The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

58 THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED. are, eh? And do you now, when I expect to see all my labours rewarded, turn round upon me, and disgrace me?” ‘Spare me! Sir Richard! spare me, for heaven's - sake! My heart is bursting, and my brain is all on fire,’ said Charles, mournfnily, averting his head from the old man’s gaze, ‘There are very few things which occur in the India House or out of it which do not quickly reach my ears, Charles, I only heard of it just now, sir, and must confess I felt shocked. Good Dame Worthington told me,” “Dame Worthington ?” said Charley, astonished. ** How could she have known it?” ‘* Yes, Dame Worthington knewit? Why, of course she does, and every one in the house! Isn’t it the talk of the whole neighbourhood ?” The young man’s agony was painful, and his face became more haggard in a few moments from mental suffering than age could have effected during a course of years. “What do you think they wiil do with me, Sir Richard? I shall plead guilty, and save unnecessary trouble and expense,”’ “ Guilty? Yes, I think so, when so many were witness to it ; and your sentence will be to reform, keep early hours, leave wine parties alone and gambling, and beg the old dame’s pardon for swearing at her to-night.” Had he been shot Charley could not haye been more suddenly startled. Starting to his feet, and looking wildly about him, he comprehended all—Sir Richard knew nothing of his having the bills ; and, with a heavy sigh, which then escaped him, there was lifted an insupportable weight of doubt and pain from his soul, and he breathed more freely and rapidly as one who has been running fast, or carrying a heavy load. Infinitely relieved, the young man even attempted to smile at the unexpected and fortunate turn: his imaginings had taken, and, with as much self-com- mand as he could bring to bear upon the conversa- tion, daughed, and begged Sir Richard’s pardon for his wild life of late, and inebriety that night, when the kind old dame was knocked over in the passage, and his own nose had come into violent contact with the stairs. When Sir Richard had departed, in good humour with the repentant youth, Charley drew the sofa nearer to the fire, and began to congratulate himself upon escaping an anticipated suspicion. “T was sure he knew all abont it,” thought Charles; ‘‘and felt as if I was suspended between heaven and earth! Oh! what a relief it was. It is the first, and I will take care it shall be the Zas¢ time I ever act so carelessly again, as sure as I live! If professional thieves suffer only half what I have done since evening, and for no crime what- ever, I am sure they would never follow their trade very long. Let me see—I placed the package under the sofa mattress ; if either had seen it ly- ing on my table, I should have blown my brains out! But where is it? Gone!” said he, in as- tonishment, as he examined in every place, “ gone |! Who could have taken it? No one knew it to be there. Gone it is, undoubtedly. I have searched everywhere, but it can’t be found. Good Heavens! What shall Ido? Which of them could have taken it? No, no, neither of them could have seen or felt it ; it must be here !”’ Charles searched in every imaginable nook and porter, but could not discover the missing roll of vills, He had placed it under the sofa mattress, he was confident, and unknown to either of his visitors. Whither or how it had disappeared was a marvel, Distracted with countless thoughts and emo- tions, he put on his cloak, and, late as it then was, left the apartment, welking aimlessly up and down first one street ard then another, until he found himself opposite the theatre, with its blazing links, oil-lamps, and variously-coloured lanterns. i More from habit than design, Charles passed its portals, and soon found himself among a crowd of gay acquaintances. ‘Seen Redgill?” asked he of one and another, until, tired with waiting, he was about to depart, when both met at the door ! ‘Did you see a small paper packet lying about my room, near the sofa, to-night?” asked Charles, carelessly. A small paper packet? No, Why, have you lost one? What was it like?” ‘Well, it didn’t look like anything particulaily, but it was, you know, very much like one of our bank packets, It was a packet of long envelopes and other papers.” ‘“‘ Bank packets, eh? No, my boy, I didn’t seet ; I was too much taken up with thinking of money matters. If you remember, you said you hadn't a penny, and I was racking my brain to devise means for borrowing some, for there is a grand bal masque on here to-night. Is it very valuable? You look vexed—perplexed, What’s the matter, Charley, my boy? If I can help you out of the scrape command me, you know——” “Well, the fact is, Phillip, the package I speak of, which so much resembles a bank package, contained something very valuable, more valuable than my life, in fact. Without I recover it my existence is henceforth a blank and worthless. I am dishonoured !" “Don’t say ‘dishonoured,’ my boy ; that is im- possible ; you could never do anything which would reflect dishonour on yourself or your many ac- quaintance, Cheer up ; you may find it to-morrow, If itis a hundred ot two you want, you can have it in a day or two from me even.” Charles went home almost mad. “Lucky thing I called at Warbeck’s apartments to-night,” said Redgill, to himself, as soon as Charles had left him. “What brought that money on jis table? Methinks I smell a very large-sized mouse,” said he, with a fiendish smile, drinking wine at a small wine-shop near the theatre. “I managed to abstract it rather neatly, I mst confess; his head wasn’t turned more than a minute—and it contains £2,000. What care Jif the fool is ruined? I only wish it were Ned Warbeck instead ; how my heart would leap with joy—the young viper !” CHAPTER XXII, - |) FEARFUL ENCOUNTER BETWEEN THE SKELETON CREW AND THE SMUGGLERS. ‘“ WELL, Dolphin, and what news of this new wonder, Wildfire Ned?” asked the Smuggler Chief. ‘* He has joined Lieutenant Garnet, say you ?” ‘* He has,” “ And what does he intend to do 2?” ‘‘ He swears to exterminate the Skeleton Crew.” ‘So much the better for us, then,” laughed the Smuggler Chief. “If young Ned Warbeck can only rid the seas of such monsters as they are, then there may be some chance of honest folks, like our- selves, getting along a bit farther than we have done of late,” said the Chief, with a dry grin, —_—_ SS st KS (E(0) A S| (E(0) nn Ehboo