The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, July 14, 1905, Image 3
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