Adventure Magazine Cover — page 81: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

SO “Don’t be a fool, captain. Do you want to provoke trouble between the crews? His men outnumber us by nearly two to one. Besides, he’s paid handsomely for the girl, and dealt fairly with us.” “Dealt fairly? You 2 In all his foul vocabulary he could find no epithet to describe his lieutenant. He caught him a blow that almost sent him sprawling. The pearls were scattered in the sand. Cahusac dived after them, his fellows with him, and for some moments they groped there on hands and knees, oblivious to all else. And yet in those moments vital things were happening. Levasseur, his hand on his sword, his face a white mask of rage, was confronting Captain Blood to hinder his departure. “You do not take her while I live,” he cried. “Then I’ll take her when you’re dead,” said Captain Blood with cool indifference, and his own blade flashed in the sunlight. “By the articles it’s hanged at the yard- arm ye ought to be. But since ye prefer it this way, ye muck-rake, faith, P’ll be humoring you.” He waved away the men who would have interfered, and the blades rang together. M. de La Place looked on, a man be- mused, unable to surmise what the issue either way could mean to him. Mean- while Blood’s men, who had taken the place of his negro guards, had removed the crown of whipcord from his brow. As for mademoiselle, she had risen and was leaning forward, a hand pressed tightly to her heaving breast, her face white, a wild terror in her eyes. It was soon over. The brute strength upon which Levasseur so confidently count- ed could avail nothing against the Irish- man’s practised skill. When with both lungs transfixed he lay prone on the white sand, coughing out his rascally life, Captain Blood looked at Cahusac across the body. “T think that cancels the articles be- tween us,” he said. “If you will come to our anchorage you shall have your share of the other booty and dispose of it as you please. If you would sail with me again first make your peace with the Dutch and restore the brig and her cargo.” They went, the two prisoners with them; and, the division made, they ‘parted com- pany whilst Mademoiselle de La Place Adventure and her brother—the latter relieved now of his bonds—were conducted to the great cabin of the Colleen and left there in ago- nized bewilderment, conceiving ,that their escape was but from pan to fire. on her knees before her brother to implore his pardon for all the evil her wicked folly had wrought. M.de La Place was not in a forgiving mood. He answered her in bitterness. “T am glad that at least you realize what you have done. And now this man has bought you, and you belong to him. You realize that too, I hope?”’ He might have said more, but he checked, perceiving that Captain Blood stood in the doorway regarding them. Mademoiselle sprang up at sight of him and shrank away in fear. Captain Blood came forward. _ “Mademoiselle, I beg you to dismiss your fears,” he said with gentle gravity. “Aboard this ship you shall be entreated with all honor. So soon as we are in case to put to sea again we steer a course to Tortuga to take you home to your father. “And pray do not consider that I have bought you, as your brother has just said. I have but provided the ransom necessary to bribe a gang of scoundrels to depart from obedience to- the arch-scoundrel who commanded them, and so deliver your honor out of all peril. Count it, if you please, a friendly loan, to be repaid en- tirely at your own convenience.” | Mademoiselle looked at him with in- credulity. Monsieur de La Place rose to his feet. “Monsieur, is it possible that you are. serious?” “T am that. It doesn’t happen often. I may be a pirate, but I’m not a low scoun- drel like Levasseur, who should have stayed in Europe and practised purse-cutting. We dine in an hour, and I trust you will honor my table with your presence.”’ Mademoiselle came slowly forward, star- ing at him between dread and wonder. “Oh, you are noble!” “Not to my knowledge,” said Captain Blood. Abruptly she fell on her knees, caught his hand and kissed it before he could wrench it from her. a “What do you do?” he cried. ’ MADEMOISELLE flung herself CONNIE MOOSE j “é —