Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1897-05-11

time ago."
OF the joy of the widow and Jennie
over the return of Angus, we will leave
the reader to imagine.
Mother" he said, when they had
entered the house, you can get ready
to return to Scotland. have now o
home for you and Jennie in your ma
tive land"
"Hugh Gordon told me all, lad. Thou
hast come into thine ain; now belize
thouldst wed Clara HILL"
flush, mother"
Here be q letter, son, and a box tibet
wur left with me at midnight by the
pirate Black Beard not week before
the Mervine went down."
Angus hastily tore open the envelope
and read as follows:
Capt Angus Bruce-Dear Sir: When I
landed you at Beaufort that night, little
I knew must keep of the coast for few
days. and give you q chance to get away.
then gradually tho feeling came over me.
to fall back to my former life-with q good
stanch craft like the Clara Belle, It over
mastered me: I sailed for San Domingo,
whore shipped some men, and brought
away q cargo OF negroes; Of my other e1-
ploits you will probably read. You have
always treated me as q man: know you
to be as innocent OF the murder Of Lloyd, as
you are OF being Black Beard, but It is
supposed that you were he, and better 30
for you, as they will not search for you
elsewhere. In time your innocence may be
established; have made my last trip as
Black Beard. the Pirate. shall make but
one more on this coast, and that will be to
endeavor to capture Lathrop on the night
OF his marriage to Miss Hill, in which
event I shall cause him to confess his
crime. and to sign written document
setting forth all circumstances. This con-
fession. II obtained. I shall send to your
mother. and should I capture Lathrop, and
not be able to obtain it, shall hang him
at the yard arm of the Clara Belle.
A word more and I am done. You little
knew when you employed the stranded
seaman that morning. and afterwards made
him your mate, that you were placing your
craft in the hands of San Domingo, the
pirate captain of the Nancy, which was
lost of this coast nearly three years ago,
but such was the case-now as you will
probably never see the Clara Belle again.
and as have not the disposition to rob a
benefactor. and man in trouble, shall
900 IN gold, with your mother; as much as
dread to meet her, to remunerate you for
the loss OF the schooner, in case you are
ever able to return home. and IL otherwise
It will provide for the needs OF those you
love.
This money is not blood money. neither
did It come from the treasury in Washing
ton. but 1t was received for the negroes we
captured in San Domingo, whose condition
was rather improved than otherwise, by
being transplanted to American soil, even
as slaves. so you need not hesitate to make
use of 1t. Now. as we will probably never
meet again, wishing you all manner OF
cence may be established. and that you
may yet win the woman you one day saved
from the depths of the Cape Fear, am
unworthily your old Mate.
CALVIN STEWART.
"There is the gold, son. tried-I
tried-but could ma give the mon ava.
When he left the house, started to
cali the oofficers, but / could ma doot.
What wilt do with the gold, SOM"
Idon't know, mother. We can't send
it back whence itcame; give it to Jennie
for q marriage portion"
"Why, the lass wilt not cen look at a
sweetheart"
"Give her time, mother, give her time;
our Jennie is particular"
AT two o'clock on the following day
the yacht made fast to Orion landing,
and Angus followed the rice bank to the
house.
He was ushered into the parlor by the
maid, who notified Clara that a gentle
man had called and inquired for her.
AS she entered the door Angus arose
and advanced to meet her, and though
she knew from remarks made by Gordon
that he was liable to come home at auv
time. she could not repress the cry:
Angus! oh, August" and would have
fallen to the floor had not his strong
arms sustained her.
"Clara, dear, denr Clara! can believe
that you are glad to see me home? Glad
to know that the. stain is taken from
my name? love you, Clara, with my
whole heart and soul. 1t is not Angus
Bruce. the pilot, who speaks to you now,
but Sir Angus, who has inherited tho
title and estates of his ancestors. Your
father can no longer object to Angus
Bruce. Can you love me, Clara? And
will you be my wife at last?'
"The man love is Angus Bruce, the
pilot, the brave captain of his schooner,
who rescued me from watery grave
and won my heart; but if he wills it, I
will become the wife of Sir Angus"
wills it, dear? That one hope has
borne him through what has seemed
an age of uncertainty, during
which time he was deemed to be
both Black Beard and the muir
derer of John Lloyd. But, thanks
toGordon and Aunt Mag. sll now is made
clear. Lathrop has probably paid the
penalty of his crimes. either by self dc
struction or by hanging from the yard
arm of the pirate. Black Beard was my
former mate, Calvin Stewart, who by
this letter you will see but fell back to
his old vocation. All! your father!
Squire Hill, the runaway has returned!''
"And right welcome. Angus, to Orion
Lad I never could see how you could he
guilty of the murder of Lloyd, but cir
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