Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 43: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

IVAN THE But there was another and perhaps a better ¥eduoh why the sailors particularly liked Darby, and that was on account of his great cleverness at boxing, and which may be explained by the following incident. Darby had not been many hours’ on board the ship when a young man, a great bully among the crew, who went by the name of Hans Dyke, began to make fun of film, and call him all the ugly names he could imagine, and for what reason Darby couldn’t imagine, Darby was latighed at first by one and then another, until ‘‘he’d stand it no longer,” “What de matter, Massa Darby?” said Bintus, the black cook, grinning and showing his white teeth in a broad and malicious grin, ‘ What de matter, sar,eh? Am Massa Dyke makin’ game on ye? Yah! yah! you mustn’t get vexed, at last he got very red in the face and swore roundly that Massa Darby, but mun stan’ it like a lamb, for Massa Dyke, dough a young ’un, is de best man in de whole ship’s crew ; he can whop de whole lot, cap’n an all if he want to, and has lots 0’ money |” “Oh! he can, eh?” said Darby. .“ Vell, you jist look ahere, ai’ mind yhat I tells yer, if this ere Hans Dyke don’t a-mind what he’s a doin’ with this ’ere chicken he'll werry soon find he’s on the wrong side o’ the hedge, my boy, if not in a ditch instead of a dyke |” _“ Who talks o’ Hans. Dyke?” said-that burly braggart, sidling up to Darby with looks of contempt. “ Who talks 0” the Dutchman as they calls me, eh?” Brutus the black cook grinned until his eyes almost started out of their sockets as he lauched, “Yah! yah! by golly, de little un won’t stan’ no erfly chénee wid Hans!” _“Won’t he?” said Darby, putting his hands in his pockets, and looking up at his opponent with looks of indifference, TERRIBLE. 39 “Well, Mastét Hans, and vhat do you vant, ei? I suppose you thinks, as you’re a big ’uh, and a stone or two heavier than me, that you.can do and say vhotever you chooses; but don’t you make no error, my boy,” we. ‘Well, and what then f” said big Hans, with an.:oath.. “Why, for another word, I’d pitch you overboard, you-little shrimp,” § ; : Not so little neither,’ said Darby, valiantly, and to the surprise of all the sailors then present near the forecastle, he squared off at big Hans, saying, ‘‘ Now, then, my joker, hold up yer hands. If you will you will, you know; but I'll have a shy at yer if yer was as big as a helephant !”’ Big Hans Dyke was astounded when he saw Darby square off at him and challenge him to fight. With an awful oath he rushed at Darby like a bull at a gate, swearing to throw him overboard; but Darby met his antagonist’s onslaught with such straight and terrible blows that Han’s eyes were soon black and so, dreadfully. swollen that, he could not see his compact, hard-hitting opponent, who danced about him with the agility of a cat, The captain and officers of the ship were soon informed of. the fight, but knowing Hans was a éerrible bully, and was considered ‘‘ a terror” among the crew, the captain applauded Darby’s courage, and allowed the fight to proceed, particu- larly as he saw that Harry Perey’s groom, although much smaller and lighter, had all the best of it. The “ Dutchman ” fought on for nearly half an hour, but was dréadfully punished abont the head and face, and was repeatedly knocked down by Darby amid the cheers and groans” of the sailors, , Perceiving that he had no chance with his active and wiry opponent he cursed awfully at everything and everybody, and drew his knife ! (Zo be continued.) THE GHOSTS HOUSE IN THE LONELY ROAD. (Continued From page 32.) CHAPTER V. THE GHOST’S ROOM IN THE HAUNTED CORRIDOR. Iv was the third hour of the morning when Frederick Edgeworth reached the house in the Jamaica Level. | On his arrival his first inquiry was for the doctor. ** He is here, sir,” said Prudence Locke. ‘‘ Being fatigued he has retired to a chamber at the top of the house.” ‘JT will not disturb the worthy gentleman in his repose,” replied Fvederick. ‘‘ Since I am assured of his safety I ean readily wait till morning to eommunicate the business upon which he and I will have to be engaged.” Reassured by the intelligence he had received from the house- keeper, Frederick, in better spirits, entered the room that had been prepared for him, and by the side of a welcome fire partook of a slight repasf. 1 “Tt is strange,” said he, ** how a heated imagination will picture danger and cause heedless alarm. mysterious encounter on the heath, are evidently only fantasies, and yet so terrible that it is with difficulty I divest myself of their realization. i The young officer, suffering from the anxiety and fatigue he had undergone during the past two days, over his musing fell imper- ceptibly into a dose. On awaking, his eye was suddenly attracted by a trace of blood on the floor. He examined the mark more nearly, and discovered it to be the impression of.@ man’s heel, and to his horror perceived a second, and near them a third and fourth. It seemed as if tle person who had left this track had waded in gore. What diveadful deed had then been committed, or, what was more horrible to the mind of the young officer, was it even at the moment being perpetrated ? ey i ea The thought woke up Frederick Edgeworth like a pistol-shot, ** Manetlio !” he exclaimed, in a voice of agony. ‘* Wretch that I am to draw him to this fearful dwelling only to murder him !”’ * He was aroused from his reverie by a solemn voice; it was that of his friend Manetho ! The vision at Dartford, the ** Frederick; thou hast not forgotten thy oath of amity ?” ‘‘ Manetho, it was a sacred oath, and ’tis registered ‘here,’ » exclaimed the officer; pointing to his heart with significance. ‘‘ A most horrid and inhuman murder has just severed iny thread of life. I am no Jonger mortal, but my soul exists—exists for retribution and justice—for eternity.” An icy thrill shot through the veins of Frederick, and a fire. sedred his brain as the phantom thus continued : ** In every hour, and in every place, by sombre night, by lustrous day, the spirit of thy murdered tutor will hover round thee. He will be your guide, your counsellor, your support. The dastard blow by which I and another have fallen, must not remain un- punished ! ’Tis decreed the murderer ne’er escapes the ayenging arm of heaven. Thou art its instrument; marked out by fate. Frederick . Edgeworth must yield to the hangman’s grasp the. assassins of Sebastien Manetho; and one he will hereafter name.” : “If heaven has ratified my oath,” exclaimed the young soldier, ‘and thouart sent to show the spot where lurk those guilty of thy blood—lead on, I follow, conduct me where thou wilt.’ “To Dartford, then ; for thither must you direct your steps.” Fredevick started as one awakened from the dead. “* Great heaven! the assassins beneath my mother’s roof! Oh! spirit of my departed friend, in mercy, I conjure you, name them. ‘ ‘ “Jtis forbidden. You will find them during the féte which is preparing for your intended nuptials with Amabel Sydney.” The countenance of the murdered Mauetho was at this moment noble and tranquil; he turned to an old escritoir and box, and from which his companion; as directed, took a pile of soiled parch ments, and the written contession of the dying Job Foster. sf “* Consult those papers ; their contents decide thy future wel- fare,’’ continued the phantom, indicating the documents Frederick held in his hand, ‘* Ata fitting time I will denounce the bluod- spillers. By thy oath I compel thee to name them aloud, and deliver them to the laws’ stern grasp. Do this, and both thee and the spirit of thy slaughtered friend will rest .in peace for.ever;” * Manetho, your injunction shall be Tile i e b Colmicboolkescoin