The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1880-04-20


again, to die away In long, low reverber-
ations. It was the ocean surf which
beat upon the shore not far away.
These things were sufficient to inspire
dread in the boldest heart; still the
young man seemed unaffected by any
superstltious terror He quietly dis
mounted, flung the horses bride over
his arm, drew his cloak about him, and
waited patiently, keeping wary look
about him, SO as not to be surprised In
the gloom. At length he felt conscious
of low moan, which was different
from any of the sounds he had hitherto
heard. 1t seemed to arise from the
ground behind him. He grasped his
pistols and turned toward the direction
from which the sound came. Then
came deep groan. A smile Of contempt
passed over the Watchers face.
"Very clumsy trickery," he thought.
"If l had the management of 1t, l
would act differently"
Suddenly there was grating ov
head. He looked up. The skeletons in
chains were descending, moving down
slowly. AS they descended they swung
in the wind, and were knocked together
and dashed against the gallows tree
Still they suspended, and were not COM
ing down without being lowered down.
At last they touched the ground. The
watcher took hold of one Of them and
gave violent pull. 1t fell down, drag
ging rope after 1t, which creaked as 1t
ran through pulley overhead. The
watcher pulled away at 1t, and dragged
down line which was at least hun
dred feet in length. Meanwhile the
other skeletons kept rising and falling.
He caught one of them with the same
peculiar jerk, and pulled the rope in the
same peculiar way. Suddenly the other
skeleton began to ascend.
"No, no, my fine fellow" muttered
the watcher, catching the chains of its
feet before 1t got out of reach, and pulled
with all his force. 1t was a sudden,
violent pull, and the skeleton yielded.
Down 1t fell, along with the watcher,
who fell with 1t TO the ground. But in
a moment he arose, and with an audible
chuckle, he pulled the rope down also.
Then he stood waiting cautiously as
before.
AT last a bright light flashed up from
the ground in front of him. 1t was
close by the edge of the cliff, and looked
like crevice. In the midst of the light
three figures appeared, each wrapped in
long white sheet. They marched up
slowly toward the gibbet. The watcher
moved to one side. Suddenly, rs they
came near, they made rush at him.
He fired. One of them dropped. In
stantly he sprang toward the opening
from which they had emerged, and,
pulling out a boatswain's whistle, he
blew three times a shrill penetrating
blast. Then he.waited with his pistols
extended.
Two out of the three figures stood
motionless, close by the one who had
fallen. Groans Of pain came from the
fallen figure. But now others appeared
upon the scene. At the sound of the
shrill whistle six or eight men, all
armed, sprang up from behind hillock,
where they had lain In concealment,
and rushed up to the two figures. In a
moment they had surrounded and seized
them. The watcher then advanced
! toward them.
"Who's this fellow 2" said he STOPPING
over the wounded man, and tearing
away the sheet with which he was
enveloped. "Ah, hal" it's you is it
So you've lost your bet"
1t was the man with whom he had
made the bet.
The watcher tore away the sheets
from the others. One was Morton-the
man who held the stakes; the other was
one of the company who had been at
the inn.
"Who are you ?" cried Morton, saw
agely.
"Well, if you want to know, I'm
Captain Arthur, custom house officer.
I've suspected that you were up ia
mischief here. My predecessor failed to
trace out the extensive smuggling opera.
tions which have been going; but
thought that perhaps the gibbet had
something to do with it. You see I've
caught you.
Morton uttered something between &
curse and an entreaty.
"Tie his hands, lads. Tie up both o