Adventure Magazine Cover, April 1916 — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

60 will be friend to Henry Morgan. Go with us, where gold, and fame, and the zest of a man’s life await us, and we shall have our hearts’ desires, all of us—my hand upon it.” There was the glow of romance and the lure of glory in his words, and a depth of passion in his voice that sent the warm blood tingling and dancing through Nancy’s veins. For one rebellious moment her heart responded to their appeal with a surg- ing desire. All the wantonness of her un- tamed nature was crying to be free, to fol- low this freebooter wherever his insatiable lust for gold might lead him. If he had seized her then in his arms he might have had her for the asking; but he let his moment of opportunity pass him by unheeded, as every man does with some woman once in a lifetime. And so there slipped from Henry Morgan a greater prize than all the treasures the Spanish Indies held, for Nancy, turning now to Barney, saw in his face hatred and doubt and mis- trust. Her ardor cooled. Composure re- turned to her. She was once more mistress of herself. 7 When Barney slunk out of the cabin, and Captain Morgan addressed her once more he found her shrinking from him as be- fore. While the Irish lad sped down the deck to the forecastle, whispering an ex- cited word to every man he met, and final- ly, followed by Jim Rimble and Pierre, his whiskers bristling, dived down below on some mysterious mission, Captain Morgan returned to the assault of the citadel of her heart, only to find it more strongly fortified than ever, so that in his arguments he pass- ed from persuasion to force. Eloquence gave way to anger, and failing by less peaceful means to return to that stage of his love-making where he had found himself when interrupted, he adopt- ed methods to which he was more accus- tomed, and had just taken Nancy, protest- ing, in his arms, when the cabin door was burst open and Captain Stillingfleet was there, a dozen British faces framing the companionway behind him. So Henry Morgan released the girl from his embrace, for there was something in Godfrey’s mien that held his eager atten- tion, even as it held Nancy’s, a look that he had never seen before in such eyes or upon such firm lips, but that Nancy had seen there in the flash of the lightning on the old Baptiste the night he had taken her Adventure in his arms, and kissed her, and she beheld it with different emotions, too, for whereas the buccaneer felt instinctively for his pis- tols she as instinctively felt for her hand- kerchief—the Spanish girl’s handkerchief. Not having included that article of toilette in her borrowed plumage, she forbore to weep. Captain Morgan also changed his mind. He found the hilt of his pistol, but did not draw, and not solely because of the compel- ling look in the deep blue eyes Master Stil- lingfleet fastened upon him. Those faces in the doorway also carried a message for him which he was quick to read. CHAPTER XIV CAPTAIN STILLINGFLEET TAKES COMMAND ée ‘ 9 O, in God’s name,” said Captain Morgan, after a pause, very coolly, and measuring his antagonist at his leisure, taking note of the breadth and the brawn of him, ‘‘may you be, and to what do I owe this intrusion?” “If you have not heard my name, that is a misfortune you may repair in your own way and in your own time,” replied Cap- tain Stillingfleet coldly. ‘‘As for what I am doing here, since when has it been an intru- sion for the master of a ship to step into his own roundhouse?”’ “You master here!’’ exclaimed the pirate with an incredulous sneer. ‘‘Nay, but the maid is Captain. Her own men did con- firm it not long since on my own ship that was lately blown up under me.” “Did Mistress Nancy tell you she was Captain?’? demanded Captain Stillingfleet, still looking at the buccaneer with unblink- ing eyes. ‘Why, as to that, no; but she did act the part.” ‘“‘That is as it may be. But since she did not tell you that she is in command I will tell you that I am.” And with this he smiled at the girl, as if to say, ““Now is your opportunity to speak.” But Nancy, glancing then in vexation at Captain Morgan, bit her lip, and said noth- ing. Captain Morgan, looking sharply at the men framed against the sky in the cabin door heard him add, ‘‘Ay, ask them, an’ you will, since you doubt my word.” And he turned full upon Jim Rimble such a look that started him spluttering. CoOMmichoooks CO