Free The Headless Huntsman by Benjamin Hulme-Cross

 
    Chapter 1
    Goreditch
    Mr Blood, Mary and Edgar walked along the main street of Goreditch. The streets were very dirty.
    The people stood in small groups on the pavement. As Mr Blood passed them, some people turned their backs. Other people stared at him.
    â€œI thought they would be happy to see us,” Edgar said. “The letter said the town was under attack.”
    â€œAnd it said that we were their only hope,” Mary added.

    â€œWe need to find the Sheriff,” Mr Blood said.
    They came to a large building with flags in front of it. “That must be the town hall,” said Mary.
    The town hall was guarded by several armed men.
    â€œStop!” one of the guards shouted as they came near. He and the other guards looked ready to fight. “What do you want?”
    â€œI am the Dark Hunter,” said Mr Blood. “The Sheriff asked us to come.” The guards looked at each other and nodded.

    â€œFollow me,” said one of the guards. He unlocked the door and led them into the town hall. They walked across a hall and climbed some stairs to a door.
    â€œThis is the Sheriff’s office,” said the guard. He opened the door and let them in.
    A group of well-dressed men stood by the fire. A short, round man with a fat belly came towards them.
    â€œAre you the Dark Hunter?” he asked. Mr Blood nodded.
    The Sheriff turned to the other men in the room. “We are saved!” he said.

    â€œWhat is it that you need saving from?” asked Mr Blood. “Your letter said that you were in danger from a monster.”
    â€œHe is a terrible monster,” said the Sheriff. “He has killed many of us. He attacks at night. We call him the Headless Huntsman.”

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    Chapter 2
    The Graveyard
    At the mention of a headless huntsman, Mary looked excited. Edgar looked scared.
    â€œHe has killed six people already,” the Sheriff said. “He cuts off people’s heads with an axe. And he means to kill us all, I know it!”

    â€œYou think he means to kill all the people of the town?” asked Mr Blood.
    â€œNo!” said the Sheriff. “He means to kill all the people of the town council. All the people in this room, Mr Blood. There are just six of us left.”
    â€œYou have a monster who wants to kill the town council?” said Mr Blood. “Do you know why?”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter why,” the Sheriff replied. “The important thing is he must be stopped!”

    â€œThe Headless Huntsman comes every night before midnight,” explained the Sheriff. “He comes from the graveyard on the moors. He wears hunting clothes and he carries an axe. Can you help us?”

    â€œI will find him for you,” said Mr Blood.
    â€œYou must destroy him!” the Sheriff cried.
    *   *   *
    Just before sunset, Mr Blood, Edgar and Mary left the town hall. The Sheriff had given them horses.
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    The people on the streets looked very angry.
    â€œIt seems to me,” said Mr Blood, “that the people of Goreditch have no love for the town council!”

    Edgar followed a map that the Sheriff had given them. They rode out of town and up a steep hill. Soon they were on the open moor.

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    They lit lanterns when it began to get dark. At last they reached the place that was marked “Graveyard” on the map. They left their horses by the roadside and walked around. It was a grim place but it didn’t look much like a graveyard.
    â€œLook,” said Edgar, pointing at a hangman’s noose hanging from a tree.
    â€œBut where are the gravestones?” Mary asked.
    â€œThere are none,” said Mr Blood. “But this
is
a graveyard. Look!”
    At his feet was a long pile of freshly dug earth.
    â€œAn unmarked grave,” said Edgar.

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    Chapter 3
    A Red Axe
    Mary and Edgar followed Mr Blood as he walked around. There were lots of unmarked graves. But none of the