The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1870-03-04
THE WAGER.

"Oh, very well. It's very easy to say
nonsense" - e q
"Do you mean to say that you believe
all this stuff"
81 mean to say that every night, at a
certain hour, those three murderers re-
turn there and hold converse under that
gibbet."
81 cannot imagine how sensible.man
like you can seriously talk so. ! !
81 tell you I've heard them. It's no
mere hearsay with me; I've heard then.
1 once laughed at the idea, just as you
do now, But heard, and 1 laughed no
more. Go you now at any time this
night, if you dare, and bet anything
you'll come back believing
Ozone; whatll you beth"
"I'll bet my horse against your pony"
"Done. I'll take itpVGLl -,.-ei-G-
"Done it is. Here, Brown, you'll do
to hold the stakes" .. .'.',...
The above conversation took place in
the 'Red Lion Inn," at Camden, a little
village on the coast of Maine. The first
speaker was q fine, fresh-faced, broad
shouldered, honest-looking fellow, who
under rough clothing bore the unmis-
taxable signs Of . gentleman. The other
had the air of sea-faring man, though
his dress was that of farmer. Two
others were with him, both of whom
had very much the same appearance.
Five or six others were present, all of
whom took deep interest in the con-
yersation, and gave . hearty assent to
the bet, EllES. bitl4A = EA W
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 arose. BY the air of the
rest of the company, IL was evident that
they considered that the bet was already
lost by the unbeliever. They were all
inhabitants ofthe village. The one who
had made the bet was a stranger; and
local pride was aroused, even if there
were no other feeling to animate them.
The man who had accepted the wager
began to prepare for his departure. He
| took flask of brandy only to encoun-
ter the supernatural foes whom he was
supposed to encounter, and laughingly
| departed.
| "Well," said one of the spectators, af.
ter he had departed, 'he's gone; the
young feller's gone. He'll get enough
of it, .r..s.,,
THAT he WILL" said another ~
He'll be back as soon as he gets there
They've driven of better men thar
him."
"The clanking ofthe chains is enough.
"Yes-let alone the voices"
| eal44AO ~ - SAAAhk - !" o1 btt tAC
dumb"
"And l should have fallen dead j
there hadn't been another man with me.
"It's nice pony the young fellow viii
have to give up, any way"
.Well, he ought to know better thai
to be so free with his bets"
.He's never been much in these part
"No, of course not, or he wOuldn'
1 4 n -.AL 4. J..
While these men were speaking th
one who had made the bet, with his tw
) companions, had quietly departed
Scarcely had they left, when a fierc
gust of wind, coming up the VilIag
street, set all the signs and shutter
) creaking, and added to the superstition
: terror OF the company at the Inn.
While they were engaged In yariou
speculations as to the result of this e1
! pertinent, the young adventurer wa
E going on toward the place.
. Ii was OH the summit of wide, bleal
aud desolate ridge, terminated by acIf
Here, some Yeas before, q murder b
r been committed by a band of ruftian
! They had been captured, and three {
= the ring-lcaders had been hanged
; chains upon a LOFTY gibbet on the yer
spot where the crime had been con
mitted. 5iriT ..4iss.s. + .lis....L ,...-i,
AS the adventurer neared the spot Il
: wind blew in gusts over the ridge. II
moon occasionally shining out from b
$. hind q cloud revealed the scene. 1t WI
gloomy indeed, and might well have a
palled . man even of strong nerves, II
ii gloom Of the afglft 3fornned u hacI
ground, and in the foreground rose
= Iofpy three -arEAed gib6st, FROM eaaEaE
of which there hung suspended the ske
G eton OF . man In chains The rushil
A. wind gave 10 the scene additional Z,
= ments of terror. AS 1t droRe past
swung the skeletons, making them Y
l. brGte sloWlyt TO and mo, with their loi
n of ichAins and 6etters, 30 that they creA
I'd ed and ratified, and made . thousal
T. weird and ghastly sounds in the lone
- darkness. frI taateag 1--.d.ld aug .-t
5. From the distance theirs came mp
deep, low, sullen sOand, at regular int
9. walls dying and rising again, to die aN-
= In long, low reNepbeENaioAA at wOs {
Of ocean surf, which best upon the sho
g not far sway; for UemdSnW was q 6sh1l
village and the gzN6st seocd uPona hi
- - = ~