the ladders!" "For God's sake, sir, unsny your words! We cannot place the laddersj which will give you access to yonder! helpless town!" "Theu to the men you go!" cried Morgan ruthlessly. "Death," cried the abbess, snatching a dagger from the nearest "hand and driving It into her breast, "rather than dishonor!" She held herself proudly erect for a moment, swayed back and forth and then fell prostrate upon the sand, the blood staining her white robe about the hilt of the poniard. She writhed and shuddered In agony where she lay, striving to say something. Fra Antonio sprang to her side and before nuy one could Interfere knelt down. "I?I?I have aiuncd," she gasped. "Mercy, mercy!" "Thou host done well. I absolve thee!" cried the priest, making the sign of the cross upon her forehead. "Death and fury!" shouted Morgan, livid with rage. "Lot her die unshrlven! Shall I be balked thus?" no sprang toward the old man, stooping ovex' the woman, and struck him across his shaved crown with the blade of his sword. TheT>rlest pitched down Instantly, a long shudder running through him; then ho lay still. "Harry Morgan's way!" cried the buccuueer, recovering jysj^lq^e. "Aud v % you'?" turning toward the other' priests "Have you had lesson enough? Piel up those ladders, or"? "Mercy, mercy!" screamed the fright enod cccleslnsts. "Not another word! Drive them for ward, men!" The buccaneers sprang at the terrl fled priests with weapons out. Firs 1 Death rather than dishonor I" ono and then another gave way. Tht only leader among them lay upon tli< sand. What could they do? They pick ed up the ladders, aud, urged for wan] by threats and shouts of the bucca uecrs, under cover of a furious dls charge from IlornigoUl's musketeers they ran to the walls, imploring the Spaniards not to lire upon them. When the Spanish commander perceived who were approaching, with n mistaken impulse of mercy he ordered his men to lire over their heads aud so did little danger to the approaching buccaneers. A few of theui fell, but the rest dashed into the smoke. There was no time for another discharge. The ladders were placed against the walls, and the priests were ruthlessly cast aside and trampled down. In a little space the marauders were upon the ~ ramparts, fighting like demons. Morgan, covercsl by Blaek Dog, with Teach, Dc Lussan and L'Ollonols, was lu the lead. The desperate onslaught of their overwhelming uuuibers, once they had gained a foothold, swept the defenders before them like chaff. Waiting for nothing, they sprang down from the fort and raced madly through the narrow Rtreets of the town. They brushed opposition away as leaves are driven aside by a winter storm. Ere the defenders on the east forts could realize their presence they were upon them also. In half an hour every man bearing a weapon had been cut dowu. The town was at the mercy of this noi-oc uuman tigers. They broke open wine cellars, they pillaged the provision shops, they tortured without mercy the merchants and Inhabitants to force them to discover their treasures, and they Insulted the helpless women. They were completely beyond control now. Drunk with slaughter, Intoxicated with liquor, mad with lust, they ravaged and plundered. To t0 the coufuslon, fire burst forth here and there, anu uexove the morning dawned half of the city was In ashes. The pale moon looked down upon a scene of horror sueli as It had never before shone upon even in the palmiest days of the buccaneers. ? CHAPTER XVI. ETTE musketeers under Ilornlgold, chosen for their mastery with the weapon, had played their parts with cunning skill. I Concealed from observation by the deep shadow of the cliffs and theroI fore immune from the enemy's fire, they had made targets of the Spaniards on the walls and by a close, rapId and well directed discharge had kept down the return of the garrison until the very moment of the assault. Hornigokl was able to keep them in hand for a little space after the capture of the town, but the thought of the pleasure being enjoyed by their comrades was too much for them. Anxious to take a hand in the hideous fray, they stole away one by one, slinking under the cliff until they were beyond the reach of the boatswain, then boldly rushing for the town in thn nnnn until tlin nlil qo ilm* wflu lnff with only n half dozen of the most dependable surrounding hhuself and prisoners. The rest would not have got away from him so easily had he not been so Intensely oeeupied that at first he had taken little note of what was going on. Mercedes and Alvarado had only opportunity to exchange a word now and then, for extended conversation was prevented by the guards, Alvarado strove to cheer the woman he loved, and she promised him sho would cliooso Instant death rather than dishonor. He could give her lit tlo encouragement of rescue, for unless word of their plight were carried to the viceroy immediately ho would bo fai on the way to the Orlnocb country be fore any tidings could roach him, am by the time he returned It would b< too late. Again and again Alvarado strove t break his bonds in impotent and help less fury, but this time he was secure ly bound, aud his captors only laughe( ?t his strucrorlos. In the mlilst <<f tlm! grief and despair they both took notlc of the poor abbess. Fra Antonio h:u not moved since Morgan bad strncl hi in down, but there was Ufo still li the woman, for from where the; stood, some distance back, the twi lovers each marked her coirvulslv trembling. The sight appealed pro foundly to theui in spite of their peril ous situation. "The bravo sister lives," whlsporet Mercedes. " 'Tls so," answered Alvajado. "Be nor," he called, "tho sister yonder 1 alive. Wilt not allow us to iniuistor t lierV" "Nay," said Hornlgold brusquely, " will go myself. Ilack, all of ye!" In added. "8ho may wish to confess t me In default of the worthy father." He leered hideously as he spoke. "C<)wacd[" Qrled ^.Iv&rado. Hut hi , ?. ? - ? ? J A *| *WU? ? words affected Ilornlgold not at all. Before lie could say another word the guards forced him rudely back with the two women. The worthy , Senora Agaplda by this time was In a state of complete aud total collapse, but Mercedes bore herself?her lover t marked with pleasure?as proudly and as resolutely as If she still stood within her father's palace surrounded by men who loved her aud who would die for her. Rolling the body of the prostrate old man aside, Ilornlgold knelt down on the white sand by the form of the sister. The moonlight shone full upon lier face, and as he stooped over he scanned il with his o?e eye. A sudden tlnsli of recognition came to him. With a muttered outh of surprise ho looked again. "It can't be!" he exclaimed. "And yet"? Aiicr rra Antonio's bravo attempt at absolution the woman had fainted. Now she opened her eyes, although she was not yet fully conscious. J "Water!" she gasped feebly. And as It chanced the boatswain had a small | bottle of the precious fluid hanging from a strap over his shoulder. There was 110 pity in the heart of the pirate; lie would have allowed the woman to | die gasping for water without glviug her a second thought, but when he recognized her?or thought he did?there instantly sprang into his mind a desire to make sure. If slio were the person ( he thought her she might have information of value. Uuslingiug the bot' tie and pulling out the cork, he placed it to her lips. "I?die," she murmured in a strougor | voice. "A priest!" "There Is none here," answered the boatswain. "Fra Antonio?he absolved you." "Hut I must confess." "Confess to mo," chuckled the old man in ghastly mockery. "Art in holy orders, scnor?" muttered tlie woman. "Iloly enough for you. Pay 011." era Antonio, now," she continued, vacantly lapsing into scmideliriuui. "lie married us?'twas a secret?bis rank was so great. He was rich, I poor?humble. The marriage liuos? In the cross. There was a? What's that? A shot? The buccaneers. They are coming! tJo not, Francisco!" Ilovnlgold, bending on attentive ear to these broken sentences, lost not n word. "Go not," she whispered, striving to hft an arm. "they will kill thee! Thou shalt not leave me alone, my Francisco. The boy?in Panama"? It was evident to the sailor that the poor woman's mind had gone h--*; " the dreadful days a* *"vr ^ 1 an* nma. lie was right then; It was she. "The boy?save him, save him!" she cried suddenly with astonishing vigor. The sound of her own voice seemed A? ?ti JUk,. U olApiUul' her eyes lost their wild glare and fixed themselves upon the man above her. his own face in the shadow as hers was In the light. "Is it Panama?" she asked. "Those screams?the shots"?she turned her head toward the city?"the flames! Is it Panama?" "Nay," answered the one eyed fiercely. " 'Tis twenty-five years since then and more. Yonder city is La Guayra. This is the coast of Venezuela." "Oh?the doomed town. I remember r?OW T cfdlllinil nivonlf initbnn place the ladders. Who art thou, senor?" "Benjamin Hornigold!" cried the man fiercely, bending his face to hers. Horn,gold 11 ihe cried For a second the woman stared at him. Then, recognizing him, she screamed horribly, raising herself upon her arm. "Hornigold!" she cried. "What have you done with the child V" "I left him at Cuchlllo, outside the walls," answered the man. "And the cross?" "On his breast. The captain"? "The marriage lines were there. You betrayed me. May God's curse?nay, I J die. For Christ's sake?I forgive? r i nucntu, r iiiuiini'V. She foil back gasping on the sand. Tic tore tlio Inclosing coif from her '* face, in u vain effort to hold back dentil's band for another second Ilor9 nlgold snatched a spirit flask from his belt and strove to force a drop between 3 her lips. It was too late. She was '* gone. lie knew the signs too well, lie laid her back on the sand, exclaiming: * "Curse her: Why couldn't she have r lived a moment longer? The captain's 0 brat?and she might have told me. Bring up the prisoners!" he cried to c the guards, who had moved them out 1 of earshot of this strange conversation. V "The cross," he muttered, "the mar3 rlnge lines therein. The only clew. 0 And yet she cried 'Francisco.' That h was the name. Who Is lie? If I could And that cross! I'd know It among a thousand. Illther," he called to the ' prisoners slowly approaching. As Alvarado, with an ejaculation of pity, bent forward In the moonlight tc s look upon the face of the dead wo3 man from his torn doublet a silver crucifix suddenly swung before the eye? 1 of the old buccaneer. e "By heaven!" he cried. "'Tis the o cross." He stepped nearer, seized the carver crucifix and lifted It to the light, a "1 CQuld sweaty it tyty tl10 autue," to ?ea." "A moment, by your leave." said Alvarndo, stepping toward the dead. Assisted by Mercedes, for he was still bound, he stooped down and touched Ills lips to those of the dead woman, Whispering a prayer as he did so. Rising to his feet, he cried: "Rut my father! Who Is he? Who was he?" "We shall find that out." "Rut his name?" "I'm not sure; I cannot tell now," answered Ilornigold evasively, "but with this clew the rest should be r>n?r muttered. "Sonor, your uatne and rank?" "I cannot conceive that either concerns a bloodthirsty ruHltn 11!.e"? "Stop! Perhaps there is more in tills than thou thinkest." said Mercedes. "Tell hitn, Alvarado. It can do 110 harm. Oh, senor. have pity on us! My mother I " Unbind me!" she added. "I give you uiy word I wish but to pay my respect to the woman yonder." "She gives good counsel, soldier," answered the boatswain. "Cut her lashing," he said to the sailor who guarded them. As the buccaneer did so Mercedes sank on her knees by the side of the dead woman. "Now, sir, your name?" asked Ilornigold again. "Alvarado." "Where got you that name?" "It was given me by his excellency the viceroy." "And wherefore?" There was something so tremendous in Hornigold's interest that iu spite of himself the young man felt compelled to answer. "It was his pleasure." "Had you not a name of your own?" "None that I know of." "What mean you?" "I was found, a baby, outside the walls of Panama iu a little village. The viceroy adopted me and brought me up. That is all." "When was this?" asked Hornigohl. "After tin' sack of Panama. And the name of the village was"? "Cuchillo!" interrupted llornieoid trt. umpnantiy. "My (Jod, seuor, liow know you tliat?" "1 was there." "You \Vere there?" cried the young tnnn. "Aye." "For love of heaven, can you tell me who I am, what I am?" "In good time, young sir. and for a price. At present I know but one thing." ? 3!lat your mother," answered the buccaneer slowly, pointing to the white tigure on the sand. "My mot her I" cried Alvnrado, stepping forward and looking ?r?wn upon the upturned face, with its closely cut white hair, showing beautiful In the mwnHnW. 4,?n<l rest, her soul! She j hath a lovely face and died in defense of her honor like the gentlewoman she should be. My mother! IIow know you this?" "In the sack of Panama a woman gave me a male child, and for money I agreed to take it and leave it in a safe and secluded spot outside the city walls. I carried it at the hazard of my life as far as Cuchillo and there left it." "IJut how know you that the child von left Is I?" Trust mo, and when wo can discus? tlds matter undisturbed"? "Rut I would know now!" "You forgot, young sir, that you are a prisoner and must suit your will to my pleasure. Forward!" But the soul of the old buccaneetf was filled with fierce joy. lie thought he knew the secret of the crucifix now. The Spanish captain's mother lay dead upon the sands, but his father lived, lie was sure of it. lie would free Alvarado and bring him down upon Morgan. lie chuckled with fiendish delight as he limped along. He had his revenge now; it lay in the hollow of his hand, and 'twas a rare one Indeed. Mercedes being bound again, the little party marched across the beach, and the bodies of the priest and the nun were left alone while the night tide came rippling up the strand. Scarcely had the party disappeared within the gate of the fort when the priest slowly and painfully lifted himself on his hands and crawled toward the woman. While the buccaneer had talked with the abbess he had returned to consciousness and had listened. Bit by bit be gathered the details of her story, and, in truth, he knew it of old. R.v turning his bead he had seen the crucifix on the young man's breast, and he also had recognized it. He lay still avl silent, however, feigning death, for to have discovered himself would nave resulted in his instant dispatch. When they had none he painfully crawled over to the body of the poor nun. "Isabella," lie murmured. giving ber her birth name, "thou didst suffer. ' Sl?y ihcm, O God I * Thou tookest thine own life, but the j loving God will forgive thee. I am glad that I had strength and courage to absolve thee before I fell. And I did not know thee. 'TIs so many years since. Thy son, that brave young captain?I will see thee righted. I wonder"? He moved nearer to her, scrutinizing her carefully, and then the old mon opened the front of her gown. "Aye, aye; I thought so," he said ns his eye caught a glimpse of a gold chain against her white neck. Gently ho liftoil it, unclasped It, drew It forth. There was a locket upon It. Jewels sparkled upon its surface. She had worn it all these years. "O vanitas vanitatum!" murmured the priest, yet compassionately. "What is It that passes the love of woman?" He slipped it quietly within the breast of his habit and then fell prostrate on the sand, faint from pain and loss of blood. Lour the two figures lay there In the moonlight while the rising tide lipped the shining sands. The cool water at last restored consciousness to one of the still forms; hut, though they laved the beautiful face of the other with tender caresses, they could not call back the troubled life that had passed into peaceful eternity. Painfully the old priest raised himself upon his hands and looked about him. "O (Jod," he murmured, "give me strength to live until I can tell the story. Sister Maria Christina?Isabella that was?thou wert brave and thou wert beautiful; thou hast served our holy church long and well. If I could only lay thee in some consecrated ground, but soul like to thine makes holy e'en the sea which shall bear thee away. Shriven thou wort; buried thou shalt be." The man struggled to his knees, clasped his hands before him and began the burial service of his ancient church. "We therefore commit her body Into the great deep," ho said, "looking for the general resurrection In the last fay and the life of the world to come"? The water was washing around him ere he finished Ills mournful task, and with one loug look of benison and farewell he rose to his feet and staggered along the road down the bench. Slowly he went, but presently he reached I the turn where began the ascent of the mountain. Before he proceeded he halted and looked long toward the llauiing. shrieking, ruined town. The flooding tide was in now and the breakers were beating and thundering far across the sauds. The body of the abbess was gone. . [to bv oorrmrtrro.] | Toets are born nud not made, and sometimes you wonder why they were bom. The woman with nothing to weur In not necessarily the women In the ballroom with next to nothing on. When a man asks the legislature to change his name it may bo because he desires, above everything else, what he considers a good name. "Around tlio baby's nock tlio mother, ere she gave him to mo, placed this curious cross you wear. 'Tls of such cunning workmanship that there is naught like it under tlio sun that ever I have seen. I know it oven in the faint light when my eyes fell upon it. I loft the child with a peasant woman to take him where I had boon directed. I believed him safe. On leaving Panama that village lay in our backward path. We burned it down. I saw the baby again. Because I had been well paid I saved him from Instant death at the hands of the buccaneers, who would have tossed him in the air on the point of their spears. I shoved the crucifix, which would have tempted them because it was silver, underneath the dress and left the child. lie was alive when we departed." "And the day after," cried Alvarado, "De Lara's troops came through that village and found me still wearing that cross! My mother! Loving God, can it bo? But my father"? "What shall I have if I tell you?" "Itlehes, wealth, all. Set us free and"? "Not now. I cannot now. Walt." "At least, Donna Mercedes." "Man, 'twould be my life that would pay. But I'll keep careful watch over her. I have yet some Influence with the captain. Tomorrow I'll find a way to free you. You must do the rest." "Mercedes," said Alvarado, "heardst thou all?" "But little," answered the girl. "That lady Is believed to have been my mother!" "Gentle or simple," said the girl, "she died in defense of her honor, like the noblest, the best. This for thee, good sister," she whispered, bending down and kissing the pale forehead. "And may I do the like when my time comes. Thou sliouldst bo proud of her, my Alvarado," she said, looking up at him. "See!" she cried suddenly as the resemblance, which was Indeed strong between them, struck her. "Thou hast her face. Her white hair was once golden like thine. lie tolls the truth. Oh, sir, have pity upon us!" A messenger came staggering to> ward them across the woods. "Master Ilornigold," he cried. "Aye, aye." > "We've taken the town. The captain wants you and your prisoners. You'll find him in the guardroom." i "We must be gone," said Jjfcrnlgold. "Rise, mistress. Come, sir." i "But this lady," urged Alvarado his lips could scarcely form tlie unfamiliar i j word "mother"?"and the good priest? j You will not leave them here?" > "Tho rising tide will bear them out