The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED. i) The door chain rattled ! A window above was suddenly and violently slammed too, as if by the wind. This startled Bolton. He crawled round to the parlour window. It was open ! He got in, and pulled off his boots. He softly opened the door, and found himself in the-large, dark entrance hall. The slow and solemn ticking of the old hall clock seemed to strike his heart with pangs of re- morse and horror. He held his breath, and cold sweat oozed from his brow. He could distinctly hear the loud pulsation and wild, excited beatings of his own vile heart as there he stood with wild eyes peering up the broad dark staircase. ‘“‘ All is still,” he said, and prepared to ascend to the sick man’s room. Each step was taken cautiously, and with cat- like softness, < But the stairs were old, and creaked with a warn- ing sound. He had reached the first landing, and stood in a dark recess to recover his breath, Onward he went. He could see the light streaming through the key- hole of the old man’s bed-room. There remained now but one more flight of stairs. The first step he took was arrested by an ominous click, which sounded like the cocking of a gun! Bolton’s eyes now glared like two burning coals in the darkness around him. His hand upon the bannister,trembled, anda cold sweat flowed from every pore. A sense of deadly horror seized him, but he knew not why. He felt as if some unnatural and hideous being was watching him, and dogging his noiseless foot- steps. What could it be? He knew not. Some dreadful fear compelled him to créuch down low upon the landing from sheer exhaustion. Bang! bang! suddenly burst out upon his astonished ears, and awoke loud echoes in the old farm-house. A double-barrelled gun had been discharged at him, loaded with buck-shot, and by some one con- cealed at the head of the stairs, A loud groan followed the flashes and report, CHAPTER III. THE MURDER OF FARMER BERTRAM—THE LEG- LESS BODY—SUDDEN APPEARANCE OF THE SKELETON CREW, ‘*‘ BLACK-HEARTED scoundrel !” said a voice, not far off. ‘‘Black-hearted scoundrel! I knew by the wicked twinkle of his eye that he meant me ill. Cunning as he was I have outwitted him. He is dead! Hecame here to rob and murderme! I will go and get.a light, and view the body. Heaven knows, I did it in self-defence. What could an‘old man like I do with such a villain as that lying dead on the stairs, if he had once got into my chamber and found mein bed? Oh! Bolton, you lie a cold and bloody helpless carcase now, and you deserved it. The story of my son was a cruel trick, but you have paid dearly for it. I will go and get a light ; I saw him in the orchard, and watched him.” So saying, theold man ‘walked across the landing into a chamber near his own where the lamp was, At that instant Bolton rose quickly and bolt up- right, He was untouched ! The shot had in both instances missed him, for he had lain flat on the staircase, He had groaned, it is true. But this was in order to deceive old Bertram. In a second he ascended the stairs, looked to his istols, and, with Bob’s bludgeon in hand, stood eside the farmer’s chamber door. He peepedin, . Bertram stood with his back towards the door trimming a lamp. Bolton creeped up behind him. In a moment the heavy bludgeon was raised, and descended with frightful force on the old man’s head ! A fearful crash it was. In asecond afterwards Farmer Bertram lay groan- ing on the floor. “Murderer ! my footsteps shall follow you where- ever you go, When least you expect me I will appear to you! on land or sea; in your gay moments, in your sad moments ; when alone, or when sur- rounded by friends; sleeping or waking, J, Bertram, your murdered victim, will stand by your side in the most horrid form, and follow you wherever you go |” While thus cursing, Bertram rose, and, in his death grasp, took hold of Bolton’s throat, but Bolton, with a loud shriek, dashed the murdered man from him, and hurried into the next chamber to search for his gold. He found several bags of money in an old oak chest, The sight of the glittering coin ravished his eyes, dancing as they were with fiendish triumph. ‘Tis well,” said Bolton, ‘the old man is richer than I thought. Now for the notes; he has them concealed in the lining of his boots. Emptying the gold into his many large capacious pockets he unsheathed his dirk, “T will cut his boots open, and secure the notes,” said he. Lantern in hand, he re-entered the room where the lifeless body lay. His eyes almost darted from their sockets at the sight he then saw. Each hair on his head stood on end ; he trembled in every limb. His very marrow was frozen at the awful spec- tacle before him. The body was legless ! Each leg had been disjointed just above the knee ! The limbs were gone ! “ How could this happen?” mused the guilty man, trembling from head to foot, Just at that moment he heard loud laughter out- side in the garden—laughter not like that of men, but of demons. He rushed to the window, and saw below the hideous forms of a dozen skeleton men, dancing and skouting in wild delight. “Some of the Skeleton Crew !” he gasped, placing his hands before his face to shut out the horrid sight, On the instant they vanished in the darkness, with loud shouts of mockery, like things of air ! Almost struck dumb with astonishment, he stood there, as if transfixed to the spot. A gust of wind blew out his lamp. In the dreadful darkness he heard the heavy footfalls of a man descending the stairs with slow and solemn step, while a voice, exactly like Farmer Comichboo ——— <SEGOn