Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-08
CAPTAIN BLOOD
BIZ RAFAEL SABATINI
The Greatest Love Story Ever Told

mad taken the place of the French
mans negro guards, had removed the
crown of whipcord from his brow.
| AS for mademoiselle, she had risen,
and was leaning forward, a hand
| pressed tightly to her heaving breast,
her face deathly pale, a wild terror
| in her eyes.
1t was soon over. The brute
| strength, upon which Levasseur so
confidently counted, could avail moth
| ing against the Irishman's practiced
skill When, with both lungs trans
fixed, he lay prone on the white sand,
| coughing out his rascally life, Capt.
Blood looked calmly at Cahusac
across the body.
II think that cancels the articles
between u.s." he said.
| With soulless, cynical eyes CahuSac
considered the twitching body of his
recent leader. Had Levasseur been a
man of different temper, the affair
, might have ended in a very different
manner. But, then, it is certain tina t
| Capt. Blood would have adopted in
dealing with him different tactics.
AS it was, Levasseur commanded
neither love nor loyalty. The men
| who followed him were the very
| dregs of that vile trade, and cupidity
| was their only inspiration. Upon tina
cupidity Capt. Blood had deftly play
| ed, until he had brought them to find
| LevasSeur guilty of the one ofense
they deemed unpardonab BILE. the crime
of appropriating to himself some
thing which might be converted into
| gold and shared amongst them all.
Thus now the threatening mob of
buccaneers that came Fastening to
the theater of that swift tragi-com-
| edy were appeascd by a dozen words
| of Cahusac's.
| Whilst still they hesitated. Blood
added something to quicken their de-
cision.
IF you Will come to our anchorage
you shall receive at once your share
of the booty of the Santiago, that
| you may dispose of it as you please"
They crossed the island. the two
| prisoners accompanying them, and
| later that day, the division made
| they would have parted company but
that Cahusac, at the insta noes of the
| men who had elected him Levasseur's
successor, offered Capt. Blood anew
the services of that French contin-
gent.
If you will sail with me again.
the captain answered him. you may
do 80 on the condition that YOU make
your peace with the Dutch and re-
| store the brig and her cargo"
The condition was accepted, and
| Capt Blood went off to find his
guests. the children of the Governor
of Tortuga
Mademoiselle d'Ogcron and her
hrother-the latter now relieved Of
his bonds-sat in the great ca bin Of
the Ara bella. whittier they had been
conducted
Wine and food had been placed
upon the table by Benjamin. Capt
Bloods negro steward and cook. who
had intimated to them that il was
for their entertainment. But il had
remained untouched. Brother and
sister sat there in agonized bewilder-
ment. conceiving that their escape
was but from frying-pan 10 fire At
length, overweight by the suspense
madenoiselle flung herself upon her
knees before her brother to implore
his pardon for all the evil brought
upon them by her wicked folly.
NJ. dOgeron was not in forgiYinC
mood
Il am glad that q least you real
ize what you have done. And now
| this other tilibuster has bought YOU
and you belong to him. You realize
that. too ] hope"
He might have said more. but he
! checked upon perceIN ing that the
door was opening. Capt. Blood. COM
ing from settling matters with the
followers of Levasseur, stood on the
threshold. NJ. d'Ogeron had not trou-
bled to restrain his high pitched
voice. and the captain had overheard
the Frenchman's last two sentences
Therefore he perfectly understood
why mademoiselle should bound up at
sight of him and shrink back in fear
He dotted his feathered hat and
came forward to the table.
'Mademoiselle," said he in his vile
but fluent French, Il beg YOU to dis
miss your fears. Aboard this ship
you shall be treated with all honor
so soon we are in case to put to
sea again we steer a course for Tor
tusa TO take YOU home to Your
father. And pray do not consider
that have bought YOU. as your
brother has just said. All that ! have
done has been to provide the ransom
necessary to bride d gang of scoun-
Ircls to depart from obedience to
the aroh Scoundrel who commanded
them and SO deliver YOU from all
peril. Count il. il YOU pleases a
friendly loan to b. repaid entirely at
your convenience.
| Mademoiselle stared at him in I'M
belief. NJ. d'Ogeron rose to his feet.
monsieur, is it possible that you
are serious?"
~ am. 1t may not happen often
| nowadays. l may be pirate, but
my ways are not the ways of Levas-
seur, who should have stayed in
Europe and practiced purse cutting
have d sort of honor-shall we say.
some rags of Notwithstanding me
from better days" Then in a briske
note he added: We dine in an hour
and l trust that YOU will honor my
| table with your company. Meanwhile.
Benjamin will see. monsieur, that you
are more suitably provided in the
matter of wardrobe
He bowed to them and turned to
depart again, but mademoiselle de-
tanned him.
Monsieur" she cried sharply.
He checked and turned. while
slowly she approached him. regard
ing him between dread and wonder
"Oh. you are noble
Il shouldn't put it as high as that
myself said he.
You are, You are. And it is but
right that you should know az"
"Madelonr' her brother cried out to
restrain her.
But she would not be restrain ed.
Her surcharged heart must overflow
in confidence.
Monsieur, for what befell 1 am
greatly at fault. This man-this
Iic StdTeu, iHCreuulOuS, In MS turn.
MY God. Is it possible? That ami
mall"
Abruptly she fell on her knees.
caught his hand and kissed it before
he could wrench 1t from her.
What Go you do?" he cried.
An amende. In my mind | dis
honored you by deeming you his like,
by conceiving your fight with Levas-
seur a combat between jackals. On
my knees, monsieur. l implore you
IN