The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1870-04-02
@iseellanp.
THE WAGER.

"Nonsense~
'Oh, very we'll; it's very easy to say nonsense.
cuff"
Tmssn to cay that every night, at . certain
hour, those three murderers return and hold
converse under that gibbet."
'Icannot imagine how sensible man like
you can talk 60"
II tell you I've heard them; it's no mere hear.
say with me; I've heard them; once laughed
st the idea, just as you do now; but heard and
ilaaehed no more &c you now .. any time Inn,
this night. il you dare, and bet anything you'll
come back believing"
.Done; whatll ysu bet"
'TI bet yeu my horse against your pony"
'Done; I'll take it."
"Done it is; here. Brown, you'll do to hold
the stakes"
The above conversation took place in the "4ep
Lion Inn" at Camden. little village on the
coast of Maine. The first speaker was . fine,
fresh faced, broad shouldered, honest looking
fellow, who under rough clothing, bore the un.
mistaksbls signs of u man. The other had the
air of sea faring man, though his dress was
that of farmer. Two others were with them,
both of whom had very much the same appear
ance. Five or six others we're present. all of
whom took deep interest in the conversation
and gave hearty assent to the bet
As the bet was made the man Brown arose
and proceeded to take charge of the stakes
The two men who had made the bet also rose
BY the air of the rest of the company it was evil
dent that they considered the bet was already
lost by the unbeliever; they were all inhabitants
of the village; the who had made the bet
was a stranger, and local pride Was aroused,
even If there was no feeling to animate them.
The man who had accepted the wager began
to prepare for his departure he took flask of
brandy only to encounter his supernatural foes
whom he was supposed to encounter, ahd laugh
ingly departed.
"Well" said one of the spectators. after he
had departed, she's gone-the young feller's
gone; he'll get enough of it."
"That he will said another.
"Hs'll be back soon as he gets there"
"They have driven off better men than him
"Thc clanking OF the chains is enough
"Yes-let alone the voices
''The first time heard it was struck dumb"
"And 1 should have fallen dead on the spot, if
there hadn't been another man with me-"
'Its nice pony the young Teller will have to
give up"
"Well, he ought to know better than to be so
free with his bets"
"Hes never been much in these parts before"
"No, of course not, or he wouldn't have been
so free with his BETS
While these men were speaking the one who
had made the bet with his two companions had
quietly departed. Scarcely had they left, when
fierce gust of wind, coming up the street set
all the signs and shutters creaking, which added
to the supersttious terror of the company ut
the'inn.
While they were engaged in various specu.
lations as to the result of this experiment, the
young adventurer WAS going on toward the
place.
1t was on the summit of wide, bleak and
desoate ridge, terminated by cliff, a. the base
of which the ocean surf beat here, some years
before, a murder had been committed by gang
of rufians; they had been captured, and three
of the ringleaders had been hanged in chains up
on lofty gibbet the very spot where the
crime had been committed.
AS the adventurer neared the spot the wind
blew in gusts over the ridge-the moon occasion.
ally shining out from behind cloud revealed
the scene: 1t WAS gloomy indeed and might we'll
have appalled, u man even of strong nerves. The
gloom of the night formed background, and in
the foreground rose lofty three armed gibbet
from each arm of which there hung suspended
the skeleton of man in chains; the rushing
wind gave to the scene additional elements of
terror. As it drove past, it swung the skeletons
making them vibrate to and fro, with all their
load OF chains and letters, so that they creaked
and ratified, and made thousand weird and
CHASTITY sounds in the lonely darkness.
From the distance there came up Il low, sullen
sound, ut regular intervals rising and dying
again; it was the ocean surf, which beat upon
the shore not far away, for Camden was fishing
village, and the village stood upon a high cliff
which oyerhung the beach. The moaning of the
wind, the low, sullen roar of the surf, and the
clsnk OF the chains, were sufficient to inspire
dread in the boldest heart.
The young man, however, seemed quite un.
affected by any supersttious terrors he quietly
dismounted, flung the horses bride over his
arm, drew his cloak about him and waited.
For about an hour he waited, patiently, keep
ing wary look about him, so US not to be sur.
prised in that gloom. The light, however, was
sufhclent to prevent any one coming near unob.
served. and the watcher felt satisfied SO long as
he had his pistols at his belt.
AT length he felt conscious OF q low moan
which WAS entirely different from any of the
sounds which he had hitherto heard
1t seemed to arise from the ground behind
him 1t was a moan OF peculiar nature.
The watcher grssped his pistols and turned
toward the direction from which the sound
came.
Then followed heavy sigh he waited then
came deep groan smile OF contempt passed
over the watchers face.
"Very clumsy trickery,' he thought Ih.d
the management of it l would act differently.
Suddenly there wac q grating overhead; he
looked up; the skeletons in chains we're descend.
ing they were moving down slowly; an they
descended they swung in the wind, and wer.
Knocked together and dashed against the gallows
Tree. otill they were suspended aud were not
coming down without being lowered down.
Inc watcher stepped back and coolly waited
Win grim smile on his face the skeletons
came down slowly, till u, last they touched the
ha uf,l.