University of Virginia Library

11. CHAPTER XI.

The third morning after the tragic scene described at the close
of the preceding chapter, the Sea-Slipper was gliding along within
a league of the Cuba coast, between Matanzas and Havana, and
running up to the former port. Carleton was pacing the deck
moody and silent. He had lost a faithful coadjutor in Morris
Græme, and the presence of Eve daily more and more annoyed
him. He would not suffer her to walk on deck with him, and the
most of her time was passed in her cabin weeping. Yet still she
loved him with the same holy and undying constancy. As the

schooner approached Havana, with the Moro Castle two leagues distant
to leeward, Carleton's attention was directed to the manœuvres
of a sloop of war under American colors, which, after standing
in towards the harbor and signalizing, tacked and began to beat
seaward again, stretching away to windward of him, with her signals
still flying.

He did not like her looks; and as he watched her with his glass,
he saw her, soon after getting an offing, change her course, and
squaring her yards, stand down before the wind towards him. He
felt no disposition to be in the neighborhood of such a formidable
stranger, and crowding sail he steered straight for the Moro keeping
at the same time as near the shore as would be safe. In a short
time it was evident that the sloop of war was in chase. He felt,
even if he had a full complement of men, to resist in this case
would be madness. He, therefore, looked wholly for safety to the
speed of his fast-sailing Sea-Slipper; and beautifully did she fly
over the waves.

The sloop of war came walking down at an overhauling pace
before the wind, and now very clearly showing her object in first
beating up to windward. The schooner, however, outsailed her,
and this Carleton saw with no little gratification. He was now
confident of escaping his pursuer. The Moro castle was now but
half a league distant, and he expected in twenty minutes to be safe
in the neutral harbor, when he saw coming out a heavy schooner
of war with the stars and stripes flying; and with signals set. He
watched her a few moments, and saw that she commenced beating
up so as to intercept him. The manœuvres of the sloop and the
signalizing were now explained. Carleton now felt the full difficulty
of his situation. But his courage and coolness and self-possession
were always equal to any crisis; and after a few moments
reflection, he resolved to pass the schooner, fire into her, receive
her broadside, and then, if unharmed, the port was open before him
for shelter.

He instantly had his men called to quarters; but he had only
enough to man one battery. This battery, however, was the only
one he was likely to want in running his gauntlet, and he resolved
it should tell. The sloop of war came down with a flowing sheet
and open ports; and the armed schooner was standing shoreward,
across his course on the starboard tack.

Silently and swiftly the Sea-Slipper approached the schooner,
till within pistol shot, when the latter wore round and fired a broadside.

“Luff a little! Now let them have it!” at the same instant
cried Carleton, first to his helmsman and then to his men.

The smoke blew away and Carleton found his fore-topmast shot
off just above the head of the foremast, and two of his guns unshipped
and rendered useless. The schooner of war had only been
hulled by a shot and lost her flying jib-boom. The injury to the
Sea-Slipper at such a moment was irreparable and fatal. Before
she could be brought to her course again or obey her helm, the
sloop of war came down at a slapping pace, and heaving to under
her stern poured a broadside into her which raked her fore and aft.
The destruction was terrific. Half of Carleton's men were killed
or wounded, and the rest fled from their guns. The next moment
the schooner lay her aboard, and Carleton alone with Red Fred,
and Eve clinging upon him, defended his quarter-deck. A party
from the sloop of war now poured over her starboard gangway,
and Carleton was face to face with Harry Ellis, her commander.—
After a personal conflict between the two captains, the buccaneer
was disarmed and made a prisoner upon his own deck. He was
taken with Eve on board the sloop of war. As he crossed the gangway
his eye fell on Blanche Hillary, who, pale and beautiful, rushed
up to Harry and tenderly embraced him, crying:

“My dearest husband, thank God you have returned in safety.”

“Her husband! Blanche, is he thy husband?” sternly demanded
the bound pirate chief.

“The lady is my wife, sir buccaneer,” said Harry with a look of
surprise. “Dost thou object? If so, be speedy with thy words;
for by mine honor you shall have short shrift and a strong rope.”

“Nay then, I have no further word to say,” he said with a look
dark and gloomy as his own stern nature. “Lead on to my death!
Eve, there stands the woman who taught me how to love, and that
I loved not thee!”

Eve turned upon Blanche her large earnest eyes, then advancing
to her said:

“Lady, I forgive thee, though thou art the cause of all my
woe!”

“What means this? What beautcous being is this?” exclaimed
Blanche, moved with astonishment.

“The pirate chief's bride—his wedded wife! for now there is no
need of concealment Carleton. He loved me till he saw thee, and
now my heart is broken for his love of thee!”

“Thou art a strange creature,” said Blanche with deep interest.
“I grieve that I should have been the innocent cause of thy sorrow.”

“Then dost thou not love him?” she asked with an carnestness
as if life depended on the reply.

“No, lady. Here is my husband and him alone I love.”

“Thanks, thanks! thou hast kept me from hating—nay, cursing
thee! Carleton I forgive thee for loving one so beautiful and
so good. But ah! these are the signs of death! sir, let me die
with him,” she cried kneeling at Captain Ellis's feet and clasping
his knees.

“Nay—thou art not guilty with thy husband if thy face speaks
truth. His life is forfeited by his crimes. Remove her, and
Blanche see that she does no mischief to herself! poor child! As
for thee, thou red-handed man of crime, prepare to die by to-morrow's
sun-rise. There goes thy schooner to pieces, an emblem of
its mater's coming fate.”

He pointed, as he spoke, to the Sea-Slipper which at that moment
blew up with a terrific explosion.

Carleton was led below in irons, followed by the twelve surviving
men of his crew, Red Fred alone having escaped by swim-mind
to the land.

It was midnight. Carleton lay in the ward-room upon a gun
carriage, to which he was chained. The sloop of war was becalmed
off the Moro, which through the port, he could discern in
the moonlight. He was reflecting upon the past without remorse,
and contemplating death without fear. All Eve's teachings had
been in vain! all the admonitions of conscience, and self-convictions
of the truth of God had been suffered to fade from his mind-and
as he lived so he was on the eve of death.

“Pass!” said the sentinel at his door in a stern tone.

He looked up at the voice, and by the faint lantern, hung from a
beam above, he recognized Eve. He turned away his head and
seemed not to have seen her enter.

“Edward,” and her soft hand was laid on his arm.

“What would you here?” he roughly inquired.

“The lady you love—Blanche—has at my earnest entreaty persuaded
the Captain to permit me to visit you.”

“Well.”

“To-morrow at sun-rise you die.”

“Wouldst thou mock me with telling me of it.'

“`No, dear Edward! I have come to tell thee I love thee at this
dark hour as I have ever loved thee! that thou art, though chained
and condemed to die, and hated of mankind, that thou art still
as dear to my heart as when in girl-hood I first surrendered it to
thee. Be comforted and hope for a better life!

“Eve, your love strengthens me. I bless thee for it. But of a
better life I have no hope!”

“God is good and his mercy is over all men. There is hope
even for the worst of men. Let me read to you from this book!”
He said nothing and she read the last part of the chapter in Mathew
upon the crucifixion, and dwelt upon the forgiveness of the thief.
The effect upon Carleton could not be seen as he was silent, and
his face was buried in his haads!

Hour after hour she sat by his side till the dawn broke. The
secret effects in Carleton's heart of those hours of prayers and eloquent
teaching are known only to the searcher of hearts. The hour
came for his execution!

When Eve left him he tenderly embraced her and then walked
calmly to the spot to which he was led. He looked up to the foreyard
and to his evident surprise saw none of the usual preparations
for death swinging there. His eye then fell on a file of marines
drawn up, and he was told that his men would be taken into Havana
and executed but he was to be shot.

“Thy wife has begged this lenity for thee,” said Captain Ellis.

At this intelligence his dark eye brightened and his bearing and
look became prouder. He looked round to meet Eve's eye and
saw her and smiled upon her. She sprung forward, threw herself
upon his neck and embraced him and whispered with strange calmness,
“Edward bear up! I will not be long separated from thee!
Remember thy promise to commit thy soul to God in Christ, in
thy last moment.

The moment came, and the young buccaneer chief was led to a
stage erected on the bow, and there was un-ironed and blindfolded.
There was a deep silence for a moment as he stood there left alone.
His lips moved, his face was uplifted a moment as if in prayer,
and he placed his hand on his breast as the signal! One simultaneous
discharge of musketry, uprising high above which was
heard a wild piercing shriek, and Edward Carleton fell dead upon
the stage, his bosom pierced by a dozen balls. There were two
spirits released at that fatal discharge. Eve was raised from the
deck where she had fallen with a wild shriek as he fell, and lo!
she was dead also.

Thus tragically terminates our narrative of the subsequent
career of the Dancing Feather. If the perusal of it has made any
one better or happier, strengthened the love of morality and order
in Society and shown the evil consequences of vice and immorality,
the aim of the author will be attained.