Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

IVAN THE The sight of these brave fellows endangering their lives in Will Winter’s behalf caused a thrill of joy and wild enthusiasm to pass through the crowd. Sword in hand, Blue-Jacket jumped upon the scaffold, and cut the rope. eR The body, pale and motionless, fell into his arms, . With a wild shout and deafening cheers, the mob applauded him. = . “ Bravo! bravo!” , “ Hurrah for Blue-Jacket !” ‘Long live the groom !” “ Three cheers for the young gentleman !” Such were the shouts of those around. This was a critical moment—a moment of intense ex¢ite- ment and wild uproar. a8 Those upon the scaffold were in danger of their lives! yet they seemed to defy all thoughts of personal harm, and waved their hats and caps in triumph, Had there been anything like asettled or organised design among the immense multitude there assembled, swaying and surging like an ocean round the gallows tree, all would have been well. But there was none, All, save the London Apprentices there present, had come from mere idle curiosity, and had no idea of risking their own lives in order to save young Winter. As it was, then, the soldiers and others fought hard to ap- proach the scaffold, and by dint of shooting and cutting among the crowd, they had well nigh eaptured Blue-Jacket, Harry Percy, and the bold Darby. Not only had Blue-Jacket and his friends to contend against the soldiers and civie officers, but there were others who now rushed upon them ; men, bold, desperate and bloodthirsty, These were Ivan and his band. When Ivan had crawled from benéath the hateful gibbet, he was astounded to see Blue-Jacket before him. “What, escaped?” he growled, with many angry oaths. — No, it cannot be !” “Your eyesight doés not deceive you, Ivan,” said Andy, who now joined his leader, “itis not his ghost but Blue-Jacket himself.” “Then let him die |” Ivan said. On the instant he raised a wild, fierce shout to his numerous followers scattered through the irfimense multitude, and leape upon the scaffold, sword in hand, He made a sudden blow at Blue-Jacket, but Harry Percy warded off the blow. — . Andy rushed forward to help his chief but Darby, with one tremendous blow of the thick oak club he carried, sent Master Andrew sprawling on the scaffold, and next minute he rolled “off senseless among the crowd. cata roc ah | : Red-Jacket, Handsome Ned, Scarlet Sam, and others now fought their way through the soldiers to the scene of conflict, and the combat upon and around the gallows was of the most desperate and determined nature. , - Blue-Jacket, still holding the helpless body of Will Winter, fought like a tiger, and would not give up his prize. Many of Ivan’s men had to acknowledge Blue-J acket’s great gallantry and expert swordmanship. Overpowered as they were by numbers, - however, each - moment became more critical, not only for his own safety, but also*for that of all friends who were then nobly assisting : ‘Drop the body! drop the body !” shouted the excited crowd. “There is a squadron of mounted men galloping up the | road |” | ‘‘ Look after yourself, Blue-J acket !” < “ Pass the body tous! Toss it down |” “Let it fall! We will catch it !” © J, ad Such were the many conflicting shouts and cries that assailed Will Winter's friends as they were thus heroically fighting for the body of the young and innocent apprentice, Surrounded on all sides by numerous foes Blue-Jacket followed the advice of the mob. : | vise mate escaped several thrusts made at him by Ivan, TERRIBLE. 99 the pikemen, and mounted soldiers, and slipped the body to the excited, fighting, surging crowd. They received it with loud shouts and cheers They passed it over their heads and fought marfilly to protect it from the soldiery and sheriffs, who, Sword in hand, were endeavouring to re-capture it. - * Deliver it on your lives!” roared the sheriffs in a loud voice, “Never! never!” answered the crowd, with jeers and groans. “Down with the sheriffs |” “Hang ’em on the gallows!” “Murder the red-coats! Lame their horses! Ham-string every one of ’em |” , By this timé the scaffold was almost torn into pieces, — The beams were cut down and a large bon-fire lighted under the platform, “e Still Blue-Jacket and his followers fought on against ruth- less Ivan and his remorseless crew. With a loud crash the scaffold fell. : Long and deafening cheers arose from the mob, Still onwards Will Winter’s body was borne over the heads of the multitude, closely followed both by Harry and Darby, who. had resolved not to loose sight of it for a moment, ‘He is dead! he is dead!” shouted ‘some of the ap- prentices; os oe ae ‘No, he is not dead!” shrieked Harry. ‘“ He is alive |” _ “He lives! he lives!” roared a multitude of voices in tumultuous chorus. . . While this general commotion was at its height and the excited mob were howling with delight at Will Winter’s rescue, they also took great care to pass the motionless, pale, and pulseless body over their heads out of further harm’s way. ; _- At this moment, however, a squadron of dragoons, which had been perceived a few moments before approaching the spot, came galloping on the scene with loud shouts and flash- ~ ing swords. A cry of horror seized the crowd as these horsemen plunged into the multitude, cutting and hacking their way through towards the body, “ He lives! he lives!” __ ** Spare him! spare him |” “ Down with the red-coats |” Hang the sheriffs !” Such were the cries now heard on every side, Harry and Darby turned sickly pale, however, when they | perceived how cruelly and mercilessly the soldiers slashed among the defenceless crowd. Their horror was still greater, however, when they perceived the dreadful form of Ivan himself, who, mounted on a horse, led them on, a “Surrender the traitor |” roared Ivan, like a wild fiend, “ Never, never!” “Don’t give up the body !” “Spare him !” “ Save him !” a= , - Shouted the crowd, who, trampled on every sidé by the horsemen, could make but a feeble resistance, ‘‘ He lives! He breathes !”’ : “ Liars | Ivan shouted, as he dashed, and madly spurred through the crowd. “ Liars, knaves! He doés not live! His neck is broken! JZ broke it! Deliver the body, rascals! Let the just sentence of thé law be fulfilled.” . A yell of horror, and groans of desperation were the only Tesponse. | p ' In an instant Ivan and the soldiers again charged the crowd, and fought for the body. ) Swords against sticks and stones soon decided the day. With a wild laugh of triumph, Ivan seized the body and | swung it across his horse. Followed by the two sheriffs, and a strong guard of soldiers, he galloped from the spot, amid a terrific roar of voices, Sword in hand, waving over his head, and with the. pale, genseless body of the brave, but unhappy youth across his saddle, he rode triumphantly away, shouting, “Heismine!} Heis mine! Away | follow me” CORNICE IOOKS CON