The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

ee al SS THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. eee the old hypocrites conceal their guilt, though! JZ must not be behindhand in cunning, and will wear as pleasant a face as they. I know what they are, but they don’t know who JZ am.” Thus old Giles, the gardener, mused, and as he moved to and fro, he muttered, ‘Bromley Hall is a very ancient place, and there are more secrets in it yet than many dream of, but if I live I will unearth them all.” If any one could have seen old Giles’s face at that moment they would have been surprised, nay, startled at the terrible changes which came over it. At one time he smiled, and looked as placid and innocent an old man as could ever be seen. At other moments, however, his lips trembled, a deep, dark flush spread over his face rapidly, his eyes glared wildly around him, and he clenched his thick, bony fist with savage earnestness, ° “ T have sworn it!” he said, in an earnest savage whisper, when he found himself alone and far from all observation, “JZ have swornit! They know not who Lam, ha, ha! I am old Giles the gar- dener, ch? Well, well, so let them think for the present. When my time comes they will find out their mistake! Krank and Tom Ford are to be their next victims, Z see; but tt shall never be! Oh! that I had completed all my plans, and could cast my net around the villains all at once! Some are in my power now; _ but, patience, I have sworn to be revenged, and will be!” ‘ Instead of helping the servants to repair the damage done by the riot to the house, furniture, &c., Giles stole away unobserved to the room where the girl and boy had been confined, Here he rummaged about for some time, but found nothing worth the search, Determined not to be foiled he entered the mas- ter’s private library, which was still open. But this he did not dare do until long after dark, For a moment he listened as if uncertain how to act, for he heard footsteps moving quickly to and fro, With great resolution, however, he entered, pro- vided with a small dark lantern. He did not go to the master’s desk, He touched not the open safe, Parchments, deeds, mortgages, letters, and the like, lay strewn around in wild confusion. Such things, however, had no charm for old Giles, With the scent of a bloodhound he stood upon one particular plank in the floor J He lightly stamped his foot, but for what pur- pose did not at that moment appear, Shortly, however, the plank vose at the other end, slowly at first and by almost imperceptible degrees, After a second or two it was suddenly raised four or five feet from its proper place by some mys- terious means that Giles knew not, He did not stop to inquire how or by what means the planking was thus raised, for he left the spot whereon he stood and looked into the hole thus disclosed, He started back as if struck by a bullet, A perfect skeleton lay within! Jt was robed in white satin, and decked in long faded wreaths of flowers t Dust and cobwebs hung over all—the body had been mouldering there for many, many years, There were blood marks on the white garments ! They were rent and torn as if some violent struggle had taken place before death, Tor some time old Giles, dark lantern in hand, ok ste Ft eT JA GT stood gazing at the strange sight as with wonder. He knelt down after a time in order to takea fuller view of it. The head had been severed from the body ; it was not there. . ; A headless skeleton it lay, robed in blood-stained silk | A deep, dark mystery it was, one that old Giles could not then solve, but as he gazed on the if stupefied bleached bones tears rolled down his face as he © sighed, “Twas twelve years ago this very night since first we missed her—would that the hour of ven- geance had arrived.” Giles little dreamed, however, as he stood gazing on that silk-clad skeleton, artfully concealed he- neath the fluor, that on that self same night twelve years before the gipsies prophesied— _ es “ Giles, there are dread secrets at Bromley Hall, and one shall be discovered by you years hence, many years; but remember, at that same moment that one secret is discovered at the Hall, another murder, another headless mystery, will lay exposed to view in a lonely court in London, bot% deeds of blood accomplished by the same hand.” Still gazing on the headless body, Giles turned deadly pale. . His lamp suddenly went out He trembled, and felt a sense of holy awe creep over him, Minutes seemed like hours to him, and a cold sweat oozed from his brow. He seemed scarce able to move or breathe. Why had his lamp gone out? Had any one observed him ? Thus thought he as he heard the winds sigh mournfully past the window and the rain patter against its many diamond-shaped panes. A sudden flash of lightning dashed vividly through the dark and spacious room, which for a moment lit up everything in an unnatural manner. A deafening peal of thunder instantly succeeded, and seemed to crash right over Bromley Hall, and shook it to its very foundation, Then all was black again, Dark it was, indeed, except where the skeleton ay! That spot, however, from some awful cause, was not dark ! Lvery bone emitted a pale, phosphorescent glow! The outline of each was clearly defined ! _ The bones were a skeleton of dbluish-white, glowing in the darkness of its prison chamber ! This it was that made Giles stare with surprise, and caused him to tremble, There was so much that was unnatural in this appearance that it made him quake again. Suddenly he heard the coor behind him violently thrown open ! It was a fearful moment to Giles. He could not turn to look—he dared not ! He seemed rooted to the spot. The footfalls of a man approached him ! A heavy hand was laid upon his shoulder ! He slowly turned his head. He saw no one near! Yet he felt that strong and heayy hand upon his shoulder ! The suspense was horrible—appalling. A flash of lightning of dazzling brilliance filled the room again. He looked around him wildly. | It was the hand of a headless man? SN | chooks - U com (CO) a