The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-08-24
CHAPTER XIV.
TN BAIRATA,s BEDROOHL

elbow, holding apart the curtains of the
| bed with his 6ther baud, in his night garb.
and with his eyes toward whore Bazilio en-
| tered.
Near the bed, within easy reach of the
| Captain, was table. Oh which lamp was
brightly burning. As the curtains of the
window were closely drawn, daylight with
out was not yet visible in the apartment
| The lamp showed pair Of gold mounted.
| pistols and a heavy gold watch lying on the
table, and boot near the door. The boot
| was the missile which the Captain had
| hurled against the door to summon Bazilio
| to his presence, Bazilio being his secre-
| tary, bosom adviser and trusted comrade,
| and also his first officer at this time.
"ffa, Bazilol Glad to see you! What's the
hour?" growled the Captain, with sleepy
| glare in his leonine eyes.
"Speak in whispers, Captain! People
of the house are astir. 1t is half-past
| six"
aHal half-past six? But what luck, Ba-
zilio?"
THE very best, Captain.
"Good That calms my soul again.
Where are the notes?"
| Here" replied Bazilio, counting upon
the table the five notes which had been
| bound together with the strip of paper.
"As you said / might keep one If Irecov-
| cred all, Captain, he added, and replacing
one Of the five notes in his pocket book, Il
| will do so.
The Captain glared discontentedly, and
| growled curse.
"They are the same that We saw him
count from your hand yesterday afternoon.
| Captain, and paste the strip of paper
around. have burned the strip.
"Bazlio, shall need that Ell 900 note to-
Va, ..1Al ,,,1 3 49, AsYo oJ
| we realize on our secret cargo you shall
| have double the amount for the use of it. .
| Bazilio did not look as if he liked this
| proposition. In fact, he knew the Captain
was very slow in paying his debts.
"Come." growled the Captain, his face
| growing redder as he scowled, you know l
was forced to pay that man nearly every
| dollar I could rake and scrape together yes
! terday, or he would have had the brig
keenly examined to-day He meant to
| make his threat good, and would have done
SO had | not paid him the five thousand
| pounds before sunset. His watchers were
| near the brig. There was no way to be rid
| of them nor of his menaced examination of
| the brig save by paying him all owed him.
| You and /, and all our crew, would now be
| in prison under the easily proved charge of
| trading in counterfeit money had not paid
| the man. You know that
| oh, yes, Captain; I know that very
WE'LL"
Then help me in little affair have on
my hands to-day by lending me that one
| thousand pound note, to make up five
thousand pounds, which may decide to
to pay to old Dame Grippard this morning
| at Old Anchors.
sob! you think Of paying her-Dame
Helen Grippard-iive thousand pounds at
| Old Anchors this morning. Captain! May
1 ask why you desire to pay her SO great
sum-"
Why not? / usually tell you all my af-
| fairs, Bazilio You have never betrayed
me vet. You know that if ever you do be-
| tray me your life will thereafter speedily be
| at an end Yes, l think l may see fit to
| pay Dame Helen Grippard five thousand
| pounds sterling to-day, and contract to
marry her grand daughter.
Baziho started violently at this reply, but
the Captain did not observe the fact nor
that Bazilio's eyes cleaned with sudden
rage as he asked:
| rs it possible that you intend to marry
| Miss Verneena Roland, Captain?"
| "Most certainly / shall desire most ar
| IDENTIFY to marry Miss Verneena roland
the reputed grand daughter of Dame
| Grippard-if the dame proves to me that
| the girl is half as great an heiress as the
| dame declared she was to me yesterday"
| is Miss Verneena Roland simply the
reputed grand daughter of Dame Grippard,
| Captain?'
$50 the dame said she would prove to
me--and prove more-if she and | agree
upon terms to-day at Old A chors.
| Il did not know that you had ever seen
| Miss Roland, Captain"
II never have. Bazllio But. by my soul,
| if she were to prove to be as ugly, as hide
| GUS, as the old laly herself, would scarce
| ly hesitate to marry her to gain two mll'lons
| Of dollars, my dear Bazilio.
"Two millions of dollars Captain!"
! "She may be proved the heiress of not
| dollar less, Dame Grippard swore to
me yesterday, and is to prove to me to-day.
| But am to pay down into the old cormo-
| rants fist twenty five thousand dollars to-
| day as the first part of our negotiations.
Will you lend me five thousand. Bazilio?
| Besides the four thousand pounds on the
| table, have at my command barely three
hundred dollars to- day.
| 81 will lend you the five thousand pounds
| you ask, Captain" replied Bazilio, placing
| the one thousand-pound note on the table
with the other four. Here is inc note for
| a thousand pounds.
Thank you, INV, lad! You shall share
| in my good fortade, when lis mine. Well
| hold high revelry all over Europe, my boy!
| But tell me how yon got the notes from the
man? We saw him put the package into
| his safe. you remember, few moments
after paid them to him. How did you
| get into tie safe, Bazilio?"
"He afterward took the notes from the
safe, replied Bazilio. as lightly as il speak
ing upon any ordinary subject. else they
would. very probably. not be here now,
| Captain.
| All, they were on his person when you
! took them, Bazilio?"
sNo matter where they were when | took
them into my possession, Captain. You
have them now. The man will never ask
| you nor me for them"
Hal" exclaimed the Captain, springing
to sitting posture. You mean that you
have killed him?"
Il was forced to do SO, Captain. What
does it NATTER
1T matters much" cried the Captain,
snatching his pistols from the table with
wonderful gu ckness and aiming them at
Bazilio's breast and head. at is matteI
of life or death to me as well as to you II
you have left single trace that shall lead
inquiry toward me or toward you.
Scoundrel, I did not tell you to kill the
mani Tell me all, and by heaven il shall
then believe that you have left single