Manly Wade Wellman

“ The mill went out of use. There's lots of newer yarns. A girl from Scott's Meadows yonder stayed one night ten years ago, on a dare. Next morning she was roaming around, too crazy to talk."
"And you bought the place?"
"Yes. Tore down the old mill house, and rebuilt on its foundations. Shouldn't that lay any ghosts, Judge Pursuivant?"
"Most rebuilders prefer to burn the haunted place entirely," said the judge. "However, that depends on how much they believe in ghosts. I take it that you don't laugh at these stories."
Scrope almost bit his cigar in two. ”

“ Maybe a criminal, joining the army to escape—Anyway, he could beat the Americans at their own game of hunt and shoot."
"That's hard to believe," rejoined Pursuivant. "Some of Washington's men were hard-set old Indian fighters."
"This Hessian outdid the Indians. He'd strip naked—even in winter—and paint himself like a Mohawk and sally out to kill. He was a dead shot, and a devil with sword or hatchet or knife." Scrope paused to bite the end off a cigar. "He could track or stalk anything, and he'd fight two soldiers at a time. Sometimes more. ”

“ Twice. It doesn't threaten. It pleads. It wants us to go ahead and win."
Scrope gazed at Pursuivant. "I think I saw it, too. But if it's a ghost—"
"Don't you realize that a ghost might want release? And others beside the Hessians found a tragic death here. Two women, didn't you say—I heard a voice ask for the final repetition of my spell. Again, it said."
"We-ell—" began Scrope uncertainly.
"The spirits of those two women are here, too," said Pursuivant confidently. "The evil of the place is too strong to let them escape, even though they're dead."
"Judge!" gasped Scrope, very pale. ”

“ Pursuivant elaborated:
"The last recital of the spell will take place right in that thing's den—right on his own dunghill, so to speak. We'll destroy him forever, where he can't seek refuge from us."
Again an hour was passed. The two rose from their chairs in the kitchen.
"It's time," said Scrope, looking at his wrist watch. "Judge, must I come in there with you?"
"You must," Pursuivant assured him. "into that front bedroom. The creature must face his final exorcism."
He walked to to the hall, and in. Scrope kept close behind, on feet that sounded amazingly heavy for so small a body. ”

“ All the New York area—including this part of New Jersey—stock full of grim deeds, giving rise to creepy tales.
Scrope went on:
"New York had quite a few Hessian soldiers stationed around—hired to fight the Americans, you know."
Again Pursuivant nodded. His Virginian ancestor had followed Washington in the battle of Trenton. "The Hessians weren't very fierce fighters," he commented.
"There was an exception to that rule," Scrope declared pithily. "Still taking notes, Judge?—I can't tell you this particular Hessian's name, but it comes down in the story how he looked. Big as you, I figure. ”

“ The spell is going to work." Scrope glanced up in almost prayerful eagerness. "You're sure?"
"Not quite sure of anything in life or death, but this thing's desperate. It's trying to fight us. I gather, from what you tell me, that it never manifested itself so strongly before—"
Scrope was nodding eagerly. "Sure. It's been around here, a sort of edgy atmosphere that drove my house-boys away—but nothing like this. As you say, it's playing the game for keeps now."
"It's in danger." replied Pursuivant, his blue eyes remaining fixed on the hallway. "So are we. ”

“ Pursuivant and Scrope suddenly shook hands.
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“ Many. The mother died of fright, and the daughter of jumping from an attic window, before the year was out. The son committed suicide before he'd been long back from the war—nobody says anything about the father, I guess he was killed in some battle. ”