Staunton vindicator and general advertiser. (Staunton, Augusta County, Va.) 1858-1860, 1859-09-30

-
deep thai it attracted the Captains notice,
who resumed with contemptuos sneer.
whats the fool snitelling aboht7 Egad,
believe, after all I've been mistaken in you
though I thought myself tolerable judge
Of character; and If So, you know the conse-
quences."
II fear not your threats, sir" said Ire
fanion, looking tho pirate steadily in the
face; ''but when you spoke ofliberty just
now, memory, carried. me back for moment
10 MY native Devon"
"What," enquired the captain with sur
prise, ''are you from Devonshire go am
EYES," replied John; "my poor father
still lives there, and little knows
"1Tather father y interrupted the pirate
in softer tone than was usual with him,
II too had a father once" and then turned
away his head, as if afraid to trust himself
with further speech.
I'm that case" replied the young man,
astonished and delighted at this show Of SEN
sibillty- may imagine what I must
feel"
ON, STRIP exclaimed the Captain,
suddenly changing his manner, and endea-
voring to lash himself into d rage-''I can
imagine nothing-I can feel nothing -but
that have been revengedl Yes, young
ster, I too had once father-but he was
poor-cyil times fell On him, and he sank
beneath the oppressor's grasp"
"How so7''
"Why, his health failed him, and be got
into arrears with his landlord, who despite
the old mans grey hairs, thrust him into a
dungeon, where he died raving mailman.
I was young then, but when | found myself
alone in the world-alone, I say, for her
husbands griefs hal troken my mothers
heart-a change came over me, the thought
less levitv of youth fled for ever, and I
swore an oath that I would have q bloody
vengeance. And the hour came. / pray
ed for it-plotted for it--tarried for it--and
it came. Alone, at nightfall, on Exmoor l
met the ruffian He screamed-he wept-
he crouched at my feet for pity, grant him
but his life; he said, and he would give me
back all. Wretch, replied, thrice accur-
sed wretch, for avarice, not want, impelled
you to this, give me back my parents; bid
the grave restore it's death, and make me
deaf to their nightly cry fer vergean5e'-
Monster, you cannot; land stabbed him to
the heart You would have laughed to heir
his dying groans, and see the hideous glare
Of his eye as it slowly fled in death: Hah!
hah hah! Twas rare luxury" and the
pirate clutched his dagger, as if he we're a.
bout to repeat the act.
"Horrible p exclaimed John, uncon-
scious that he was overheard; "and was
there no law in England to punish such a
deed Z"
CLAW what should law have to do with
such as me :? Talk Of law to those who
have petty wrongs to redress had muir
dered father to revenge, and revenge con-
suits not law nor gospel either. But ehough
of this, youngster; you have caused me to
say that ephich / never yet said to human
being so let us drop this subject, and come
back to business. Will you join us-ay Of
no 7"
Tre4anion hesitated, but tie Captain ii.
sisting Oh a reply, he resolved, as his only
resource, I'd temporize' SO observed, '',
decision like this involving the fate Of my
whole after life, cannot be come to in al
instant II is bdt short while. sifice yor
proposed it to me; surely, therefore. you
will allow me time to reflect on it,
"Ho! ho lad. you're wavering; we'll
that's good aign / thohght it would come
to this It IS not every one who can with
stand the temptation Of such prizes as Porte
Bello holds out to u.s."
"You agree then to my REQUEST for sonle
little delay ?"
"Why, as to that" said tie Captain Hes
itating.
Surely you cannot object 1t is not
much | ask"
"Well, we'll, be it So; you arc ootn:
tryman Of mine, and on that account | will
grant you-say week, not an hour longer
This id calm, | fear. will last long, and
while it lasts, we shall have no need Of your
services. But if at the end of a week you
have not made UP your mind, swear'-
and here he. scowled like tiger oh John--
! ''you shall BE strung up to the yard arm,
and afterwards cut piece-meal and fling to
the sharks
"And to this delay yoi soleinnlJ pledge
yourself?"
| "When did ever frss-trader. bfeak HiE
word /? Mine is past; let that suffice And
now come down with me below deck, for
this calm gives us but too much leisure for
merry making"
| With heavy heart. yet not without q
lingering hope that something might occur
| to befriend him, Trevanion accompanied the
captain into the state cabin, where the elite
of the crew were assembled at one Of their
orgies.
CHAPTER VII.
Captain Davis-or the gentleman rover
as he was termed by his corti-toguea, from
his superior address and tnanner, On which
he prided himself-was tie only sotl Of, a
small Devonshire farmer, who having fall
en- into difficulties and been imprisoned, as
has beet already shown; BY his landlord,
for sundry arrears of rent, &C., fell d, VIC
tim to his disappointments- died; in Short,
madman, catastrophe witch so infuria-
ted his son, whose mother soon followad her
husband to the grave, that he Murdered the
author Of these complicated calamities and
then, after wandering some weeks up and
down Che country, effected his escape, dis
guised as common sailor, in a merchant
man, bound for the Bahamas joined the
Buccaneers headed BY the ferocious Olonois !;
= IL. nd