FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186  
187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196   197   198   199   200   >>  
ying. "But for these poor people who have so suffered, this, my lord," he exclaimed with eager gratitude and happiness, "hath been a happy day for me. Last night, sir, on the beach yonder, I found a mother. A good sister, she, of Holy Church, who, rather than carry the ladders which gave access to the town, with the fearful alternative of dishonor as a penalty for refusal, killed herself with her own hand. She died not, praise God, before she had received absolution from a brave priest, although the holy father paid for his office with his life, for Morgan killed him. To-night I find, by the blessing of God, the favor of your Excellency and the kindness of the lady's heart--a wife." He dropped upon his knees as he spoke and pressed a long, passionate kiss upon the happy Mercedes' extended hand. "Lady," he said, looking up at her, his soul in his eyes, his heart in his voice, "I shall strive to make myself noble for thee, and all that I am, and shall be, shall be laid at thy feet." "I want not more than thyself, Senor Alvarado," answered the girl bravely before them all, her own cheeks aglow with happy color. "You have enough honor already. You satisfy me." "Long life to Donna de Lara and Captain Alvarado!" cried old Agramonte, lifting up his hand. "The handsomest, the noblest, the bravest pair in New Spain! May they be the happiest! Give me leave, sir," added the veteran captain turning to the Viceroy. "You have done well. Say I not true, gentlemen? And as for the young captain, as he is fit to stand with the best, it is meet that he should win the heart of the loveliest. His mother he has found. None may know his father----" "Let me be heard," growled a deep voice in broken Spanish, as the one-eyed old sailor thrust himself through the crowd. "Hornigold, by hell!" screamed the bound buccaneer captain, who had been a silent spectator of events from the background. "I missed you. Have you----" The boatswain, mindful of his safety, for in the hurry and confusion of the attack any Spaniard would have cut him down before he could explain, had followed hard upon the heels of Alvarado and de Tobar when they entered the fort and had concealed himself in one of the inner rooms until he saw a convenient opportunity for disclosing himself. He had been a witness to all that had happened in the hall, and he realized that the time had now come to strike the first of the blows he had prepared against his old captain.
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   183   184   185   186  
187   188   189   190   191   192   193   194   195   196   197   198   199   200   >>  



Top keywords:

captain

 

Alvarado

 

father

 
killed
 

mother

 
growled
 

broken

 
loveliest
 

noblest

 

turning


bravest

 

Viceroy

 

veteran

 

happiest

 
handsomest
 
gentlemen
 
spectator
 

concealed

 

convenient

 

entered


opportunity
 

disclosing

 

strike

 
prepared
 

happened

 

witness

 

realized

 

explain

 
screamed
 
buccaneer

silent
 

events

 
lifting
 

Hornigold

 
sailor
 

thrust

 

background

 

missed

 

Spaniard

 

attack


confusion

 

boatswain

 

mindful

 

safety

 

Spanish

 

dishonor

 

alternative

 
penalty
 

refusal

 

fearful