The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 74: what you’re looking at

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

| } } } | | | | | A me re ee ws oe oe 68 ton’s, and seek for him there; but on arriving, of course, found him not at home. His agitation and tears filled the poor, fond old woman with alarm, for. from what che could gather she imagined that Charles had been taken violently ill, or, whut was far worse, perhaps had died ! When Sir Richard had explained everything to her, she screamed, and sank into a fit ; and Mistress Haylark, dashing into the apartment, stood slmost petrified to find him supporting her ia his arms, and addressing her with words of endearment. Clara was the next one to appear upon the scene, and, in her curl- papers. struck several melo-dramatic attitudes, and gracefully sank into the arm-chair, where she gave vent to a volley of ejaculations, and relieved her young feelings in a genuine flood of tears. m s - 2 2 Phillip Redgill, when informed of the affair, was consulting his intended fither-in-law revarding his prospective marriage with Fanny, and heard the news with indifference, or at most with a great dis- play of affected surprise. “Ton’t say so! Charley,eh? Ah! he always was find of fast living ! That’s what comes of going beyond one’s means, J have Jearned that long ago. P. or fellow ! confessed it, ch ? Well, he was an ass and no mistske. His prospects are gone, and no mistake, Not half-a-dozen Sir Richard Warbecks will ever re-instate him again, But about our business, Sir Andrew, As I was saying, I am devilish short, upon my word ; | aven’t’a coin in the world, and the ‘old man’ refuses to come up; I have asked him. I shall be rich, as yon know, one of these days. Now these two young Warbecks are out of the way, old Sir Richard is sure to make me his heir.” “Ah, it is a great pity! So much comes of living beyond one’s means. What would you have done, Phillip, if I were to have let those prettily executed pieces of paper signed hy you in your father’s name have gone floating about, eh ?” said old Sir Andrew, grinning. “Oh, never mind all that, you know. I aman altered man now, you see. I am going to marry and settle shortly. I have sown all my wild oats, and shall prove an exemplary member of society, you know—a member of parliament, or something of that sort, see if I don’t. But how about the ships Eclipse and Racehorse ? Didn't my father insure them in your office? I thought so—for £500,000, I believe. Lord! they tell me they have splendid cargoes of silks and teas on board. The last we heard of them they were sailing in company and had put into Pernambuco for water and supplies. The ‘old man’ will make a pretty penny by that “spec.,’ see if he don’t, and then I may expect him to sign my marriage contract. But, in the mean- time, good Sir Andrew, let me have a thousand or two—say £5,000; that ain’t much, you know, I want it for a special purpose. Come, open your heart for once, old fellow, you'll be be my father-in- law scon, I hope.” Sir Andrew, the old usurer, did open his heart, and in view of the expected marriage between Phillip and J’anny, his only daughter, let the intended husband have the amount he required. Phillip passed a few moments with his “intended,” in the garden, but left the house suddenly, But why did he leave his intended bride so hurriedly ? The reason was this : While with one arm round Fanny’s waist he was THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED, poring soft nothings in the ear of his intended bride, and forgetful for the moment of a!l the villany and ruin he had committed in the world, the startkd maiden screamed aloud in horror. Phillip, drawing his sword, and, while supporting the fainting maid, turned suddenly, and, to his amazement, beheld within a few feet of him the ‘Phantom legs,’’ The blood was frozen in his heart as he heard the ominous words, “Phillip Redgill, I follow you for ever.” in No, 6). With superhuman exertion he conducted Sir Andrew’s daughter in a fainting state to the mansion again, and assured the affrighted maiden that what she had seen was all imagination, But, mean- while, filled with terror at the memory of old Bertram’s murder, he Je{t the house, trembling aad pale, intent upon drowning his feelings in wine. H's steps were directed to a flash gambling-house where he Jost considerably at cards; and, if the truth must be confessed, he spent the rest of the night at a house of had repute, in company of Captain Jack and others, injulging in expensive wiaes and general debauchery. Having spent most of his money, except what he had paid to Captain Jack, he visited Charles Warbeck in prison, and condoled with him in an off-handed manner, and at the same time mentally chuckling st his own superior tact, and cursing Charley’s simplicity, or, as he termed it, his “stupidity.” “ Why couldn’t he have kept it to himself ; he could never he found out, the fool ? Conscience be hanged! Whoever heard of such a thing in these days ? Well, I’m allright, that’s all J care about, let every one look after themselves ; a rogue is honest till found ont. Ifa man betrays himself, so much the bigger fool he is, say I.” Phillip’s visit of consolation was of short duration, and as he departed from the prison walls he mused; “So my father refuses to sanction this marriage, for some time, and for ‘ special reasons,’ does he? What can be his ‘special reasons ?? He says he’s ‘considerably involved, and wishes to see his way clear first ;’ the same old tune! Fathers are always the same ; he never did coincide with any ideas of mine, the old brute! Wel), never mind, he can’t last long, that’s certain ; and J don’t think it would take much trouble to put him out of the way, if ail ce mes to all! Lord ! what a fine time I should have then, ei ? I don’t care about old Sir Andrew’s daughter, not a particle ; she’s 7ich and that’s the main point now-a-days,” With these thoughts Phillip visited his grey- haired father, whom be found sitting before his office fire, gazing at the glowing embers, and buried in deep thought. “How the wind blows to-nizht, Phillip! how fearfully it blows! I wonder how the sea is to- night ? Is it rough weather, think you ? How is it, stormy say you? Does the telegraph say so ? The ‘Racehorse’ and ‘Eclipse’ must be fairly in the channel, or near it by this time, what think you ? I hope they'll get through safely, Phillip ; if they were to go——}” “What then ?” asked Phillip, laughingly; “ your prospects are not centred solely in them, surely ?” “Ah, my son, you know nothing of business yet, (See cut | [see, All my prospects are in those ships, and if anything befalls them, I am ru— !” “Ob, the old story,” thought Phillip, and was so ee