The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

a 20 - ar While they were speaking thus, a servant an- nounced that a stranger had arrived a ithe Hall. ‘His name?” “Mr, Philip Redgill, sir.” “Show him up; eis no stranger; he is a rela- tion. Show him up,” ~~ The knight seemed pleased at the unexpected coming of his nephew. Phillipsoon entered, on he He was most elegantly attired, and carried a sword. so Sa His face was rather handsome, but he hada dark, wicked-looking eye, There was an uneasy twitch about his mouth, ae pia he smiled he showed a set of large eeth. | When he entered the room, he cast a quick, vicious look towards Ned. , Immediately after, however, he wore a forced © smile, and shook Sir George very cordialty with his ungloved hand. “He turned towards Wildfire Ned, and extended his hand towards him also, in a cold, formal way. ! ‘Tt is not necessary,” said Ned, witha proud toss of his head; “‘your hand is cold and clammy ; it gives me the shivers; its feel is fishy, Phillip Redgill,” : Saying this, he lett the room with a flashing eye and proud step. “Queer youth that, Sir George,” said Phillip, with a bitter smile, “At the same time,” he thought, ‘*I’d give a thousand pounds to know he was dead; he seems thrown in my path to thwart me.” “But he is a brave youth,” said Sir George, in flattering tones. | ‘Is he,” laughed Redgill ; he was a very rash one.” “His best friends say the same; but it will all wear off with age and experience.” “Perhaps so, Sir Richard ; but it strikes me very forcibly he will never live to be any very great age,” said Redgill, very slowly and with great emphasis. “Why not?” said the old knight, quickly. ‘He is too passionate. Had it not been for my own good temper, and the respect I have for you, I should; have publicly horsewhipped him for his rudeness to me on more than one occasion.” “ But you are older than he is, Phillip,” sternly said Sir Richard ; “ you must remember that.” ‘True ; but no more of that, Ihave come from London expressly to inform you that my father, through his influence with the king’s. govern- ment, has managed to get a midshipman’s com- mission for Ned, this great favourite of yours. If you like to consent, he can join his ship at once ; it lies at Portsmouth, ready to sail.” | “It was very kind of your father, truly ; but I have not made up my mind about it,” ‘Not made up your mind? Why, when last I was down here, you said it would be the very best thing that could be done for him,” ; ‘True ; but I have altered my mind since then. I should be very sorry to part with young Ned, and if any harm were to happen to him, I thinkit would kill me, for the more I see of him the more I like the lad.” “s “Ma, ha |!” laughed Phillip ; ‘there is no fear of that; the ship he would join will never sail more than ten miles ont of port, so there’s no fear that your intended heir to the Darlington estates will come to harm,” ‘The intended heir to my estates, Phillip Red- “ Thave often thought a THE SKELETON CREW 3: OR, WILDFIRE NEp. ~ gill!” said the old man, ‘Ned and his brother are poor orphans, and have no real claim on me.” — At this’ moment Ned entered the room quietly and heard all that had been said. * ~— ‘‘T was only joking,” Phillip replied, with a dry laugh. 3 When his eye caught sight of Ned he changed countenance on the instant. Ned gazed at him fixedly with a look of proud contempt. ; “Phillip Redgill,” said Ned, defiantly, “I have by mere accident overheard all you have said.” ‘What ! an eavesdropper in the hall!” said Red- gill, with a sneer. ‘TE you say so, you lie!” said Ned, fiercely ; ‘and, to show you how little I think of you, how much I despise you, take that !’’ he said, slapping Redgill in the face, ‘‘and, if you dare, resent it.” In an instant the colour rose to Redgill’s face. He drew his sword and darted towards Wildfire Ned. “Come on,” said Ned, whipping up the old knight’s sword that lay on the table. “Put down your swords,” the old man cried, getting between them. . “ What is the meaning of all this ?” Redgill looked for a second at the firm, hand- some features of Wildfire Ned, and the eagle-like glance of the brave lad cowed his own craven heart, Fae He could not look him in the face. ‘Come on,” said Ned, “Nay, turn not so deadly pale, coward.” - wr “Put up your weapons, I say,” the old man said, sternly. Redgill did so, and bit his lips until they became bloodless and white. “ Why carry a sword if afraid to use it?” said Ned, scornfully turning on his heel. After a pause Wildfire Ned said, calmly and slowly— . “ Redgill, you are not a man; you are a coward, a snake in the grass; you leave a poisonous slime wherever you go. Bloody deeds follow in your wake wherever you tread! There is no love lost between us, ’tis true; but you are a mischief- maker; a deceiver; I could say more perhaps.” “Say on,” said Redgill, turning pale. ‘Murderer is marked on your face, Phillip Redgill,” said Ned, sternly. | “‘ Nay, do not tremble, for I know nought of what you have done; but I suspect and despise you, leaving it in the hands of heaven one day to disclose what you are. You need not fear that Z shall stand in your path to wealth or fame. Trust me, I have too much heart and spirit to eat the bread of charity longer at Sir Richard’s table ; but, ere I leave, remember these my words, Redgill,’” he said, after a solemn pause, “‘you will one day grace a gibbet ; rogue, vagabond, and murderer is deeply written on your countenance. You cannot, you dare not look an honest lad openly in the face, Your own cowardly heart tells you I speak the truth; and, were it not for the disgrace to good Sir Richard, I could slay you as you sit, and think, aye, know that I had done right in the sight of man and_ heaven, Sir Richard, I now leave the Hail, my everlasting. love is yours. Upon the wide world I go to seek my fortune ; but beware of that man’s evil eye. Sir Richard, shun him like'asnake, Phillip Redgill, we shall meet again.” ‘We will,” was the bitter answer. . In an instant Wildfire Ned left the room. The village clock tolled the,hour of midnight. He left Darlington Hall, and perhaps for ever! _— —_~— —_ ~~ a jomichboo S (E(0)