The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 190: what you’re looking at

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

184 =f TEE EES FL a Sa Tea Ts La SS my lost pocket-book, and at the same time picked my pocket of thirty more !’ “ Jack hereupon seemed in as much confusion as the lady, and said he hoped she was not in earneet, but, if she were, requested her not to disturb her- self, for she should not lose one farthing. “ Upon this Jack desired her to sit still, while he stepped over to bis own house, and issued; as way be supposed, necessary directions, for, in less than half an hour a little boy that J ack kept bolted into the room, and told them the woman was taken, and on’ the point of going to prison. ‘You shall see, madam,’ said Jack to the lady, ‘what exemplary punishment I will make of this infamous woman.’ “Then, turning himself to the boy, he said, “(Was the purse of money taken about her : ? sas Yes, sir,” replied the lad. ' «“« Oh,’ said the lady, #1 will take the purse.’ od “The: Jady begged’ of Jack to' have no hand in apprehending or punishing the poor wretch, “¢< Wor,” said she, ‘I would rather lose all I have than the poor creature should suffer.’ “*Oh, I beg ten thousand pardons, madam,’ aid Jack, with a very profound bow,; ‘I have served vour ends, so far, and now this culprit must serve mine; in less than’ two weeks you will hear that this pickpocket has suffered the full penalty of the law.’ “True to his word, the poor wretch did suffer, for she,was hung at Tyburn, in less than the time he had promised. “ Thus acted Captain! J ack.and Bates towards all the notorious characters with whom they »were connected. “The poor devils in the first place served Jack and Bates. by enriching them with systematic roguery, and, after they had ‘run their race,’ as’ Jack was wont to say, witha laugh, the gallows was sure to be their reward, and the chief witness against them in all cases was Jack or Bates. ‘“ For a long series of years ‘these two villains and the Baker’s Dozen carried on this devilish system of rearing and fostering thieves, and afterwards hanging them ; but now, to use Jack’s own words, he and the Dozen had likewise ‘run their race,’ for within a month after their arrest by Wildfire Ned, Lieutenant Garnet, and the gallant assistance of Bob Bertram, they were condemned to die, and were hung in gibbets on the identical cross roads of which Colonel Blood had spoken in an early chapter of this tale. They stoutly protested their 1 innocence, of course, and spoke loudly againt the knavery of Colonel Blood ; but, before they suffered, Captain Jack and old Bates were seized. with remorse, and bewailed their past lives as bitterly as men possibly could do. ” : CHAPTER LIIt NED WARBECK’ AND BOB BERTRAM HAVE AN IN- TERVIEW WITH CAPTAIN JACK AND OLD BATES IN PRISON—ASTOUNDING REVELATIONS OF DREDS OF CRIME. Carrain Jack and Bates wrote long accounts of their career in crime which greatly startled the pious oid chaplain who attended them daily, There was only one request which either Captain © Jack or Bates desired, and this was to have a final and a parting interview with Ned Warbeck and Bob Bertram. This request was, of course, immediately granted, and, at an early hour, Ned and Bob Bertram entered the prison’ cell wherein Jack and Bates were chained and manacled. | “T have sent for you, Ned Woarbeck, to say a few words before I die.” ‘Then’ unburden® your: conscience, Jack,” said Ned; “and; in‘order that ‘what you say may be made public hereaftér, Ivhave brought a quick writer with me, who will put down'on paper all you say.” ““T have novobjection in the world,” said J ack.’ ’“ Nor I,” said’ Bates, in a surly tone: “ Then Tet me, in the’ first place ask, why did you arrest young Bolton, old Redgill’s travelling collector tor 2” “So as to screen Phillip Redill, who gave me several thousand pounds to shift the guilt from his own shoulders to,that of some one else.” ; Oh, the villain !” said Bob. Bret But why did you still screen him when you knew that he had dealings'with Death-wing and his villanous Skeleton Crew ?” “ Because I knew if I arrested him, he might’ give evidence against me in turn; for I know, and have long. known, that Colonel Blood was only waiting an opportunity to hang me—before By time,”’said J ack, laughing. | « How can you account for his father’ s death ?” mye Why, he upset the carriage, and thus drowned him ;, but instead of getting any property, the old man Was insolvent, and not worth a penny. “ And what became of his wife ?” _ “She lived for some time with Mr. Augustus Fumbleton, and kept a. house of ill-fame.. Her father, old McTurk, however, did not disdain to re- ceive money from her, but ultimately the house was accidentally burnt to the ground, and Fanny, young Redgill’s wife, was as the same time consumed in the flames,”’ 5 Le - “ And what became of old MeTurk ee . “ He went to the workhouse, and there lingers out a.wretched life. His wife is dead, and he him- self is like a walking skeleton,” . “ And do you know how it was that my. brother, Charley, got into’ such disgrace at the Indian house ?” ; “ Yes, Phillip Regill told me all one night When drunk, and seemed to glory in it.”’ 5 What did he say?” “ Why, that he stole the notes, and lost them that same night in gambling.” “ He must have been’ an unscrupulous, incoao- ceivable villain! But he is dead, [ hear,” said Ned. “No, he is not,” said Jack ; “ but ifhe doesn’t die, I have written down and ‘sworn to more than enough to gibbet him.” “And are you content to die ?” asked Bob, in great suprise at the coolness of Jack and Bates. “T must be so,” was the reply.» “ We have ‘had Gibbet in our eye for more than fifteen years, and surely now that the time’s come, we are men enough to face it,’ ‘ Perhaps ’tis well that society is about to get rid of you ?” said Ned. | 7% THIS TALE WILL CONCLUDE IN No, 24, With which Number will be presented NUMBERS | & 2 OF A NEW WORK. {2 AUG GEomicbhboo <SEiGO THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED. 5