The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1870-02-17

struck dumb"
"And | should have fallen dead if
there hadn't been another man with
me-
"It's q nice pony the yoang leller
will have to give up, any way
"Wcll, he ought toknow better than
to he so free with his bets"
"IIe's never been much in .hose parts
before"
mo, Of course not, or he wouldn't
have been 50 free with his bets"
While these men were speaking the
one VIII, had made the bet, with his
companions. had quietly dcpattcd.-
Scarcely had they left, when a fierce
gust OF wind, coming up the village
street, set all the signs and shutters
crcaking, aud addel to the supersti.
tious terror Of the company at the inn.
While they were engaged in various
Spcculations as to the result of his cx-
pertinent, the young adventurer was
going on toward the place.
1t was on the summit of a wide.
bleak, aud desola,c ridge terminated
'by cliff. at the base of which the
ocean surf beat. Here, some years be-
fore, murder had been committed by
gang OF rulians. They had been
captured and three OF the iing-leadcra
had been Hanged in chains upon lofty
gihbct on the very spot where the
crime had been committed
AS the advcnturer nearcl the spot
the wind blew in gusts over the rid Ic.
The moon occasionally shining out
from behind cloud revealed the
scene. II was gloomy indeed, and
might well have appalled, man even
Of stronger nerves. The gloom of the
night formed background, aud in
the fore ground rose lofty three
armed giubet. from each arm of which
there hung suspended the skeleton OF
man 10 chains. The rushing win d
gave to the scene additional element.
OF terror. As it drove past it swun.
the skeletons, making them vibratc
slowly to and fro. with all their load OF
chains and tGttcrs, so that they crcakei
and ratified, aud male thousand
wcirci and ghastly sounds ia the lone
ly darkness.
From he distance there came up q
deep, low, sullcn sound, at regular in
,crvals dying and rising again, to die
away in long, low reverberatiuns. 1t
was the ocean surf, which beat upon
the shore not far away; for Camden
was fishing village, aud the gbbct
ood upon a high cliff which over
hung the beach. The moaning Of the
wini, the low, sullen roar of the slrt
aud the clank OF the ch,ius. were suili
ciont to inspire dread in the boldest
heart.
The young man, however, seemed
Iuite unaffected by any superstition
rerrors, lie quietly dismountei, fun
the horses brlile over his arm, drew
his C oak about him. and waited
For about an hour he waited pal
tently, keeping wary look about him
- as not to be surprised in that gloom
The light. however, was sufficient t,
prevent any one from coming near uu
observed, and the watcher felt salisiie,
50 long as hc had his pistols 1T hi,
belt.
At length he felt conscious of q low
moan, which was entirely difcrcn
, from any of the sounds which he haC
hitherto heard.
IL seemed to arise from tho grount
behind him. 1t was u moan Of pccu
liar nat ure and OF penetrating power
; The watcher grasped his pistols an,
turned toward the direction from whicl
the sound came.
Then followed n heavy sigh. II,
waited. Then camo deep moan
A smile of contempt passed over tn,
watchers face.
"Very clumsy trlckery,' he thought
"lfl had the management of it, woul,
act differently"
Suddenly there was q grating over
head. lie looked up. The skeletons
10 chains were descending. The,
were moving down slowly. As the,
descended they swung in the wind
aud were knocked together and dashed
against tho gallowS-tree. Still they
were suspended, and were not com
ing down without being lowered down
The watcher stepped back aud cool
waited with grim smile on his face
The skeletons came down slowly, til
ut last they touched the ground, Tn
, watcher COO y took one Of them an,
gave a violent pull, 1t fell down
, dragging rope after il, which creake
AS it ran through pully overhead
The watcher pulled away at it, an,
, dragged down line which was at leas
> a hundred feet in lcngth, Meantim
. the other skeletons kept rising and fall
a ing. He caught one Of them with tn
same peculiar jerk, and pulled tn
, rope in the same way. Suddenly th'
/ other skeleton began to ascend
"No, no, my fine fellow" muttcrc
r the watcher, catching the chains OF hi
: feet before it got out of reach, an'
I pulling with all his force. 1t was
sudden aud violent pull, and the skel
eton yielded. Down it fell, along wit
a the watcher, who Tell with it to tn
!. ground. But in pomsnt he arose
. aud with an audible chuckle, ho pulle
this rope down also