Morris tribune., 1905-12-09

the northeastern skies with gloomy dis
satisfaction The wind was blowing
dead inshore, and as the struck bells
denoted the passing hours with each
half hourly period it grew appreciably
stronger If it continued to blow OF
if, as it was almost certain, the
strength of the wind increased it would
be impossible without jeopardizing the
ship to come to anchor in the exposed
roadstead. They would have to run for
1t. Nay, more, they would have to
beat out to sea against it, for the coast
line beyond La Guayra turned rapidly
to the northward.
Morgan was bold and skillful mar
iner, and he held his course parallel
to the land much longer than was pru-
dent He was loath, indeed, to aban-
don even temporarily a design upon
which he had determined, and as he
had rapidly run down his southing in
this brief cruise his determination had
been quickened by the thought of his
growing nearness to the Pearl of Ca
racas until for the moment love-o1
what he called love-had almost made
him forget the treasure in the ship be-
meath his feet, for the Pearl of Cara
cas- was a woman
Mercedes de Lara, daughter Of the
viceroy of Venezuela, on her way
home from Spain, where she had been
at school, to join her father, the Count
Alvaro de Lara, in the vice regal pal
OF To n r
called the city of Caracas, in the fair
valley on the farther side of those tow
ering tree clad mountains-the cor
dilleras Of the shore-had touched at
Jamaica. There she had been received
with due honor as became the daugh-
ter of so prominent a parsonage, by
the vice governor and his wretched
wife. Morgan's heart had been in
famed by the dark, passionate beauty
of the Spanish maiden 1t was only
by severe restraint enjoined upon
himself by his position that he had re-
Trained from abusing the hospitality
he extended by seizing her in the old
buccaneer fashion. The impression she
had made upon him had been lasting
and when he found himself alone, an
outlaw, all his dreams of the future
centered about this woman.
He would carry out the plans which
he had outlined to his men, but the
Pearl of Caracas, for so Donna Mer-
cedes was called, must accompany him
to the south seas to be the island queen
of that buccaneer empire of which he
was to be the founder. That Donna
Mercedes might object to this PROPOSE
ton, that she might love another man,
might even be married by this time,
counted for nothing in Morgan's plans.
He had taken what he wanted by dint
of his iron will and the strength of his
right arm in the past, and he should
continue the process in the future.
Consequently he was most reluctant
that morning, for his passion had in
creased with each o'errun league of
sea, to bear away from La Guayra,
which was the port of entry for Cara
cas-. But even his ardent spirit was at
last convinced of the necessity. 1t was
blowing gale now, and they were
so near the shore, although some dis
tance to the eastward Of the town. that
they could see the surf breaking with
tremendous force upon the strip of
sand. The officers and older men had
observed the course Of the ship with
growing concern, but no one had ven
tured to demonstrate with Morgan un-
til old Ben Hornigold as a privileged
character finally summoned his courage
and approached him.
mark yon shore, Captain Morgan"
he said, and when he made up his mind
he spoke boldly. ''The wind freshens. |
Never had that villain appeared
30 better advantage